1. Mol Syst Biol. 2010 Jul;6:392.

The endocannabinoid system links gut microbiota to adipogenesis.

Muccioli GG, Naslain D, Bäckhed F, Reigstad CS, Lambert DM, Delzenne NM, Cani PD.

Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels,
Belgium. giulio.muccioli@uclouvain.be

Obesity is characterised by altered gut microbiota, low-grade inflammation and
increased endocannabinoid (eCB) system tone; however, a clear connection between 
gut microbiota and eCB signalling has yet to be confirmed. Here, we report that
gut microbiota modulate the intestinal eCB system tone, which in turn regulates
gut permeability and plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels. The impact of the
increased plasma LPS levels and eCB system tone found in obesity on adipose
tissue metabolism (e.g. differentiation and lipogenesis) remains unknown. By
interfering with the eCB system using CB(1) agonist and antagonist in lean and
obese mouse models, we found that the eCB system controls gut permeability and
adipogenesis. We also show that LPS acts as a master switch to control adipose
tissue metabolism both in vivo and ex vivo by blocking cannabinoid-driven
adipogenesis. These data indicate that gut microbiota determine adipose tissue
physiology through LPS-eCB system regulatory loops and may have critical
functions in adipose tissue plasticity during obesity.


PMCID: PMC2925525
PMID: 20664638 [PubMed - in process]