Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Immune System by Probiotics, Pre-biotics, and Post-biotics

Yue Liu; Jiaqi Wang; Changxin Wu

doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.634897

Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Immune System by Probiotics, Pre-biotics, and Post-biotics

Front Nutr. 2022 Jan 3:8:634897. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.634897. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Yue Liu^{1

2}, Jiaqi Wang^{1

2}, Changxin Wu^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Key Lab of Medical Molecular Cell Biology of Shanxi Province, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China.
² The Provincial Key Laboratories for Prevention and Treatment of Major Infectious Diseases Shanxi, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China.

Abstract

The human gastrointestinal tract harbours a complex microbial community, which interacts with the mucosal immune system closely. Gut microbiota plays a significant role in maintaining host health, which could supply various nutrients, regulate energy balance, modulate the immune response, and defence against pathogens. Therefore, maintaining a favourable equilibrium of gut microbiota through modulating bacteria composition, diversity, and their activity is beneficial to host health. Several studies have shown that probiotics and pre-biotics could directly and indirectly regulate microbiota and immune response. In addition, post-biotics, such as the bioactive metabolites, produced by gut microbiota, and/or cell-wall components released by probiotics, also have been shown to inhibit pathogen growth, maintain microbiota balance, and regulate an immune response. This review summarises the studies concerning the impact of probiotics, pre-biotics, and post-biotics on gut microbiota and immune systems and also describes the underlying mechanisms of beneficial effects of these substances. Finally, the future and challenges of probiotics, pre-biotics, and post-biotics are proposed.

Keywords: gut microbiota; immune system; post-biotics; pre-biotics; probiotics.

Publication types

Review