Vol. 11, Issue 5 (2022)

Author(s):
Anirban Pattanayak, Souvik Tewari, Mainak Sur and Titlee Majumder

Abstract:
Malnutrition, which includes both lack and overnutrition, is a major cause of disease and mortality around the world. Malnutrition is caused by dietary absorption problems, but it is also marked by recurring infections and persistent inflammation, signaling an underlying immunological problem. Defects arise in the immunoepigenome of impoverished parents before birth, and these may lead to intergenerational malnutrition cycles. Immune dysfunction is both a cause and a consequence of starvation, according to this review, which includes major recent data from experimental animals, in vitro models, and human cohorts. We emphasize gaps in existing understanding of immune- physiological dysfunction in malnutrition, with the goal of therapeutically addressing immunological pathways as a novel strategy to reduce morbidity and death in children.