About this Research Topic

Background

The gut microbiota, comprising trillions of microorganisms, has been proved to have significant influences on human health and disease. The microbiota plays essential roles in the function and development of several physiological processes, including those in the kidney. More and more recent studies have shown that bidirectional interactions within the gut-kidney axis. Many kidney diseases could cause dysbiosis of gut microbiota, while imbalance microbial metabolism could directly contribute to alternation of gut microbiota function and aggravation of kidney disease progress. A series of largely preclinical and clinical observations implicates alterations in gut-kidney communication in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetic nephropathy, hypertension nephropathy, acute kidney injury, etc. For instance, a research has shown that aberrant gut microbiota in patients with end stage renal disease led to a detrimental metabolome worsening the clinical outcomes, suggesting that targeting the gut microbiota is a promising approach for the treatment of CKD by blocking the serum accumulation of uremic toxins that cannot be eliminated by dialysis. All these indicate that gut-kidney crosstalk may play an important role in kidney diseases. However, our current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms along the gut-kidney axis in these disorders is still limited. Therefore, understanding the complex mechanisms will have the potential to yield novel new approaches targeting gut microbiota for the treatment of these kidney diseases.

Some trials (prebiotics, herb medicine, etc.) were proved to ameliorate kidney disease and its complications by modulating the gut microbiota composition, attenuating gastrointestinal pro-inflammatory responses, regulating gut-generated metabolites, etc. Even these open up a new perspective for the treatment of the kidney diseases, the molecular mechanisms of these actions have not been fully investigated, as well as specific targets on gut microbiota for kidney diseases are still lacking. Continued research would be the promise of identifying novel therapeutic targets and developing alternative treatment strategies to address some of the most debilitating, costly, and poorly understood kidney diseases.

The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a forum to advance research on the contribution of gut microbiome and metabolites in regulating the gut-kidney axis during kidney diseases as well as to explore innovative gut-oriented pharmacological interventions in the attempt to achieve a beneficial impact on kidney diseases.

The following subtopics are covered, but are not limited to:
• Alteration in gastrointestinal mechanisms including the immune system, the gut microbiome and metabolites during kidney disease
• Identifying the keystone microbiome or metabolomics markers for kidney disease diagnostics
• Identifying the potential gut microbiome or metabolites as drug target for kidney disease treatment
• Mechanisms (or new strategies) of novel drugs targeted on gut-kidney axis for kidney disease treatment

Keywords: gut microbiome, kidney disease, gut-kidney axis, drug target, metabolites

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