Understanding the impact of food components and microbial metabolites on interactions of gut microbes with the immune system

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Current evidence for essential roles of gut microbe interactions with the immune system has generated strong interest in probiotics, prebiotics and dietary fibres. However, attempts to apply recent knowledge about probiotics and to manipulate gut microbes through strategic use of diet have had mixed results. Outcomes of diet-microbe based strategies not only depend on microbes, food components and the resulting microbial metabolites, but are also influenced by host factors. For example, differences between females and males in impact of prebiotics on the immune system show that sex-based factors can generate variation in outcomes of diet and gut microbe-based treatments. However, this aspect is rarely addressed in studies of prebiotics and probiotics. Other questions about use of probiotics include the impact that the foods they are consumed in have their activity. Intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) and antigen presenting cells (APC) are integral in immune activity at the intestinal interface, where they encounter gut microbes, food components and microbial metabolites. Microbial metabolites and soluble mediators are increasingly seen as key participants in effects of probiotics, diet and gut microbes on the immune system. Gaps in knowledge about the network of interactions involving probiotics, food components, microbial metabolites and host impact must be filled in order to design effective strategies for their use.