Altered Gut Microbiota Profile in Lin28a Transgenic Mice Can Improve Glucose Tolerance

Recent studies showed that gut microbiota can be implicated in the control over glucose metabolism in the host organism. This study employed the Lin28a transgenic mice (Lin28a Tg) characterized by low fasting glucose levels and improved glucose tolerance test in comparison with the wild type species. 16S rDNA gene sequencing showed that the transgenic mice were distinguished by altered species richness of microbiota. Specifically, Lin28a Tg mice displayed higher abundance of Proteobacteria, Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, and lower abundance of Firmicutes known to be closely implicated in glucose metabolism. These data suggest that the peculiar profile of gut microbiota in Lin28a Tg mice can be directly involved in the control of glucose metabolism in the host organism.