The Hidden Power of Your Gut

Environmental cues within the gut are key modulators of host–pathogen interactions. Melatonin, produced in the gut approximately 400-fold higher than in the pineal gland. Enteric pathogens senses local cues and colonizes the colon. The results suggest that melatonin-treated mice exhibit reduced survival, indicating that melatonin worsens disease severity. Given the complexity of the gut environment, this work provides new insights into potential therapeutic strategies by characterizing the crosstalk between enteric pathogens and a remarkable gut modulator, melatonin.

Growing evidence shows that the gut microbiome is associated with numerous adverse health effects. Obesity, chronic infections, and even psychiatric disorders have been identified to disturb the microbial communities of our guts. So, where will all this research go? Have we begun to apply what we have learned to the bedside? Currently, the focus on the gut-brain-microbiome axis in the clinic has been centered around Clostridium difficile infections. Yet, the utility of this axis is vast: diagnostics, therapeutic efficacy, and disease modulation are among the potential ways we can harness it!