The roles of gut microbiota and its metabolites in diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe microvascular complication of diabetes, which increases the risk of renal failure and causes a high global disease burden. Due to the lack of sustainable treatment, DN has become the primary cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Gut microbiota and its metabolites exert critical regulatory functions in maintaining host health and are associated with many pathogenesis of aging-related chronic diseases. Currently, the theory gut-kidney axis has opened a novel angle to understand the relationship between gut microbiota and multiple kidney diseases. In recent years, accumulating evidence has revealed that the gut microbiota and their metabolites play an essential role in the pathophysiologic processes of DN through the gut-kidney axis. In this review, we summarize the current investigations of gut microbiota and microbial metabolites involvement in the progression of DN, and further discuss the potential gut microbiota-targeted therapeutic approaches for DN.

Automated summary

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a severe complication of diabetes, leading to renal failure and a significant global disease burden. The gut microbiota and its metabolites have been found to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of DN through the gut-kidney axis. This review summarizes the current research on the involvement of gut microbiota and microbial metabolites in the progression of DN and explores potential therapeutic approaches targeting the gut microbiota.