Host-microbiota immuno-interactions for personalized microbial therapeutics: Volume II

Host-microbiota immuno-interactions are fundamental to immune regulation and the development of personalized microbial therapeutics. The human gut microbiota plays a crucial role in shaping the immune system by influencing innate and adaptive immune responses. Microbial communities interact with pattern recognition receptors on host immune cells, recognizing microbial-associated molecular patterns and initiating signaling pathways that modulate immune responses. These interactions help maintain immune homeostasis, balancing tolerance to commensal microbes with the ability to mount dynamic immune response against pathogens. Key immune cells involved in these interactions include regulatory T cells promoting immune tolerance and IgA-producing B cells, which produce secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) to neutralize potential pathogens without triggering inflammation. Certain commensal microbes induce Treg differentiation, helping to maintain gut immune tolerance and prevent immune overreaction. Furthermore, microbial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), also modulate immune responses by enhancing Treg function and suppressing pro-inflammatory pathways.

Dysbiosis, an imbalance in the microbiota, can disrupt these immuno-interactions and lead to immune dysregulation, contributing to immune-mediated diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), autoimmune disorders, allergies, and metabolic syndromes. Dysbiosis can result in increased gut permeability, altered immune responses, and chronic inflammation, exacerbating these conditions. Restoring a balanced microbiota through microbial therapeutics is an emerging strategy to counteract these effects. Personalized microbial therapeutics seek to exploit these host-microbiota interactions by tailoring interventions to an individual’s specific microbiome composition and immune profile. Using probiotics, prebiotics, and other microbiome-targeted treatments makes it possible to modulate the microbiota to restore immune homeostasis. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can be introduced to improve microbial diversity and immune function, while prebiotics are substrates that selectively promote the growth of beneficial microbes. Engineered microbes can be designed to produce SCFAs, regulate immune cell differentiation, or deliver therapeutic agents directly to the gut. Such microbial-based therapies represent a precision medicine approach, where treatments are customized based on an individual's microbiome and immune landscape, optimizing therapeutic outcomes. As our understanding of host-microbiota immuno-interactions deepens, personalized microbial therapeutics are promising to improve immune function, prevent disease, and promote overall health. Ongoing advancements in microbiome research offer a new frontier in precision medicine aimed at harnessing the power of the microbiome to enhance patient outcomes.

Targeting host-microbiota immuno-interactions for personalized microbial therapeutics represents a rational and timely approach in the current healthcare landscape. It leverages the fundamental role of the microbiota in immune regulation. It offers a personalized, precision-based solution to combat the rising incidence of immune-mediated diseases, chronic inflammation, and other health conditions linked to microbiome imbalances. In the current scenario, advances in microbiome research, combined with increasing cases of chronic inflammatory diseases, autoimmune disorders, and metabolic conditions, highlight the need for innovative, personalized approaches to treatment that address the complex interplay between the immune system and the microbiota.

Targeting host-microbiota immuno-interactions for personalized microbial therapeutics involves several key focus areas that combine microbiome dynamics, immunology, immune-genomics and cutting-edge technologies like synthetic biology and single cell genomics. These focus areas aim to harness the complex relationship between the host's immune system and resident microbiota for precise, individualized treatments. Below are the primary focus areas: Here are the key focus areas for targeting host-microbiota immuno-interactions in personalized microbial therapeutics:

• Individual microbiota profiles to develop personalized interventions
• Restoring microbial diversity to treat microbial dysbiosis-related diseases and autoimmune disorders
• Producing therapeutic molecules or regulating immune pathways, such as reducing inflammation or promoting immune tolerance
• Restoring gut barrier function to prevent immune activation from microbial products.
• Probiotics and therapies to strengthen the epithelial barrier and enhance IgA production.
• Modulating immune cell responses to promote immune balance and tolerance
• Utilizing advanced microbiome sequencing and computational tools to assess microbial and immune status.
• Innovative strategies harnessing the strength of Genomics/Single cell Genomics for denovo microbial discoveries and functional role.
• Developing diagnostics to customize therapies based on individual microbiome profiles
• Targeting beneficial microbial metabolites that regulate immune responses
• Therapies to enhance metabolite production or deliver microbes producing immune-modulating molecules
• Native and engineered probiotics interactions with the immune system
• Prebiotics and Diet-Based Modulation for Effective Health Management
• Personalizing diet-based interventions to influence the microbiome and improve immune health
• Fecal Microbiota Transplantation to restore balanced microbial communities
• Addressing long-term safety, genetic stability, and environmental impact concerns of Microbial therapies
• Regulatory frameworks for the safe implementation of microbial therapies

This Research Topic is the second volume in the series in "Host-Microbiota Immuno-Interactions for Personalized Microbial Therapeutics". Please see the details of the first volume here.