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Biomolecules
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Prebiotics and Probiotics in Health and Disease: Looking at the...
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Prebiotics and Probiotics in Health and Disease: Looking at the Future

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 4827

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pio Maria Furneri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences BIOMETEC, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Interests: antibacterial activity; antimycoplasma activity; antiviral activity; natural extract; essential oils; coronavirus; probiotics; drug delivery development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Virginia Fuochi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: drug delivery systems; solid lipid nanoparticles; drug carriers; antibiotics; antimicrobial activity; antiviral activity; prebiotics; probiotics; postbiotics; gut microbiota; gut-brain axis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giovanna Furneri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
2. Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
Interests: psychobiotics; gut–brain axis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the second edition of this Special Issue entitled "Prebiotics and Probiotics in Health and Disease: Looking at the Future", we delve into the intricate interplay between biogenics (a new and more inclusive term regarding bacteria and their products) and the delicate balance of our microbiota. Human habitats (gut, vagina, mouth and skin) are colonized by complex communities with several microorganisms that play a crucial role in maintaining our well-being. This new edition brings together cutting-edge research and insights, focusing on the pivotal roles biogenics play in upholding microbiota homeostasis. We would like to explore the mechanisms through which these contribute to overall health and how their dysregulation can lead to a state of microbial imbalance, known as dysbiosis, often associated with various diseases. By unraveling the intricate web of interactions between our microbiota, biogenics, and their impact on health and disease, we aim to shed light on novel therapeutic avenues and diagnostic approaches. Join us on this journey through the fascinating world of microbial harmony and disruption, as we uncover the latest advancements in understanding the delicate equilibrium within our microbial communities. Research on psychobiotics and gut–brain axis modulation would also be appreciated.

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for all biologists, microbiologists, chemists, and biochemists. Join us in shaping the future of microbiota research by submitting your latest findings to our Special Issue on "Prebiotics and Probiotics in Health and Disease: Looking at the Future." Let's build a vibrant interdisciplinary network to unravel the mysteries of microbiota balance and its impact. Together, we can foster innovative collaborations and deepen our understanding of this intricate topic. Your contributions are vital in advancing knowledge and paving the way for transformative breakthroughs. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of a dynamic exploration into the world of microbial interactions.

Dr. Pio Maria Furneri
Dr. Virginia Fuochi
Dr. Giovanna Furneri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • probiotics
  • live biotherapeutic product (LBP)
  • next-generation probiotic (NGP)
  • prebiotic
  • synbiotic/symbiotic
  • pharmabiotics
  • post-biotics
  • paraprobiotic/ghost probiotics/inactivated probiotics
  • probioceuticals/probiotaceuticals
  • biogenic
  • gut balance
  • gut–brain axis
  • vaginal homeostasis
  • vaginal microbiota modification or augmentation
  • oral microbiota
  • skin microbiota
  • new therapeutic approaches using bacteria
  • psychobiotics

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 6736 KiB  
Article
Genome Mining and Characterization of Two Novel Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Probiotic Candidates with Bile Salt Hydrolase Activity
by Gianluigi Agolino, Marianna Cristofolini, Amanda Vaccalluzzo, Davide Tagliazucchi, Alice Cattivelli, Alessandra Pino, Cinzia Caggia, Lisa Solieri and Cinzia Lucia Randazzo
Biomolecules 2025, 15(1), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15010086 - 8 Jan 2025
Viewed by 743
Abstract
Bile salt hydrolase (BSH; EC 3.5.1.24) is the microbial enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of primary bile acids (BAs) into secondary ones, promoting microbial adaptation and modulating several host’s biological functions. Probiotics with BSH activity are supposed to survive harsh intestinal conditions and [...] Read more.
Bile salt hydrolase (BSH; EC 3.5.1.24) is the microbial enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of primary bile acids (BAs) into secondary ones, promoting microbial adaptation and modulating several host’s biological functions. Probiotics with BSH activity are supposed to survive harsh intestinal conditions and exert a cholesterol-lowering effect. Here, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus strains (VB4 and VB1), isolated from the vaginal ecosystem, were submitted to a genomic survey, in vitro BSH activity, and BAs tolerance assay to unravel their probiotic potential as BAs modulators. The draft genomes of Lcb. rhamnosus VB4 and VB1 strains comprised 2769 and 2704 CDSs, respectively. Gene annotation revealed numerous strain-specific genes involved in metabolism and transport, as well as in DNA recombination. Each strain harbors a single bsh gene, encoding a C-N amide hydrolase, which conserved the essential residues required in the BSH core site. According to the results, compared to VB1, the VB4 strain tolerated better BAs stress and was more active in deconjugating BAs. However, BAs stress increased the bsh gene transcription in the VB1 strain but not in the VB4 strain, suggesting a partially nonlinear relationship between BSH activity and gene expression. In conclusion, despite the complexity of the BSH transcriptional system, the results support the VB4 strain as a promising BAs-deconjugating probiotic candidate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prebiotics and Probiotics in Health and Disease: Looking at the Future)
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Review

