Meta-environment No16: the microbiome is a distributed metabolic and immune center

The microbiome has long been viewed in biology as a passive community of commensals — harmless "cohabitants" that do not have their own active role in the physiology of the host. However, over the past two decades, this paradigm has changed dramatically. The microbiome is a complex, dynamic, body-wide ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms distributed across the gut, skin, mucous membranes, and other tissues that functions as an active metabolic, immune, and signaling center, linking the body to the external environment and integrating systemic homeostasis. In this paper, we argue that the microbiome is an active meta-environmentNo16 that meets all four criteria of the meta-environment. Particular attention is paid to microbial aging, i.e. age-related changes in the microbiome, characterized by a decrease in diversity, a decrease in the proportion of beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Akkermansia muciniphila) and an increase in pathobionts, which leads to a violation of the intestinal barrier, systemic inflammation (inflaming), a decrease in the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and an acceleration of age-associated diseases. Intestinal dysbiosis today is considered as one of the key mechanisms of aging and even as an independent sign of aging. Systemic restoration of the microbiome in the Quatotron method through multimodal physical action aimed at restoring microbial diversity, improving the barrier function of the intestine, reducing systemic inflammation and normalizing the production of metabolites is presented. Understanding the microbiome as a meta-environment opens up new opportunities for the prevention and treatment of age-associated diseases, neurodegenerations, metabolic disorders, and immunodeficiencies.