The Science
Postbiotics, Metabolic Signaling, and Cancer
by Nikola Vrzáčková,Tomáš RumlORCID andJaroslav Zelenka *ORCID
Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, 16628 Prague, Czech Republic
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Molecules 2021, 26(6), 1528; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26061528
Received: 9 February 2021 / Revised: 5 March 2021 / Accepted: 9 March 2021 / Published: 11 March 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Product-Inspired Molecules: From Weed to Remedy)
Abstract
Postbiotics are health-promoting microbial metabolites delivered as a functional food or a food supplement. They either directly influence signaling pathways of the body or indirectly manipulate metabolism and the composition of intestinal microflora. Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide and even though the prognosis of patients is improving, it is still poor in the substantial part of the cases. The preventable nature of cancer and the importance of a complex multi-level approach in anticancer therapy motivate the search for novel avenues of establishing the anticancer environment in the human body. This review summarizes the principal findings demonstrating the usefulness of both natural and synthetic sources of postbotics in the prevention and therapy of cancer. Specifically, the effects of crude cell-free supernatants, the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, lactic acid, hydrogen sulfide, and β-glucans are described. Contradictory roles of postbiotics in healthy and tumor tissues are highlighted. In conclusion, the application of postbiotics is an efficient complementary strategy to combat cancer.
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Everything from arthritis to autism has been connected to the microorganisms in our gut. Scientists now claim to be able to predict our future health.
Our “microbiome,” or the mix of bacteria in our gut, can indicate the presence of numerous diseases better than our DNA, according to two new studies, and can even predict our odds of dying within the next 15 years.
“I am hopeful and enthusiastic that the community will reach a point where we’re able to develop microbiome-based therapeutics and diagnostics,” comments Samuel Minot, a microbiome researcher at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center who was not involved in the study. “I think that this is within the realm of possibility.”
Researchers in the first analysis looked at 47 papers that looked at links between the collective genomes of gut bacteria and 13 prevalent illnesses. Schizophrenia, hypertension, and asthma were among them, all of which are classified as “complex” because illnesses are caused by both environmental and genetic factors. They then compared these findings to 24 genome-wide association (GWA) studies, which look at how specific human genetic variations are linked to certain diseases.
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Microbes inhabiting our intestinal tracts have been connected to 95% of all diseases…from arthritis to autism. Scientists are only now understanding the massive impact of our gut health – and how it could contain the key to everything from tackling obesity to overcoming anxiety and boosting immunity. Several new studies have even uncovered that the mix of microbes in our gut—can reveal the presence of numerous diseases better than our own genes or blood tests.
“I am hopeful and enthusiastic that the community will reach a point where we’re able to develop microbiome-based therapeutics and diagnostics,” says Samuel Minot, a microbiome researcher at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center who was not involved in the research. “I think that this is within the realm of possibility.”
Although the exact utility of POSTbiotics has yet to be completely understood, researchers of a 2022 study published in the journal
Trends in Food Science and Technology believe the compounds found in POSTbiotics are likely to promote communication between the microbiome and your immune system. For this reason, POSTbiotics are being looked at as a possible strategy for preventing or treating COVID-19.
In addition to their potential to support immune function and fight viruses and chronic diseases, POSTbiotics are believed to help reduce inflammation, reinforce blood sugar regulation, help obesity, and help maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier.
Various other studies examining postbiotics have shown outcomes that include eradicating infections due to Helicobacter pylori (the cause of some ulcers), decreasing symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic unexplained diarrhea, and the capability to counter the negative effects of stress, depression, and insomnia. In a randomized, controlled study of 443 individuals with IBS, those who received POSTbiotics experienced a significant improvement in IBS symptoms, including a reduction in abdominal pain or discomfort, as well as improvements in bloating and abnormal bowel patterns. An Italian study found that, among patients with recurrent respiratory tract infections, the use of POSTbiotics led to a significant reduction in the number of acute infectious episodes and the need for antibiotics. Additionally, this small study from Japan among undergraduate medical students found that POSTbiotic improved sleep quality in males but not as much in females.
Many POSTbiotics will likely hit the markets in the coming years in various formulations, but GUTWIZE is creating incredible stories today.
