Dangers of the chronic stress response in the context of the microbiota-gut-immune-brain axis and mental health: a narrative review.

More than 20% of American adults live with a mental disorder, many of whom are treatment resistant or continue to experience symptoms. Other approaches are needed to improve mental health care, including prevention. The role of the microbiome has emerged as a central tenet in mental and physical health and their interconnectedness (well-being). Under normal conditions, a healthy microbiome promotes homeostasis within the host by maintaining intestinal and brain barrier integrity, thereby facilitating host well-being. Owing to the multidirectional crosstalk between the microbiome and neuro-endocrine-immune systems, dysbiosis within the microbiome is a main driver of immune-mediated systemic and neural inflammation that can promote disease progression and is detrimental to well-being broadly and mental health in particular. In predisposed individuals, immune dysregulation can shift to autoimmunity, especially in the presence of physical or psychological triggers. The chronic stress response involves the immune system, which is intimately involved with the gut microbiome, particularly in the process of immune education. This interconnection forms the microbiota-gut-immune-brain axis and promotes mental health or disorders. In this brief review, we aim to highlight the relationships between stress, mental health, and the gut microbiome, along with the ways in which dysbiosis and a dysregulated immune system can shift to an autoimmune response with concomitant neuropsychological consequences in the context of the microbiota-gut-immune-brain axis. Finally, we aim to review evidenced-based prevention strategies and potential therapeutic targets.

Tlr9 deficiency in B cells leads to obesity by promoting inflammation and gut dysbiosis.

Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) recognizes bacterial, viral and self DNA and play an important role in immunity and inflammation. However, the role of TLR9 in obesity is less well-studied. Here, we generate B-cell-specific Tlr9-deficient (Tlr9fl/fl/Cd19Cre+/-, KO) B6 mice and model obesity using a high-fat diet. Compared with control mice, B-cell-specific-Tlr9-deficient mice exhibited increased fat tissue inflammation, weight gain, and impaired glucose and insulin tolerance. Furthermore, the frequencies of IL-10-producing-B cells and marginal zone B cells were reduced, and those of follicular and germinal center B cells were increased. This was associated with increased frequencies of IFNγ-producing-T cells and increased follicular helper cells. In addition, gut microbiota from the KO mice induced a pro-inflammatory state leading to immunological and metabolic dysregulation when transferred to germ-free mice. Using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing, we identify altered gut microbial communities including reduced Lachnospiraceae, which may play a role in altered metabolism in KO mice. We identify an important network involving Tlr9, Irf4 and Il-10 interconnecting metabolic homeostasis, with the function of B and T cells, and gut microbiota in obesity.

Emerging role of gut microbiota in autoimmune diseases.

Accumulating studies have indicated that the gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the onset of autoimmune diseases by engaging in complex interactions with the host. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing literatures concerning the relationship between the gut microbiota and autoimmune diseases, shedding light on the complex interplay between the gut microbiota, the host and the immune system. Furthermore, we aim to summarize the impacts and potential mechanisms that underlie the interactions between the gut microbiota and the host in autoimmune diseases, primarily focusing on systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, type 1 diabetes mellitus, ulcerative colitis and psoriasis. The present review will emphasize the clinical significance and potential applications of interventions based on the gut microbiota as innovative adjunctive therapies for autoimmune diseases.

LTA and PGN from Bacillus siamensis can alleviate soybean meal-induced enteritis and microbiota dysbiosis in Lateolabrax maculatus.

