| [ Summary ] |
Through the large-scale work of consortiumdriven "metagenomic projects, such as the Human Microbiome Project, integrative Human Microbiome Project, and Metagenomics of the Human Intestinal Tract, it has been revealed that the commensal microorganisms are not simple "passengers" in our bodies, and instead have important roles in our physiology, including immune responses and metabolism. Approaches to modify the gastrointestinal microbiota, such as probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), have attracted considerable attention for the treatment of gastrointestina diseases with "dysbiosis." FMT has been used successfully in the management of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Based on these results, clinical trials have been conducted to examine whether FMT could be used as a treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the available evidence is limited and poor. Well-designed randomized controlled trials are required to evaluate the effect of FMT on IBD. |