Washed microbiota transplantation reduces glycemic variability in unstable diabetes

Background

Dysbiosis of gut microbiota is causally linked to impaired host glucose metabolism. We aimed to study effects of the new method of fecal microbiota transplantation, washed microbiota transplantation (WMT), on reducing glycemic variability (GV) in unstable diabetes.

Methods

Fourteen eligible patients received three allogenic WMTs and were followed up at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. Primary outcomes were daily insulin dose, glucose excursions during meal tests, and GV indices calculated from continuous monitoring or self-monitoring glucose values. Secondary outcomes were multiomics data, including 16S rRNA gene sequencing, metagenomics, and metabolomics to explore underlying mechanisms.

Results

Daily insulin dose and glucose excursions markedly dropped, whereas GV indices significantly improved up to 1 month. WMT increased gut microbial alpha diversity, beta diversity, and network complexity. Taxonomic changes featured lower abundance of genera Bacteroides and Escherichia-Shigella, and higher abundance of genus Prevotella. Metagenomics functional annotations revealed enrichment of distinct microbial metabolic pathways, including methane biosynthesis, citrate cycle, amino acid degradation, and butyrate production. Derived metabolites correlated significantly with improved GV indices. WMT did not change circulating inflammatory cytokines, enteroendocrine hormones, or C-peptide.

Conclusions

WMT showed strong ameliorating effect on GV, raising the possibility of targeting gut microbiota as an effective regimen to reduce GV in diabetes.