An eight-week feeding trial was designed to assess which component of commensal Bacillus siamensis LF4 can mitigate SBM-induced enteritis and microbiota dysbiosis in spotted seabass (Lateolabrax maculatus) based on TLRs-MAPKs/NF-кB signaling pathways. Fish continuously fed low SBM (containing 16 % SBM) and high SBM (containing 40 % SBM) diets were used as positive (FM group) and negative (SBM group) control, respectively. After feeding high SBM diet for 28 days, fish were supplemented with B. siamensis LF4-derived whole cell wall (CW), cell wall protein (CWP), lipoteichoic acid (LTA) or peptidoglycan (PGN) until 56 days. The results showed that a high inclusion of SBM in the diet caused enteritis, characterized with significantly (P < 0.05) decreased muscular thickness, villus height, villus width, atrophied and loosely arranged microvillus. Moreover, high SBM inclusion induced an up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and a down-regulation of occludin, E-cadherin, anti-inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis related genes and antimicrobial peptides. However, dietary supplementation with CW, LTA, and PGN of B. siamensis LF4 could effectively alleviate enteritis caused by a high level of dietary SBM. Additionally, CWP and PGN administration increased beneficial Cetobacterium and decreased pathogenic Plesiomonas and Brevinema, while dietary LTA decreased Plesiomonas and Brevinema, suggesting that CWP, LTA and PGN positively modulated intestinal microbiota in spotted seabass. Furthermore, CW, LTA, and PGN application significantly stimulated TLR2, TLR5 and MyD88 expressions, and inhibited the downstream p38 and NF-κB signaling. Taken together, these results suggest that LTA and PGN from B. siamensis LF4 could alleviate soybean meal-induced enteritis and microbiota dysbiosis in L. maculatus, and p38 MAPK/NF-κB pathways might be involved in those processes.

The immune and microbial homeostasis determines the Candida-mast cells cross-talk in celiac disease.

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteropathy resulting from an interaction between diet, genome, and immunity. Although many patients respond to a gluten-free diet, in a substantive number of individuals, the intestinal injury persists. Thus, other factors might amplify the ongoing inflammation. Candida albicans is a commensal fungus that is well adapted to the intestinal life. However, specific conditions increase Candida pathogenicity. The hypothesis that Candida may be a trigger in CD has been proposed after the observation of similarity between a fungal wall component and two CD-related gliadin T-cell epitopes. However, despite being implicated in intestinal disorders, Candida may also protect against immune pathologies highlighting a more intriguing role in the gut. Herein, we postulated that a state of chronic inflammation associated with microbial dysbiosis and leaky gut are favorable conditions that promote C. albicans pathogenicity eventually contributing to CD pathology via a mast cells (MC)-IL-9 axis. However, the restoration of immune and microbial homeostasis promotes a beneficial C. albicans-MC cross-talk favoring the attenuation of CD pathology to alleviate CD pathology and symptoms.

Genital Dysbiosis and Different Systemic Immune Responses Based on the Trimester of Pregnancy in SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Respiratory infections are common in pregnancy with conflicting evidence supporting their association with neonatal congenital anomalies, especially during the first trimester. We profiled cytokine and chemokine systemic responses in 242 pregnant women and their newborns after SARS-CoV-2 infection, acquired in different trimesters. Also, we tested transplacental IgG passage and maternal vaginal-rectal microbiomes. IgG transplacental passage was evident, especially with infection acquired in the first trimester. G-CSF concentration-involved in immune cell recruitment-decreased in infected women compared to uninfected ones: a beneficial event for the reduction of inflammation but detrimental to ability to fight infections at birth. The later the infection was acquired, the higher the systemic concentration of IL-8, IP-10, and MCP-1, associated with COVID-19 disease severity. All infected women showed dysbiosis of vaginal and rectal microbiomes, compared to uninfected ones. Two newborns tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 within the first 48 h of life. Notably, their mothers had acute infection at delivery. Although respiratory infections in pregnancy are reported to affect babies' health, with SARS-CoV-2 acquired early during gestation this risk seems low because of the maternal immune response. The observed vaginal and rectal dysbiosis could be relevant for neonatal microbiome establishment, although in our series immediate neonatal outcomes were reassuring.

Probiotics: Shaping the gut immunological responses.

Probiotics are live microorganisms exerting beneficial effects on the host's health when administered in adequate amounts. Among the most popular and adequately studied probiotics are bacteria from the families Lactobacillaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae and yeasts. Most of them have been shown, both in vitro and in vivo studies of intestinal inflammation models, to provide favorable results by means of improving the gut microbiota composition, promoting the wound healing process and shaping the immunological responses. Chronic intestinal conditions, such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), are characterized by an imbalance in microbiota composition, with decreased diversity, and by relapsing and persisting inflammation, which may lead to mucosal damage. Although the results of the clinical studies investigating the effect of probiotics on patients with IBD are still controversial, it is without doubt that these microorganisms and their metabolites, now named postbiotics, have a positive influence on both the host's microbiota and the immune system, and ultimately alter the topical tissue microenvironment. This influence is achieved through three axes: (1) By displacement of potential pathogens via competitive exclusion; (2) by offering protection to the host through the secretion of various defensive mediators; and (3) by supplying the host with essential nutrients. We will analyze and discuss almost all the in vitro and in vivo studies of the past 2 years dealing with the possible favorable effects of certain probiotic genus on gut immunological responses, highlighting which species are the most beneficial against intestinal inflammation.

