The Therapeutic Effect of SCFA-Mediated Regulation of the Intestinal Environment on Obesity

Abstract

Intestinal environment disorder is a potential pathological mechanism of obesity. There is increasing evidence that disorders in the homeostasis of the intestinal environment can affect various metabolic organs, such as fat and liver, and lead to metabolic diseases. However, there are few therapeutic approaches for obesity targeting the intestinal environment. In this review, on the one hand, we discuss how intestinal microbial metabolites SCFA regulate intestinal function to improve obesity and the possible mechanisms and pathways related to obesity-related pathological processes (depending on SCFA-related receptors such as GPCRs, MCT and SMCT, and through epigenetic processes). On the other hand, we discuss dietary management strategies to enrich SCFA-producing bacteria and target specific SCFA-producing bacteria and whether fecal bacteria transplantation therapy to restore the composition of the gut microbiota to regulate SCFA can help prevent or improve obesity. Finally, we believe that it will be of great significance to establish a working model of gut– SCFA– metabolic disease development in the future for the improvement this human health concern.

Grifola frondosa may play an anti-obesity role by affecting intestinal microbiota to increase the production of short-chain fatty acids

“…SCFAs have been proved to stimulate energy consumption by promoting lipid oxidation, and the increase in SCFAs production can stimulate a large number of hormones and neural signals in different organs and tissue sites, thereby cumulatively inhibiting short-term appetite and energy intake ( 48 , 49 ). In addition, SCFAs can also prevent diet-induced obesity by inhibiting the activity of Histone Deacetylase 3 in intestinal epithelial cells ( 15 ). Studies have shown that unclassified Muribacullaceae ( 50 ), unclassified lachnospiraceae ( 51 ), and Alloprevotella ( 52 ) are all intestinal SCFAs-producing bacteria.…”

OLED catheters for inner-body phototherapy: A case of type 2 diabetes mellitus improved via duodenal photobiomodulation

“…In addition, the family Erysipelotrichaceae enriched after 2 weeks in the sham control group may contribute to gut inflammation and may serve as a potential microbial target for addressing metabolic disorders including T2DM ( 39 , 40 ). Furthermore, the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes decreased in the OLED group 1 to 2 weeks after OLED PBM, which may be related to an increase in the secretion of GLP-1 and insulin due to the abundance of gut microbial species that produce short-chain fatty acids ( 46 ). Therefore, the alteration of the gut microbiome observed at 1 to 2 weeks after OLED PBM may be related with dynamic changes of GLP-1 and insulin at 1 and 4 weeks after OLED PBM.…”

“…In previous studies, the use of duodenal or external PBM in small animal models resulted in similarly delayed alterations of the gut microbiome after 1 or 2 weeks of PBM, which supports our results ( 34 , 47 ). Therefore, together with the alteration of the gut microbiome, dynamic fluctuations in serum GLP-1 and insulin, and improved IR as demonstrated by HOMA-IR from 1 week to 4 weeks in the OLED PBM group, duodenal OLED PBM may influence the abundance of the gut microbial species that produce a short-chain fatty acid, resulting in a reduction in serum glucose levels, and IR by increasing GLP-1 and insulin ( 46 ).…”

Association of the gut microbiome with fecal short-chain fatty acids, lipopolysaccharides, and obesity in young Chinese college students

“…Short-chain fatty acids act as messengers between gut microbes and hosts, directly regulating host metabolic health by engaging in a range of tissue-specific mechanisms related to appetite regulation, energy expenditure, glucose homeostasis, and immune regulation ( 19 , 20 ). However, the interaction between the microbiota and the number and proportion of SCFAs and their role in obesity is very complex ( 21 ).…”