The human gut hosts a huge amount of bacteria vital for overall health. However, their imbalance increases the risk of chronic diseases like ulcerative colitis (UC).
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory condition of the large intestine. Despite advances in therapy, it remains uncontrolled in approximately 25% of cases.
Existing treatments give limited relief or carry significant risks, including immune suppression. While exploring alternative ways to restore gut health, EPFL researchers focused on the microbiome’s ability to heal the intestinal lining.
They identified a gut bacterium called ‘Clostridium scindens, which aids in healing intestinal injuries by restoring bile acid balance. The bacterium converts primary bile acids into 7α-dehydroxylated bile acids, which are key players in gut healing.
Researchers found that supplementing the gut with this bacterium could improve recovery from colonic injury.
In testing with mice with colitis, a disease that mimics UC, researchers introduced Clostridium scindens into some mice while leaving others untreated. They monitored the animals’ recovery by measuring weight loss, colon inflammation, and markers of intestinal healing.
The recovery rate was faster in mice that received Clostridium scindens. They had reduced inflammation and enhanced regeneration of the gut lining. These effects depended on TGR5, a receptor that responds to 7α-dehydroxylated bile acids, stimulating intestinal stem cell proliferation and differentiation.
On the contrary, the mice without this receptor did not benefit. This suggests that bile acid metabolism is essential for healing.
Depression linked to bowel conditions
Researchers further validated their study by analyzing patient data to determine whether similar mechanisms were at play in humans. They found that the lower levels of 7α-dehydroxylated bile acids in UC patients strongly correlated with impaired intestinal cell renewal. This reinforces the link between bile acid metabolism and intestinal healing.
Antoine Jalil, the study’s first author, said, “Our findings highlight the potential of microbiome-targeted strategies to modulate bile acid metabolism and promote gut healing.”
“By restoring natural bile acid balance through beneficial bacteria, this strategy could provide an alternative and more sustainable treatment option for UC patients. While further research is needed to explore its clinical applications, the findings highlight the therapeutic potential of microbiome-based interventions.”
Journal Reference
- Antoine Jalil, Alessia Perino, Yuan Dong, Jéromine Imbach, Colin Volet, Eduard Vico-Oton, Hadrien Demagny, Lucie Plantade, Hector Gallart-Ayala, Julijana Ivanisevic, Rizlan Bernier-Latmani, Siegfried Hapfelmeier, Kristina Schoonjans. (2025). Bile acid 7α-dehydroxylating bacteria accelerate injury-induced mucosal healing in the colon. EMBO Molecular Medicine 10 March 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s44321-025-00202-w
Source: Tech Explorist
