Connecting Changes in the Gut Microbiome to Hematopoietic Stem Cell Aging
At present, researchers consider there to be a bidirectional relationship between aging of the gut microbiome and aging of the immune system. The immune system gardens the microbial populations of the gut to minimize the number of problematic microbes, but growth in number of those inflammatory, disruptive microbes can contribute to loss of immune function. As is the case for many processes in aging, interactions between systems are as important as problems that occur within systems. Improving late life immune function should improve the gut microbiome. Conversely, restoring a more youthful balance of microbial populations in the gut microbiome should improve late life immune function.
The gut microbiome has come to prominence across research disciplines, due to its influence on major biological systems within humans. Recently, a relationship between the gut microbiome and hematopoietic system has been identified and coined the gut-bone marrow axis. It is well established that the hematopoietic system and gut microbiome separately alter with age; however, the relationship between these changes and how these systems influence each other demands investigation.
Since the hematopoietic system produces immune cells that help govern commensal bacteria, it is important to identify how the microbiome interacts with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The gut microbiota has been shown to influence the development and outcomes of hematologic disorders, suggesting dysbiosis may influence the maintenance of HSCs with age. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), lactate, iron availability, tryptophan metabolites, bacterial extracellular vesicles, microbe associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), and toll-like receptor (TLR) signalling have been proposed as key mediators of communication across the gut-bone marrow axis and will be reviewed in this article within the context of aging.
All right! Yet, the microbiome is defined by food we eat and our ability to digest it. As acidity of the gastric juice is dropping over time with aging, more proteins are getting into the gut and rots in there. While official recommendations are to reduce consumption of meat and other protein sources, people may use easily digestible proteins and treating of food with enzymes before cooking. Shifting your diet as close as possible to the diet of breastfed babies will shift your microbiome to the most healthy one. With great improvement in your health and immunity.
or you can increase your intake (& variety) of resistant starches to help maintain the microbiome.