Influence of Gut Microbiota on Subclinical Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

Figure 2

The advent of products (antibiotics, probiotics, and prebiotics) capable of modulating the gut microbiota profile, their products and metabolites (i.e., LPS, short-chain fatty acids), promotes a shift on the bacterial community prevalence, which favored the increase in tight junctions expression and function, reducing intestinal permeability and bacterial products circulation levels. Thus, the LPS circulating levels and inflammatory status in insulin-sensitive tissues are reduced, as well as muscle S-nitrosylation and liver and adipose tissue macrophage infiltration, promoting increased insulin sensitivity and the whole body metabolism. GLP-1 and PYY circulating levels are increased after treatment with gut microbiota modulators which together with the improvement in insulin sensitivity in the hypothalamus promoted reduction in food intake by satiety mechanisms and in conjunction with the increased Fiaf expression, contributed to reduce body weight.