A microbe-made molecule may reverse gut damage by boosting NAD levels
Scientists at Rutgers Health have discovered a molecule produced by "good" gut bacteria that rapidly heals the intestinal lining, protecting against severe inflammatory diseases and triggering increased production of a coenzyme whose levels diminish with age.
Scientists at Rutgers Health have discovered a molecule called N-MNA, produced by beneficial gut bacteria, that rapidly repairs damaged intestinal lining and boosts NAD levels, which decline with age and are linked to aging and chronic gut disorders. Tests in mice, flies, and human cells showed that N-MNA can activate NAD, accelerating gut repair by stimulating stem cell regeneration.
Some gut bacteria produce a precursor of NAD, and N-MNA, a near twin of this precursor, can be converted back into NAD and taken up by cells. In mice with inflamed colons, those injected with N-MNA lost 5% of their body weight and recovered, while untreated animals lost 20% and died. In fruit flies with damaged guts, N-MNA increased seven-day survival from 43% to 78%.
In humans, lower N-MNA levels in stool samples were associated with higher gut inflammation markers in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. While N-MNA may be a potential therapy, its effects in humans have not been tested yet.
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