gut microbiome in diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage kidney disease globally and current treatments are inadequate. The gut microbiota and its metabolites, in particular short-chain fatty acids, are emerging therapeutic targets for systemic inflammatory and metabolic diseases. Here we report that high-fiber diets, or supplementation with SCFA acetate, butyrate or propionate, afforded protection against development of kidney disease in diabetic mice. Dietary fiber restored gut microbial ecology, corrected dysbiosis and increased production of SCFA. Mice deficient in GPR43 and GPR109A were not protected by SCFA, suggesting protection was mediated by downstream binding to these receptors. Tapping into the metabolic potential of the gut microbiota through diet may offer a novel approach to the global burden of diabetic nephropathy.