Exploring Advanced Therapies for Primary Biliary Cholangitis: Insights from the Gut Microbiota-Bile Acid-Immunity Network.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a cholestatic liver disease characterized by immune-mediated injury to small bile ducts. Although PBC is an autoimmune disease, the effectiveness of conventional immunosuppressive therapy is disappointing. Nearly 40% of PBC patients do not respond to the first-line drug UDCA. Without appropriate intervention, PBC patients eventually progress to liver cirrhosis and even death. There is an urgent need to develop new therapies. The gut-liver axis emphasizes the interconnection between the gut and the liver, and evidence is increasing that gut microbiota and bile acids play an important role in the pathogenesis of cholestatic diseases. Dysbiosis of gut microbiota, imbalance of bile acids, and immune-mediated bile duct injury constitute the triad of pathophysiology in PBC. Autoimmune cholangitis has the potential to be improved through immune system modulation. Considering the failure of conventional immunotherapies and the involvement of gut microbiota and bile acids in the pathogenesis, targeting immune factors associated with them, such as bile acid receptors, microbial-derived molecules, and related specific immune cells, may offer breakthroughs. Understanding the gut microbiota-bile acid network and related immune dysfunctions in PBC provides a new perspective on therapeutic strategies. Therefore, we summarize the latest advances in research of gut microbiota and bile acids in PBC and, for the first time, explore the possibility of related immune factors as novel immunotherapy targets. This article discusses potential therapeutic approaches focusing on regulating gut microbiota, maintaining bile acid homeostasis, their interactions, and related immune factors.

Microbial Dynamics in Ophthalmic Health: Exploring the Interplay between Human Microbiota and Glaucoma Pathogenesis.

The human microbiome has a crucial role in the homeostasis and health of the host. These microorganisms along with their genes are involved in various processes, among these are neurological signaling, the maturation of the immune system, and the inhibition of opportunistic pathogens. In this sense, it has been shown that a healthy ocular microbiota acts as a barrier against the entry of pathogens, contributing to the prevention of infections. In recent years, a relationship has been suggested between microbiota dysbiosis and the development of neurodegenerative diseases. In patients with glaucoma, it has been observed that the microbiota of the ocular surface, intraocular cavity, oral cavity, stomach, and gut differ from those observed in healthy patients, which may suggest a role in pathology development, although the evidence remains limited. The mechanisms involved in the relationship of the human microbiome and this neurodegenerative disease remain largely unknown. For this reason, the present review aims to show a broad overview of the influence of the structure and composition of the human oral and gut microbiota and relate its dysbiosis to neurodegenerative diseases, especially glaucoma.

Gut microbial dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of leukemia: an immune-based perspective.

Leukemias are a set of clonal hematopoietic malignant diseases that develop in the bone marrow. Several factors influence leukemia development and progression. Among these, the gut microbiota is a major factor influencing a wide array of its processes. The gut microbial composition is linked to the risk of tumor development and the host's ability to respond to treatment, mostly due to the immune-modulatory effects of their metabolites. Despite such strong evidence, its role in the development of hematologic malignancies still requires attention of investigators worldwide. In this review, we make an effort to discuss the role of host gut microbiota-immune crosstalk in leukemia development and progression. Additionally, we highlight certain recently developed strategies to modify the gut microbial composition that may help to overcome dysbiosis in leukemia patients in the near future.

Immunopathogenesis of Primary Biliary Cholangitis, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Autoimmune Hepatitis: Themes and Concepts.

Autoimmune liver diseases include primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and autoimmune hepatitis, a family of chronic immune-mediated disorders that target hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Treatments remain nonspecific, variably effective, and noncurative, and the need for liver transplantation is disproportionate to their rarity. Development of effective therapies requires better knowledge of pathogenic mechanisms, including the roles of genetic risk, and how the environment and gut dysbiosis cause immune cell dysfunction and aberrant bile acid signaling. This review summarizes key etiologic and pathogenic concepts and themes relevant for clinical practice and how such learning can guide the development of new therapies for people living with autoimmune liver diseases.

