The Role of the Microbiome in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis—A Literature Review

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease affecting the colon and rectum. UC’s pathogenesis involves colonic epithelial cell abnormalities and mucosal barrier dysfunction, leading to recurrent mucosal inflammation. The purpose of the article is to show the complex interplay between ulcerative colitis and the microbiome. The literature search was conducted using the PubMed database. After a screening process of studies published before October 2023, a total of 136 articles were selected. It has been discovered that there is a fundamental correlation of a robust intestinal microbiota and the preservation of gastrointestinal health. Dysbiosis poses a grave risk to the host organism. It renders the host susceptible to infections and has been linked to the pathogenesis of chronic diseases, with particular relevance to conditions such as ulcerative colitis. Current therapeutic strategies for UC involve medications such as aminosalicylic acids, glucocorticoids, and immunosuppressive agents, although recent breakthroughs in monoclonal antibody therapies have significantly improved UC treatment. Furthermore, modulating the gut microbiome with specific compounds and probiotics holds potential for inflammation reduction, while fecal microbiota transplantation shows promise for alleviating UC symptoms. This review provides an overview of the gut microbiome’s role in UC pathogenesis and treatment, emphasizing areas for further research.

Impact of probiotics on inflammatory bowel disease - a systematic review

“…[9] These microorganisms play crucial role in food digestion, maintaining the internal environment and regulating human immune function. [28] In the human gut, the main bacteria are those belonging to 4 species: Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. Approximately 90% of bacteria found in the large intestine belong to the types Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteri.…”

Complementary Therapeutic Effect of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Ulcerative Colitis after the Response to Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Agent Was Lost: A Case Report

“…Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease with relapsing−remitting symptoms, such as hematochezia or mucoid stool, urgency, abdominal discomfort, and other extraintestinal manifestations [1][2][3][4]. It is known that genetic factors, host immune system, intestinal microbiota dysbiosis, and environmental factors contribute to the development of ulcerative colitis [5].…”

Extracellular Vesicles: Novel Potential Therapeutic Agents in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

“…Environmental factors, notably smoking, a high-fat diet, and obesity, strongly enhance gut inflammation [ 6 ]. More recently, the influence of gut microbiota has emerged due to its crucial role in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and gut barrier function and its heterogeneous interconnections with dietary elements, epithelial cells, and the immune system [ 7 , 8 ]. Gut barrier integrity is essential to preventing gut inflammation, and a dysregulated barrier leads to an altered epithelium, increased permeability, and bacterial translocation, resulting in immune system activation [ 9 ].…”