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REVIEW article

Front. Microbiol.

Sec. Microorganisms in Vertebrate Digestive Systems

Complex Interactions of Gut-Derived Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Hyperuricemia and Gout Pathophysiology

Provisionally accepted
Yujiang  CuiYujiang CuiWei  SunWei SunLijuan  WeiLijuan WeiShuang  FanShuang FanQian  LiQian LiLiwei  DuanLiwei Duan*
  • 吉林大学第二医院, Changchun, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Hyperuricemia is a common metabolic disorder associated with gout, kidney injury, cardiovascular disease, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Increasing evidence indicates that abnormalities in intestinal uric acid handling and gut microbial metabolism contribute substantially to systemic urate imbalance, particularly when renal excretion is impaired. Among microbiota-derived metabolites, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have emerged as key regulators linking gut microbial ecology with uric acid metabolism through coordinated effects on epithelial barrier integrity, inflammatory signaling, and urate transport. Growing interest in prebiotics and probiotics has further highlighted the therapeutic potential of targeting SCFAs production as a complementary strategy to traditional urate-lowering drugs. Given that hyperuricemia is the primary pathogenic precursor to gout, this review also examines the role of SCFAs in modulating gout-associated inflammation. This review integrates current findings on the microbiota-SCFA-urate axis and outlines how SCFA-centered gut modulation may provide a viable framework for managing hyperuricemia and gout.

Keywords: Gut Microbiota, Hyperuricemia, Prebiotics, Probiotics, short-chain fatty acids, uric acid transporters

Received: 24 Dec 2025; Accepted: 09 Feb 2026.

Copyright: © 2026 Cui, Sun, Wei, Fan, Li and Duan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Liwei Duan

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