The role of microbiota in the pathophysiology of uterine fibroids – a systematic review

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Abstract

For a long time, the uterus had been considered a sterile organ, meaning that under physiological conditions the uterus would not be colonized by bacteria. Based on available data, it may be concluded that the gut and uterine microbiome are related, and that the role of this microbiome is greater than expected. Despite being the most common pelvic neoplasms in women of reproductive age, uterine fibroids (UFs) are still poorly understood tumors whose etiology has not been fully determined. This systematic review presents the relationship between intestinal and uterine dysbiosis and uterine fibroids. A systematic review of three medical databases was carried out: the MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane. In this study, 195 titles and abstracts were reviewed, including only original articles and clinical trials of uterine microbiome criteria. Finally, 16 studies were included to the analysis. In recent years, researchers dealing with reproduction in a broad sense have focused on the microbiome in various locations to study its role in the pathogenesis and, consequently, the prevention and treatment of diseases of the genital organ. Conventional microbial detection methods are not suitable for identifying bacteria, which are difficult to culture. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) provides an easier and faster and more informative analysis of bacterial populations. It seems that gut microbiota dysbiosis has the potential to be a risk factor for uterine fibroids or affect the disease process. Some changes were shown in many types of bacteria, such as Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia detected in fecal samples in patients with uterine fibroids. In view of the few results on the link between the microbiome and uterine fibroids, further intensive studies in humans and animal models are necessary, including the possible use of different microbiome modulations in the prevention or treatment of uterine fibroids.

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Elizabeth Thursby, Nathalie Juge (2017)

The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract harbours a complex and dynamic population of microorganisms, the gut microbiota, which exert a marked influence on the host during homeostasis and disease. Multiple factors contribute to the establishment of the human gut microbiota during infancy. Diet is considered as one of the main drivers in shaping the gut microbiota across the life time. Intestinal bacteria play a crucial role in maintaining immune and metabolic homeostasis and protecting against pathogens. Altered gut bacterial composition (dysbiosis) has been associated with the pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases and infections. The interpretation of these studies relies on a better understanding of inter-individual variations, heterogeneity of bacterial communities along and across the GI tract, functional redundancy and the need to distinguish cause from effect in states of dysbiosis. This review summarises our current understanding of the development and composition of the human GI microbiota, and its impact on gut integrity and host health, underlying the need for mechanistic studies focusing on host–microbe interactions.

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Ian Rowland, Glenn R. Gibson, Almut Heinken … (2017)

The diverse microbial community that inhabits the human gut has an extensive metabolic repertoire that is distinct from, but complements the activity of mammalian enzymes in the liver and gut mucosa and includes functions essential for host digestion. As such, the gut microbiota is a key factor in shaping the biochemical profile of the diet and, therefore, its impact on host health and disease. The important role that the gut microbiota appears to play in human metabolism and health has stimulated research into the identification of specific microorganisms involved in different processes, and the elucidation of metabolic pathways, particularly those associated with metabolism of dietary components and some host-generated substances. In the first part of the review, we discuss the main gut microorganisms, particularly bacteria, and microbial pathways associated with the metabolism of dietary carbohydrates (to short chain fatty acids and gases), proteins, plant polyphenols, bile acids, and vitamins. The second part of the review focuses on the methodologies, existing and novel, that can be employed to explore gut microbial pathways of metabolism. These include mathematical models, omics techniques, isolated microbes, and enzyme assays.

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Author and article information

Contributors

Natalia Zeber-Lubecka: URI : https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1087119

Magdalena Zgliczynska: URI : https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/2007804

Kornelia Zareba: URI : https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1065268

Michalina Dabrowska: URI : https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/2257652

Michal Ciebiera: URI : https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1065229

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Front Cell Infect Microbiol

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Front Cell Infect Microbiol

Journal ID (publisher-id): Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol.

Title: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.

ISSN (Electronic): 2235-2988

Publication date (Electronic): 26 May 2023

Publication date Collection: 2023

Volume: 13

Electronic Location Identifier: 1177366

Affiliations

[1] ¹ Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education , Warsaw, Poland

[2] ² Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education , Warsaw, Poland

[3] ³ Department of Genetics, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology , Warsaw, Poland

[4] ⁴ Department of Obstetrics, Perinatology and Neonatology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education , Warsaw, Poland

[5] ⁵ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University , Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

[6] ⁶ International Prevention Research Institute – Collaborating Centre, Calisia University , Kalisz, Poland

Author notes

Edited by: Soumya Panigrahi, Case Western Reserve University, United States

Reviewed by: Monika Abramiuk, Medical University of Lublin, Poland; Ayman Al-Hendy, The University of Chicago, United States

*Correspondence: Natalia Zeber-Lubecka, natalia.zeber-lubecka@ 123456cmkp.edu.pl

Article

DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1177366

PMC ID: 10250666

PubMed ID: 37305407

SO-VID: a514b441-bfbd-487d-a526-4a2d660e15f8

License:

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.