Abstract
Obesity and diabetes incidence rates are increasing dramatically, reaching pandemic proportions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to unravel the mechanisms underlying their pathophysiology. Of particular interest is the close interconnection between gut microbiota dysbiosis and obesity and diabetes progression. Hence, microbiota manipulation through diet has been postulated as a promising therapeutic target. In this regard, secretion of gut microbiota–derived extracellular vesicles is gaining special attention, standing out as key factors that could mediate gut microbiota-host communication. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from gut microbiota and probiotic bacteria allow to encapsulate a wide range of bioactive molecules (such as/or including proteins and nucleic acids) that could travel short and long distances to modulate important biological functions with the overall impact on the host health. EV-derived from specific bacteria induce differential physiological responses. For example, a high-fat diet–induced increase of the proteobacterium Pseudomonas panacis–derived EV is closely associated with the progression of metabolic dysfunction in mice. In contrast, Akkermansia muciniphila EV are linked with the alleviation of high-fat diet–induced obesity and diabetes in mice. Here, we review the newest pieces of evidence concerning the potential role of gut microbiota and probiotic-derived EV on obesity and diabetes onset, progression, and management, through the modulation of inflammation, metabolism, and gut permeability. In addition, we discuss the role of certain dietary patterns on gut microbiota–derived EV profile and the clinical implication that dietary habits could have on metabolic diseases progression through the shaping of gut microbiota–derived EV.
Highlights
Gut microbiota is the set of microbes that colonize the gastrointestinal tract of mammals, establishing a mutualistic relationship with the host [115]
It should be noted that several environmental factors could shape gut microbiota composition, including lifestyle issues, antibiotics, or diet, the latter being considered an important environmental factor that could influence gut microbiota composition [32, 115]
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are associated with an increased risk to develop a plethora of diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases [22, 54], mental disorders, [10, 12], or cancer [50], and they have been linked with the severity of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis or COVID-19 [60, 65]
Summary
Gut microbiota is the set of microbes that colonize the gastrointestinal tract of mammals, establishing a mutualistic relationship with the host [115]. Cañas et al [17] unveiled that EVs derived from the probiotic EcN and the commensal gut microbiota bacterium ECOR12 could enhance the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 in Caco-2 cells, which suggests a role for the EVs of these strains in the modulation of intestinal immune responses. Recent reports have confirmed the direct connection between modulation of intestinal immune responses and gut barrier integrity to gut microbiota–derived EVs, as well as their link to metabolic function, including improvements of metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes In this regard, Chelakkot et al [23] reported a direct relationship between A. muciniphila EVs and the improvement of both gut barrier integrity and metabolic profile in high-fat diet (HFD)–induced diabetic mice.
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