Paul JK, Azmal M, Haque ASNB, Meem M, Talukder OF, Ghosh A. Unlocking the secrets of the human gut microbiota: Comprehensive review on its role in different diseases. World J Gastroenterol 2025; 31(5): 99913 [DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i5.99913]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Ajit Ghosh, PhD, Reader (Associate Professor), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Kumargoan, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh. ajitghoshbd@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 7, 2025; 31(5): 99913 Published online Feb 7, 2025. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i5.99913
Unlocking the secrets of the human gut microbiota: Comprehensive review on its role in different diseases
Jibon Kumar Paul, Mahir Azmal, ANM Shah Newaz Been Haque, Meghla Meem, Omar Faruk Talukder, Ajit Ghosh
Jibon Kumar Paul, Mahir Azmal, ANM Shah Newaz Been Haque, Omar Faruk Talukder, Ajit Ghosh, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh
Meghla Meem, Faculty of Medicine, Dhaka University, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Author contributions: Paul JK and Azmal M have conceptualized, investigated the data, collected resources, analyzed, and wrote the draft manuscript; Haque ASNB, Meem M, and Talukder OF collected resources, and analyzed the data; Ghosh A conceived, designed the research, administered the project, supervised, and reviewed the manuscript. All the authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ajit Ghosh, PhD, Reader (Associate Professor), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Kumargoan, Sylhet 3114, Bangladesh. ajitghoshbd@gmail.com
Received: August 2, 2024 Revised: October 25, 2024 Accepted: December 5, 2024 Published online: February 7, 2025 Processing time: 149 Days and 19.3 Hours
Abstract
The human gut microbiota, a complex and diverse community of microorganisms, plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health by influencing various physiological processes, including digestion, immune function, and disease susceptibility. The balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria is essential for health, with dysbiosis - disruption of this balance - linked to numerous conditions such as metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. This review highlights key genera such as Enterococcus, Ruminococcus, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Escherichia coli, Akkermansia muciniphila, Firmicutes (including Clostridium and Lactobacillus), and Roseburia due to their well-established roles in immune regulation and metabolic processes, but other bacteria, including Clostridioides difficile, Salmonella, Helicobacter pylori, and Fusobacterium nucleatum, are also implicated in dysbiosis and various diseases. Pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis, contribute to inflammation and cancer progression by disrupting immune responses and damaging tissues. The potential for microbiota-based therapies, such as probiotics, prebiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, and dietary interventions, to improve health outcomes is examined. Future research directions in the integration of multi-omics, the impact of diet and lifestyle on microbiota composition, and advancing microbiota engineering techniques are also discussed. Understanding the gut microbiota’s role in health and disease is essential for formulating personalized, efficacious treatments and preventive strategies, thereby enhancing health outcomes and progressing microbiome research.
Core Tip: The human gut microbiota, a complex and diverse community of microorganisms, plays a critical role in maintaining health by influencing digestion, immune function, and disease susceptibility. Dysbiosis, an imbalance in this microbial community, is linked to conditions such as metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. Key genera, including Enterococcus, Ruminococcus, and Bacteroides, are essential for immune regulation and metabolic health. Microbiota-based therapies, including probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation, offer the potential to restore balance and improve health outcomes. We herein discuss the intimate correlations between gut microbiota and human health, predominantly associated with function, regulation, and management strategies.
