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The microbiota drives diurnal rhythms in tryptophan metabolism in the stressed gut
Long-term stress disrupts the function of the microbiota-gut-brain axis and is linked to changes in tryptophan metabolism, compromised gut barrier function, and disrupted daily rhythms. However, the effects of short-term stress on the gut and its interaction with daily physiological cycles are poorly understood. In this study by Gheorghe et al. (2024), the authors utilized germ-free and antibiotic-treated mice to investigate how microbiota-dependent fluctuations in tryptophan metabolism affect gut barrier function under normal conditions and in response to sudden stress. Metabolomic analysis of the cecum revealed that tryptophan metabolism was most affected by a 15-minute acute stressor. At the same time, shotgun metagenomics showed that many bacterial species with rhythmic activity are involved in tryptophan metabolism. The authors conclude that their results emphasize how the gastrointestinal response to acute stress varies depending on the time of day and the microbiome’s composition, with distinct changes in gut function observed in the ileum and alterations in tryptophan metabolism in the colon. [NPID: Tryptophan metabolism, microbiota-gut-brain axis, acute stress, gut function, gut permeability, circadian rhythms, gut barrier, microbial metabolites, indole metabolites]
Year: 2024
