Direct and Indirect Evidence of Effects of Bacteroides spp. on Obesity and Inflammation

Abstract

Metabolic disorders present a significant public health challenge globally. The intricate relationship between the gut microbiome, particularly Bacteroides spp. (BAC), and obesity, including their specific metabolic functions, remains partly unresolved. This review consolidates current research on BAC's role in obesity and lipid metabolism, with three objectives: (1) To summarize the gut microbiota's impact on obesity; (2) To assess BAC's efficacy in obesity intervention; (3) To explore BAC's mechanisms in obesity and lipid metabolism management. This review critically examines the role of BAC in obesity, integrating findings from clinical and preclinical studies. We highlight the changes in BAC diversity and concentration following successful obesity treatment and discuss the notable differences in BAC characteristics among individuals with varying obesity levels. Furthermore, we review recent preclinical studies demonstrating the potential of BAC in ameliorating obesity and related inflammatory conditions, providing detailed insights into the methodologies of these in vivo experiments. Additionally, certain BAC-derived metabolites have been shown to be involved in the regulation of host lipid metabolism-related pathways. The enhanced TNF production by dendritic cells following BAC administration, in response to LPS, also positions BAC as a potential adjunctive therapy in obesity management.

Keywords: Bacteroides spp.; inflammation; metabolic diseases; obesity; probiotics.

Figure 2

Quality assessment. (A) presents quality assessment summary: review authors’ judgments about each risk of bias item for each included studies low risk (+: green), high risk (-: red), or unclear risk (?: yellow); (B) indicates quality assessment graph: review authors’ judgments about each assessment item presented as percentages across all included studies.

Figure 2

Quality assessment. (A) presents quality assessment summary: review authors’ judgments about each risk of bias item for each included studies low risk (+: green), high risk (-: red), or unclear risk (?: yellow); (B) indicates quality assessment graph: review authors’ judgments about each assessment item presented as percentages across all included studies.

Figure 1

Flowchart of the process for screening articles on systematic reviews that directly and indirectly demonstrate the effects of Bacteroides spp. on human obesity.