2021/03/02 by Bart van der Hee, Jerry M. Wells · 3 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · #Diet and metabolism studies #Gut microbiota and health #Probiotics and Fermented Foods
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.tim.2021.02.001
openalex publication_date 2021/03/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03
Our ancestral diet consisted of much more nondigestible fiber than that of many societies today. Thus, from an evolutionary perspective the human genome and its physiological and nutritional requirements are not well aligned to modern dietary habits. Fiber reaching the colon is anaerobically fermented by the gut bacteria, which produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as metabolic by-products. SCFAs play a role in intestinal homeostasis, helping to explain why changes in the microbiota can contribute to the pathophysiology of human diseases. Recent research has shown that SCFAs can also have effects on tissues and organs beyond the gut, through their circulation in the blood. SCFAs not only signal through binding to cognate G-protein-coupled receptors on endocrine and immune cells in the body but also induce epigenetic changes in the genome through effects on the activity of histone acetylase and histone deacetylase enzymes. Furthermore, epigenetic imprinting likely occurs in utero, highlighting the importance of the maternal diet in early life. Here we review current understanding of how SCFAs impact on human and animal physiology and discuss the potential applications of SCFAs in the prevention and treatment of human diseases.