Gut bacterial compound worsens brain injury after stroke, study suggests
Researchers at LMU have discovered how a metabolite produced by gut bacteria can influence brain damage after stroke. Their paper is published in the journal Cell.
New research published in Cell reveals that a bacterial compound produced by gut bacteria can worsen brain injury after stroke. Scientists at LMU discovered that indole, a metabolite created by gut bacteria, influences stroke outcomes. In mice with severe stroke, indole-producing bacteria became more abundant and worsened brain damage.
Indole acts on a receptor called AHR, found in immune cells called dendritic cells. When AHR was disabled in these cells, mice were better protected against injury. This pathway may also be relevant in humans, as higher bacterial TnaA abundance, which produces indole, was linked to poorer functional outcomes in ischemic stroke patients.
However, further research is needed to determine if this mechanism occurs in patients and if targeting the gut microbiome could help improve stroke outcomes.
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