Xenobiotics, Gut Microbiota, and Chronic Disease

Mounting evidence has shown that the gut microbiota plays an essential role in human health and diseases and has been considered as therapeutic target in various chronic diseases. The diversity and composition of the gut microbiota could be affected by many factors, including xenobiotics, which are chemicals normally not present in the environment of living organisms. The xenobiotics include, but not limited to, dietary components, food additives, chemicals generated during food processing such as heterocyclic amines during cooking meet., emerging environmental pollutants detected in food such as microplastics. The relationship between xenobiotics and gut microbiota is bidirectional. On one hand, xenobiotics could influence the composition and abundance of the gut microbiota, as well as the activities of microbial enzymes. On the other hand, the gut metagenome has a vast metabolizing potential on a range of xenobiotics, in either potentially beneficial or harmful ways. The interactions between xenobiotics and the gut microbiota need to be considered when developing therapeutic strategies for various chronic diseases targeting the gut microbiota.

This Research topic aims to fill the knowledge gap about the interactions between xenobiotics and the gut microbiota and their effects on chronic diseases, such as kidney and liver diseases, based on population or animal studies. In particular, this research topic aims to reveal the mechanistic role that gut microbiota plays in certain chronic diseases, which could be either alleviated or exacerbated by xenobiotics through modulation of gut microbiota or the microbial transformation of xenobiotics.

The scope of this research topic includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Beneficial and harmful effects of xenobiotics on certain chronic diseases through the modulation of gut microbiota, microbial metabolites, or key metabolic pathways.

• Transformation of xenobiotics by the gut microbiota, which further affects the occurrence or progression of certain chronic diseases.

Note:
Topic editor Dr. Ying Zhang is employed by Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc., California, United States, and declares no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic Subject.