The bacterium Clostridium immunis, present in the human gut, demonstrated the capacity to prevent and treat obesity in mice, in an experimental study that points to a possible role for the intestinal microbiome in regulating metabolism.
An investigation identified a sugar molecule produced by the bacterium that appears to be involved in this effect. According to the team responsible for the study, this molecule could help regulate how the immune system participates in the control of metabolism.
In the experiments conducted in mice, the presence of the bacterium protected against the development of obesity. More specifically, the molecule produced by Clostridium immunis was associated with a reduction in body fat and in weight gain.
The researchers then analyzed the biological mechanism involved and found indications that the same pathway may exist in humans. This discovery raises the possibility that, in the future, the mechanism could have clinical applications in the treatment of obesity.
However, the results were obtained in animals and do not yet demonstrate that the bacterium or the molecule have the same effect in humans. Additional studies will be necessary to determine whether this mechanism can be reproduced in humans and whether it could lead to new therapeutic approaches for obesity.
