Microbiota-derived extracellular vesicles and metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a major health problem concerning approximately 25% of worldwide population. Metabolic syndrome regroups a cluster of five metabolic abnormalities predisposing to Type 2 Diabetes mellitus. Dysbiotic gut microbiota is accompanied by an increase of both intestinal permeability and pathogen-associated molecular patterns translocation into blood circulation to induce metabolic endotoxemia responsible for the low-grade systemic inflammation and insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome. Among pathogen-associated molecular patterns, bacterial extracellular vesicles are gaining growing attention. The latter are produced by eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells and are vectors of communication between gut microbiota and its host The present review brings evidence to the importance of the control of the balance between the different subsets of gut microbiota in the development of metabolic diseases including metabolic syndrome.

The ability of bacteria, including gut bacteria, to release extracellular vesicles implicated in host metabolic homeostasis is highlighted with their plethora of actions on intestinal barrier, inflammation and insulin resistance.

Bacterial extracellular vesicles can be considered as key players in the pathophysiological of metabolic diseases and may represent an interesting strategy for specific manipulations of microbiome for promoting host health.