Human gut microbiome: hopes, threats and promises

摘要: The microbiome has received increasing attention over the last 15 years. Although gut microbes have been explored for several decades, investigations of role microorganisms that reside in human attracted much beyond classical infectious diseases. For example, numerous studies reported changes microbiota during not only obesity, diabetes, and liver diseases but also cancer even neurodegenerative is viewed as a potential source novel therapeutics. Between 2013 2017, number publications focusing on was, remarkably, 12 900, which represents four-fifths total 40 years investigated this topic. This review discusses recent evidence impact metabolic disorders focus selected key mechanisms. aims to provide critical analysis current knowledge field, identify putative issues or problems discuss misinterpretations. abundance metagenomic data generated comparing diseased healthy subjects can lead erroneous claim bacterium causally linked with protection onset disease. In fact, environmental factors such dietary habits, drug treatments, intestinal motility stool frequency consistency are all influence composition should be considered. cases bacteria Prevotella copri Akkermansia muciniphila will discussed examples.