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Published on: September 10, 2021
The intestinal virome: lessons from animal models.
Lorenzo Chaffringeon1, Quentin Lamy-Besnier2, Laurent Debarbieux3
1Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche St Antoine, UMRS_938, Paris, France; Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, F-75015, France; Paris Center for Microbiome Medicine (PaCeMM) FHU, AP-HP, Paris, France.
Animal models are crucial for studying the gut virome and its impact on health. Research using these models helps understand viral roles in disease and potential therapeutic strategies involving the gut microbiota.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Virology
- Immunology
Background:
- The intestinal tract hosts a complex microbiota, including abundant and diverse viral populations (virome).
- Alterations in the virome are linked to various pathologies, highlighting its importance in gut health.
- Studying the human virome is challenging due to practical and ethical limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in studying the virome using animal models.
- To focus on strategies for characterizing viral changes in disease models.
- To explore approaches for modulating the microbiota with viruses.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on animal models and virome research.
- Analysis of strategies for virome characterization in disease contexts.
- Examination of methods for viral-mediated microbiota modulation.
Main Results:
- Animal models offer valuable insights into virome-host-microbiota interactions.
- Specific strategies exist for studying viral dynamics in disease models.
- Viruses can be utilized to modulate the gut microbiota.
Conclusions:
- Animal models are indispensable for functional virome studies.
- Understanding the virome's role in health and disease requires continued research in model systems.
- Further exploration of virus-bacteria-host interplay is needed to harness the virome's therapeutic potential.
