Gut Microbiota in DiseaseThird Edition

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Gut Microbiota".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 475

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology—Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
Interests: gut microbiota; liver disease; hepatocellular carcinoma; liver cirrhosis; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is a continuation of our previous Special Issue, “Gut Microbiota in Disease”.

The gut microbiota is composed of trillions of microorganisms that reside in our digestive system and perform a number of essential functions for human health. In fact, it constitutes the variable part of our genetic equipement, can be influenced by multiple factors, including drugs or diet, and contributes to the metabolism of nutrients, bile acids and xenobiotics, modulating the host immune system and systemic inflammatory state, and the proper functioning of the intestinal barrier. Perturbations of the intestinal microbiota may underlie the pathogenesis of numerous disease processes not only in the digestive tract, but also the whole organism. Complex alterations in the composition and function of the gut microbiome, collectively defined as dysbiosis, are a crucial point in the progression of pathologies, such as liver cirrhosis, immune-mediated diseases and neurological disorders. Therefore, modulation of the gut microbiome becomes fundamental to stop the progression of several diseases and regulate the response to therapy in specific contexts, such as in cancer patients who are treated with immunotherapy.

The aim of this Special Issue is to report the latest evidence on the role of the gut microbiome in influencing human health, particularly regarding its contribution to various disease processes, and how its modulation may affect the development and progression of diseases.

Dr. Francesca Romana Ponziani
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • gut microbiome
  • intestinal barrier
  • inflammation
  • immune system
  • antibiotics
  • cancer

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 3047 KiB  
Article
Distinct Gastrointestinal and Reproductive Microbial Patterns in Female Holobiont of Infertility
by Ana T. Marcos, Maria J. Rus, Victoria Areal-Quecuty, Aurea Simon-Soro and José Manuel Navarro-Pando
Microorganisms 2024, 12(5), 989; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12050989 - 14 May 2024
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Abstract
The microbiota is in symbiosis with the human body as a holobiont. Infertility conditions affect the female reproductive tract (FRT) and its resident microbiota. However, a disturbance in homeostasis could influence the FRT and other distal body sites, such as the gastrointestinal tract [...] Read more.
The microbiota is in symbiosis with the human body as a holobiont. Infertility conditions affect the female reproductive tract (FRT) and its resident microbiota. However, a disturbance in homeostasis could influence the FRT and other distal body sites, such as the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). We included 21 patients with endometriosis and other infertility-associated diseases with clinical profiles and biological samples from the FRT (endometrium, endometrial fluid, and vagina), and GIT samples (oral and feces). We performed a 16S rRNA analysis of site-specific microbial communities and estimated diversity metrics. The study found body site-specific microbial patterns in the FRT–GIT. In both study groups, Lactobacillus was the most shared Amplicon Sequence Variant (ASV), a precise identifier of microbial sequences, between endometrial and vagina samples. However, shared Gardnerella and Enterobacteriaceae ASVs were linked to other conditions but not endometriosis. Remarkably, Haemophilus was a specific GIT-shared taxon in endometriosis cases. In conclusion, infertility influences distinctly the FRT and GIT microbiomes, with endometriosis showing unique microbial characteristics. We proposed the concept of ‘female holobiont’ as a community that comprises the host and microbes that must maintain overall homeostasis across all body sites to ensure a woman’s health. Insights into these microbial patterns not only advance our understanding of the pathophysiology of infertility but also open new avenues for developing microbe-based therapeutic interventions aimed at restoring microbial balance, thereby enhancing fertility prospects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiota in DiseaseThird Edition)
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