Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have developed a therapeutic food to address childhood malnutrition, a global issue affecting 200 million children. This food therapy nourishes beneficial gut microbes and improves growth and health measures in children with malnutrition. By studying the response of gut microbiomes to this therapy, the research team led by Jeffrey I. Gordon discovered the effects of a specific gut bacterium on children in Bangladesh receiving the food. This bacterium contains a gene that produces molecules regulating functions such as appetite, immune responses, and neuronal function.
Using a microbiota-directed therapeutic food called MDCF-2, the researchers identified a gut bacterium called Faecalibacterium prausnitzii that correlated with improved growth in malnourished children. Through two randomized controlled clinical trials, they found that levels of key molecules involved in regulating inflammation and metabolism were lower in animals colonized with a strain of F. prausnitzii. This discovery led to the identification of the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) produced by the bacterium, responsible for degrading important lipid signaling molecules in the gut.
Analysis of fecal samples from malnourished children undergoing the therapeutic food treatment revealed decreased levels of appetite-suppressing compounds and increased abundance of F. prausnitzii and its enzyme. The bacterial enzyme was found to regulate levels of important signaling molecules in the gut while also synthesizing novel molecules that modulate human receptors and immune responses. Unlike the human version of FAAH, the bacterial enzyme has a wider range of capabilities and is resistant to drugs that inhibit the human enzyme.
The discovery of the gut bacterial enzyme provides new insights into the beneficial effects of the therapeutic food treatment and offers opportunities to investigate its potential therapeutic applications. This enzyme could help explain differences in responses to certain drugs when administered orally and could lead to the development of new therapeutics targeting microbial enzymes. The researchers are planning future studies to explore the functions of similar enzymes in other bacteria and understand the full extent of microbial capabilities.
Overall, this study highlights the intricate relationship between our gut microbes and human physiology, revealing the metabolic capabilities of gut bacteria that play essential roles in regulating various bodily functions. Understanding the interactions between gut microbes and the human body could lead to new strategies for maintaining health and developing therapeutics for various diseases beyond malnutrition. By unraveling the mechanisms through which gut bacteria influence our physiology, researchers aim to harness these discoveries for future advancements in healthcare.