Interactions between gut microbiota and skeletal muscle

Abstract

The gut microbiota is now recognized as a major contributor to the host’s nutrition, metabolism, immunity, and neurological functions. Imbalanced microbiota (ie, dysbiosis) is linked to undernutrition-induced stunting, inflammatory and metabolic diseases, and cancers. Skeletal muscle also takes part in the interorgan crosstalk regulating substrate metabolism, immunity, and health. Here, we review the reciprocal influence of gut microbiota and skeletal muscle in relation to juvenile growth, performance, aging, and chronic diseases. Several routes involving the vascular system and organs such as the liver and adipose tissue connect the gut microbiota and skeletal muscle, with effects on fitness and health. Therapeutic perspectives arise from the health benefits observed with changes in gut microbiota and muscle activity, further encouraging multimodal therapeutic strategies.

Low Protein Diet Improves Meat Quality and Modulates the Composition of Gut Microbiota in Finishing Pigs

“…Furthermore, the LP diet significantly decreased the abundance of unidentified Bacteria at the phylum level, and Halanaerobium and Butyricicoccus at the genus level in the colonic digesta. Notably, gut microbiota possibly exerts essential roles in controlling nitrogen utilization of gilts fed LP diets with fiber supplementation ( 51 ). Thus, the composition and diversity of gut microbiota in finishing pigs were affected by dietary CP level, and LP diets could modulate the microbial community and diversity, which might be associated with changes in carcass traits and meat quality.…”

“…Thus, the composition and diversity of gut microbiota in finishing pigs were affected by dietary CP level, and LP diets could modulate the microbial community and diversity, which might be associated with changes in carcass traits and meat quality. In recent years, the gut microbiota has been recognized as an important factor contributing to the regulation of skeletal muscle mass and function ( 51 ) as well the fat deposition ( 52 ). Interestingly, targeting gut microbiota facilitates the dietary protein efficacy to prevent the diminished skeletal muscle mass and strength during aging ( 53 ).…”

The Nutrition-Microbiota-Physical Activity Triad: An Inspiring New Concept for Health and Sports Performance

“…On the basis of the available data, it is now evident that gut bacteria are essential for skeletal muscle and for the adaptation to exercise and training through numerous and various functions: control of the inflammatory and redox pathways, regulation of nutrient availability and metabolite-derived bacterial production, interaction with anabolic and catabolic processes, and also mitochondrial biogenesis, redox and immune system regulation [ 92 , 106 , 119 , 159 , 160 , 161 ].…”

Effects of microgravity exposure and fructo-oligosaccharide ingestion on the proteome of soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles in developing mice

“…These changes were more prominent in mice exposed to μ- g with FOS ingestion. This result would be attributed to the effect of gut-derived SCFAs promoting oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscles 19 , 20 , 40 – 42 . On the other hand, in addition to a trend of slight activation of the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle (Table 6 and Supplementary Tables 5 and 6 ), a trend of the shift of fiber phenotype from fast- to slow-twitch type (Table 7 ) in EDL muscles of mice exposed to μ- g strongly suggested that EDL muscles were chronically stretched, and their neuro-muscular activities were altered from phasic to chronic pattern in a μ- g environment.…”

“…The SCFAs produced in the gut are transported into the circulatory system in vivo, and the SCFA receptors, free fatty acid receptor (Ffar) 2 and Ffar3, are present in skeletal muscle tissue 19 , 38 , 39 . There is growing evidence that SCFAs activate AMP-activated protein kinase in skeletal muscles of mice and enhance the oxidative metabolic capacity 19 , 20 , 40 – 42 . Walsh et al 42 reported that butyrate ingestion enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis and reduced oxidative stress in skeletal muscles of C57BL/6 female mice aged 26 months.…”