Targeting metabolic pathways: a novel therapeutic direction for type 2 diabetes

Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 Aug 2:13:1218326. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1218326. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent metabolic disease that causes multi-organ complications, seriously affecting patients' quality of life and survival. Understanding its pathogenesis remains challenging, with current clinical treatment regimens often proving ineffective.

Methods: In this study, we established a mouse model of T2DM and employed 16s rDNA sequencing to detect changes in the species and structure of gut flora. Additionally, we used UPLC-Q-TOF-MS to identify changes in urinary metabolites of T2DM mice, analyzed differential metabolites and constructed differential metabolic pathways. Finally, we used Pearman correlation analysis to investigate the relationship between intestinal flora and differential metabolites in T2DM mice, aiming to elucidate the pathogenesis of T2DM and provide an experimental basis for its clinical treatment.

Results: Our findings revealed a reduction in both the species diversity and abundance of intestinal flora in T2DM mice, with significantly decreased levels of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and significantly increased levels of harmful bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori. Urinary metabolomics results identified 31 differential metabolites between T2DM and control mice, including Phosphatidylcholine, CDP-ethanolamine and Leukotriene A4, which may be closely associated with the glycerophospholipid and arachidonic acid pathways. Pearman correlation analysis showed a strong correlation between dopamine and gonadal, estradiol and gut microbiota, may be a novel direction underlying T2DM.

Conclusion: In conclusion, our study suggests that alterations in gut microbiota and urinary metabolites are characteristic features of T2DM in mice. Furthermore, a strong correlation between dopamine, estradiol and gut microbiota, may be a novel direction underlying T2DM, the aim is to provide new ideas for clinical treatment and basic research.

Keywords: dopamine; estradiol; gut microbiota; metabolites; type 2 diabetes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / drug therapy
  • Dopamine
  • Estradiol
  • Metabolic Networks and Pathways
  • Mice
  • Quality of Life

Substances

  • Dopamine
  • Estradiol

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Graduate Research Innovation Project of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Grant number: YJSKC-20212008), Graduate Research Innovation Project of Tianjin (Grant number: 2021YJSS179), and the “Inheritance and Innovation Team” of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases in traditional Chinese medicine (No. ZYYCXTD-C-202203).