Current evidence linking diet to gut microbiota and brain development and function

The human gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem consisting of trillions of microorganisms that inhabit symbiotically on and in the human intestine. They carry out, through the production of a series of metabolites, many important metabolic functions that complement the activity of mammalian enzymes and play an essential role in host digestion. Interindividual variability of microbiota structure, and consequently of the expression of its genes (microbiome), was largely ascribed to the nutritional regime. Diet influences microbiota composition and function with short- and long-term effects. In spite of the vast literature, molecular mechanisms underlying these effects still remain elusive. In this review, we summarized the current evidence on the role exerted by gut microbiota and, more specifically, by its metabolites in the establishment of the host epigenome. The interest in this topic stems from the fact that, by modulating DNA methylation and histone modifications, the gut microbiota does affect the cell activities of the hosting organism.

Download Full-text

Dietary Gluten as a Conditioning Factor of the Gut Microbiota in Celiac Disease

Advances in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/advances/nmz080 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Karla A Bascuñán ◽

Magdalena Araya ◽

Leda Roncoroni ◽

Luisa Doneda ◽

Luca Elli

Keyword(s):

Celiac Disease ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Intestinal Microbiota ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Current Treatment ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Environmental Trigger ◽

Relevant Role ◽

Intimate Relation ◽

And Function

ABSTRACT The gut microbiota plays a relevant role in determining an individual's health status, and the diet is a major factor in modulating the composition and function of gut microbiota. Gluten constitutes an essential dietary component in Western societies and is the environmental trigger of celiac disease. The presence/absence of gluten in the diet can change the diversity and proportions of the microbial communities constituting the gut microbiota. There is an intimate relation between gluten metabolism and celiac disease pathophysiology and gut microbiota; their interrelation defines intestinal health and homeostasis. Environmental factors modify the intestinal microbiota and, in turn, its changes modulate the mucosal and immune responses. Current evidence from studies of young and adult patients with celiac disease increasingly supports that dysbiosis (i.e., compositional and functional alterations of the gut microbiome) is present in celiac disease, but to what extent this is a cause or consequence of the disease and whether the different intestinal diseases (celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease) have specific change patterns is not yet clear. The use of bacterial-origin enzymes that help completion of gluten digestion is of interest because of the potential application as coadjuvant in the current treatment of celiac disease. In this narrative review, we address the current knowledge on the complex interaction between gluten digestion and metabolism, celiac disease, and the intestinal microbiota.

Download Full-text

Microbiota-immune interactions: from gut to brain

LymphoSign Journal ◽

10.14785/lymphosign-2019-0018 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 1-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Eloisa Salvo-Romero ◽

Patricia Stokes ◽

Mélanie G. Gareau

Keyword(s):

Central Nervous System ◽

Nervous System ◽

Immune System ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Brain Development ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Immune System Development ◽

And Function ◽

The Brain

The vast diversity of bacteria that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract strongly influence host physiology, not only nutrient metabolism but also immune system development and function. The complexity of the microbiota is matched by the complexity of the host immune system, where they have coevolved to maintain homeostasis ensuring the mutualistic host-microbial relationship. Numerous studies in recent years investigating the gut-brain axis have demonstrated an important role for the gut microbiota in modulating brain development and function, with the immune system serving as an important coordinator of these interactions. Gut bacteria can modulate not only gut-resident immune cells but also brain-resident immune cells. Activation of the immune system in the gut and in the brain are implicated in responses to neuroinflammation, brain injury, as well as changes in neurogenesis and plasticity. Impairments in this bidirectional communication are implicated in the etiopathogenesis of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diseases and disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, or comorbidities associated with Gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases, where dysbiosis is commonly seen. Consequently, probiotics, or beneficial microbes, are being recognized as promising therapeutic targets to modulate behavior and brain development by modulating the gut microbiota. Here we review the role of microbiota-immune interactions in the gut and the brain during homeostasis and disease and their impact on gut-brain communication, brain function, and behavior as well as the use of probiotics in central nervous system alterations. Statement of novelty: The microbiota-gut-brain axis is increasingly recognized as an important physiological pathway for maintaining health and impacting the brain and central nervous system. Increasing evidence suggests that the immune system is crucial for gut-brain signaling. In this review, we highlight the critical studies in the literature that identify the key immune pathways involved.

Download Full-text

Feeding the brain and nurturing the mind: Linking nutrition and the gut microbiota to brain development

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1511465112 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 112 (46) ◽

pp. 14105-14112 ◽

Cited By ~ 75

Author(s):

Manu S. Goyal ◽

Siddarth Venkatesh ◽

Jeffrey Milbrandt ◽

Jeffrey I. Gordon ◽

Marcus E. Raichle

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Brain Development ◽

Societal Implications ◽

Postnatal Life ◽

Human Gut ◽

Nutritional Recommendations ◽

Higher Cognitive Functions ◽

And Function ◽

The Mind ◽

The Brain

The human gut contains a microbial community composed of tens of trillions of organisms that normally assemble during the first 2–3 y of postnatal life. We propose that brain development needs to be viewed in the context of the developmental biology of this “microbial organ” and its capacity to metabolize the various diets we consume. We hypothesize that the persistent cognitive abnormalities seen in children with undernutrition are related in part to their persistent gut microbiota immaturity and that specific regions of the brain that normally exhibit persistent juvenile (neotenous) patterns of gene expression, including those critically involved in various higher cognitive functions such as the brain’s default mode network, may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of microbiota immaturity in undernourished children. Furthermore, we postulate that understanding the interrelationships between microbiota and brain metabolism in childhood undernutrition could provide insights about responses to injury seen in adults. We discuss approaches that can be used to test these hypotheses, their ramifications for optimizing nutritional recommendations that promote healthy brain development and function, and the potential societal implications of this area of investigation.

