New York: Researchers at the Max Delbruck Center have found that a bacterial metabolite in the gut regulates the heart through specific brain cells. The findings reveal a new gut-brain-heart axis and point to potential therapies for hypertension and heart failure
The findings, published in Circulation Research, reveal a new gut-brain-heart axis and point to potential therapies for hypertension and heart failure.
Hypertension and heart failure affect millions worldwide. Yet in many patients, doctors cannot fully explain why the heart becomes stiff and struggles to relax – a condition known as diastolic dysfunction.
Researchers in the lab of Dr. Suphansa Sawamiphak, Group Leader of Cardiovascular-Hematopoietic Interaction at the Max Delbrück Center, have identified a direct communication line between gut bacteria, the brain, and the heart.
Using zebrafish as a model, the team discovered that certain gut microbes produce a small molecule called indole-3 acetic acid (IAA) from the dietary amino acid tryptophan. IAA acts on neurons in the brain, which in turn, control the heart. The study was published in “Circulation Research.”
“We were surprised that a single bacterial metabolite could influence the central nervous system, the heart, and major hormonal systems at the same time,” says Bhakti Zakarauskas-Seth, lead author of the paper. “It shows that the brain can act as a central hub in gut-heart communication.”
