Dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids interact with select gut microbes to produce bioactive metabolites found in infant gut metabolomes
Gut microbes metabolize nutrients in infant diets, producing compounds that play roles in host health. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) are an important component of infant diets, supporting neurological development and immune regulation. Emerging evidence demonstrates that gut microbes, alongside the host, participate in the metabolism of dietary lipids, highlighting an…
Dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), interact with certain gut microbes to create bioactive metabolites in infants' guts. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) are crucial for infant diet, aiding in brain development and immune system regulation. Recent studies suggest that gut microbes, along with the host, play a role in processing dietary lipids, indicating a less explored area of LCPUFA biology.
Researchers employed alkyne-tagged EPA to examine the relationship between LCPUFAs and the gut microbiota. Using flow cytometry and metabolomics, they found gut microbes capable of interacting with EPA in the mouse ileum. Further comparative metabolomics showed EPA being converted into N-acyl amino acids, including EP-Phe and EP-Leu, attached to phenylalanine and leucine, respectively.
Ex vivo stool cultures confirmed that these metabolites were produced by gut bacteria. Analysis of lipid-relevant infant gut bacteria identified Enterococcus faecalis, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, and Clostridium bifermentans as capable of producing EP-Phe or EP-Leu. This research uncovers both new metabolites derived from diet and bacteria that produce these metabolites, underscoring the importance of considering the gut microbiome in targeted supplementation approaches.
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