Gut microbiome-derived butyric acid and cinnamic acid attenuate acute lung injury via inhibiting NF-κB pathway in diet-induced obese mice

Obesity is paradoxically associated with better prognosis of patients with acute lung injury (ALI), and dysbiosis of gut microbiota affects the outcomes of ALI patients. However, the role and mechanism of gut microbiota in ALI patients with obesity remain poorly understood. After receiving a cross-fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) of diet-induced obese (DIO) or control (CON) mice, CON or DIO mice were treated by LPS to induce ALI, and the pulmonary injury and inflammation were detected. Then, using microbiota and metabolomics analysis, the molecules involved in the development of ALI were screened, and the effect and mechanism of the molecules were investigated in vivo. Our data provided new strategies to prevent and treat ALI by targeting gut microbiota and utilizing the metabolites.