Dissecting the Interplay Mechanism between Epigenetics and Gut Microbiota: Health Maintenance and Disease Prevention

Abstract

The gut microbiota exists throughout the full life cycle of the human body, and it has been proven to have extensive impacts on health and disease. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that the interplay between gut microbiota and host epigenetics plays a multifaceted role in health maintenance and disease prevention. Intestinal microflora, along with their metabolites, could regulate multiple epigenetic pathways; e.g., DNA methylation, miRNA, or histone modification. Moreover, epigenetic factors can serve as mediators to coordinate gut microbiota within the host. Aiming to dissect this interplay mechanism, the present review summarizes the research profile of gut microbiota and epigenetics in detail, and further interprets the biofunctions of this interplay, especially the regulation of intestinal inflammation, the improvement of metabolic disturbances, and the inhibition of colitis events. This review provides new insights into the interplay of epigenetics and gut microbiota, and attempts to reveal the mysteries of health maintenance and disease prevention from this new perspective.

Impact of the Exposome on the Epigenome in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients and Animal Models

“…The microbiome can induce epigenetic changes both in the intestinal epithelium and in immune cells ( Table 1 ). Comparing the epigenomes of germ-free mice or antibiotic-treated mice to conventional mice, it appears that this microbiome can influence the host epigenetics through changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications and, also, through ncRNAs [ 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 ]. Species belonging to Firmicutes (especially Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Roseburia species [ 109 ]) and Bacteroides genera, known to be reduced in IBD [ 110 ], have an epigenetically mediated anti-inflammatory action (HDAC inhibition) via the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) (the role of these will be discussed in more detail below) [ 111 ].…”

Pragmatic Expectancy on Microbiota and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Narrative Review

“…The microbiome not only impacts the genetic profile of lung cancer, but it can also modulate gene transcription by acting at the epigenetic level. Although the exact mechanism behind the interaction is not fully clarified, it should be noted that metabolites generated by all the microbial compartments are implicated in the maintenance of epigenetic homeostasis [69]. In the lung cancer context, dysbiosis, which is associated with malignant transformation, releases metabolites and toxins, such as acetaldehyde, with an impact on the epigenetic asset, thus cooperating with tumor progression [70].…”

Do intestinal microbiota contribute to obesity?

“…Jednocześnie niektóre publikacje wykazują brak korelacji pomiędzy bakteriami z grupy Bacteroidetes i Firmicutes a masą ciała [36]. Wzrost liczby bakterii z rodziny Prevotellaceae prawdopodobnie przyczynia się do wzrostu liczebności archeonów metanogennych, ponieważ bakterie Bacteroidetes w procesie fermentacji białek i węglowodanów uwalniają wodór, tak ważny dla rozwoju metanogenów [37,38]. Nasuwa się pytanie, czy zmiany w składzie mikrobioty u otyłych osobników są skutkiem, czy przyczyną otyłości.…”