Renal sensing of bacterial metabolites in the gut-kidney axis

Abstract

Seminal works have now revealed the microbiota is connected with several diseases, including renal disorders. The balance between optimal and dysregulated host-microbiota interactions has changed completely our understanding of immunity and inflammation. Kidney injury is associated with accumulation of uremic toxins in the intestine, augmented intestinal permeability and systemic inflammation. Intestinal bacteria can signal through innate receptors and induce immune cell activation in lamina propria and release of inflammatory mediators into bloodstream. But gut microbiota can also modulate immune functions through soluble products as short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The three most common SCFAs are propionate, butyrate and acetate which can signal through specific G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) such as GPR43, GPR41 and GPR109a, expressed on the surface of epithelial, myeloid, endothelial and immune cells, among others. The triggered signaling can change cell metabolism, immune cell activation and cell death. Here, we reviewed gut-kidney axis, how kidney cells can sense SCFAs and its implication in renal diseases.