Host: The Japanese Society of Toxicology
Microorganisms exist in every environment on earth, including the oceans and soil, and they construct complex microbial ecosystems based on sophisticated interactions between different species or the same species of microorganisms. Our bodies are no exception, with a huge number of microorganisms, so-called human microbiota, in our digestive tracts, such as the oral cavity and intestinal tract. The human microbiota interacts with the host to build an ecosystem with a certain robustness. While a well-balanced human microbiota contributes to the maintenance of host health through the production of useful metabolites, an imbalance of microbiota can lead to various disorders through the production of disease-related metabolites. In this presentation, we will introduce the relationship between the human microbiome and host health and diseases, including our recent findings based on a metabologenomic approach and the latest reports related to gut microbiota and toxicology.
