Cited by 500Gut microbiota and healthMicrobial Natural Products and BiosynthesisGastrointestinal motility and disorders

Commensal bacteria make GPCR ligands that mimic human signalling molecules

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Cohen, Louis J., Esterhazy, Daria, Kim, Seong-Hwan, Lemetre, Christophe, Aguilar, Rhiannon R., Gordon, Emma A., Pickard, Amanda J., Cross, Justin R. +10 more·2017·Nature

Abstract

Commensal bacteria are believed to have important roles in human health. The mechanisms by which they affect mammalian physiology remain poorly understood, but bacterial metabolites are likely to be key components of host interactions. Here we use bioinformatics and synthetic biology to mine the human microbiota for N-acyl amides that interact with G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). We found that N-acyl amide synthase genes are enriched in gastrointestinal bacteria and the lipids that they encode interact with GPCRs that regulate gastrointestinal tract physiology. Mouse and cell-based models demonstrate that commensal GPR119 agonists regulate metabolic hormones and glucose homeostasis as efficiently as human ligands, although future studies are needed to define their potential physiological role in humans. Our results suggest that chemical mimicry of eukaryotic signalling molecules may be common among commensal bacteria and that manipulation of microbiota genes encoding metabolites that elicit host cellular responses represents a possible small-molecule therapeutic modality (microbiome-biosynthetic gene therapy).

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  • Commensal bacteria are able to produce G-protein-coupled receptor agonists to regulate GI tract physiology, including metabolic hormones and glucose homeostasis.

    “Moreover, a recent paper described that commensal bacteria are able to produce G-protein-coupled receptor agonists to regulate the GI tract physiology, including metabolic hormones and glucose homeostasis [4].”
  • Microbes secrete eCBs.

    “Although microbes secrete eCBs, their role in host physiology remains unclear (255).”

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Authors
Cohen, L. J., Esterhazy, D., Kim, S.-H., Lemetre, C., Aguilar, R. R., Gordon, E. A., Pickard, A. J., Cross, J. R., Emiliano, A. B., Han, S. M., Chu, J., Vila-Farres, X., Kaplitt, J., Rogoz, A., Calle, P. Y., Hunter, C., Bitok, J. K., & Brady, S. F.
Affiliations
  • Rockefeller University (US)
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (US)
Corresponding author
Brady, Sean F.
Venue
Nature
Published
2017-08-30
Volume
549
Issue
7670
Pages
48-53
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2753100975
Cited by
500
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 44 · 2025: 47 · 2024: 60 · 2023: 53 · 2022: 52 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 64 · 2019: 62 · 2018: 55 · 2017: 18
FWCI
22.22
Type
journal article
Language
en
Update notices
erratum (2018-04-05)
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Crohn's and Colitis Foundation (370629)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (U01GM110714, R35GM122559)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (T32DK007792, K08DK109287)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
Keywords
commensal bacteria, G protein-coupled receptors, GPR119, gut microbiota metabolites, glucose homeostasis, metabolic hormones, gastrointestinal tract physiology
MeSH terms
Biological Mimicry, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Amides, Animals, Bacteria, Blood Glucose, Female, Homeostasis, Humans, Ligands, Male, Symbiosis, Signal Transduction, Gastrointestinal Tract, Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled, Mice, HEK293 Cells

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