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Open research questions in Gut microbiota and health

1,024 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 2,160 Gut microbiota and health papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • RSV infection poses considerable challenges due to limited effective RSV-specific antiviral therapies. RSV infection can cause extensive metabolic disturbances in lung tissues.

    Integrating Metabolomics and Gut Microbiota to Reveal the Therapeutic Effect of Lonicerae japonicae Flos Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited effective RSV-specific antiviral therapies. RSV infection can reduce gut microbial diversity and influence the development and progression of respiratory disease.

    Integrating Metabolomics and Gut Microbiota to Reveal the Therapeutic Effect of Lonicerae japonicae Flos Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus · 2026 · DOI

  • The study used a mouse model, - The sample size was limited to 55 mice, - The study did not investigate the long-term effects of pb2441, - The study did not compare pb2441 to other probiotics

    Bacillus subtilis pb2441 partially attenuates hepatic steatosis with transcriptomic changes broadly similar to dapagliflozin in a Western diet mouse model · 2026 · DOI

  • The potential of probiotic-based approaches for NAFLD remains under investigation. Preclinical models of NAFLD do not fully recapitulate the complexity of human dietary patterns. There is a need for interventions that can improve systemic metabolic status while mitigating diet-driven hepatic steatotic changes.

    Bacillus subtilis pb2441 partially attenuates hepatic steatosis with transcriptomic changes broadly similar to dapagliflozin in a Western diet mouse model · 2026 · DOI

  • The gap in understanding how Przewalski's gazelle adapts to dietary heterogeneity. The need to investigate mechanisms of adaptation to extreme environments.

    Gut microbiota mediates dietary adaptation across spatially varying diets in the endangered Przewalski’s gazelle (Procapra przewalskii) · 2026 · DOI

  • investigation of multilevel, precision-guided aging intervention strategies, - use of multi-omics technologies, AI-assisted analytical platforms, and rigorously designed clinical trials, - exploration of the paradigm shift from “delaying disease” toward “promoting healthy aging”

    High-fructose diet–induced gut dysbiosis as a mechanistic driver of chronic inflammation and accelerated biological aging: a comprehensive review · 2026 · DOI

  • Existing studies are substantially constrained by methodological limitations, - the majority of mechanistic evidence derives from germ-free animals, chronic stress models, fecal microbiota transplantation, and probiotic interventions, - these studies cannot be equated with the pathological mechanisms of human MDD, - the specific and direct etiology of depression has yet to be fully clarified, - no definitive pathogenic substances have been identified

    Gut Microbiota and Metabolites: Orchestrating Depression Pathogenesis Through the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis’s Neural, Immune, and Metabolic Routes · 2026 · DOI

  • Research on the parallel relationship between characteristic microbiota and depressive symptoms, - elucidation of the mechanisms of the gut-brain axis, - exploration of the causal relationship between pathogenic and beneficial bacteria, - investigation of the specific and direct etiology of depression

    Gut Microbiota and Metabolites: Orchestrating Depression Pathogenesis Through the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis’s Neural, Immune, and Metabolic Routes · 2026 · DOI

  • Evaluation of the relationship between F. nucleatum and CRC progression, - Investigation of the mechanisms by which F. nucleatum promotes resistance to therapy, - Development of precision diagnostic and therapeutic approaches targeting F. nucleatum

    From oral dysbiosis to colorectal cancer: reframing fusobacterium nucleatum as an oxidative stress-primed oncobion · 2026 · DOI

  • Clinical efficacy of microbiota-based therapies in RA remains uncertain, - Evidence from isolated case reports, animal studies, and small exploratory controlled studies are insufficient to establish the efficacy or safety of FMT in RA, - Limited direct effects on gut microbial composition have been observed with TNF inhibitors

    Gut microbiota dysbiosis in rheumatoid arthritis: mechanisms linking intestinal barrier dysfunction to synovial inflammation · 2026 · DOI

  • Well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to establish the efficacy or safety of FMT in RA, - Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms linking gut dysbiosis to RA pathogenesis, - Investigation of the effects of microbiota-based therapies on gut microbial composition and immune homeostasis is required

    Gut microbiota dysbiosis in rheumatoid arthritis: mechanisms linking intestinal barrier dysfunction to synovial inflammation · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigation of host and microenvironmental factors that may modify disease biology and treatment tolerance - Definition of nutritional status, fiber exposure, antibiotic use, fecal metagenomic function, circulating metabolites, and clinical endpoints in future trials - Direct lineage tracing and macrophage-specific receptor perturbation are needed

    The gut-bone marrow axis in acute leukemia: an evidence-graded review of microbiota-immune crosstalk and therapeutic implications · 2026 · DOI

  • Only a subset of intestinal microorganisms can be cultivated under conventional laboratory conditions, - Bacterial recovery is highly dependent on aspiration techniques, transport conditions, culture media, incubation parameters, and laboratory expertise, - Contamination during sample collection remains a significant concern

    Do Multi-Omics Approaches Improve the Diagnosis of Microbial Overgrowth Syndromes? · 2026 · DOI

  • Further clinical validation of multi-omics approaches is necessary, - Standardized methods for SB sampling and analysis need to be developed

    Do Multi-Omics Approaches Improve the Diagnosis of Microbial Overgrowth Syndromes? · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of the implications of microbiome research for theological anthropology and spiritual practice. There is a need to reshape Christian conceptions of personhood, sacrament, and stewardship in light of emerging biomedical insights.

