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The Gut Microbiome: Mechanisms and Therapies in Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 January 2027 | Viewed by 1645

Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
Interests: gut microbiota; human disease; gene expression; biomarkers

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Co-Guest Editor
College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
Interests: diet; obesity; immune; tumor; cancer

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The gut microbiome plays a key role in human health, informing immune system development and metabolism. Reflecting this, a wide spectrum of human diseases has been linked to disruption of the delicate gut microbiome ecosystem. In communicable diseases, for instance, the microbiome has been found to influence susceptibility to infection, modulate vaccine responses, and interact with microbial exposure pathogens. In non-communicable diseases—such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders—dysbiosis can serve as an accurate biomarker of risk. In some cases, it is also a driver of disease. In recent years, mechanistic studies have revealed how microbial metabolites, signaling pathways, and host–microbe interactions contribute to disease initiation, progression, and recovery across both infectious and chronic conditions.

This Special Issue invites original research that advances our understanding of the microbiome in communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as comprehensive reviews. We welcome studies that (I) address targeted therapies, such as diet, prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, synbiotics, and microbial-derived small molecules; (II) introduce innovative analytical or quantitative multi-omics methods; or (III) explore translational and precision microbiome therapeutic strategies. Overall, this Collection aims to integrate basic, clinical, and translational perspectives toward augmenting our collective understanding of microbiome-informed strategies for prevention and treatment across the disease spectrum.

Dr. Tatiana Marquez-Lago
Dr. Lyse A Norian
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • microbiome
  • multi-omics
  • translational
  • communicable diseases
  • non-communicable diseases

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

26 pages, 4036 KB  
Article
Investigating the Role of Diet-Manipulated Gut Bacteria in Pathogenesis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus—An In Vitro Approach
by Asha Guraka, Marie Lush, Georgios Zouganelis, Joe Waldron, Subbareddy Mekapothula, Jinit Masania, Gareth Wynn Vaughan Cave, Myra Elizabeth Conway, Gyanendra Tripathi and Ali Kermanizadeh
Nutrients 2026, 18(2), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18020279 - 15 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1203
Abstract
Background: The human gut microbiome is highly complex, and its composition is strongly influenced by dietary patterns. Alterations in microbiome structure have been associated with a range of diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the underlying mechanisms for this remain poorly understood. [...] Read more.
Background: The human gut microbiome is highly complex, and its composition is strongly influenced by dietary patterns. Alterations in microbiome structure have been associated with a range of diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the underlying mechanisms for this remain poorly understood. In this study, a novel in vitro approach was utilized to investigate the interplay between gut bacteria, dietary metabolites, and metabolic dysfunction. Methods: Two representative gut bacterial species—Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and Lactobacillus fermentum—were isolated from human faecal samples and subjected to controlled dietary manipulation to mimic eubiotic and dysbiotic conditions. Metabolites produced under these conditions were extracted, characterized, and quantified. To assess the functional impact of these metabolites, we utilized the INS-1 832/3 insulinoma cell line, evaluating insulin sensitivity through glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and ERK1/2 activation. Results: Our findings demonstrate that metabolites derived from high-carbohydrate/high-fat diets exacerbate metabolic dysfunction, whereas those generated under high-fibre conditions significantly enhance insulin secretion and glucose-dependent ERK1/2 activation in co-culture compared to monocultures. Conclusions: This work systematically disentangles the complex interactions between gut microbiota, diet, and disease, providing mechanistic insights into how microbial metabolites contribute to the onset of metabolic disorders. Full article
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