Immune Mechanisms Underpinning Long COVID: Collegium Internationale Allergologicum Update 2024.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can result in a prolonged multisystem disorder termed long COVID, which may affect up to 10% of people following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is currently unclear why certain individuals do not fully recover following SARS-CoV-2 infection. SUMMARY: In this review, we examine immunological mechanisms that may underpin the pathophysiology of long COVID. These mechanisms include an inappropriate immune response to acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, immune cell exhaustion, immune cell metabolic reprogramming, a persistent SARS-CoV-2 reservoir, reactivation of other viruses, inflammatory responses impacting the central nervous system, autoimmunity, microbiome dysbiosis, and dietary factors. KEY MESSAGES: Unfortunately, the currently available diagnostic and treatment options for long COVID are inadequate, and more clinical trials are needed that match experimental interventions to underlying immunological mechanisms.

Changes in gut microbiome correlate with intestinal barrier dysfunction and inflammation following a 3-day ethanol exposure in aged mice.

Alcohol use among older adults is on the rise. This increase is clinically relevant as older adults are at risk for increased morbidity and mortality from many alcohol-related chronic diseases compared to younger patients. However, little is known regarding the synergistic effects of alcohol and age. There are intriguing data suggesting that aging may lead to impaired intestinal barrier integrity and dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiome, which could increase susceptibility to alcohol's negative effects. To study the effects of alcohol in age we exposed aged and young mice to 3 days of moderate ethanol and evaluated changes in gut parameters. We found that these levels of drinking do not have obvious effects in young mice but cause significant alcohol-induced gut barrier dysfunction and expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα in aged mice. Ethanol-induced downregulation of expression of the gut-protective antimicrobial peptides Defa-rs1, Reg3b, and Reg3g was observed in aged, but not young mice. Analysis of the fecal microbiome revealed age-associated shifts in microbial taxa, which correlated with intestinal and hepatic inflammatory gene expression. Taken together, these data demonstrate that age drives microbiome dysbiosis, while ethanol exposure in aged mice induces changes in the expression of antimicrobial genes important for separating these potentially damaging microbes from the intestinal lumen. These changes highlight potential mechanistic targets for prevention of the age-related exacerbation of effects of ethanol on the gut.

Oral and Intestinal Bacterial Substances Associated with Disease Activities in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cross-Sectional Clinical Study.

Intestinal bacterial compositions of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have been reported to be different from those of healthy people. Dysbiosis, imbalance of the microbiota, is widely known to cause gut barrier damage, resulting in an influx of bacteria and their substances into host bloodstreams in animal studies. However, few studies have investigated the effect of bacterial substances on the pathophysiology of RA. In this study, eighty-seven active RA patients who had inadequate responses to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or severe comorbidities were analyzed for correlations between many factors such as disease activities, disease biomarkers, intestinal bacterial counts, fecal and serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS-binding protein (LBP), endotoxin neutralizing capacity (ENC), and serum antibacterial substance IgG and IgA antibody levels by multiple regression analysis with consideration for demographic factors such as age, sex, smoking, and methotrexate treatment. Serum LBP levels, fecal LPS levels, total bacteria counts, serum anti-LPS from Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg-LPS) IgG antibody levels, and serum anti-Pg-LPS IgA antibody levels were selected for multiple regression analysis using Spearman's correlation analysis. Serum LBP levels were correlated with disease biomarker levels, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p < 0.001), C-reactive protein (p < 0.001), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (p < 0.001), and IL-6 (p = 0.001), and were inversely correlated with hemoglobin (p = 0.005). Anti-Pg-LPS IgG antibody levels were inversely correlated with activity indices such as patient global assessments using visual analogue scale (VAS) (p = 0.002) and painVAS (p < 0.001). Total bacteria counts were correlated with ENC (p < 0.001), and inversely correlated with serum LPS (p < 0.001) and anti-Pg-LPS IgA antibody levels (p < 0.001). These results suggest that substances from oral and gut microbiota may influence disease activity in RA patients.

The Association between Gut Microbiota and Osteoarthritis: Does the Disease Begin in the Gut?