    Gut Microbiome Care as a Gateway to Mental Well-being and Theological Restoration · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies on the application of FMT in the treatment of pulmonary disease, - Investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of gut microbiota on pulmonary diseases, - Exploration of the potential of CRISPR-Cas systems in restoring gut microbial balance

    The gut-lung axis: effects and mechanisms of gut microbiota on pulmonary diseases · 2026 · DOI

  • Current research has focused predominantly on autoantibody production, aberrant B-cell activation, and central neuroinflammatory processes - The factors associated with disease susceptibility, interindividual heterogeneity, and recurrence remain incompletely understood - AE-associated microbial signatures may be influenced by disease phase, treatment status, diet, sampling-related factors, and other sources of interindividual variation

    Gut microbiota–neuroimmune crosstalk in autoimmune encephalitis: mechanistic insights and therapeutic prospects · 2026 · DOI

  • Targeting microbial metabolic function may more closely reflect the proposed mechanisms through which the gut microbiota influences immune regulation - Microbiota-derived metabolites, such as SCFAs, tryptophan, and bile acid metabolism, may be potential targets for future intervention

    Gut microbiota–neuroimmune crosstalk in autoimmune encephalitis: mechanistic insights and therapeutic prospects · 2026 · DOI

  • The hologenomic regulatory networks integrating host genetic variation and microbial signals remain to be fully deciphered. The mechanisms underlying the complex trait of adipose deposition, shaped by both host genetics and environmental factors, including the gut microbiota, are not well understood.

    Integrative hologenomic analysis reveals apolipoprotein D–associated host–microbe metabolic crosstalk linked to fat deposition in Jinhua pigs · 2026 · DOI

  • The role of miR-29a in shaping microbiota-driven bile acid metabolism is unclear. The impact of miR-29a deficiency on gut microbiota-bile acid homeostasis and the anti-inflammatory effects of LCA in colitis is not well understood.

    MiR-29a deficiency disrupts gut microbiota-bile acid homeostasis and impairs the anti-inflammatory effects of lithocholic acid in colitis · 2026 · DOI

  • Small sample size for Stage I (n=2), - Exclusion of patients with certain gastrointestinal disorders or history of gastrointestinal surgery, - Limited geographical representation (Northwest China)

    Gut microbiota characteristics of gastric cancer patients across distinct pathological stages and their associations with tumor and paratumor mucosal microbiota · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigation of the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota influences gastric cancer progression, - Examination of the effects of dietary interventions on the gut microbiota in gastric cancer patients, - Expansion of the study to include larger and more diverse patient populations

    Gut microbiota characteristics of gastric cancer patients across distinct pathological stages and their associations with tumor and paratumor mucosal microbiota · 2026 · DOI

  • The study faces the challenge of investigating the immunomodulatory effects of SSP1 in CTX-induced immunosuppressed mice. The study needs to assess the effects of SSP1 on gut microbiota composition and metabolic profiles. The study faces the challenge of demonstrating the alleviation of immunosuppression by SSP1 in a dose-dependent manner.

    Immunomodulatory effects of Sanghuangporus sanghuang polysaccharide SSP1 in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice: associations with gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and metabolic remodeling · 2026 · DOI

  • The effects of SSP1 on mucosal immunity and gut microbiota are unclear. There is a need to investigate the immunomodulatory activity of SSP1 in CTX-induced immunosuppressed mice. The study aims to fill this gap by assessing the effects of SSP1 on immune organ indices, histopathology, oxidative stress, splenocyte proliferation, and cytokine production.

    Immunomodulatory effects of Sanghuangporus sanghuang polysaccharide SSP1 in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice: associations with gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, and metabolic remodeling · 2026 · DOI

  • The complexity of the intestinal microbial community and its role in feline diarrhea. The difficulty of establishing a suitable animal model for studying feline diarrhea. The need for a better understanding of the interactions between the gut microbiota and the host immune system.

    Gram-Negative Bacterial Overgrowth Predominated by: Potential Association with Intestinal Barrier Impairment and Inflammatory Diarrhea in Cats · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Gut microbiota and health

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1,024 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 2,160 Gut microbiota and health papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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