Progress in our understanding of the microbiota has greatly advanced the microbial immunology field. Perceived as the immune response to infectious agents, the field focuses on improving our understanding of the multifold interactions between the commensal microbiota and the mammalian immune system in homeostasis and disease. While key features of host-microbe symbiosis are being elucidated, how these insights may translate towards the future development of microbiome-targeted therapeutic interventions are lagging. Recently, advances in high-throughput sequencing and metabolomics have led to the emergence of metabolic by-products secreted by live bacteria that can be used to manipulate microbiota and host function directly and specifically. Bioactive microbial metabolites have drawn attention because of their clear chemical structure, safety dose parameters, long shelf life, and their ability to rescue gut health while preserving microbiota integrity. Nevertheless, there are still challenges for the in vivo delivery of microbial metabolites.
In this Research Topic, we welcome the submission of reviews (Mini Reviews, Reviews, Opinions) as well as novel Original Research articles covering the following themes related to the different microbial metabolites, in terms of their role:
• in infectious and non-infectious disease models (including veterinary models)
• in the development of functional food
• as ligands of xenobiotic and other receptors
• as regulators of microbiota composition and function
• as optimizers of antimicrobial therapy
• as adjuvant of antitumor immunotherapy
• their targeted delivery in vivo using innovative delivery platforms.
We hope that deciphering the language of our microbes will contribute to making rapid progress in the current medical field and potentially initiate a paradigm shift that may translate into new therapeutics and lifestyle diets leading to personalized medicine.
Progress in our understanding of the microbiota has greatly advanced the microbial immunology field. Perceived as the immune response to infectious agents, the field focuses on improving our understanding of the multifold interactions between the commensal microbiota and the mammalian immune system in homeostasis and disease. While key features of host-microbe symbiosis are being elucidated, how these insights may translate towards the future development of microbiome-targeted therapeutic interventions are lagging. Recently, advances in high-throughput sequencing and metabolomics have led to the emergence of metabolic by-products secreted by live bacteria that can be used to manipulate microbiota and host function directly and specifically. Bioactive microbial metabolites have drawn attention because of their clear chemical structure, safety dose parameters, long shelf life, and their ability to rescue gut health while preserving microbiota integrity. Nevertheless, there are still challenges for the in vivo delivery of microbial metabolites.
In this Research Topic, we welcome the submission of reviews (Mini Reviews, Reviews, Opinions) as well as novel Original Research articles covering the following themes related to the different microbial metabolites, in terms of their role:
• in infectious and non-infectious disease models (including veterinary models)
• in the development of functional food
• as ligands of xenobiotic and other receptors
• as regulators of microbiota composition and function
• as optimizers of antimicrobial therapy
• as adjuvant of antitumor immunotherapy
• their targeted delivery in vivo using innovative delivery platforms.
We hope that deciphering the language of our microbes will contribute to making rapid progress in the current medical field and potentially initiate a paradigm shift that may translate into new therapeutics and lifestyle diets leading to personalized medicine.
