The microbiome in inflammatory bowel diseases: from pathogenesis to therapy

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Microbiology
• Immunology

Background:

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) incidence is rising globally, with unclear etiology.
• Gut microbiota dysbiosis is consistently associated with IBD.
• The causal or protective role of specific microbial alterations in IBD remains a key hypothesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review evidence linking gut microbiome alterations to IBD pathogenesis.
• To identify potential protective and causative bacterial species and pathways in IBD.
• To explore the roles of mycobiome and virome in IBD and discuss microbiome-therapeutics.

Main Methods:

• Selective review of association studies in humans.
• Analysis of pathogenesis studies in biological models.
• Synthesis of current research on IBD and the microbiome.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests specific bacterial pathways and species may be protective against IBD.
• Other microbial alterations are hypothesized to be causative factors in IBD development.
• Mycobiome and virome also show potential roles in IBD pathogenesis.

Conclusions:

• Gut microbiome alterations are critically implicated in IBD.
• Targeting the microbiome represents a promising therapeutic strategy for IBD.
• Further research is needed to elucidate specific microbial roles and optimize microbiome-based treatments.