Exploring the Diet-Gut Microbiota-Epigenetics Crosstalk Relevant to Neonatal Diabetes

• Published in: Genes Vol. 14; no. 5; p. 1017
• Main Author: Alsharairi, Naser A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 29.04.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Anopheles; Cord blood; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes, Gestational - genetics; Diet; Diet therapy; Disease susceptibility; DNA methylation; Dysbacteriosis; Dysbiosis - complications; Dysbiosis - genetics; Epigenesis, Genetic; epigenetic; Epigenetic inheritance; Epigenetics; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - genetics; Gene expression; Genes; Genetic aspects; gestational diabetes; gut microbiota; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Immune system; Infant, Newborn; Infants (Newborn); Intestinal microflora; Kinases; Meconium; Methylation; Microbiota; Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms); Mutation; neonatal diabetes; Neonates; Placenta; Pregnancy; Review; neonatal diabetes; diet; epigenetic; gestational diabetes; gene expression; gut microbiota
• ISSN: 2073-4425; 2073-4425
• DOI: 10.3390/genes14051017

Neonatal diabetes (NDM) is a rare monogenic disorder that presents as hyperglycemia during the first six months of life. The link between early-life gut microbiota dysbiosis and susceptibility to NDM remains uncertain. Experimental studies have demonstrated that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) could develop into meconium/gut microbiota dysbiosis in newborns, and thus, it is thought to be a mediator in the pathogenesis of NDM. Epigenetic modifications have been considered as potential mechanisms by which the gut microbiota and susceptibility genes interact with the neonatal immune system. Several epigenome-wide association studies have revealed that GDM is associated with neonatal cord blood and/or placental DNA methylation alterations. However, the mechanisms linking diet in GDM with gut microbiota alterations, which may in turn induce the expression of genes linked to NDM, are yet to be unraveled. Therefore, the focus of this review is to highlight the impacts of diet, gut microbiota, and epigenetic crosstalk on altered gene expression in NDM.