Cutting Edge: Probiotics and Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Immunomodulation

Abstract

Probiotics are commensal or nonpathogenic microbes that confer beneficial effects on the host through several mechanisms such as competitive exclusion, antibacterial effects, and modulation of immune responses. Some probiotics have been found to regulate immune responses via immune regulatory mechanisms. T regulatory (Treg) cells, T helper cell balances, dendritic cells, macrophages, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells can be considered as the most determinant dysregulated mediators in immunomodulatory status. Recently, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been defined as the transfer of distal gut microbial communities from a healthy individual to a patient’s intestinal tract to cure some immune disorders (mainly inflammatory bowel diseases). The aim of this review was followed through the recent literature survey on immunomodulatory effects and mechanisms of probiotics and FMT and also efficacy and safety of probiotics and FMT in clinical trials and applications.

The Gut Microbiota and Its Implication in the Development of Atherosclerosis and Related Cardiovascular Diseases

“…Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has become popular in recent years. FMT is the transplantation of functional bacteria from feces of healthy donors into the gastrointestinal tract of patients to repair the balance of the intestinal microbiota [218]. The process involves the collection of filtered stools collected from either a healthy donor or from the recipient himself (autologous FMT) at a time point before initiation of disease and associated dysbiosis and its installation into the intestinal tract of a patient suffering from a certain medical condition [219].…”

Fecal microbiota transplantation reconstructs the gut microbiota of septic mice and protects the intestinal mucosal barrier

“…Bacteroidetes, on the other hand, are Gram-negative bacteria composed largely of Bacteroides species, which are obligate anaerobes [30]. Fecal microbiota transplantation refers to the transplantation of functional bacteria from the feces of healthy donors into the patient's GI tract to restore the intestinal microecological balance and subsequently treat diseases related to microbial imbalances [17,31]. This study was an attempt to explore whether FMT can maintain the integrity of the intestinal ora and protect the intestinal barrier function in mice with sepsis.…”

“…Transfer of healthy donor feces containing thousands of microbial species, termed FMT, facilitates replenishment of diminished commensal bacteria and may guide the patient's microbiota toward a healthy state [16]. Fecal microbiota transplantation has been demonstrated to be remarkably successful in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium di cile infection, with a 92% response rate to treatment, and is also increasingly being used for dysbiosis caused by other intestinal pathologies, such as in ammatory bowel disease [12,17]. Yet, FMT is scarcely used in the treatment of septic patients, as antibiotic therapy is frequently used in these cases and continuation of FMT therapy could adversely in uence the remodeling of intestinal microbiota [16].…”

A Microbial Community Ecology Perspective on the Gut-Microbiome-Brain Axis

“…Microbiome alterations due to pre- or probiotics can therefore lead to changes in bacterial (metabolite) profile, resulting in different effects than predicted by in vitro studies, and to large impacts on the functionality of the entire microbiome. This could also explain why microbiota transfer therapy shows promising results, whereas supplementation of pre- and probiotics leads to variable results ( 60 , 61 ). Unraveling the dynamics on composition, functionality and potential interactions within the gut microbiome are thus crucial to developing successful microbial based treatments and predicting its effects on microbiome functioning and cognitive outcome.…”