Probiotics in Autoimmune and Inflammatory Disorders.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Microbiology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Probiotics have a long history of use for gastrointestinal issues.
• Recent research highlights their significant impact on the immune system, both in vivo and in vitro.
• This interaction involves gut microbes, their antigens, and bacterial metabolites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the mechanistic pathways linking probiotics, gut microbes, and the immune system.
• To review evidence for probiotic efficacy in inflammatory diseases.
• To identify future research directions for probiotic applications.

Main Methods:

• Review of mechanistic studies in animal models identifying key metabolic pathways.
• Analysis of randomized controlled trials investigating probiotic effects on immune-mediated diseases.
• Synthesis of current knowledge on microbial-immune crosstalk.

Main Results:

• Four key metabolic pathways implicated: short-chain fatty acid production, tryptophan metabolism (aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation), nucleoside signaling, and histamine-2 receptor activation.
• Randomized controlled trials demonstrate probiotic benefits for gastrointestinal symptoms and multiorgan inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and multiple sclerosis.

Conclusions:

• Probiotic interventions show promise in managing inflammatory conditions by modulating the gut microbiome and immune responses.
• Further research is essential to address safety, optimize strain selection, and enhance microbial colonization for sustained therapeutic effects.