Canadian scientists unveil a novel method to improve blood sugar levels and liver health by intercepting harmful molecules produced by gut bacteria. The breakthrough could lead to new treatments for type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.
In a significant breakthrough, Canadian researchers have discovered a new way to improve blood sugar levels and reduce liver damage by intercepting a little-known fuel produced by gut bacteria. This pivotal research could pave the way for novel therapies to treat metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.
The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, was conducted by scientists from McMaster University, Université Laval and the University of Ottawa.
Their findings reveal that a molecule produced by gut microbes can enter the bloodstream and push the liver to overproduce glucose and fat. However, by trapping this molecule in the gut before it enters the body, the researchers observed significant improvements in blood sugar control and fatty liver disease in obese mice.
“This is a new twist on a classic metabolic pathway,” senior and corresponding author Jonathan Schertzer, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster, said in a news release. “We’ve known for nearly a century that muscles and the liver exchange lactate and glucose — a process called the Cori cycle. What we’ve discovered is a new branch of that cycle, where gut bacteria are also part of the conversation.”
The Cori cycle, established through the work of Nobel Prize-winning scientists Carl Ferdinand Cori and Gerty Theresa Cori in 1947, laid the groundwork for understanding how muscles generate lactate to fuel the liver in glucose production.
This new research builds on this foundation by showing that obese individuals have elevated levels of a molecule called D-lactate, primarily produced by gut bacteria, which exacerbates blood sugar and liver fat issues.
To combat this, the researchers devised a “gut substrate trap” — a biodegradable polymer that binds to D-lactate in the gut, preventing it from being absorbed into the bloodstream.
When administered to obese mice, this trap led to lower blood glucose levels, reduced insulin resistance and diminished liver inflammation and fibrosis — all without necessitating changes in the mice’s diet or body weight.
“This is a completely new way to think about treating metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Instead of targeting hormones or the liver directly, we’re intercepting a microbial fuel source before it can do harm,” added Schertzer.
The research, which received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), underscores the growing acknowledgment of the microbiome’s role in chronic diseases. This discovery not only enhances our understanding of metabolic pathways but also highlights the potential for microbiome-targeted therapies.
Source: McMaster University