The microbiota-gut-brain axis: A novel nutritional therapeutic target for growth retardation

Growth retardation (GR), which commonly occurs in childhood, is a major health concern globally. However, the specific mechanism remains unclear. It has been increasingly recognized that changes in the gut microbiota may lead to GR through affecting the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Microbiota interacts with multiple factors such as birth to affect the growth of individuals. Microbiota communicates with the nerve system through chemical signaling (direct entry into the circulation system or stimulation of enteroendocrine cells) and nervous signaling (interaction with enteric nerve system and vagus nerve), which modulates appetite and immune response. Besides, they may also influence the function of enteric glial cells or lymphocytes and levels of systemic inflammatory cytokines. Environmental stress may cause leaky gut through perturbing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to further result in GR. Nutritional therapies involving probiotics and pre-/postbiotics are being investigated for helping the patients to overcome GR. In this review, we summarize the role of microbiota in GR with human and animal models. Then, existing and potential regulatory mechanisms are reviewed, especially the effect of microbiota-gut-brain axis. Finally, we propose nutritional therapeutic strategies for GR by the intervention of microbiota-gut-brain axis, which may provide novel perspectives for the treatment of GR in humans and animals.