Genes could shape gut bugs to combat obesity, diabetes: study

SYDNEY, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Australian researchers have found that genes actively shape gut bacteria, revealing a potential new weapon against obesity and diabetes.

The researchers found that mice with certain genes produced natural peptides, or small proteins, called alpha-defensins, which act as gardeners of the microbiome, shaping which gut bugs thrive and weeding out undesirable bacteria, according to a statement released Thursday by Australia's University of Sydney (USYD).

Importantly, alpha-defensin peptides are also found in people, which the researchers believe is highly relevant to human health, it said.

These mice had healthier microbiomes and were much less likely to develop insulin resistance, a key cause of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to the study published in The EMBO Journal.

"Our work suggests that our DNA actively works to shape a healthy gut microbiome, and these microbial-shaping peptides could one day, if harnessed, become a new weapon against obesity and diabetes," said Prof. David James, joint interim academic director of the USYD's Charles Perkins Center.

The researchers synthesized the defensin peptides in the lab and fed them to mice without the genes. The experiments showed this protected mice from the negative effects of an unhealthy diet.

The study shows that manipulating gut microbiome peptides benefits some individuals but not others, highlighting the potential of precision medicine and the risks of altering the gut microbiome with supplements or fad diets, James said.

The team plans to measure defensins in humans to clarify their role in metabolism and other chronic conditions such as cancer. ■