Emerging Roles of Gut Microbiota-derived Metabolites in Pathogenesis and Prevention of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The field of gut microbiota research has revealed critical links between microbial-derived metabolites and the onset, progression, and mitigation of intestinal diseases, notably inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and related tumors such as colorectal cancer. Dysbiosis and shifts in microbial metabolite profiles have been shown to influence epithelial barrier integrity, immune function, and inflammatory pathways, driving both disease development and therapeutic response. While short-chain fatty acids and tryptophan metabolites demonstrate protective and regulatory roles, further clarification is needed regarding specific microbial markers and metabolic signatures linked to IBD and colorectal cancer, as well as the influence of factors like diet and environmental exposures. Though natural products and dietary interventions show promise, the precise mechanisms and clinical translation of these insights remain underexplored.

This Research Topic aims to drive mechanistic and translational understanding of how gut microbiota-derived metabolites contribute to the pathogenesis and prevention of IBD. We encourage submissions that dissect distinct microbial and metabolic alterations, unravel molecular mechanisms driving inflammation or tumorigenesis, and showcase interventions, such as dietary modulation or natural compounds, targeting the microbiota-metabolite axis to improve disease outcomes. The fundamental goal is to bridge basic mechanistic understanding with clinically actionable strategies for the prevention and management of intestinal inflammatory and tumor diseases.

The scope of this Research Topic centers on dissecting the bidirectional interactions between the gut microbiome, its metabolic products, and host intestinal pathologies, with an emphasis on translational and intervention focused studies. Submissions should be directly relevant to microbial mechanisms or interventions in intestinal inflammation and related tumorous diseases. To gather further insights, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
(1) Structural and functional shifts in gut microbiota linked to IBD and colorectal cancer.
(2) Key molecular pathways linking microbial metabolites to host immune regulation and barrier function.
(3) Identification of IBD characteristic microbiota signatures and biomarkers.
(4) Impact of dietary, environmental, or pharmaceutical factors on the gut microbiota in these diseases.
(5) Evaluation of interventions targeting gut microbiota-derived metabolites for IBD and colorectal cancer.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Intestinal inflammation, Host-microbiome interactions, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Natural products, Gut microbiota-derived metabolites, colorectal cancer

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.