Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
07:15
An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota
Published on: July 31, 2019
The microbiome-gut-gonad axis: How microbial metabolites orchestrate reproductive physiology, pathology, and therapy
Amr Ali Mohamed Abdelgawwad El-Sehrawy1, Ghaleb Oriquat2, Jasur Rizaev3
1Internal medicine, Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Summary
The gut microbiome influences reproductive health via the Microbiome-Gut-Gonad Axis. Microbial metabolites impact reproductive hormones and function, offering potential therapeutic targets for endocrine disorders.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Endocrinology
- Microbiome Research
- Metabolomics
Background:
- The human microbiome acts as an endocrine organ, influencing systemic functions.
- The Microbiome-Gut-Brain Axis is established, but the Microbiome-Gut-Gonad Axis is an emerging area.
- Gut microbial metabolites play roles in reproductive physiology and endocrine disorder pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To construct a comprehensive model of the Microbiome-Gut-Gonad axis.
- To elucidate the mechanistic roles of microbial metabolites in reproductive function and endocrine disorders.
- To critically appraise the potential of microbiome-targeted interventions.
Main Methods:
- Review of cutting-edge evidence from in vitro, animal, and early clinical studies.
- Analysis of microbial metabolites like SCFAs, bile acids, and indole derivatives.
- Examination of mechanisms including epigenetic regulation and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling.
Main Results:
- Gut-derived molecules modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, affecting hormone production, steroidogenesis, and gametogenesis.
- Specific mechanisms involve butyrate's epigenetic effects, bacterial modulation of estrogen circulation, and tryptophan metabolites.
- Dysbiosis-driven metabolite shifts are linked to PCOS, endometriosis, and male infertility, with metabolite signatures as candidate biomarkers.
Conclusions:
- The Microbiome-Gut-Gonad axis provides a new framework for understanding reproductive endocrine disorders.
- Microbial metabolite signatures are promising, but require further clinical validation.
- Microbiome-targeted therapies (probiotics, postbiotics, diet) are investigational but hold therapeutic potential.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Gut-Brain Axis
The gut–brain axis is a bidirectional communication system that connects the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. This interaction is mediated through multiple pathways, including the vagus nerve, hormonal signals, immune responses, and chemical messengers produced by gut microbes.Microbial Contributions to Brain FunctionGut microbiota contributes significantly to brain function by producing neuroactive compounds. These include neuroactive compounds that influence neurotransmitters such as...
01:21Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics
Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...
01:18Functions of the Gut Microbiota
The gut microbiota includes trillions of microorganisms that colonize the human gastrointestinal tract, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi. This complex ecosystem plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal and systemic health. Most of these microbes inhabit the large intestine, establishing a relatively stable and diverse community that contributes to gut homeostasis through various metabolic, immunological, and protective mechanisms.Dominant bacterial phyla, such as...
01:22Introduction to the Human Microbiota
Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity, and disease...
01:18Dysbiosis of the Gut Microbiota
The human gut microbiome includes a diverse array of microbial species, including beneficial commensals and opportunistic pathogens, which interact to support host health. These microbes contribute to essential functions such as nutrient metabolism, immune system modulation, and maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity. However, disruptions to this equilibrium—referred to as dysbiosis—can have widespread physiological consequences.Dysbiosis is often characterized by reduced microbial...
01:28Microbiota of the Urogenital Tract
The human urogenital system, once thought to be sterile in healthy individuals, is now recognized as a complex microbial habitat. Advancements in molecular sequencing techniques have revealed that even in healthy adults, the kidneys and bladder harbor microbial populations similar to those found in the distal urethra, albeit in much lower abundance. These resident microorganisms, while generally innocuous, can become opportunistic pathogens under conditions that alter the urogenital...