title: Intestinal microbiota in inflammation and insulin resistance: relevance to humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The gut microbiota is a very complex ecosystem which interacts extensively with the host, influencing multiple metabolic and physiological functions. Several diseases have been shown to be associated with specific alterations in gut microbiota. It is more and more underscored as playing a major role in the development of insulin resistance and inflammation associated with excess weight gain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent studies in obese patients have shown perturbations in gut microbiota with a weight gain-associated increase in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio ameliorated by various attempts at inducing weight loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intestinal microbiota may contribute to the development of inflammation and insulin resistance by two main mechanisms. First, gut microbiota might facilitate energy harvest from the gut leading via perturbation in energy homeostasis to fat deposition and increased adipokine production and plasma free fatty acid levels both contributing to insulin resistance and inflammation. Alternatively, it can initiate an inflammatory process either originating from the intestine or generated at the peripheral level via endotoxin leakage into the blood from the intestine, both leading secondarily to insulin resistance.
authors.affiliation: EA4466, Département de Biologie Expérimentale, Métabolique et Clinique, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques Paris Descartes, Clinical Chemistry, Cochin-Broca-Hotel Dieu, APHP, Paris, France. jean-pascal.de-bandt@parisdescartes.fr
authors.forename: Jean-Pascal
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: De Bandt
authors.forename: Anne-Judith
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Waligora-Dupriet
authors.forename: Marie-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Butel
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D041963:Bacteroidetes / Q000254:growth & development; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000382:microbiology*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D054892:Metagenome; D009765:Obesity / Q000382:microbiology; D015430:Weight Gain; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified