# Gut microbiota dysbiosis and the gut–lung axis: links to asthma and its common comorbidities

**Authors:** Jianyu Xie, Jianwei Yu

PMC · DOI: 10.7717/peerj.20960 · PeerJ · 2026-03-13

## TL;DR

This paper explores how gut microbiota imbalances are linked to asthma and related conditions through the gut-lung axis, offering new insights for managing these diseases.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis and microbial metabolites in asthma and comorbidities, emphasizing immune and metabolic pathways.

## Key findings

- Gut microbiota dysbiosis is linked to asthma and comorbidities through immune and metabolic pathways.
- Microbial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids influence immune homeostasis and disease susceptibility.
- Early-life immune programming and gut-lung communication are key mechanisms in disease development.

## Abstract

Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic inflammatory airway disease that frequently coexists with multiple comorbidities, including obesity, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). These conditions substantially increase disease burden and complicate asthma management. Increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota dysbiosis represents a shared biological factor linking asthma and its comorbidities through immune and metabolic pathways operating along the gut–lung axis. This narrative review summarizes current knowledge on how alterations in gut microbial composition and function influence immune homeostasis, chronic inflammation, and disease susceptibility in asthma and its common comorbid conditions. Particular emphasis is placed on microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, early-life immune programming, bidirectional gut–lung immune communication, and emerging microbiota-targeted interventions. Understanding the systemic role of the gut microbiota may provide novel insights into integrated prevention and management strategies for asthma and its comorbidities.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** asthma (MONDO:0004979), obesity (MONDO:0011122), allergic rhinitis (MONDO:0011786), chronic rhinosinusitis (MONDO:0006031), gastroesophageal reflux disease (MONDO:0007186)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** obesity (MESH:D009765), GERD (MESH:D005764), allergic rhinitis (MESH:D065631), chronic rhinosinusitis (MESH:D000092562), chronic inflammation (MESH:D007249), Asthma (MESH:D001249)
- **Chemicals:** short-chain fatty acids (MESH:D005232)

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

42 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12990899/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12990899