A study prepared by researchers from Imperial College London (ICL) revealed a compound produced by intestinal bacteria that could protect the body from type 2 diabetes.
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 contribute to reducing the risk of diabetes.
The researchers explained that the “TMA” compound is able to mitigate the effects of high-fat diets on the body, according to experiments conducted on human cell models and laboratory mice, and it has been shown that this microbial metabolite may break some of the links between obesity, diabetes, and low-grade chronic inflammation.
ICL biochemist Marc-Emmanuel Dumas said: “We have shown that a molecule from the gut microbiome can protect the body from damage resulting from malnutrition via a new mechanism.”
The researchers added that “TMA” works to inhibit the “IRAK4” protein, which is responsible for the inflammatory response when eating foods rich in fat. This mechanism may open the way for the development of drugs that mimic the effect of “TMA” and reduce inflammation resulting from an unhealthy diet.
The study confirms the vital role of the microbiome in the intestine, as bacteria can secrete chemicals that interact with vital signals in the body, which provides new opportunities for therapeutic interventions in cases of obesity and diabetes.
The researchers stressed that these results are still in their early stages, and need to be confirmed through studies on human volunteers for longer periods, but they open new horizons for managing insulin resistance and preventing type 2 diabetes.
