The study showed that trimethylamine (TMA), a small molecule produced by gut microbes as they break down choline found in eggs and meat, may play a vital role in improving insulin response and suppressing inflammation, two factors that reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
The researchers explained that TMA is able to mitigate the effects of high-fat diets on the body, according to experiments conducted on human cell models and laboratory mice. This microbial metabolite appears to break some of the links between obesity, diabetes, and chronic low-grade inflammation.
"We have shown that a molecule from gut microbes can protect the body from damage caused by malnutrition through a novel mechanism," says Mark-Emmanuel Dumas, a biochemist at ICL.
The researchers add that TMA works by inhibiting the IRAK4 protein, which is responsible for an inflammatory response to high-fat foods. This mechanism could pave the way for developing drugs that mimic the effects of TMA and reduce inflammation caused by an unhealthy diet.
The researchers emphasize that these results are still in their early stages and need to be confirmed on human volunteers for longer periods, but they open up prospects for managing insulin resistance and preventing type 2 diabetes.
The study also emphasizes the vital role of the gut microbiome, as bacteria can secrete chemicals that interact with biological signals in the body, opening up new opportunities for therapeutic interventions in cases of obesity and diabetes.
The study was published in the journal Nature Metabolism.
