Implications of gut microbiota-mediated epigenetic modifications in intestinal diseases.

Abstract

Intestinal diseases are highly prevalent, affecting millions worldwide and significantly contributing to global morbidity. The treatment of complex disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC), remains challenging due to multifactorial etiologies, diverse patient responses, and the limitations of current therapeutic strategies. Although the gut microbiota clearly plays a role in regulating the onset of intestinal diseases, few studies have explored the epigenetic factors by which the microbiota contributes to disease development. Here, the latest insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the bidirectional influence between gut microbiota and epigenetic modifications are discussed, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, non-coding RNAs, and N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A). Importantly, mechanistic studies based on animal models or human cells have demonstrated that the gut microbiota, and other environmental factors, influence targeted gene expression and activate immune pathways through host epigenetic dysregulation, which are closely associated with the development of IBD and CRC. Furthermore, potential microbiome interventions, including probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), dietary modifications, and phage therapy, have been proposed as innovative therapeutic strategies to correct these abnormal epigenetic patterns associated with the diseases. Overall, addressing microbiome dysbiosis and its epigenetic consequences presents a promising frontier in the treatment of intestinal diseases, offering the potential to not only restore microbial balance but also provide more targeted and personalized therapeutic strategies for better patient outcomes.