Some say that all diseases begin in the gut. Interestingly, this concept is actually quite old, since it is attributed to the Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who proposed the hypothesis nearly 2500 years ago. The continuous breakthroughs in modern medicine have transformed our classic understanding of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and human health. Although the gut microbiota (GMB) has proven to be a core component of human health under standard metabolic conditions, there is now also a strong link connecting the composition and function of the GMB to the development of numerous diseases, especially the ones of musculoskeletal nature. The symbiotic microbes that reside in the gastrointestinal tract are very sensitive to biochemical stimuli and may respond in many different ways depending on the nature of these biological signals. Certain variables such as nutrition and physical modulation can either enhance or disrupt the equilibrium between the various species of gut microbes. In fact, fat-rich diets can cause dysbiosis, which decreases the number of protective bacteria and compromises the integrity of the epithelial barrier in the GIT. Overgrowth of pathogenic microbes then release higher quantities of toxic metabolites into the circulatory system, especially the pro-inflammatory cytokines detected in osteoarthritis (OA), thereby promoting inflammation and the initiation of many disease processes throughout the body. Although many studies link OA with GMB perturbations, further research is still needed.

Enhanced Bacteremia in Dextran Sulfate-Induced Colitis in Splenectomy Mice Correlates with Gut Dysbiosis and LPS Tolerance.

Because both endotoxemia and gut dysbiosis post-splenectomy might be associated with systemic infection, the susceptibility against infection was tested by dextran sulfate solution (DSS)-induced colitis and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection models in splenectomy mice with macrophage experiments. Here, splenectomy induced a gut barrier defect (FITC-dextran assay, endotoxemia, bacteria in mesenteric lymph nodes, and the loss of enterocyte tight junction) and gut dysbiosis (increased Proteobacteria by fecal microbiome analysis) without systemic inflammation (serum IL-6). In parallel, DSS induced more severe mucositis in splenectomy mice than sham-DSS mice, as indicated by mortality, stool consistency, gut barrier defect, serum cytokines, and blood bacterial burdens. The presence of green fluorescent-producing (GFP) E. coli in the spleen of sham-DSS mice after an oral gavage supported a crucial role of the spleen in the control of bacteria from gut translocation. Additionally, LPS administration in splenectomy mice induced lower serum cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) than LPS-administered sham mice, perhaps due to LPS tolerance from pre-existing post-splenectomy endotoxemia. In macrophages, LPS tolerance (sequential LPS stimulation) demonstrated lower cell activities than the single LPS stimulation, as indicated by the reduction in supernatant cytokines, pro-inflammatory genes (iNOS and IL-1ß), cell energy status (extracellular flux analysis), and enzymes of the glycolysis pathway (proteomic analysis). In conclusion, a gut barrier defect after splenectomy was vulnerable to enterocyte injury (such as DSS), which caused severe bacteremia due to defects in microbial control (asplenia) and endotoxemia-induced LPS tolerance. Hence, gut dysbiosis and gut bacterial translocation in patients with a splenectomy might be associated with systemic infection, and gut-barrier monitoring or intestinal tight-junction strengthening may be useful.

New Insights into the Role of Oral Microbiota Dysbiosis in the Pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic intestinal inflammatory disorders with a prolonged duration characterized by recurrent relapse and remission. The exact etiology of IBD remains poorly understood despite the identification of relevant risk factors, including individual genetic susceptibility, environmental triggers, and disruption of immune homeostasis. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is believed to exacerbate the progression of IBD. Recently, increasing evidence has also linked oral microbiota dysbiosis with the development of IBD. On the one hand, IBD patients show significantly unbalanced composition and function of the oral microbiota known as dysbiosis. On the other, overabundances of oral commensal bacteria with opportunistic pathogenicity have been found in the gut microbiota of IBD patients. Herein, we review the current information on the causative factors of IBD, especially recent evidence of IBD-associated oral microbiota dysbiosis, which has seldom been covered in the previous literature review, highlighting the pathogenic mechanisms of specific oral bacteria in the development of IBD. Ectopic colonization of several oral bacteria, including a subset of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Streptococcus mutans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Campylobacter concisus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, may lead to destruction of the intestinal epithelial barrier, excessive secretion of inflammatory cytokines, disruption of the host immune system, and dysbiosis of gut microbiota, consequently aggravating chronic intestinal inflammation. Studying oral microbiota dysbiosis may open future horizons for understanding IBD pathogenesis and provide novel biomarkers for IBD. This review also presents the current treatment and new perspectives for IBD treatment.

