How Does Your Stomach Tell Your Brain That You are Full?

Gut microbes send signals to the brain once it is full. This signal can play a very important role in determining the amount of food consumed by a person.

The importance of gut microbes has been growing recently due to its extensive association with the key pathways of the human body. It’s role in metabolism is a well-known factor, but do you know it can also regulate the amount of food consumption.

In a recent study published in the Journal Cell Metabolism researchers have reported that gut microbes send signals to the brain once it is full. This signal can play a very important role in determining the amount of food consumed by a person.

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‘Gut microbes influence the host to stop eating and also determines the host satiety.’

Humans have about 70% of microbes in their colon. Gut microbes especially E.coli play a very important role in digestion. A team of researchers led by Dr. Serguei Fetissova at the Rouen University in France analyzed samples of protein produced by E.coli before and after a meal.

Researchers found that after a period of 20 minutes when a person eats, E.coli bacteria started to produce a set of proteins which triggered a hormone to send signals to the brain for food termination.

The protein samples were tested on mice before and after a meal. After the mice were fed for a period of 20 minutes, the scientists induced this protein into the mice which immediately triggered a hormone to send signals for the mice to stop eating.

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They found that the E.coli bacteria triggered the production of the post-meal hormones GLP-1 and PYY. ClpB, a bacterial protein mimetic of α-MSH, was upregulated in the E. coli stationary phase. This influence the host to stop eating and also determines the host satiety.

"We will continue to look into the mechanism of how that bacteria can regulate appetite, particularly in people who are obese or who suffer from binge-eating disorders. And if we find some involvement, I hope we can also treat these conditions." Fetissov said.

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Reference:Sergueï O. Fetissov, Jonathan Breton, et al. “Gut Commensal E. coli Proteins Activate Host Satiety Pathways following Nutrient-Induced Bacterial Growth,” Journal Cell Metabolism, published on November 24, 2015, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2015.10.017

Source-Medindia

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