The gut microbiota profile is associated with insulin action in humans

Acta Diabetol. 2013 Oct;50(5):753-61. doi: 10.1007/s00592-012-0410-5. Epub 2012 Jun 19.

Abstract

The role of the gut microbiota in the induction of metabolic diseases has now been increasingly recognized worldwide. Indeed, a specific gut microbiota has been shown to characterize lean versus obese phenotypes both in humans and mice. We have also recently demonstrated that a precise gut microbiota is associated with the host's responsiveness to a high-fat diet. Therefore, we hypothesized that insulin resistance in humans could also be linked to a specific gut microbiota. To this aim, microbial DNA and RNA were extracted from the appendix contents of insulin-resistant versus insulin-sensitive obese subjects, matched for body mass index and age, and analyzed by DNA- and RNA-DGGE. Microbial DNA analysis showed that the patients fully segregated according to their degree of insulin action. Conversely, microbial RNA investigation showed that some degree of homology still existed between insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant patients. Quantitative trait analysis, ordinary least squares regression, principal components regression, partial least squares, canonical correlation analysis, and canonical correspondence analysis also showed a net separation of the two phenotypes analyzed. We conclude that a specific gut microbial profile is associated with insulin action in humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Case-Control Studies
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • DNA, Fungal / analysis
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Insulin / metabolism*
  • Insulin Resistance*
  • Male
  • Metagenome / physiology
  • Microarray Analysis
  • Microbiota / physiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Obesity / complications
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / microbiology
  • Transcriptome

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Fungal
  • Insulin