Regulation of immunity and allergy via metabolites produced by the intestinal environment

Abstract

The intestinal environment, which is formed from dietary components and intestinal bacteria, plays an important role in maintenance of our health. Specifically, fatty acids in food are converted into functional lipid metabolites by mammalian or intestinal bacterial enzymes and affect various physiological functions, including the immune response associated with allergies and inflammatory diseases. Lipid metabolism is affected by several factors including enzymatic activity of our body, as well as the actions of intestinal microbiota. Differences in the degree of health benefits are attributable to disparities in the production of beneficial metabolites via intestinal environment. In this study, we describe the immunoregulatory mechanisms underlying lipid metabolite generation from omega-3 fatty acids. We have also discussed our recent findings regarding the development of a stratified and personalized nutrition system, considering inter-individual variations in the intestinal environment.