TLR4 and type 2 diabetes mellitus: There is a strong link between gut microbiota dysbiosis, where pro-inflammatory Proteobacteria abundance increases, and the endotoxin from these bacteria stimulates TLR4 to cause an increase in inflammatory markers (e.g., TNF-α) and an increase in IR, which over a prolonged period can lead to hyperglycemia and ultimately T2D (5).