The Association between Gut Microbiota and Osteoarthritis: Does the Disease Begin in the Gut?

Abstract

Some say that all diseases begin in the gut. Interestingly, this concept is actually quite old, since it is attributed to the Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who proposed the hypothesis nearly 2500 years ago. The continuous breakthroughs in modern medicine have transformed our classic understanding of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and human health. Although the gut microbiota (GMB) has proven to be a core component of human health under standard metabolic conditions, there is now also a strong link connecting the composition and function of the GMB to the development of numerous diseases, especially the ones of musculoskeletal nature. The symbiotic microbes that reside in the gastrointestinal tract are very sensitive to biochemical stimuli and may respond in many different ways depending on the nature of these biological signals. Certain variables such as nutrition and physical modulation can either enhance or disrupt the equilibrium between the various species of gut microbes. In fact, fat-rich diets can cause dysbiosis, which decreases the number of protective bacteria and compromises the integrity of the epithelial barrier in the GIT. Overgrowth of pathogenic microbes then release higher quantities of toxic metabolites into the circulatory system, especially the pro-inflammatory cytokines detected in osteoarthritis (OA), thereby promoting inflammation and the initiation of many disease processes throughout the body. Although many studies link OA with GMB perturbations, further research is still needed.

Overview of Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Nociceptive Effects of Polyphenols to Halt Osteoarthritis: From Preclinical Studies to New Clinical Insights

“…Unravelling the emerging factors influencing susceptibility/resistance to inflammation (genetic background, microbiota composition, metabolomic profiles) will be crucial to provide precise nutritional and lifestyle recommendations for specific groups of OA sufferers (e.g., personalized approaches based on inflammatory epigenetic signatures) [ 249 , 250 ]. In this context, the gut is a new and intriguing target for OA, as gut dysbiosis is one of the factors contributing to the pathophysiology of OA [ 251 , 252 ], where PPs have important roles. Lan et al showed that the daily intragastric administration of quercetin in the MIA-induced OA model, from day 1 to day 28, partially reversed intestinal flora disorder [ 253 ].…”

Boron-containing compounds in Dentistry: a narrative review

“…In the future, diet, fecal transplantation, and future therapies targeting the microbiota are estimated to be approached in all diagnostic and therapeutic protocols. Consequently, diet control (especially foods with low gluten content and enriched in indigestible B) could open new scientific horizons in the occurrence and monitoring of OA pathology [ 6 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. More and more studies have shown that the reduced buffering capacity of saliva is related to periodontal disease and caries.…”

Understanding heterogeneity of responses to, and optimizing clinical efficacy of, exercise training in older adults: NIH NIA Workshop summary

“…The gut is inhabited by trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms which are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to human health. Disturbances to the gut microbiota (i.e., dysbiosis) have been associated with a wide variety of age-related health conditions including bowel, pulmonary, neurologic, skeletal, metabolic, and autoimmune diseases [87][88][89]. In addition, shifts in the gut microbiota have been linked mechanistically to physiological hallmarks of aging, including chronic inflammation [90], genomic instability [91], mitochondrial dysfunction [92], reduced proteostasis [93], and epigenomic modifications [91].…”