AI Summary
The article discusses a recent study published in Science Immunology that found that unique bacteria colonize the gut shortly after birth and produce serotonin. These bacteria down-regulate monoamine oxidase A (MOA) to limit serotonin breakdown, promoting immune tolerance in early life. The study highlights the crucial role of neonatal gut bacteria in immune system development and the establishment of immune tolerance against gut commensal bacteria, environmental, and dietary antigens. Serotonin produced by gut bacteria influences gut motility, mood regulation, and platelet function, emphasizing the importance of understanding the cross-talk between serotonin and gut immune cells.
A recent Science Immunology study revealed that neonatal gut bacteria produce serotonin and down-regulate monoamine oxidase A (MOA) to limit serotonin breakdown, thereby promoting immune tolerance.
Study: Gut bacteria–derived serotonin promotes immune tolerance in early life. Image Credit: Tatiana Shepeleva/Shutterstock.com Background
Bacterial colonization in the neonatal gut plays a crucial role in the development of the immune system and intestinal maturation. In comparison to the adult gut, the neonatal gut is composed of high levels of sugars and milk oligosaccharides. Children with asthma, food allergies, and neurodevelopmental defects experience altered gut microbiotas and metabolomes.
Early life is a crucial phase in establishing immune tolerance against gut commensal bacteria, as well as environmental and dietary antigens. It is imperative to understand whether the neonatal metabolome influences the development of immune tolerance in early life.
The human gut is a major site of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are produced by epithelial enterochromaffin cells (ECs). These neurotransmitters influence the enteric and central nervous systems (CNSs). Recent studies have shown that the absence of critical gut bacteria is associated with the altered availability of neurotransmitters for neuronal signaling. These studies have also shown that gut bacteria are a significant regulator of neuroinflammation that governs the incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) plays an important role in the regulation of gut motility, mood regulation, and platelet function. It is important to understand whether a cross-talk between serotonin and gut immune cells occurs.
About the study
The current study investigated