The Mutual Interaction Between Microbial and Human Viruses in the Gut: The Role of the Virome in Modulating Immunity and Therapeutic Response

Abstract

The gut virome of man comprises different communities of viruses, like bacteriophages and eukaryotic viruses, which are crucial in determining the microbiota of the gut, regulating the immune response, and triggering effects of therapy. The evidence that resurfaces affirms the reciprocal relation between microbial and human GI viruses that demonstrate an integral participatory aspect in health or disease. This review is used to describe the progression of the gut virome from birth, diversity, and functional effects towards boosting the sustaining of the immune homeostasis. Interactions between phages and bacteria via different cycles of viral replication have a major role to play in shaping the community structure of microbes, whereas eukaryotic viruses participate in the modulation of the immune system and in disease susceptibility. Also, the peculiarities of the impact produced by the gut viruses upon the host immunity, for instance, by controlling cytokines and the activity of T cells, and how they can participate in the response to the therapy, namely, to antiviral one. The revelation of the complicated interactions between the virome elements in the gut with the homeostasis system results in novel procedures of chronic and immune-based disease diagnosis and treatment. Needs for further studies of the role of virome in the gut ecology are needed to attain the prospects in precision medicine and virotherapy.