Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2022 Mar 22;88(6):e0241321. doi: 10.1128/aem.02413-21. Epub 2022 Jan 26.
Recent progress indicates that the gut microbiota plays important role in regulating the host's glucose homeostasis. However, the mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we reported that one integral member of the murine gut microbiota, the protozoan could drive the host's glucose metabolic imbalance. Using metabolomics analysis and assays, we found that mechanistically this protozoan influences the host glucose metabolism by facilitating the production of a significant amount of free choline. Free choline could be converted sequentially by choline-utilizing bacteria and then the host to a final product trimethylamine N-oxide, which promoted hepatic gluconeogenesis. Together, our data reveal a previously underappreciated gut eukaryotic microorganism by working together with other members of microbiota to influence the host's metabolism. Our study underscores the importance and prevalence of metabolic interactions between the gut microbiota and the host in modulating the host's metabolic health. Blood glucose levels are important for human health and can be influenced by gut microbes. However, its mechanism of action was previously unknown. In this study, researchers identify a unique member of the gut microbes in mice that can influence glucose metabolism by promoting the host's ability to synthesis glucose by using nonglucose materials. This is because of its ability to generate the essential nutrient choline, and choline, aided by other gut bacteria and the host, is converted to trimethylamine N-oxide, which promotes glucose production. These studies show how gut microbes promote metabolic dysfunction and suggest novel approaches for treating patients with blood glucose abnormality.
最近的研究进展表明，肠道微生物群在调节宿主的葡萄糖内稳态方面发挥着重要作用。然而，其具体机制尚不清楚。在这里，我们报道了肠道微生物群的一个完整成员，原生动物，它可以驱动宿主的葡萄糖代谢失衡。通过代谢组学分析和实验，我们发现这种原生动物通过促进大量游离胆碱的产生，在机制上影响宿主的葡萄糖代谢。游离胆碱可以被利用胆碱的细菌和宿主依次转化为最终产物三甲胺 N-氧化物，从而促进肝糖异生。总之，我们的数据揭示了一种以前被低估的肠道真核微生物，它与其他微生物群成员共同作用，影响宿主的代谢。我们的研究强调了肠道微生物群和宿主之间代谢相互作用在调节宿主代谢健康方面的重要性和普遍性。
血糖水平对人类健康很重要，并且可以受到肠道微生物的影响。然而，其作用机制之前尚不清楚。在这项研究中，研究人员鉴定出了一种独特的肠道微生物，可以通过促进宿主利用非葡萄糖物质合成葡萄糖的能力来影响葡萄糖代谢。这是因为它能够产生必需营养物质胆碱，而胆碱在其他肠道细菌和宿主的帮助下，被转化为三甲胺 N-氧化物，从而促进葡萄糖的生成。这些研究表明了肠道微生物如何促进代谢功能障碍，并为治疗血糖异常的患者提供了新的方法。
