Our intestines stored a solution to prevent flu. Research by Unicamp, in partnership with the Pasteur Institute of Lille, in France, discovered that the molecule known as indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), present in the organ, can help fight the disease virus.
The research received support from FAPESP and was published in the journal Gut Microbes.
How the intestinal molecule that fights flu was found
- The French research team conducted the first tests on mice infected with the H3N2 flu virus.
- They identified a reduction in indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) levels during infection.
- Subsequently, a Brazilian bioinformatics technology analyzed changes in the intestinal microbiota, changes in metabolites and clinical markers of the disease.
- Based on the data, researchers identified IPA as a potential anti-flu component.
- When introducing a synthetic version of IPA into animals, in new tests, a decrease in viral load and lung inflammation was observed, confirming the researchers’ suspicions.
- The results are promising, but there is still a need to understand exactly how IPA is fighting the flu virus.
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The potential of the molecule
IPA is a molecule produced by bacteria present in the intestinal microbiota from the processing of tryptophan, an essential amino acid found in soy, wheat, corn, fish, meat and other foods. Its potential is not only in combating the flu.
Research indicates that both tryptophan and IPA play important roles in energy balance and the cardiovascular system. Scientific evidence shows the potential of these substances in preventing a variety of health conditions, such as inflammation, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, hypertension and osteoporosis.
Future clinical trials
The research team responsible for the discovery will begin clinical trials with IPA soon. A patent for this purpose has been requested in the European Union. Rezende Rodovalho, one of the study’s authors, reveals the plans for the new work.
We are evaluating the role of IPA during infection with SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, and the results so far are similar. We also want to test how it acts on bacterial infections. There are few studies showing how the intestinal microbiota acts in systemic resistance to antibiotics and this may be one way.
Rezende Rodovalho for Agência FAPESP