Download Full-text

Faculty Opinions recommendation of Normal gut microbiota modulates brain development and behavior.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.8350956.8795054 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Helena Tlaskalova-Hogenova

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Brain Development ◽

And Behavior

Download Full-text

The lung–gut axis during viral respiratory infections: the impact of gut dysbiosis on secondary disease outcomes

Mucosal Immunology ◽

10.1038/s41385-020-00361-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Valentin Sencio ◽

Marina Gomes Machado ◽

François Trottein

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Bacterial Infections ◽

Respiratory Infections ◽

Critical Role ◽

Good Health ◽

Disease Outcomes ◽

And Function ◽

Viral Respiratory Infections ◽

The Impact ◽

Viral Respiratory

AbstractBacteria that colonize the human gastrointestinal tract are essential for good health. The gut microbiota has a critical role in pulmonary immunity and host’s defense against viral respiratory infections. The gut microbiota’s composition and function can be profoundly affected in many disease settings, including acute infections, and these changes can aggravate the severity of the disease. Here, we discuss mechanisms by which the gut microbiota arms the lung to control viral respiratory infections. We summarize the impact of viral respiratory infections on the gut microbiota and discuss the potential mechanisms leading to alterations of gut microbiota’s composition and functions. We also discuss the effects of gut microbial imbalance on disease outcomes, including gastrointestinal disorders and secondary bacterial infections. Lastly, we discuss the potential role of the lung–gut axis in coronavirus disease 2019.

Download Full-text

Neuroplacentology in congenital heart disease: placental connections to neurodevelopmental outcomes

Pediatric Research ◽

10.1038/s41390-021-01521-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rachel L. Leon ◽

Imran N. Mir ◽

Christina L. Herrera ◽

Kavita Sharma ◽

Catherine Y. Spong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brain Development ◽

Congenital Heart ◽

Fetal Brain ◽

In Utero ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Brain Growth ◽

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes ◽

Fetal Brain Development ◽

And Function

Abstract Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are living longer due to effective medical and surgical management. However, the majority have neurodevelopmental delays or disorders. The role of the placenta in fetal brain development is unclear and is the focus of an emerging field known as neuroplacentology. In this review, we summarize neurodevelopmental outcomes in CHD and their brain imaging correlates both in utero and postnatally. We review differences in the structure and function of the placenta in pregnancies complicated by fetal CHD and introduce the concept of a placental inefficiency phenotype that occurs in severe forms of fetal CHD, characterized by a myriad of pathologies. We propose that in CHD placental dysfunction contributes to decreased fetal cerebral oxygen delivery resulting in poor brain growth, brain abnormalities, and impaired neurodevelopment. We conclude the review with key areas for future research in neuroplacentology in the fetal CHD population, including (1) differences in structure and function of the CHD placenta, (2) modifiable and nonmodifiable factors that impact the hemodynamic balance between placental and cerebral circulations, (3) interventions to improve placental function and protect brain development in utero, and (4) the role of genetic and epigenetic influences on the placenta–heart–brain connection. Impact Neuroplacentology seeks to understand placental connections to fetal brain development. In fetuses with CHD, brain growth abnormalities begin in utero. Placental microstructure as well as perfusion and function are abnormal in fetal CHD.

Download Full-text

The effects of Fushen Granule on the composition and function of the gut microbiota during Peritoneal Dialysis–Related Peritonitis

Phytomedicine ◽

10.1016/j.phymed.2021.153561 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 153561

Author(s):

Wei Lin ◽

Chen Jiang ◽

Hangxing Yu ◽

Lingling Wang ◽

Jiaqi Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Peritoneal Dialysis ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

And Function

Download Full-text

Involvement of Thyroid Hormones in Brain Development and Cancer

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13112693 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 2693

Author(s):

Gabriella Schiera ◽

Carlo Maria Di Liegro ◽

Italia Di Liegro

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Thyroid Hormones ◽

Brain Development ◽

Placental Transfer ◽

Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽

Mammalian Brain ◽

Cancer Proliferation ◽

Fetal Thyroid ◽

Genomic Effects ◽

And Function

The development and maturation of the mammalian brain are regulated by thyroid hormones (THs). Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism cause serious anomalies in the organization and function of the nervous system. Most importantly, brain development is sensitive to TH supply well before the onset of the fetal thyroid function, and thus depends on the trans-placental transfer of maternal THs during pregnancy. Although the mechanism of action of THs mainly involves direct regulation of gene expression (genomic effects), mediated by nuclear receptors (THRs), it is now clear that THs can elicit cell responses also by binding to plasma membrane sites (non-genomic effects). Genomic and non-genomic effects of THs cooperate in modeling chromatin organization and function, thus controlling proliferation, maturation, and metabolism of the nervous system. However, the complex interplay of THs with their targets has also been suggested to impact cancer proliferation as well as metastatic processes. Herein, after discussing the general mechanisms of action of THs and their physiological effects on the nervous system, we will summarize a collection of data showing that thyroid hormone levels might influence cancer proliferation and invasion.

Download Full-text