Description
The authors acknowledge that ‘numerous mechanisms behind the impact of gut microbiota in neuro-development and pathogenesis remain poorly understood,’ specifically regarding metabolite effects on CNS cells. This knowledge gap limits targeted interventions for neurodegenerative diseases.
Gap type: open_question Source paper: The Gut-Brain Axis: How Microbiota and Host Inflammasome Influence Brain Physiology and Pathology. (2021, Frontiers in immunology, PMID:33362788)
Resolution criteria
[“Systematic metabolomics profiling (LC-MS/MS) of 3 germ-free mouse models identifies 4-6 microbial metabolites that alter CNS cell transcription in vitro”, “Each candidate metabolite is tested in primary microglia and neuron cultures for dose-dependent effects on NF-kB and type I interferon signaling”, “Gnotobiotic colonization with metabolite-producing vs non-producing bacterial strains confirms in vivo CNS effects”, “Synthetic metabolite analogs are tested in EAE or LPS-induced neuroinflammation models”]