Molecular Pharmacology of the Gut-Immune-Metabolic Axis: Recent Advances in Systemic Infectious Diseases and Infection-Associated Inflammation

The gut-immune-metabolic axis is increasingly recognized as a determinant of host susceptibility to infection and responses to anti-infective therapy. Dysbiosis, impaired intestinal barrier integrity, and altered microbial and host metabolic signaling can influence systemic immune function, drug disposition, pharmacodynamic responses, treatment efficacy, and toxicity. Defining the molecular pharmacology of this interconnected system may reveal therapeutic opportunities that complement conventional pathogen-directed strategies.This Research Topic examines how the gut-immune-metabolic axis shapes the prevention, treatment, and pharmacological management of systemic infectious diseases. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives reporting preclinical, translational, clinical, or computational studies. This collection focuses strictly on the prevention or treatment of systemic infections. Studies addressing the localized pharmacological treatment of gastrointestinal infections are out of scope. Investigations into inflammatory responses are welcome, provided they are framed as infection-associated mechanisms, sequelae, or comorbidities rather than standalone inflammatory disorders.Sub-themes of interest:Molecular Signaling by Microbiota-Derived Metabolites and Their Receptors The gut microbiota produces metabolites that regulate immune and metabolic pathways through receptors and other molecular effectors. This sub-theme welcomes studies of the mechanisms by which these pathways can be pharmacologically modulated to influence host defense, infection-associated inflammation, or responses to anti-infective therapy.Pharmacological Modulation of Gut Barrier Integrity and Microbial Translocation Impaired intestinal barrier function and the translocation of microbial products can contribute to systemic immune activation and inflammation during infection. This sub-theme covers pharmacological strategies targeting epithelial integrity, intestinal permeability, endotoxemia, or related pathways as adjuncts to anti-infective treatment or as approaches to managing infection-associated systemic complications.Pharmacomicrobiomics: Drug-Microbiome Interactions in Anti-Infective Pharmacology This sub-theme examines bidirectional interactions between anti-infective drugs and the gut microbiome. Areas of interest include microbiome-dependent changes in drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, toxicity, and interindividual variability, as well as the effects of anti-infective therapy on microbiome composition, colonization resistance, host responses, and clinical outcomes.Systems Pharmacology and Precision Approaches This section welcomes innovative research that extends understanding of the gut-immune-metabolic axis in systemic infectious diseases, including systems pharmacology, computational modeling, multi-omics, biomarker discovery, and precision approaches for identifying or validating gut-axis targets for anti-infective therapeutic development. Topic editors: Eun Sook Hwang, Wonhyo Seo, Exequiel O. J. Porta Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83288/molecular-pharmacology-of-the-gut-immune-metabolic-axis-recent-advances-in-systemic-infectious-diseases-and-infection-associated-inflammation