From Gut Microbiota through Low-Grade Inflammation to Obesity: Key Players and Potential Targets

Abstract

During the last decades, the gut microbiota has gained much interest in relation to human health. Mounting evidence has shown a strict association between gut microbiota and obesity and its related diseases. Inflammation has been appointed as the driving force behind this association. Therefore, a better understanding of the mechanisms by which gut microbiota might influence inflammation in the host could pave for the identification of effective strategies to reduce inflammation-related diseases, such as obesity and obesity-related diseases. For this purpose, we carried out an extensive literature search for studies published in the English language during the last 10 years. Most relevant studies were used to provide a comprehensive view of all aspects related to the association of gut microbiota and low-grade inflammation with obesity. Accordingly, this narrative review reports the evidence on the key players supporting the role of gut microbiota in the modulation of inflammation in relation to obesity and its complications. Moreover, therapeutic approaches to reduce microbiota-related inflammation are discussed to provide potential targets for future research.

Reversing gut microbiome-driven adipose tissue inflammation alleviates metabolic syndrome

“…The connection between gut microbes and obesity related inflammation leading to MetS remains a poorly characterized phenomenon [52]. In a recent publication [21], we described expansion of O. valericigenes among a few other gut microbes in mice fed a high fat, high sugar diet, which increased Mmp12-positive macrophages with a particular transcriptomic signature indicative of a unique cell population of IR-ATMs.…”

Rumen and Fecal Microbiota Characteristics of Qinchuan Cattle with Divergent Residual Feed Intake

“…An increasing number of studies have shown that microbiota plays a crucial role in the study of human diseases [ 77 ], fat deposition [ 78 ], body weight [ 79 ], reproduction [ 80 ], obesity [ 81 ], and feed intake [ 82 ]. In this study, we found that rumen and fecal microbiota from different RFI groups in beef cattle were characterized differently and closely associated with host gene expression, which provides an important basis for subsequent studies on the involvement of microbiota in host trait formation through epigenetic regulation; however, functional studies of key microbiota still require extensive in vivo and in vitro experiments to be confirmed.…”

Dietary Combination of Fish Oil and Soy β-Conglycinin Inhibits Fat Accumulation and Reduces Blood Glucose Levels by Altering Gut Microbiome Composition in Diabetic/Obese KK-<i>A</i> ^<i>y</i> Mice

“…The biological regulatory function of βCG is influenced by the presence of βCG-sensitive commensal bacteria in the gut 33) . Although the intake of isolated soy protein containing βCG may affect lipid metabolism by influencing the gut microbiota 17) , there are currently no reports that βCG intake is directly related to an increase in Coriobacteriaceae abundance. However, there are reports that the fish-oilassociated PUFAs, DHA and EPA, increase Coriobacteriaceae abundance and are involved in improving hyperglycemia 29) .…”

“…Recently, the relationship between the gut microbiota and the onset of human diseases has received attention 16,17) . The intake of n-3 PUFAs improves lipid metabolism by altering the relative ratios of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, the predominant phyla in the gut microbiota of mice fed a high-fat diet 18) .…”