Cover Story Current Issue

Hunger and appetite are associated with fluctuations in glucose levels through mechanisms that remain incompletely understood. Hunger elicits epigastric sensations (“hunger pain”) that coincide with rhythmic gastric contractions, which intensify during hypoglycemia. These observations led to the glucostatic hypothesis, which proposed that glucose availability and utilization regulate food intake. Subsequent studies demonstrated that dynamic changes in blood glucose levels precede meal initiation and influence feeding behavior. Together, these findings provided early evidence for a physiological link between glycemia and appetite regulation.

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Current Issue

Epigenetic modulation of the gut–muscle axis in pompe disease: Microbiota fingerprints to cellular and molecular pathomechanisms

Marika Venezia, Maria Russo, Paolo Colomba, Carmela Zizzo, ... Marta Moschetti

Epigenetic modulation of the gut–muscle axis in pompe disease: Microbiota fingerprints to cellular and molecular pathomechanisms

Inter-organ cross-talk is increasingly recognised as a fundamental determinant in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders, modulating neuroinflammation, protein misfolding, and cellular dysfunction through systemic mediators such as cytokines, adipokines, and growth factors. In neuromuscular diseases, particularly Pompe disease, muscle degeneration is tightly linked to impaired autophagy and chronic inflammation. Recent evidence highlights the gut microbiota as a key regulator of innate and adaptive immune responses, exerting direct effects on skeletal muscle and supporting the existence of a gut–muscle axis. Dysbiosis has been proposed to influence myopathy progression, suggesting that modulation of the intestinal ecosystem may hold therapeutic relevance. Consequently, interventions employing probiotics, prebiotics, and targeted nutritional compounds have emerged as promising strategies to modulate immune activity, attenuate inflammation, and enhance autophagic efficiency, thereby contributing to the restoration of intestinal eubiosis and complementing enzyme replacement therapy. In parallel, epigenetic mechanisms are gaining prominence as additional modulators of pathogenic pathways, with the potential to influence microbiome composition and function. Collectively, these insights position the gut–muscle axis as a central regulatory node in Pompe disease and a compelling target for personalised nutritional and nutraceutical approaches. This review aims to provide a comprehensive examination of the gut–muscle axis and its implications in Pompe disease. Understanding how nutrient-induced changes in microbial gene expression may be harnessed to develop novel, synergistic therapeutic strategies could ultimately improve clinical outcomes and enhance the quality of life of affected individuals.

Articles in Press

Epigenetic modulation of the gut–muscle axis in pompe disease: Microbiota fingerprints to cellular and molecular pathomechanisms

Marika Venezia, Maria Russo, Paolo Colomba, Carmela Zizzo, ... Marta Moschetti

Epigenetic modulation of the gut–muscle axis in pompe disease: Microbiota fingerprints to cellular and molecular pathomechanisms

Inter-organ cross-talk is increasingly recognised as a fundamental determinant in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders, modulating neuroinflammation, protein misfolding, and cellular dysfunction through systemic mediators such as cytokines, adipokines, and growth factors. In neuromuscular diseases, particularly Pompe disease, muscle degeneration is tightly linked to impaired autophagy and chronic inflammation. Recent evidence highlights the gut microbiota as a key regulator of innate and adaptive immune responses, exerting direct effects on skeletal muscle and supporting the existence of a gut–muscle axis. Dysbiosis has been proposed to influence myopathy progression, suggesting that modulation of the intestinal ecosystem may hold therapeutic relevance. Consequently, interventions employing probiotics, prebiotics, and targeted nutritional compounds have emerged as promising strategies to modulate immune activity, attenuate inflammation, and enhance autophagic efficiency, thereby contributing to the restoration of intestinal eubiosis and complementing enzyme replacement therapy. In parallel, epigenetic mechanisms are gaining prominence as additional modulators of pathogenic pathways, with the potential to influence microbiome composition and function. Collectively, these insights position the gut–muscle axis as a central regulatory node in Pompe disease and a compelling target for personalised nutritional and nutraceutical approaches. This review aims to provide a comprehensive examination of the gut–muscle axis and its implications in Pompe disease. Understanding how nutrient-induced changes in microbial gene expression may be harnessed to develop novel, synergistic therapeutic strategies could ultimately improve clinical outcomes and enhance the quality of life of affected individuals.

Registration & Abstract Submission are open!

13th
Helmholtz Diabetes Conference 

Munich, 21-23. Sep 2026                                                                                                                             

2024 impact factor: 6.6

You are what you eat

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