Treg-associated monogenic autoimmune disorders and gut microbial dysbiosis.

Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs) caused by a single-gene defect generally are referred to as monogenic autoimmune disorders. For example, mutations in the transcription factor autoimmune regulator (AIRE) result in a condition called autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy; while mutations in forkhead box P3 lead to regulatory T cell (Treg)-deficiency-induced multiorgan inflammation, which in humans is called "immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy with X-linked inheritance" (or IPEX syndrome). Previous studies concluded that monogenic diseases are insensitive to commensal microbial regulation because they develop even in germ-free (GF) animals, a conclusion that has limited the number of studies determining the role of microbiota in monogenic PIDs. However, emerging evidence shows that although the onset of the disease is independent of the microbiota, several monogenic PIDs vary in severity in association with the microbiome. In this review, we focus on monogenic PIDs associated with Treg deficiency/dysfunction, summarizing the gut microbial dysbiosis that has been shown to be linked to these diseases. From limited studies, we have gleaned several mechanistic insights that may prove to be of therapeutic importance in the early stages of life. IMPACT: This review paper serves to refute the concept that monogenic PIDs are not linked to the microbiome. The onset of monogenic PIDs is independent of microbiota; single-gene mutations such as AIRE or Foxp3 that affect central or peripheral immune tolerance produce monogenic diseases even in a GF environment. However, the severity and outcome of PIDs are markedly impacted by the microbial composition. We suggest that future research for these conditions may focus on targeting the microbiome.

Ceftriaxone causes dysbiosis and changes intestinal structure in adjuvant obesity treatment.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is still a worldwide public health problem, requiring the development of adjuvant therapies to combat it. In this context, modulation of the intestinal microbiota seems prominent, given that the composition of the intestinal microbiota contributes to the outcome of this disease. The aim of this work is to investigate the treatment with an antimicrobial and/or a potential probiotic against overweight. METHODS: Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to a 12-week overweight induction protocol. After that, 4-week treatment was started, with mice divided into four groups: control, treated with distilled water; potential probiotic, with Lactobacillus gasseri LG-G12; antimicrobial, with ceftriaxone; and antimicrobial + potential probiotic with ceftriaxone in the first 2 weeks and L. gasseri LG-G12 in the subsequent weeks. RESULTS: The treatment with ceftriaxone in isolated form or in combination with the potential probiotic provided a reduction in body fat. However, such effect is supposed to be a consequence of the negative action of ceftriaxone on the intestinal microbiota composition, and this intestinal dysbiosis may have contributed to the destruction of the intestinal villi structure, which led to a reduction in the absorptive surface. Also, the effects of L. gasseri LG-G12 apparently have been masked by the consumption of the high-fat diet. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the use of a ceftriaxone in the adjuvant treatment of overweight is not recommended due to the potential risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease.

The crosstalk between the gut microbiota and tumor immunity: Implications for cancer progression and treatment outcomes.

The gastrointestinal tract is inhabited by trillions of commensal microorganisms that constitute the gut microbiota. As a main metabolic organ, the gut microbiota has co-evolved in a symbiotic relationship with its host, contributing to physiological homeostasis. Recent advances have provided mechanistic insights into the dual role of the gut microbiota in cancer pathogenesis. Particularly, compelling evidence indicates that the gut microbiota exerts regulatory effects on the host immune system to fight against cancer development. Some microbiota-derived metabolites have been suggested as potential activators of antitumor immunity. On the contrary, the disequilibrium of intestinal microbial communities, a condition termed dysbiosis, can induce cancer development. The altered gut microbiota reprograms the hostile tumor microenvironment (TME), thus allowing cancer cells to avoid immunosurvelliance. Furthermore, the gut microbiota has been associated with the effects and complications of cancer therapy given its prominent immunoregulatory properties. Therapeutic measures that aim to manipulate the interplay between the gut microbiota and tumor immunity may bring new breakthroughs in cancer treatment. Herein, we provide a comprehensive update on the evidence for the implication of the gut microbiota in immune-oncology and discuss the fundamental mechanisms underlying the influence of intestinal microbial communities on systemic cancer therapy, in order to provide important clues toward improving treatment outcomes in cancer patients.