New research in mice found that the microbiome shapes the development of insulin-producing cells in infancy, leading to long-term changes in metabolism and diabetes risk.
The results can ultimately help doctors help the pancreas grow and heal by providing specific gut microorganisms, thereby reducing the risk of type 1 diabetes and possibly even restoring metabolic function in adulthood.
The survey results are published in science.
Key Window
The researchers found that mice exposed to broad-spectrum antibiotics early in the long run have poor metabolic health. If mice receive antibiotics in the 10-day window shortly after birth, they will present fewer beta cells-the pancreas that regulate blood sugar-produce insulin cells. Antibiotic-treated mice also had higher blood sugar and lower levels of insulin in adulthood.
“For me, it’s shocking and a little scary,” said June round, a professor of pathology at the University of Utah Health and senior author of the study. “It demonstrates the importance of the microbiota during this very short early development period.”
By testing a variety of antibiotics that affect different types of microorganisms, the researchers pointed out several specific microorganisms that increase the amount of tissue that produces insulin and the levels of insulin in the blood. Interestingly, one of these metabolism-enhancing microorganisms is an unstudied fungus dubliniensis, This is not found in healthy human adults, but may be more common in infants.
It is crucial that C. Dubliniensis Early exposure also significantly reduces the risk of type 1 diabetes in at risk male mice. When male mice genetically prone to developing type 1 diabetes are colonized by metabolized “neutral” microorganisms, they develop the disease 90% of the time. Compatriots who co-colonized with fungi developed diabetes less than 15% of the time.
Exposed to C. Dubliniensis Researchers have found that it can even help the damaged pancreas recover. When the researchers introduced fungi into adult mice, when their insulin-producing cells had been killed, the insulin-producing cells regenerated and improved metabolic function. This is highly unusual, the researchers stressed: This type of cell does not usually grow in adulthood.
“One possibility in the far future is that perhaps such signals may be used as a preventive measure and can be used as a therapeutic to help later life,” said Dr. Jennifer Hill, first author of the study. The first author of the study was a postdoctoral scientist in the US Circular Laboratory and is now an assistant professor of molecular, cellular, cellular, developmental biology.
If mice are in humans, then microbial-derived molecules may eventually help restore pancreatic function in diabetic patients. But Hill warned that therapies that historically contributed to beta cell regeneration have not led to improvements in human health.
Immune system enhancement
this C. Dubliniensis Fungi seem to support insulin-producing cells through their effects on the immune system. Previous studies have shown that immune cells in the pancreas can promote the development of their insulin-producing neighbors. The researchers found that mice without the microbiome had fewer immune cells in the pancreas and had poor metabolic function in adults.
When such a mouse gets a booster C. Dubliniensis In early life,,,,, Their pancreatic immune cells and their metabolic functions have returned to normal. and C. Dubliniensis Only the growth of insulin-producing cells in mice with macrophages suggests that fungi promote metabolic health by affecting the immune system.
Researchers stress that there may be other microorganisms that confer similar benefits C. Dubliniensis. Their new findings could help understand how similar health tips for other microorganisms work. “We don’t know much about how the microbiome affects early health,” Hill said. “But we found that these early life signals do affect early development and then, most importantly, have long-term effects on metabolic health.”
Understanding how the microbiome affects metabolism may lead to microbial-based treatments to prevent type 1 diabetes, Found added. “I hope it will happen eventually, and we will identify these important microorganisms and we will be able to give them to babies so that we can completely prevent this disease from happening,” she said.
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