Study results recently published in Gut, highlight the role that gut microbiome plays in diabetic retinopathy.
University of Alabama - Birmingham researchers studied the role that the gut microbiome plays in diabetic retinopathy. Patients dealing with type 2 diabetes lose the ability to effectively absorb the amino acid tryptophan in the gut. Tryptophan is crucial for several biological functions including the maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome.
Researchers targeted how tryptophan is absorbed in the gut and were then able to correct dysbiosis and reinforce the integrity of the gut barrier. This normalized incretin signaling, which helped protect the retina. The loss of tryptophan affects the gut's ability to metabolize bacteria and leads to a reduced production of safeguarding microbial metabolites.
One of these metabolites, indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), enters the bloodstream and builds up in the retina in a person with healthy eyes. Mouse models with diabetic retinopathy have demonstrated lower levels of IPA. Researchers believe that circulating IPA levels can pose as a biomarker for diabetic retinopathy. Research results demonstrate that restoring IPA to physiological levels could potentially slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy.
