Fecal Microbiota Transplantation - 3 cases of MS remission

[jimmylegs]

not having read much about this, i think if ppl try FMT and then continue to live status quo, then over time they'll likely end up with the same sick microbiome they developed in the first place. havent looked for any science to go with that opinion. you and your microbiome are what you eat, drink, take and absorb. i think it's a straight line parallel to liver transplant having helped pwms. my gut feeling, if you will.

[cervocuit]

I agree with lifestyle, but FMT has certainly a more profound impact.
Exemple for C.Diff infection:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27724956

CONCLUSIONS:

FMT induces profound microbiota changes, therefore explaining the high clinical efficacy for rCDI. The identification of commonly acquired bacteria could lead to effective bacteriotherapeutic formulations. FMT can affect microbiota in the long-term and offers a means to modify it relatively permanently for the treatment of microbiota-associated diseases.

It affect also the mucosal microbiome.

[jimmylegs]

i like the looks of this study. if they mentioned any specific nutrients, that would be even more interesting lol

Clostridium difficile Colonizes Alternative Nutrient Niches during Infection across Distinct Murine Gut Microbiomes (2017)
fft: http://www.schlosslab.org/assets/pdf/2017_jenior_a.pdf

[NHE]

i think it's a straight line parallel to liver transplant having helped pwms. my gut feeling, if you will.

OK. What about the profound immune suppression to prevent organ rejection that goes along with a liver transplant?

[jimmylegs]

as stated, have not read much about this overall. i would assume the difference is related to tissue vs tissue inhabitants. i maintain the same idea re how either liver or microbiome got into the diseased state in the first place. some folks are acceptable organ transplant candidates while others are not. why would this concept not apply to the microbiome...

[NHE]

Immune suppression used in liver transplant surgery...

Immunosuppression

The human body has developed a very sophisticated series of defenses against bacteria, viruses, and tumors. The machinery of the immune system has evolved over millions of years to identify and attack anything that is foreign or not "self." Unfortunately, transplanted organs fall into the category of foreign, not self. A number of drugs are given to transplant recipients to dampen the responses of their immune system in an attempt to keep the organ safe and free of immunologic attack. If the immune system is not sufficiently weakened, then rejection - the process by which the immune system identifies, attacks, and injures the transplanted organ - ensues.

Commonly used drugs to prevent rejection by suppressing the immune system are listed below. They work through different mechanisms to weaken the immune system's responses to stimuli and are associated with different side effects. As a result, these medications are frequently used in various combinations which increase the overall immunosuppressive effect while minimizing side effects.

• Corticosteroids (methylprednisolone is given intravenously; prednisone is given orally): Corticosteroids are a class of anti-inflammatory agents that inhibit production of cytokines, the signaling molecules produced by cells of the immune system to orchestrate and intensify the immune response. Corticosteroids therefore prevent activation of lymphocytes, the main soldiers of the immune response against transplanted organs. This is thought to prevent T-cell (a subset of lymphocytes) activation in a non-specific manner. Side effects of corticosteroids are broad and include hyperglycemia, hypertension, decreased bone density, and impaired wound healing,
  
  
• Calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine, tacrolimus): This class of drugs blocks the function of calcineurin, a molecule critical to a very important lymphocyte signaling pathway that triggers the production of multiple cytokines. These drugs, first developed approximately 20 years ago, revolutionized organ transplantation. They substantially reduced the incidence of rejection, improved the longevity of transplanted organs and thereby ushered in the contemporary era of transplantation and immunosuppression. Unfortunately, these drugs come with a significant side effect profile. The most serious toxicity, particularly with long-term use, is kidney injury. Calcineurin inhibitors also raise blood pressure, glucose levels, and cholesterol - and cause tremors and headaches.
  
  
• Mycophenolate mofetil (Cellcept®, Myfortic®): This drug is converted in the body to mycophenolic acid, which inhibits the ability of lymphocytes to replicate DNA, the genetic material essential to every cell. If lymphocytes cannot synthesize DNA, then they are unable to divide to generate additional cells. Mycophenolate mofetil, therefore, dampens the immune response by preventing proliferation of lymphocytes. The primary side effects of mycophenolate mofetil affect the intestinal system resulting in stomach upset and/or diarrhea. It can also depress bone marrow function and thereby, reduce blood levels of white cells (infection fighting cells), red cells (oxygen carrying cells), and platelets (clotting agents).
  
  
• mTOR inhibitors (sirolimus; everolimus): mTOR stands for mammalian Target Of Rapamycin. mTOR belongs to a family of enzymes known as kinases and is involved in checkpoint regulation of the cell cycle, DNA repair, and cell death. Inhibition of mTOR stops T cells from progressing through the various phases of the cell cycle, leading to cell cycle arrest. Thus, lymphocytes are not able to divide to amplify the immune response. Side effects of mTOR inhibitors include bone marrow depression, poor wound healing, and increased cholesterol levels.
  
  
• Antibodies that target the IL-2 receptor, a signaling molecule that amplifies the immune response (basiliximab, daclizumab): T cells, the agents of acute rejection, express increasing amounts of IL2-receptors when they are stimulated. The IL-2 receptor allows ongoing amplification of an immune response. Blockage of this receptor therefore dampens the immune response. These antibodies are most frequently used for a short time period beginning at the time of transplant to provide additional immunosuppression during this period of highest rejection risk. Immediate side effects include fever, rash, cytokine release syndrome, and anaphylaxis. They do appear to increase the risk of infections hen combined with other immunosuppressive medications.
  
  
• Antibodies that remove T cells from the circulation (Thymoglobulin®, OKT-3®): These agents are molecules that target different cells of the immune system, bind them, inactivate, and remove them. They can be used at the time of liver transplantation. but more often are used to treat severe rejection or rejection that does not respond to lesser treatment strategies. Immediate side effects of these medications range from fever and rash to cytokine release syndrome resulting in flash pulmonary edema and hypotension. These drugs may also result in increased incidence of PTLD and skin cancers (see below)
  
  
• investigational drugs - As our understanding of the immune system improves, researchers have identified new cells, molecules, and pathways that play a role in the body's response to transplanted organs. Each discovery presents new opportunities in the form of new targets for drug development. Some of these medicines are currently being tested in clinical trials to determine if they are safe and effective for use in transplantation. Future generations of drugs will hopefully be more specific in preventing rejection without interfering significantly with the other functions of the immune system or causing non-immunologic side effects.

[jimmylegs]

yep that would be a given i would think.

[cervocuit]

Fecal microbiota transplantation associated with 10 years of stability in a patient with SPMS
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5882466/