Impacts of gut microbiota alteration on age-related chronic liver diseases

The Intricate Interplay: Microbial Metabolites and the Gut-Liver-Brain Axis in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by the depletion of dopaminergic neurons. Recent studies highlight the gut-liver-brain (GLB) axis and its role in PD pathogenesis. The GLB axis forms a dynamic network facilitating bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and central nervous system. Dysregulation within this axis, encompassing gut dysbiosis and microbial metabolites, is emerging as a critical factor influencing PD progression. Our understanding of PD was traditionally centered on neurodegenerative processes within the brain. However, examining PD through the lens of the GLB axis provides new insights. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of microbial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), kynurenine, serotonin, bile acids, indoles, and dopamine, which are integral to PD pathogenesis by modulation of the GLB axis. Our extensive research included a comprehensive literature review and database searches utilizing resources such as gutMGene and gutMDisorder. These databases have been instrumental in identifying specific microbes and their metabolites, shedding light on the intricate relationship between the GLB axis and PD. This review consolidates existing knowledge and underscores the potential for targeted therapeutic interventions based on the GLB axis and its components, which offer new avenues for future PD research and treatment strategies. While the GLB axis is not a novel concept, this review is the first to focus specifically on its role in PD, highlighting the importance of integrating the liver and microbial metabolites as central players in the PD puzzle.

Roles of the gut microbiota in human neurodevelopment and adult brain disorders

Growing evidence demonstrates the connection between gut microbiota, neurodevelopment, and adult brain function. Microbial colonization occurs before the maturation of neural systems and its association with brain development. The early microbiome interactions with the gut-brain axis evolved to stimulate cognitive activities. Gut dysbiosis can lead to impaired brain development, growth, and function. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is critically required for brain structure and function, modulates gut microbiota, and impacts brain activity. This review explores how gut microbiota influences early brain development and adult functions, encompassing the modulation of neurotransmitter activity, neuroinflammation, and blood-brain barrier integrity. In addition, it highlights processes of how the gut microbiome affects fetal neurodevelopment and discusses adult brain disorders.

Stem cell transplantation therapy for advanced liver damage-associated neurodegenerative disorders

Hepatic encephalopathy and other neurodegenerative disorders have profound implications for extensive liver impairment, calling for new ways of treating the condition. The application of stem cell transplantation to treat these severe disorders is a new and encouraging technique. This review article digs deep into the subject of stem cell transplantation therapy, neurodegenerative disorders associated with advanced liver damage, and liver transplantation. It comprehensively analyses the background, rationale, scope, and objectives of using stem cells to treat such challenging conditions. The topic of discussion includes the subtleties of neurodegenerative disorders, the function of liver transplantation, and the possible advantages and disadvantages associated with it. The relevance of patient selection, intraoperative concerns and post-transplant care is discussed. Further, the article explores how stem cell-based therapies can benefit from nanotechnology, specifically how it can improve stem cell distribution, survival, and integration for better therapeutic results. This review aims to offer a thorough analysis of regenerative medicine's present and future possibilities in dealing with the intricate relationship between neurodegeneration and liver damage. It does this by examining the efficacy, safety, and long-term impacts of stem cell transplantation in treating neurodegenerative disorders associated with advanced liver damage. This will incorporate insights from ongoing clinical trials, the patent landscape, and future directions. The goal is to pave the way for innovative and personalized treatment approaches in this evolving research and clinical practice field. Therefore, these efforts represent a promising frontier in medical research that can alleviate the burden of HE and associated neurological complications combined with liver cirrhosis.

The Influence of the Gut Microbiota on Host Health: A Focus on the Gut-Lung Axis and Therapeutic Approaches

The human gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem harboring thousands of microbial strains that play a crucial role in maintaining the overall well-being of its host. The composition of the gut microbiota varies with age from infancy to adulthood and is influenced by dietary habits, environment, and genetic disposition. Recent advances in culture-independent techniques and nucleic acid sequencing have improved our understanding of the diversity of the gut microbiota. The microbial species present in the gut release short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which have anti-inflammatory properties. The gut microbiota also plays a substantial role in modulating the host's immune system, promoting immune tolerance, and maintaining homeostasis. The impact of the gut microbiota on the health of the host is quite evident, as gut dysbiosis has been linked to various diseases, including metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, allergies, and inflammatory bowel diseases. The gut microbiota has bidirectional communication with the respiratory system, creating the gut-lung axis, which has been associated with different respiratory diseases. Therapeutic approaches targeting the gut microbiota, such as probiotics, prebiotics, dietary interventions, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), aim to restore microbial balance and promote the growth of beneficial strains in the gut. Nonetheless, gaining knowledge of the complex interactions between the gut microbiota and the host is necessary to develop personalized medicine approaches and microbiota-based therapies for various conditions. This review summarizes studies related to the gut-lung axis with particular emphasis on the role of the microbiota. Future research directions are also discussed.

Rejuvenation Strategy for Inducing and Enhancing Autoimmune Response to Eliminate Senescent Cells

The process of aging, which involves progressive changes in the body over time, is closely associated with the development of age-related diseases. Cellular senescence is a pivotal hallmark and mechanism of the aging process. The accumulation of senescent cells can significantly contribute to the onset of age-related diseases, thereby compromising overall health. Conversely, the elimination of senescent cells enhances the body's regenerative and reparative capacity, thereby retarding the aging process. Here, we present a brief overview of 12 Hallmarks of aging and subsequently emphasize the potential of immune checkpoint blockade, innate immune cell therapy (including T cells, iNKT cells, macrophages, and NK cells), as well as CAR-T cell therapy for inducing and augmenting immune responses aimed at eliminating senescent cells. In addition to CAR-T cells, we also explore the possibility of engineered immune cells such as CAR-NK and CAR-M cells to eliminate senescent cells. In summary, immunotherapy, as an emerging strategy for the treatment of aging, offers new prospects for age-related research.

Screening and evaluation of quality markers of Radix Cudramiae for liver disease based on an integrated strategy of in vivo pharmacokinetics and in vitro HPLC fingerprint

Radix Cudramiae, the dried root of Cudrania cochinchinensis (Lour.) Kudo et Masam., is a valuable ethnomedicine with outstanding antihepatitis activity. However, the lack of reports on quality markers (Q-markers) hindered its quality evaluation and standardization, as a result restricted its clinical application. This paper aimed to discover the Q-markers of Radix Cudramiae with a comprehensive strategy based on in vivo pharmacokinetics and in vitro HPLC fingerprint. A rapid and sensitive ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analytical method was firstly developed and validated for simultaneous determination of six potential active ingredients (eriodictyol, dihydrokaempferol, dihydromorin, kaempferol, naringenin and morin) of Radix Cudramiae in rat plasma and tissues, which was successfully applied to the holistic comparison of pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution between normal and acute liver injury rats. On the other hand, a representative HPLC fingerprint of Radix Cudramiae was also established to elucidate the chemical profile for overall quality evaluation. Dihydrokaempferol-7-O-β-D-glucoside (the naturally existed chemical formation of dihydrokaempferol) and kaempferol screened out with high exposure levels in vivo and high resolution in HPLC fingerprint were finally selected as Q-markers of Radix Cudramiae. To the best of our knowledge, it was the first time for people to discover in vivo properties and pharmacokinetic parameters of components in Radix Cudramiae, as well as the first report on its representative HPLC fingerprint. Also, the integrated strategy could offer an effective way for TCMs Q-markers screening.