The field of metabolic health and diseases is a rapidly evolving area of research, with a focus on understanding the complex interactions between tissues, organisms, and environmental factors. Communication between metabolic tissues, such as adipose tissue and the liver, is crucial for maintaining metabolic homeostasis, yet the specific signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms involved remain inadequately understood. Recent studies have highlighted the role of gut microbiota as an endocrine organ, emphasizing its bidirectional communication with host cells in regulating metabolic health. Despite these advances, there is a pressing need to further investigate specific microbial populations, their functions, and their interactions with host metabolism. Additionally, the proposed crosstalk between reproductive tissues and metabolic signaling underscores the impact of metabolic status on reproduction and early life development. However, the extent to which metabolic status influences fertility, condition development, and adult health is still under investigation. Addressing these gaps is essential for developing targeted interventions for metabolic disorders, which are significant contributors to global health complications and mortality.

This Research Topic aims to address the urgent challenge of metabolic diseases, which have seen a significant rise in prevalence over the past decade. These disorders, including obesity, Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), metabolic-associated fatty liver diseases (MAFLD), and endocrine disorders like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Gestational Diabetes, are complex and multifaceted. Additionally, there has been increasing focus on the effects of the maternal environment on offspring development and its potential long-term impact on postnatal health outcomes, underscoring the importance of inter-organism communication from early developmental stages. The goal is to enhance our understanding of their etiology and development by considering the intricate relationships among organs, systems, and organisms with their environment. This research seeks to unravel the complexities of inter-tissue and inter-kingdom communication, ultimately contributing to the development of targeted therapeutic interventions.

To gather further insights into the complex realm of metabolic alterations, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Developmental programming effects on metabolic health
- Role of microbiota in metabolic alterations development, progression, and management
- Interplay between gut microbiota and host cells in metabolic health
- Environmental contributions to metabolic health
- Adipose tissue-liver crosstalk
- Hepato-gonadal axes in fertility-related metabolic diseases
- Gut-gonadal axes in metabolic and endocrine disorders
- Therapeutic interventions

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Frontiers in Endocrinology

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