Identification of human gut bacteria that produce bioactive serotonin and promote colonic innervation.

DOI
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
41118765
Abstract
The gut microbiota regulates host intestinal serotonin synthesis, thereby promoting the development and maintenance of the enteric nervous system, which controls bowel motility. Functional bowel disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, are associated with altered serotonin levels and gut microbiota composition. However, it is unclear if the gut microbiota can synthesize bioactive serotonin, which may affect enteric nervous system development. Here, we identify a consortium of the human gut bacteria Limosilactobacillus mucosae and Ligilactobacillus ruminis that synthesizes serotonin in vitro by decarboxylation of 5-hydroxytryptophan and elevates fecal serotonin levels, colonic neuronal density, and serotonin-immunoreactive neurons when introduced into germ-free, serotonin-deficient mice. The consortium normalizes intestinal transit time in germ-free wild-type mice, and we observe decreased fecal abundance of L. mucosae in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome. These findings suggest that specific members of the human gut microbiota synthesize bioactive serotonin that can contribute to gut health.
Date Issued
2025-10-28
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Subjects
CP: Microbiology
•
enteric nervous system
•
gut microbiota
•
irritable bowel syndrome
•
lactobacilli
•
serotonin
•
tryptophan
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Moretti, Chiara H
Grasset, Estelle
Zhu, Jiaying
Yang, Gaohua
Olofsson, Louise E
Khan, Muhammad Tanweer
Bergh, Per-Olof
Oh, Jee-Hwan
Lundqvist, Annika
van Gils, Tom
Krämer, Manuela
Olsson, Lisa M
Patel, Piyush
Mitteregger, Matthias
Monges, Daysi Espinola
Dwibedi, Chinmay
Krautkramer, Kimberly A
Koopman, Nienke
Henricsson, Marcus
Schwartz, Thue
Grompone, Gianfranco
Pijkeren, Jan-Peter van
Tremaroli, Valentina
Roos, Stefan
Simrén, Magnus
Bäckhed, Fredrik
Additional Credits
Journal
Cell Reports
Publisher
Cell Press
ISSN
2211-1247
Access(Rights)
open.access
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