Tracing the evolving dynamics and research hotspots of microbiota and immune microenvironment from the past to the new era

Microbiology Spectrum, 2023 · DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00135-23 · Published: September 28, 2023

Simple Explanation

The human gastrointestinal tract hosts a complex community of microorganisms known as the gut microbiota, which plays a crucial role in various physiological functions, including nutrient absorption, immune homeostasis, and protection against pathogens. Recent studies indicate that specific bacteria and their metabolites can influence the immune microenvironment and promote tumorigenesis, while the composition of gut microbiota also affects the efficacy of immunotherapy. This study uses bibliometric analysis to review and summarize documents related to gut microbiota and the immune microenvironment, identifying research hotspots and providing a general framework of the field for researchers.

Study Duration

1976 to 2022

Participants

912 documents related to gut microbiota and immune microenvironment

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The annual number of publications related to gut microbiota and the immune microenvironment has increased gradually, reflecting the growing interest and development in this field.
2
Three key topics in gut microbiota research were identified: cancer and therapy; immunity, inflammation, and IBD; and acute injuries and metabolic diseases.
3
"Zitvogel L" was identified as the most productive and influential author in this field, with research focusing on the relationship between immunology and cancer.

Research Summary

This study uses bibliometric analysis to summarize research trends and hotspots in the field of gut microbiota and the immune microenvironment from 1976 to 2022, using data from the Web of Science Core Collection database. The analysis identifies key authors, journals, countries, and affiliations contributing to this field, as well as trending topics such as the influence of gut microbiota on cancer and immunotherapy, inflammation, IBD, acute traumas, and metabolic diseases. The study reveals a continuous increase in publications, highlighting the growing importance of gut microbiota and its interaction with the immune microenvironment in various diseases.

Practical Implications

Cancer Immunotherapy Improvement

Understanding the interplay between gut microbiota and cancer therapy could lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies like fecal microbial transplantation and probiotics to improve treatment efficacy in cancer.

Personalized Medicine

Accurate evaluation of a patient’s microbial constitution would inform targeted therapeutic strategies, enhancing multidisciplinary and precision medicine approaches.

Targeted Therapies for Acute Injuries

Clarifying the role of gut microbiota in acute trauma treatment could provide insights into improving prognosis and clinical outcomes, potentially through the use of FMT and probiotics.

Study Limitations

1
The documents were retrieved only from the WOS Core Collection database, excluding relevant research from other sources.
2
New articles published after the retrieval date (July 5, 2022) were not included in the analysis.
3
The frequent renewal of the WOS database may lead to variations in retrieval results at different times.

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