Aging, Frailty, and the Microbiome—How Dysbiosis Influences Human Aging and Disease
Authors: Beth A McCormick
John P Haran
Journal: Gastroenterology (2021)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: Age-related Diseases; Elderly; Frailty; Inflammation; Microbiome.
Affiliations: Department of Emergency Medicine; Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems; Center for Microbiome Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts. Electronic address: ., Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems; Center for Microbiome Research, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Abstract:  The human gut microbiome is a collection of bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses that coexist in our bodies and are essential in protective, metabolic, and physiologic functions of human health. Gut dysbiosis has traditionally been linked to increased risk of infection, but imbalances within the intestinal microbial community structure that correlate with untoward inflammatory responses are increasingly recognized as being involved in disease processes that affect many organ systems in the body. Furthermore, it is becoming more apparent that the connection between gut dysbiosis and age-related diseases may lie in how the gut microbiome communicates with both the intestinal mucosa and the systemic immune system, given that these networks have a common interconnection to frailty. We therefore discuss recent advances in our understanding of the important role the microbiome plays in aging and how this knowledge opens the door for potential novel therapeutics aimed at shaping a less dysbiotic microbiome to prevent or treat age-related diseases. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Figure 1 is an almost exact copy of Figure1 from Ottman et al (Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol., 09 August 2012 | https: doi.org 10.3389 fcimb.2012.00104 ) down to the order of references in the legend. From Haran and McCormick (2021):  *Figure 1. Human microbiota: onset and shaping through life stages. The graph provides a global overview of the relative abundance of key phyla of the human microbiota composition in different stages of life. Measured by either 16S RNA or metagenomic approaches (DNA). Data arriving from infants breast- and formula-fed (Schwartz et al,163), infant solid food (Koenig et al,164), toddler antibiotic treatment (Koenig et al,164), toddler healthy or malnourished (Monira et al,165), adult, elderly, and centenarian healthy (Biagi et al,32), and adult obese (Zhang et al,166)*. From Ottman et al (2012) *Figure 1. Human microbiota: onset and shaping through life stages and perturbations. The graph provides a global overview of the relative abundance of key phyla of the human microbiota composition in different stages of life. Measured by either 16S RNA or metagenomic approaches (DNA). Data arriving from: Babies breast- and formula-fed (Schwartz et al., 2012), baby solid food (Koenig et al., 2011), toddler antibiotic treatment (Koenig et al., 2011), toddler healthy or malnourished (Monira et al., 2011), adult, elderly, and centenarian healthy (Biagi et al., 2010), and adult obese (Zhang et al., 2009)*. While the image has been altered so that the colors and human figures are somewhat changed there is no declaration that this was adapted from the Ottman figure nor is the Ottman review cited in the article. Concerningly, despite the Ottman figure being published a decade previously, no attempt has been made by Haran and McCormick to update the figure with new data. ,