Predictors of Obesity among Gut Microbiota Biomarkers in African American Men with and without Diabetes

Abstract

Gut microbiota and their biomarkers may be associated with obesity. This study evaluated associations of body mass index (BMI) with circulating microbiota biomarkers in African American men (AAM) (n = 75). The main outcomes included fecal microbial community structure (16S rRNA), gut permeability biomarkers (ELISA), and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs, metabolome analysis). These outcomes were compared between obese and non-obese men, after adjusting for age. The results showed that lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), the ratio of LBP to CD14 (LBP/CD14), and SCFAs (propionic, butyric, isovaleric) were higher in obese (n = 41, age 58 years, BMI 36 kg/m2) versus non-obese (n = 34, age 55 years, BMI 26 kg/m2) men. BMI correlated positively with LBP, LBP/CD14 (p < 0.05 for both) and SCFAs (propionic, butyric, isovaleric, p < 0.01 for all). In the regression analysis, LBP, LBP/CD14, propionic and butyric acids were independent determinants of BMI. The study showed for the first time that selected microbiota biomarkers (LBP, LBP/CD14, propionic and butyric acids) together with several other relevant risks explained 39%–47% of BMI variability, emphasizing that factors other than microbiota-related biomarkers could be important. Further research is needed to provide clinical and mechanistic insight into microbiota biomarkers and their utility for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Free Fatty Acids Signature in Human Intestinal Disorders: Significant Association between Butyric Acid and Celiac Disease

“…While the higher CD prevalence in female compared to male individuals is well established, contrasting evidence has been found regarding the relationship between CD and BMI [62]. Many studies found a positive correlation between BMI and serum SCFAs, particularly propionic, butyric, and isovaleric acid in obese patients compared to lean individuals [63,64].…”

Characterization of the Duodenal Mucosal Microbiome in Obese Adult Subjects by 16S rRNA Sequencing

“…Characterization of Stomatobaculum and Oribacterium asaccharolyticum, highlighted that Stomatobaculum encoded in its genome the cysteine desulfurase gene [41], whereas the major metabolic end product of Oribacterium asaccharolyticum was acetate [42]. Interestingly, a recent study evaluated the associations of BMI with circulating microbiota biomarkers in African American men and found that propionic and butyric SCFAs, but not acetic acid, were significant positive predictors of BMI [43]. The significant obese-associated decreases in Atopobium parvulum (Actinobacteria) and Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fusobacteria), bacterial species previously associated to Crohn's disease [44] and to tumorigenesis [45], respectively, remain unclear.…”

Helminth Mediated Attenuation of Systemic Inflammation and Microbial Translocation in Helminth-Diabetes Comorbidity

“…Furthermore, LPS administration to mice and healthy humans results in systemic and adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance, confirming that LPS affects insulin sensitivity (Mehta et al, 2010 ). Other products of microbial translocation including iFABP, a marker of gut permeability (Cox et al, 2017 ), sCD14 (Shitole et al, 2019 ), LBP (Sun et al, 2010 ; Cox et al, 2017 ; Sakura et al, 2017 ), and EndoCAb (Barengolts et al, 2019 ) are also associated with pathology in T2DM. Our data reveal a novel association of diminished metabolic endotoxemia and intestinal permeability in the presence of Ss infection.…”