Intestinal Microbiota and miRNA in IBD: A Narrative Review about Discoveries and Perspectives for the Future

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) and comprises a chronic gastrointestinal tract disorder characterized by hyperactive and dysregulated immune responses to environmental factors, including gut microbiota and dietary components. An imbalance of the intestinal microbiota may contribute to the development and/or worsening of the inflammatory process. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been associated with various physiological processes, such as cell development and proliferation, apoptosis, and cancer. In addition, they play an important role in inflammatory processes, acting in the regulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways. Differences in the profiles of miRNAs may represent a useful tool in the diagnosis of UC and CD and as a prognostic marker in both diseases. The relationship between miRNAs and the intestinal microbiota is not completely elucidated, but recently this topic has gained prominence and has become the target of several studies that demonstrate the role of miRNAs in the modulation of the intestinal microbiota and induction of dysbiosis; the microbiota, in turn, can regulate the expression of miRNAs and, consequently, alter the intestinal homeostasis. Therefore, this review aims to describe the interaction between the intestinal microbiota and miRNAs in IBD, recent discoveries, and perspectives for the future.

The forecasting power of the mucin-microbiome interplay in livestock respiratory diseases

“…An extra difficulty lies in the fact that the presence and activity of microbiota might also regulate the host ncRNAs (Oliveira et al. 2023 ; Aggeletopoulou et al. 2023 ).…”

Recent Trends in Non-Invasive Methods of Diagnosis and Evaluation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Short Review

“…One noteworthy aspect is the presence of MiR-199a-5p, which based on its level can be used as a diagnostic tool for IBD as well as a differentiation tool between UC and CD [79,80]. A recent review by Oliviera et al highlights the role of miRNA in the modulation of microbiota in IBD [81].…”

Role of IL-33/ST2 Pathway in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Overview and Future Perspectives

“…Differences in the profiles of miRNAs have been considered to represent a useful tool in the diagnosis of UC and CD and as prognostic markers in both diseases [96]. Several studies have been conducted with the aim of characterizing alterations in the expression of miRNAs in IBD; in fact, miRNA alterations in IBD patients have revealed 11 miRNAs that are differentially expressed in patients with UC vs. controls.…”

“…Levels of the miRNAs miR-16, miR-21, miR-23a, miR-24, miR-29a, miR-126, miR-195, and let-7f were increased in UC patients, whereas levels of miR-192, miR-375, and miR-422b were reduced. Consequently, some of these miRNAs have been suggested as potential biomarkers for CD or UC in colonic tissues [96][97][98]. However, it has been argued that microRNA 378a-3p (miR-378a-3p) induces a novel mechanism of IL-33 modulation in the intestinal colon epithelium during the inflammatory process [21].…”