Diet and the "gut-lung" axis
Due to the close interplay of intestinal and airway microorganisms among the “gut-lung axis”, a communication network that links immune responses between these two body sites, gut microbiota could directly influence the airway microbiome and vice versa. This suggests that a balanced gut microbiome could help to protect against airway infection and inflammation.
Flavor enhancers, particularly in the context of vegan diets, are increasingly utilized in the food industry. We investigate the role of glutamate, one of the most widely used flavor enhancers that is known to cause allergic reactions in 1-3% of the population in Europe, as a modulator of the gut microbiome and potentially contributing to a dysbiotic state. This research is part of a project funded by the ZIEL graduate program, which involves analyzing samples from the ENABLE cohort using an artificial gut system (SHIME®) capable of simulating different regions of the human gastrointestinal tract. The project employs a combined transcriptome-metabolome approach to elucidate the impact of glutamate on microbiome composition and function.
Due to the close interplay of intestinal and airway microorganisms among the “gut-lung axis”, a communication network that links immune responses between these two body sites, gut microbiota could directly influence the airway microbiome and vice versa. This suggests that a balanced gut microbiome could help to protect against airway infection and inflammation.
Flavor enhancers, particularly in the context of vegan diets, are increasingly utilized in the food industry. We investigate the role of glutamate, one of the most widely used flavor enhancers that is known to cause allergic reactions in 1-3% of the population in Europe, as a modulator of the gut microbiome and potentially contributing to a dysbiotic state. This research is part of a project funded by the ZIEL graduate program, which involves analyzing samples from the ENABLE cohort using an artificial gut system (SHIME®) capable of simulating different regions of the human gastrointestinal tract. The project employs a combined transcriptome-metabolome approach to elucidate the impact of glutamate on microbiome composition and function.
