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Review
. 2024 Feb 27:15:1345684.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1345684. eCollection 2024.

Exploring the complex interplay: gut microbiome, stress, and leptospirosis

Pavlo Petakh  1   2 , Valentyn Oksenych  3 , Iryna Kamyshna  4 , Iryna Boisak  5 , Katerina Lyubomirskaya  6 , Oleksandr Kamyshnyi  2
Affiliations
Review

Exploring the complex interplay: gut microbiome, stress, and leptospirosis

Pavlo Petakh et al. Front Microbiol. .

Abstract

Leptospirosis, a re-emerging zoonotic disease, remains a significant global health concern, especially amid floods and disasters such as the Kakhovka Dam destruction. As is known, the stress that occurs in the conditions of military conflicts among civilian and military personnel significantly affects susceptibility to infectious diseases and possibly even influences their course. This review aims to explore how the gut microbiome and stress mediators (such as catecholamines and corticosteroids) might impact the leptospirosis disease course. The review opens new horizons for research by elucidating the connections between the gut microbiome, stress, and leptospirosis.

Keywords: T-lymphocytes; gut microbiome; leptospirosis; military personnel; post-traumatic stress disorder; stress; war zones.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The role of gut microbiota in stress (gut-brain axis). This figure illustrates the complex relationship between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis. Key components include the vagus nerve, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and immune cells within the lamina propria of the gut. The vagus nerve serves as a vital communication link between the gut and the brain, facilitating bidirectional signaling. Changes in gut microbiota composition can profoundly impact immune cells in the lamina propria, leading to alterations in immune responses and potentially triggering inflammation. This dysregulation in the gut immune system is a critical aspect of the pathogenesis, highlighting the role of the gut microbiota in influencing stress-related responses.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Interconnection between gut microbiota, stress, and leptospirosis. The figure illustrates that patients experiencing stress exhibit alterations in their gut microbiota. Additionally, recent animal studies have shown that leptospirosis, a bacterial infection, also leads to changes in the microbiota. The combined impact of these two conditions can potentially exacerbate inflammation during leptospirosis and result in damage to vital organs such as the kidneys, lungs, and liver through the so-called “axes”.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Impact of GCs on T-helper cell differentiation and its implications for leptospirosis. In addition to their role in stress response, GCs and catecholamines have direct effects on T lymphocytes and other immune cells via their respective receptors. These can suggest that the interplay between stress hormones and immune cells plays a crucial role in shaping the immune response during leptospirosis infection.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The role of GCs and catecholamines in immunoregulation. The figure illustrates the impact of glucocorticoids (GCs) and catecholamines on immunoregulation. It demonstrates how cortisol, released through the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, influences the release of cytokines and transcription factors in T-lymphocytes. This immunosuppressive effect can contribute to the spread of Leptospira and exacerbate the severity of the disease.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.