According to a study, IPA, a molecule found in the gut, has the potential to decrease influenza virus viral activity and inflammation in mice, with human trials being the next step towards confirming this.
Researchers at the State University of Campinas in Brazil and the Pasteur Institute in Lille, France, discovered that mice exposed to influenza virus suffered a significant reduction in both viral load and inflammation after being given a specific substance.
A study conducted by scientists from UNICOM PAI in So Paulo, Brazil, and Pasteur Institut in Lille, France, has published in the Gut Microbes journal, indicating that a molecule found in the gut can both prevent and cure influenza.
IPA, a molecule that has been shown to decrease in levels in mice when in zusätzliche IPA has been introduced by the influenza virus H3N2 infection in experiments.
The addition of a synthetic version of the molecule to the IPA of the infected animals caused a decrease in viral load and lung inflammation.
The results indicate that IPA could be used to prevent or treat infections caused by the influenza virus in the future. However, Marco Vinolo, a professor at UNICAMP's Institute of Biology, noted that additional research is necessary to confirm the findings in humans and gain a better understanding of the mechanism of action.
The research was conducted for a project sponsored by FAPESP, which focuses on NJ oxidation and inflammation, and Vinolo is the lead investigator. The project investigates the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the interaction between microbiota and host cells during inflammation.
François Trottein led several experiments with mice in France and then processed the data using bioinformatics tools at UNICAMP, which ultimately led to the results influencing subsequent animal experiments at Pasteur.
The study used three layers of data, with metagenomics as the primary method, to analyze the gut microbiota and identify the bacteria that experienced changes after 7 and 14 days of infection. The analysis uncovered the most prevalent genes and their functions, along with the DNA.
Metab votes were used to extract other data layers, such as metabolites generated by the intestinal microbiota and clinical markers such as viral load and inflammation.
Through a combination of analyses of datasets, a network of connections was established that highlighted IPA as a crucial factor. Subsequent experiments, supplemented with a synthetic version of the molecule synthesized in the lab, revealed that IPA supplementation lowered both viral load and inflammation in animals, highlighting its potential as a valuable target for microbiome-based therapies to combat influenza.
IPA is a by-product of gut bacterial metabolism; tryptophan is a key amino acid found in whole grains, soybeans, wheat, corn, barley, rye, oats, sunflower seeds, fish, beef, pork, poultry and dairy products.
Additional studies conducted by other organizations have demonstrated that IPA supplementation can help with metabolic disorders by controlling blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and inhibiting the synthesis of fats and the release of inflammatory molecules and mediators in the liver.
Further studies have revealed the role of tryptophan and associated in steroid hormones (IPA) in energy balance and the cardiovascular system, and how these substances may help prevent inflammation, obesity, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, neurodegenerative diseases, and osteoporosis.
The European Union has been granted a patent by the researchers for IPA supplementation, as it can serve as a means of preventing and fighting flu. The researchers plan to conduct additional clinical trials in the future.
During an infection by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, IPA's role is being investigated, and the results are similar, as is its function during bacterial infections.
The scientific approach of systematic sequencing and systemic targeted metabolomics reveals indole-3-propionic acid as a protective microbial defense against influenza infection.
Patrcia Brito Rodrigues, a co-author, was given a PhD scholarship through FAPESP and was also given a research internship at Pasteur-Lille.