Outlook on next-generation probiotics from the human gut

• Published in: Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS Vol. 79; no. 2; p. 76
• Main Authors: De Filippis, Francesca, Esposito, Alessia, Ercolini, Danilo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.02.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Akkermansia - metabolism; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - metabolism; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cell Biology; Chronic illnesses; Clostridiales - metabolism; Commensals; Digestive system; Dysbiosis - microbiology; Employment; Faecalibacterium prausnitzii - metabolism; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - physiology; human health; Humans; Industrial research; Intestinal microflora; intestinal microorganisms; Life Sciences; markets; Microbiomes; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Prevotella - metabolism; Probiotics; Probiotics - pharmacology; Review; Live biotherapeutics; Gut microbiome; Next-generation probiotics; Prevotella copri; Faecalibacterium prausnitzii; Akkermansia muciniphila
• ISSN: 1420-682X; 1420-9071; 1420-9071
• DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-04080-6

Probiotics currently available on the market generally belong to a narrow range of microbial species. However, recent studies about the importance of the gut microbial commensals on human health highlighted that the gut microbiome is an unexplored reservoir of potentially beneficial microbes. For this reason, academic and industrial research is focused on identifying and testing novel microbial strains of gut origin for the development of next-generation probiotics. Although several of these are promising for the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases, studies on human subjects are still scarce and approval from regulatory agencies is, therefore, rare. In addition, some issues need to be overcome before implementing their wide application on the market, such as the best methods for cultivation and storage of these oxygen-sensitive taxa. This review summarizes the most recent evidence related to NGPs and provides an outlook to the main issues that still limit their wide employment.