The microorganisms living in our bodies assist in digesting food and affect our overall health, though their exact role—particularly when prescription medications are involved—is not always fully understood.
Researchers have now detailed in ACS Central Science how one of the most prevalent gut bacteria reacts to tetracyclines, a widely used class of antibiotics. The bacterium releases newly identified signals that may support the host’s immune system, suppress harmful microbes, and reshape the gut microbiome.
“Previously, we demonstrated that external molecules can stimulate the production of normally ‘hidden’ metabolites in marine and soil microbes,” says Mohammad Seyedsayamdost, the study’s corresponding author. “Our aim here was to apply this approach to human gut microbes and explore their responses to FDA-approved drugs.”
How Medications can Affect Gut Bacteria
Each day, healthcare providers nationwide prescribe medications to treat a range of conditions. While these drugs can achieve their intended results, they may also affect the microbes that support our health. For instance, antibiotics often target harmful bacteria but can also disrupt beneficial gut bacteria.
Researchers have suggested that taking medications might influence microbial metabolism as well, modifying the substances bacteria produce and potentially affecting human health.
Analyzing Bacterial Responses to Drug Exposure
To investigate this, Seyedsayamdost and colleagues exposed separate cultures of the gut microbe Bacteroides dorei to hundreds of FDA-approved drugs—including antihistamines, blood pressure medications, anticancer treatments, and antibiotics—and monitored metabolic changes compared with untreated cultures.
After incubating B. dorei with and without the drugs, the team isolated and analyzed compounds secreted by the bacteria. Low-dose tetracyclines triggered microbes to produce two new compounds: doreamides and N-acyladenosines.
Both compounds stimulate human immune cells to release pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in infection defense. Doreamides triggered host antimicrobial peptides that suppressed harmful bacteria while sparing B. dorei.
Effects on Immune Function and Overall Health
The experiments revealed an additional effect of antibiotic treatment beyond simply killing microbes. Low-dose tetracyclines prompted B. dorei to produce molecules that activate immunity and trigger antimicrobial peptides, potentially altering gut microbiota.
These results provide a foundation for animal studies to investigate the potential therapeutic benefits of doreamides.
Read the original article on: Phys.Org
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