Research progress in the relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus and intestinal flora

The disorder of intestinal flora leads to the decline of anti-inflammatory reaction ability in the intestinal tract, low levels of SCFAs reduced the activation of GPR41 and GPR43, cause the occurrence of intestinal inflammation, insulin resistance, and as a result, lead to the occurrence of T2DM. [Display omitted] •Intestinal flora disorders, such as the reduction of beneficial bacteria and the increase of harmful bacteria, are prone to occur in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.•The mechanisms of type 2 diabetes induced by intestinal flora imbalance include short-chain fatty acid theory, fatty acid theory, and endotoxin theory, etc.•Treatments based on the regulation of intestinal flora, such as fecal bacteria transplantation, regulating probiotics and content of intestinal SCFAs, may have a role in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common clinical chronic disease, while its pathogenesis is still inconclusive. Intestinal flora, the largest micro-ecological system in the human body, is involved in, meanwhile has a major impact on the body's material and energy metabolism. Recent studies have shown that in addition to obesity, genetics, and islet dysfunction, the disturbance of intestinal flora may partly give rise to diabetes. In this paper, we summarized the current research on the correlation between T2DM and intestinal flora, and concluded the pathological mechanisms of intestinal flora involved in T2DM. Moreover, the ideas and methods of prevention and treatment of T2DM based on intestinal flora were proposed, providing theoretical basis and literature reference for the treatment of T2DM and its complications based on the regulation of intestinal flora.