Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 8, 2026
04:09
Author Spotlight: Gut Microbiome-Lung Tissue Communication Through Short-Chain Fatty Acid Analysis
Published on: June 21, 2024
2.8K
The Gut Microbiome and Short-Chain Fatty Acid Metabolites in Sepsis
Mark D Adame1, Kathleen A Stringer2, Robert P Dickson3
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
Clinics in Chest Medicine
|February 6, 2026
Summary
Sepsis disrupts the gut microbiome, altering short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) crucial for organ health. Restoring SCFA production and managing their transport offers promising therapeutic avenues for sepsis.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Sepsis significantly alters the gut microbiome and its metabolites.
- The mechanisms linking these gut changes to organ injury are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in sepsis pathophysiology.
- To explore SCFA production, trafficking, and organ-specific effects in sepsis.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on SCFAs in the context of sepsis.
- Synthesis of experimental and human data on SCFA metabolism and function.
Main Results:
- Sepsis depletes SCFA-producing bacteria and alters gut metabolome.
- Increased leak and pore pathways in sepsis may lead to microbial product translocation.
- Individual SCFAs (butyrate, propionate, acetate) have distinct organ-specific effects.
Conclusions:
- SCFAs are key mediators in the gut-sepsis axis.
- Targeting SCFAs and their trafficking pathways presents potential therapeutic strategies for sepsis.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism
37.0K
Lipids also are sources of energy that power cellular processes. Like carbohydrates, lipids are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but these atoms are arranged differently. Most lipids are nonpolar and hydrophobic. Major types include fats and oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids.
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...
37.0K
01:28Electron Transport Chains
112.6K
The final stage of cellular respiration is oxidative phosphorylation that consists of two steps: the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis. The electron transport chain is a set of proteins found in the inner mitochondrial membrane in eukaryotic cells. Its primary function is to establish a proton gradient that can be used during chemiosmosis to produce ATP and generate electron carriers, such as NAD+ and FAD, that are used in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.
The ETC is comprised of...
The ETC is comprised of...
112.6K
03:42Amino acids
105.7K
Amino acids are the monomers that comprise proteins. Each amino acid has the same fundamental structure, which consists of a central carbon atom, or the alpha (α) carbon, bonded to an amino group (NH2), a carboxyl group (COOH), and to a hydrogen atom. Every amino acid also has another atom or group of atoms bonded to the central atom known as the R group. There are 20 common amino acids present in proteins, each with a different R group. Variation in the amino acid sequence is responsible for...
105.7K
02:43Nucleic acids
190.2K
Nucleic acids are the most important macromolecules for the continuity of life. They carry the cell's genetic blueprint and carry instructions for its functioning.
DNA and RNA
The two main types of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the genetic material in all living organisms, ranging from single-celled bacteria to multicellular mammals. It is in the nucleus of eukaryotes and in the organelles, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. In prokaryotes,...
DNA and RNA
The two main types of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the genetic material in all living organisms, ranging from single-celled bacteria to multicellular mammals. It is in the nucleus of eukaryotes and in the organelles, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. In prokaryotes,...
190.2K
02:43Nucleic Acids
50.6K
Nucleic acids are the most important macromolecules for the continuity of life. They carry the cell's genetic blueprint and carry instructions for its functioning.
DNA and RNA
The two main types of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the genetic material in all living organisms, ranging from single-celled bacteria to multicellular mammals. It is in the nucleus of eukaryotes and in the organelles, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. In prokaryotes,...
DNA and RNA
The two main types of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the genetic material in all living organisms, ranging from single-celled bacteria to multicellular mammals. It is in the nucleus of eukaryotes and in the organelles, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. In prokaryotes,...
50.6K
02:36The Citric Acid Cycle
162.4K
The citric acid cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle or TCA cycle, consists of several energy-generating reactions that yield one ATP molecule, three NADH molecules, one FADH2 molecule, and two CO2 molecules.
162.4K