The Role of Gut Microbiota in Human Metabolism and Disease

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 2239

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Interests: translational research; animal models; immunology; neurology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The alteration of gut microbiota, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that is associated with host conditions and its possible control for health benefits.

The abundance of microorganisms in the gut is surprisingly high, which might be approximately 10-fold higher than that in human cells, with a crucial role in digestion, immune functions, and overall health, while the imbalances in the gut microbiota contribute to several diseases. These microbiota consist of not only bacteria but also fungi, viruses, protozoa, and archaea. The importance of gut microbiota, or normal flora, is increasingly recognizable through the possible connection between the gut and other organs, referred to as “the organ cross-talk”, for example, the gut–liver–kidney axis, the gut–lung axis, and the gut–brain axis. Gut microbiota is surprisingly vulnerable to several factors, including the endogenous micro-environments from the host and exogenous diets. As such, the simple alteration in stress hormones of the host might directly select some population of bacteria that benefit these stress hormones, called stress-induced dysbiosis. Meanwhile, some diets (extremely spicy foods and high-fat diets) directly select the growth of some bacteria over others, resulting in gut dysbiosis. The understanding of this cross-talk might lead to the use of microbiota as a biomarker, while its control using several methods might represent novel strategic treatments for some diseases. Manuscripts addressing these topics are invited for this Special Issue, especially those combining a high academic standard coupled with a practical focus on providing possible use of the data from microbiota.

Dr. Asada Leelahavanichkul
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • microbiota
  • bacteriome
  • fungiome
  • virome
  • cross-talk

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 2148 KB  
Article
Less Severe Inflammation in Cyclic GMP–AMP Synthase (cGAS)-Deficient Mice with Rabies, Impact of Mitochondrial Injury, and Gut–Brain Axis
by Pannatat Areekul, Thansita Bhunyakarnjanarat, Sakolwan Suebnuson, Kollawat Somsri, Somchanok Trakultritrung, Kris Taveethavornsawat, Tewin Tencomnao, Siwaporn Boonyasuppayakorn and Asada Leelahavanichkul
Biology 2025, 14(11), 1583; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14111583 - 12 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1118
Abstract
Activation of cGAS, a receptor recognizing cytosolic DNA, in macrophages might be associated with rabies (an RNA virus) through mitochondrial damage. A similar mortality rate was observed between cGAS-deficient (cGAS-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice post-CVS-11 strain injection. However, 2 out of 12 cGAS-/- [...] Read more.
Activation of cGAS, a receptor recognizing cytosolic DNA, in macrophages might be associated with rabies (an RNA virus) through mitochondrial damage. A similar mortality rate was observed between cGAS-deficient (cGAS-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice post-CVS-11 strain injection. However, 2 out of 12 cGAS-/- mice (but not WT) survived for 15 days post-injection. At 7 days post-infection, less severe brain inflammation in cGAS-/- mice was demonstrated by the viral abundance in the hippocampus, the expression of proinflammatory genes (TNF-α and IL-1β), and the Evans blue dye assay (blood–brain barrier defect) with the presence of higher anti-inflammatory genes (TGF-β and arginase-1). Fecal Proteobacteria was more prominent in the infected WT mice, while serum cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) were similar in both mouse strains. There were less prominent responses against the rabies virus in cGAS-/- macrophages than in WT cells, as indicated by supernatant IL-6 and the gene expression of TLR-3, RIG-1, MDA-5, and iNOS. On the other hand, mitochondrial injury and cGAS activation were more prominent in WT macrophages over cGAS-/- cells, as indicated by cGAS expression, supernatant cGAMP (a secondary messenger of cGAS), and mitochondrial oxidative stress (MitoSox) together with a decrease in mitochondrial DNA and maximal respiration (extracellular flux analysis). In conclusion, (i) rabies-damaged mitochondria led to cGAS activation that was less severe in cGAS-/- than in WT, (ii) rabies-induced dysbiosis was demonstrated, and (iii) cGAS manipulation and gut–brain axis-associated inflammation warrants further investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Gut Microbiota in Human Metabolism and Disease)
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Review

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20 pages, 1531 KB  
Review
Profiling the Athletes’ Gut Microbiome: A Critical Methodological Perspective on 16S Metabarcoding and Shotgun Metagenomics
by Junior Carlone, Ághata Cardoso da Silva Ribeiro, Attilio Parisi, Saverio Giampaoli and Alessio Fasano
Biology 2026, 15(8), 600; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15080600 - 10 Apr 2026
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Abstract
The growing interest in the role of the gut microbiome in athletic performance has led to the application of various sequencing technologies in this field. This review critically examines the sequencing methodologies used in microbiome studies on physical performance and sport, comparing their [...] Read more.
The growing interest in the role of the gut microbiome in athletic performance has led to the application of various sequencing technologies in this field. This review critically examines the sequencing methodologies used in microbiome studies on physical performance and sport, comparing their advantages, limitations, and applicability. In particular, the focus is on 16S metabarcoding and shotgun metagenomics, evaluating how these methodological approaches influence the interpretation of results in sports contexts. Close attention is directed toward technical challenges, methodological biases, and future perspectives, including emerging technologies and multi-omics approaches. This review aims to bridge the gap between methodological rigor and sports-specific applicability, providing evidence-based methodological guidance to support researchers in designing robust athlete microbiome studies and translating sequencing-derived findings into concrete applications for performance and sports health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Gut Microbiota in Human Metabolism and Disease)
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