MicroRNA sensing and regulating microbiota-host crosstalk via diet motivation

Abstract

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that diet-derived gut microbiota participates in the regulation of host metabolism and becomes the foundation for precision-based nutritional interventions and the biomarker for potential individual dietary recommendations. However, the specific mechanism of the gut microbiota-host crosstalk remains unclear. Recent studies have identified that noncoding RNAs, as important elements in the regulation of the initiation and termination of gene expression, mediate microbiota-host communication. Besides, the cross-kingdom regulation of non-host derived microRNAs also influence microbiota-host crosstalk via diet motivation. Hence, understanding the relationship between gut microbiota, miRNAs, and host metabolism is indispensable to revealing individual differences in dietary motivation and providing targeted recommendations and strategies. In this review, we first present an overview of the interaction between diet, host genetics, and gut microbiota and collected some latest research associated with microRNAs modulated gut microbiota and intestinal homeostasis. Then, specifically described the possible molecular mechanisms of microRNAs in sensing and regulating gut microbiota-host crosstalk. Lastly, summarized the prospect of microRNAs as biomarkers in disease diagnosis, and the disadvantages of microRNAs in regulating gut microbiota-host crosstalk. We speculated that microRNAs could become potential novel circulating biomarkers for personalized dietary strategies to achieve precise nutrition in future clinical research implications.

Keywords:

• MicroRNA
• gut microbiota
• intestinal homeostasis
• precise nutrition

Authors’ contribution

The authors’ responsibilities were as follows—YF and QX: were responsible for the content of the manuscript; MQ, JZ, XC, JL, JS, TC, and YZ: wrote, read, and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Natural Natural Science Foundation of China (32072814, 32072812, 32072714, and 31872435) and the Project of Guangdong Provincial Nature Science Foundation (2019A15150117734 and 2021A1515011310).