Gut Microbiome Composition, Short-Chain Fatty Acid Production, and Their Role in Regulating Adipose Tissue Inflammation in Obese Nigerian Adults: A Multi-Omics Investigation in Rivers State

Background: The gut microbiome influences adipose tissue inflammation through metabolite production, particularly short-chain fatty acids including butyrate, propionate, and acetate, which signal through G-protein-coupled receptors and regulate adipokine secretion. Obesity-associated microbiome dysbiosis reduces short-chain fatty acid-producing genera, amplifying adipose inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Nigerian gut microbiome composition is unstudied in the context of obesity-linked adipose physiology. Objectives: This study aims to characterise gut microbiome composition by shotgun metagenomics, quantify faecal short-chain fatty acids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, measure adipose tissue inflammatory markers by adipose biopsy immunohistochemistry, and construct a multi-omics mechanistic model linking microbiome-short-chain fatty acid-adipose inflammation pathways in obese versus lean adults in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Methods: Forty obese adults (body mass index above 30) and twenty-five lean controls will be recruited at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Stool will be collected for shotgun metagenomics sequencing and short-chain fatty acid quantification. Subcutaneous adipose biopsies will be obtained under local anaesthesia for macrophage phenotyping and cytokine mRNA quantification. Sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis will integrate microbiome and metabolite data. Expected Outcomes: Obese participants are anticipated to demonstrate reduced Faecalibacterium prausnitzii abundance, lower butyrate concentrations, and greater M1 macrophage adipose infiltration, forming a mechanistic axis linking dysbiosis to adipose inflammation. Conclusion: This multi-omics study will establish original Nigerian microbiome-adipose physiology evidence. Keywords: gut microbiome, short-chain fatty acids, adipose inflammation, obesity, Rivers State.