Dr. Paul McMurdie
Principal Scientist
Pendulum Therapeutics

Increases in Plasma Butyrate and Ursodeoxycholate Following a Probiotic Intervention That Improved Postprandial Glucose Control in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes

Studies in type 2 diabetes (T2D) rodent models suggest the potential for individual microbial taxa in the human gut to improve or worsen metabolic disease via specific metabolites in hepatic or general circulation. We previously reported significant improvement in postprandial glucose control in subjects with T2D following ingestion of a 5-strain novel probiotic formulation (INT) in a placebo (PBO) controlled setting. Here we report measurements of circulating plasma metabolites collected after a fasting period at baseline and end of the 12-week intervention, including targeted measurements of key microbial signaling molecules, short chain fatty acids and bile acids. This talk will discuss these results, including key metabolites that appeared to increase as a result of the probiotic intervention, and the in vitro monoculture evidence that these are produced by strains in the probiotic formulation. Finally, untargeted metabolomics also uncovered previously undocumented use of sulfonylurea drugs in some subjects, strongly stratifying A1c response in the INT group, suggesting the potential for stronger glucose control than previously reported, and encouraging future study in which SFU use is an exclusionary criterion. To our knowledge, this is the first description of an increase in circulating butyrate and ursodeoxycholate due to a solely probiotic intervention in humans with type 2 diabetes.

plate with fork and knife, books, microscope and test tubes
Sponsor(s)
Medicine: Biostatistics
Speaker(s)
Dr. Paul McMurdie
Audience
School of Medicine, VCU Faculty, VCU Staff, VCU Students