Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Disorders: Advances in Therapeutic Interventions

Human gut microbiota consist of numerous microorganisms, but the most abundant species are Bacteroides and Firmicutes. Each human possesses a specific gut microbiota, which can be altered by diet, antibiotics, lifestyle, and genetic background. Gut microbiota perform vital functions, but in this article, we aimed to elaborate the effects of modified composition of microbiota on host metabolism. Ligands for G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) located on endocrine glands, epithelial cells, and adipocytes. SCFAs are produced in the distal gut by bacterial fermentation of nondigestible polysaccharides; they induce the various beneficial effects including decrease serum glucose level, insulin resistance, as well as inflammation; and they increase glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion. Fasting-induced adipose factor (FIAF) is suppressed by gut microbiota and results in the increased storage of fatty acids in the adipose tissues and liver. An increased lipopolysaccharide level due to altered gut microflora cause the initiation of inflammation associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Intestinal dysbiosis and metabolic endotoxemia are considered key mechanisms that seem to be associated with the development of T2DM and obesity. Therapeutic interventions that can be used for the treatment of diabetes include metformin, dietary modulation, probiotics, prebiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation and bariatric surgery.