Journal of Microbiology

Reviews

Metabolic Interaction Between Host and the Gut Microbiota During High‑Fat Diet‑Induced Colorectal Cancer: Chaeeun Lee, Seungrin Lee, Woongjae Yoo; J. Microbiol. 2024;62(3):153-165. Published online April 16, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-024-00123-2

Abstract: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second-highest cause of cancer-associated mortality among both men and women worldwide. One of the risk factors for CRC is obesity, which is correlated with a high-fat diet prevalent in Western dietary habits. The association between an obesogenic high-fat diet and CRC has been established for several decades; however, the mechanisms by which a high-fat diet increases the risk of CRC remain unclear. Recent studies indicate that gut microbiota strongly infuence the pathogenesis of both high-fat diet-induced obesity and CRC. The gut microbiota is composed of hundreds of bacterial species, some of which are implicated in CRC. In particular, the expansion of facultative anaerobic Enterobacteriaceae, which is considered a microbial signature of intestinal microbiota functional imbalance (dysbiosis), is associated with both high-fat diet-induced obesity and CRC. Here, we review the interaction between the gut microbiome and its metabolic byproducts in the context of colorectal cancer (CRC) during high-fat diet-induced obesity. In addition, we will cover how a high-fat diet can drive the expansion of genotoxin-producing Escherichia coli by altering intestinal epithelial cell metabolism during gut infammation conditions.

Rediscovery of antimicrobial peptides as therapeutic agents: Minkyung Ryu , Jaeyeong Park , Ji-Hyun Yeom , Minju Joo , Kangseok Lee; J. Microbiol. 2021;59(2):113-123. Published online February 1, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-021-0649-z

Abstract: In recent years, the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is increasing rapidly. There is growing concern as the development of antibiotics is slower than the increase in the resistance of pathogenic bacteria. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising alternatives to antibiotics. Despite their name, which implies their antimicrobial activity, AMPs have recently been rediscovered as compounds having antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, antioxidant, and insecticidal effects. Moreover, many AMPs are relatively safe from toxic side effects and the generation of resistant microorganisms due to their target specificity and complexity of the mechanisms underlying their action. In this review, we summarize the history, classification, and mechanisms of action of AMPs, and provide descriptions of AMPs undergoing clinical trials. We also discuss the obstacles associated with the development of AMPs as therapeutic agents and recent strategies formulated to circumvent these obstacles.

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