Dear Colleagues,

Over the years, several studies demonstrated the fundamental role of the microbiome in human health mediating key aspects of nutrition, neurodevelopment, inflammation, and behaviour. Hence, when microbiome dysbiosis occurs, the biological homeostasis is lost prompting inflammation, immune disorders, metabolic disorders, and other pathological conditions. Remarkably, the gut microbiota has been emphasized as a crucial player in several disorders’ onset and progression. Interestingly, alterations in the composition of faecal and mucosa-associated gut microbiota have been observed in several disorders contributing to microbiome dyshomeostasis. Recently, accumulating evidence has concentrated on the mechanisms by which the microbiome influences human health and disease, describing microRNAs (miRNAs) as key contributors. miRNAs represent a large set of master regulators of gene expression which can greatly influence cell death and control disease progression. Interestingly, miRNAs were found in human faecal samples where they can shape the gut microbiota by specifically targeting and affecting bacterial growth. On the other hand, gut microbiota may affect the host by producing miRNAs and modulating human gene expression, primarily through gut microbiota metabolites. In fact, an increasing amount of research suggests that miRNA–microbiome interaction plays an essential role in human health and disease, including metabolic disorders (diabetes), cancer (colorectal), inflammatory bowel diseases (Chron’s and ulcerative colitis), and neurological disorders (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia). Furthermore, numerous studies pinpointed miRNAs and the microbiome as potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for a wide range of disorders.

Therefore, we invite investigators to submit original research or review articles with their latest valuable research outcomes for publication in the Special Issue entitled "Microbiome–miRNA Axis Role in Human health and disease" for the journal Life. Topics in this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Microbiome and miRNAs alterations in human diseases;
• How the manipulation of the microbiome causally impacts the development of disease through the involvement of miRNAs and vice versa;
• Role of microbiome–miRNA interaction in mechanisms that are impaired in these disorders (e.g., brain and gut inflammatory responses, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress);
• Potential interactions between the microbiota–gut–brain axis and miRNAs (e.g., gut microbes, gut bacteria metabolites);
• Microbiome–miRNA axis potential to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of disease.

We look forward to your contribution.

Dr. Ana Raquel Esteves
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• microbiome
• miRNA
• inflammation
• gut–brain axis
• human health
• human diseases