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Updated: Jan 20, 2026

A Gut-on-a-Chip Model to Study the Gut Microbiome-Nervous System Axis
Published on: July 28, 2023
The Gut Feeling: GPCRs Enlighten the Way
Shubhi Pandey1, Jagannath Maharana1, Arun K Shukla1
1Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016, India.
Gut microbes produce metabolites that activate host G protein-coupled receptors, influencing host physiology. This research sheds light on the complex mechanisms governing host-microbiome interactions.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Physiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Host-microbiome interactions are crucial for host health.
- The precise mechanisms by which gut microbes influence host physiology remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how gut microbiota metabolites impact host physiology.
- To identify specific microbial metabolites and their host targets.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of microbial metabolites.
- Assays for G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) activation.
- Studies on host physiological responses.
Main Results:
- Several gut microbial metabolites were identified.
- These metabolites were shown to efficiently activate host GPCRs.
- Activation of host GPCRs by microbial metabolites influences host physiology.
Conclusions:
- Microbial metabolites are key mediators of host-microbiome communication.
- GPCRs are important targets for microbial signaling in the host.
- Understanding these interactions can reveal new therapeutic strategies for diseases linked to the microbiome.
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