In a recent study published in Nature Medicine , a team of scientists examined over 8,000 shotgun metagenomic sequences from individuals with prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and normal glycemic status to determine how microbial features and functions specific to subspecies and strains contribute to the pathological mechanisms of type 2 diabetes. Study: Strain-specific gut microbial signatures in type 2 diabetes identified in a cross-cohort analysis of 8,117 metagenomes . Image Credit: SewCreamStudio/Shutterstock.
com Type 2 diabetes is a rapidly growing global health concern affecting over 500 million people worldwide. The mass and function of the pancreatic β cells in type 2 diabetes patients decline over time, with insulin resistance often being accompanied by systemic low-grade inflammation. Evidence suggests that the gut microbiome plays a critical role in human metabolism and health and often interacts with genetic factors and the environment.
Studies have also identified various gut microbial signatures associated with type 2 diabetes. However, many of these studies were conducted among small study populations or did not account for confounders or risk factors such as adiposity or the use of the drug metformin. Standardized data from a large population is required to understand the role of gut microbiome function, specific to subspecies and strains and at the molecular level, in the pathology of type 2 diabetes.
In the present study, the researchers e.