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26 pages, 546 KiB  
Review
The Role of the Gastrointestinal Microbiota in Parkinson’s Disease
by Maurizio Gabrielli, Lorenzo Zileri Dal Verme, Maria Assunta Zocco, Enrico Celestino Nista, Veronica Ojetti and Antonio Gasbarrini
Biomolecules 2025, 15(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15010026 - 28 Dec 2024
Viewed by 651
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons leading to debilitating motor and non-motor symptoms. Beyond its well-known neurological features, emerging evidence underscores the pivotal role of the gut–brain axis and gastrointestinal microbiota in PD [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons leading to debilitating motor and non-motor symptoms. Beyond its well-known neurological features, emerging evidence underscores the pivotal role of the gut–brain axis and gastrointestinal microbiota in PD pathogenesis. Dysbiosis has been strongly linked to PD and is associated with increased intestinal permeability, chronic inflammation, and the production of neurotoxic metabolites that may exacerbate neuronal damage. Methods: This review delves into the complex interplay between PD and dysbiosis, shedding light on two peculiar subsets of dysbiosis, Helicobacter pylori infection and small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth. These conditions may not only contribute to PD progression but also influence therapeutic responses such as L-dopa efficacy. Conclusions: The potential to modulate gut microbiota through probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics; fecal microbiota transplantation; and antibiotics represents a promising frontier for innovative PD treatments. Despite this potential, the current evidence is limited by small sample sizes and methodological variability across studies. Rigorous, large-scale, randomized placebo-controlled trials with standardized treatments in terms of composition, dosage, and duration are urgently needed to validate these findings and pave the way for microbiota-based therapeutic strategies in PD management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prebiotics and Probiotics in Health and Disease: Looking at the Future)
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23 pages, 1332 KiB  
Review
Gut Microbiota Modulation: A Novel Strategy for Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy
by Vitaly Chasov, Elvina Gilyazova, Irina Ganeeva, Ekaterina Zmievskaya, Damir Davletshin, Aygul Valiullina and Emil Bulatov
Biomolecules 2024, 14(12), 1653; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14121653 - 23 Dec 2024
Viewed by 933
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that leads to joint inflammation, progressive tissue damage and significant disability, severely impacting patients’ quality of life. While the exact mechanisms underlying RA remain elusive, growing evidence suggests a strong link between intestinal microbiota dysbiosis [...] Read more.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that leads to joint inflammation, progressive tissue damage and significant disability, severely impacting patients’ quality of life. While the exact mechanisms underlying RA remain elusive, growing evidence suggests a strong link between intestinal microbiota dysbiosis and the disease’s development and progression. Differences in microbial composition between healthy individuals and RA patients point to the role of gut microbiota in modulating immune responses and promoting inflammation. Therapies targeting microbiota restoration have demonstrated promise in improving treatment efficacy, enhancing patient outcomes and slowing disease progression. However, the complex interplay between gut microbiota and autoimmune pathways in RA requires further investigation to establish causative relationships and mechanisms. Here, we review the current understanding of the gut microbiota’s role in RA pathogenesis and its potential as a therapeutic target. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prebiotics and Probiotics in Health and Disease: Looking at the Future)
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23 pages, 2498 KiB  
Review
The Influence of Cecal Microbiota Transplantation on Chicken Injurious Behavior: Perspective in Human Neuropsychiatric Research
by Yuechi Fu and Heng-Wei Cheng
Biomolecules 2024, 14(8), 1017; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14081017 - 16 Aug 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1480
Abstract
Numerous studies have evidenced that neuropsychiatric disorders (mental illness and emotional disturbances) with aggression (or violence) pose a significant challenge to public health and contribute to a substantial economic burden worldwide. Especially, social disorganization (or social inequality) associated with childhood adversity has long-lasting [...] Read more.
Numerous studies have evidenced that neuropsychiatric disorders (mental illness and emotional disturbances) with aggression (or violence) pose a significant challenge to public health and contribute to a substantial economic burden worldwide. Especially, social disorganization (or social inequality) associated with childhood adversity has long-lasting effects on mental health, increasing the risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders. Intestinal bacteria, functionally as an endocrine organ and a second brain, release various immunomodulators and bioactive compounds directly or indirectly regulating a host’s physiological and behavioral homeostasis. Under various social challenges, stress-induced dysbiosis increases gut permeability causes serial reactions: releasing neurotoxic compounds, leading to neuroinflammation and neuronal injury, and eventually neuropsychiatric disorders associated with aggressive, violent, or impulsive behavior in humans and various animals via a complex bidirectional communication of the microbiota–gut–brain (MGB) axis. The dysregulation of the MGB axis has also been recognized as one of the reasons for the prevalence of social stress-induced injurious behaviors (feather pecking, aggression, and cannibalistic pecking) in chickens. However, existing knowledge of preventing and treating these disorders in both humans and chickens is not well understood. In previous studies, we developed a non-mammal model in an abnormal behavioral investigation by rationalizing the effects of gut microbiota on injurious behaviors in chickens. Based on our earlier success, the perspective article outlines the possibility of reducing stress-induced injurious behaviors in chickens through modifying gut microbiota via cecal microbiota transplantation, with the potential for providing a biotherapeutic rationale for preventing injurious behaviors among individuals with mental disorders via restoring gut microbiota diversity and function. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prebiotics and Probiotics in Health and Disease: Looking at the Future)
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