Abstract
The gut microbiota is a complex community of microorganisms that has become a new focus of attention due to its association with numerous human diseases. Research over the last few decades has shown that the gut microbiota plays a considerable role in regulating intestinal homeostasis, and disruption to the microbial community has been linked to chronic disease conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer (CRC), and obesity. Obesity has become a global pandemic, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide mostly in Western countries due to a sedentary lifestyle and consumption of high-fat/high-sugar diets. Obesity-mediated gut microbiota alterations have been associated with the development of IBD and IBD-induced CRC. This review highlights how obesity-associated dysbiosis can lead to the pathogenesis of IBD and CRC with a special focus on mechanisms of altered absorption of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
Highlights
Obesity is a global pandemic, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide
Obesity is associated with adipocyte dysfunction resulting in the alteration of normal physiology of adipocytes leading to increased production of proinflammatory cytokines and decreased production of adiponectin, increased synthesis of C-reactive protein (CRP), and increased lipolysis, which results in the activation of the signaling pathways such as inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit beta (IKK-β) and NF-κβ leading to low-grade inflammation
Studies revealed that Enterobacteriaceae (Enterobacteriales) and Proteobacteria are involved in the metabolism of arachidonic acids and linoleic acids, the levels of which were found to be higher in Ulcerative colitis (UC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) induced SD rats [217]
Summary
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults (18 years or older) were overweight Within this overweight category, 650 million adults were considered obese. Obesity increases the risk for several chronic diseases including gastrointestinal (GI). The increased risk of CRC in IBD may be due to the chronic inflammatory state observed in IBD. The pathology of both obesity and IBD present with disrupted intestinal homeostasis, including alterations in the gut microbiota. The gut bacteria mainly mediate their actions through SCFAs. Over the past few decades, extensive research has shown that gut microbiota is linked to several diseases, and dysbiosis—i.e., an imbalance in the microbial composition and reduced diversity—is associated with the pathogenesis of various GI disorders such as IBD, obesity-mediated. IBD, and IBD-mediated CRC [16]
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