idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

Nachrichten, Termine, Experten

Grafik: idw-Logo
Science Video Project
idw-Abo

idw-News App:

AppStore

Google Play Store



Instanz:
Teilen: 
21.10.2025 10:16

New role of gut bacteria provides hope for a novel IBS treatment

Margareta G. Kubista Communication Unit
University of Gothenburg

    Research from the University of Gothenburg clarifies the complex interaction between gut bacteria and IBS. Experiments demonstrate that gut bacteria can produce the important substance serotonin. The finding may lead to new future treatments.

    IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is a common gastrointestinal disorder, more common, in women, with symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea. The cause of the disease is not clear, but the intestinal environment including the gut microbiota and serotonin appear to be important factors.

    Serotonin is best known as a neurotransmitter in the brain, but over 90 percent of the body's serotonin is produced in the gut, where it controls bowel movements via the enteric nervous system, sometimes called the "gut-brain".

    Previous research has shown that the bacteria in the gut, the gut microbiota, affects how much serotonin is produced by the host, but until now it has been unclear whether gut bacteria themselves can form biologically active serotonin.

    In the current study, published in the journal Cell Reports, the researchers have identified two bacteria that together can produce serotonin: Limosilactobacillus mucosae and Ligilactobacillus ruminis.

    When the bacteria were introduced into germ-free mice with serotonin deficiency, the levels of serotonin in the gut increased, as did the density of nerve cells in the colon. The bacteria also normalized the intestinal transit time.

    “It is incredibly fascinating how the gut bacteria can produce bioactive signaling molecules that affect health”, says Fredrik Bäckhed, Professor of molecular medicine at Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, and one of the leading authors of the study.
    New treatment options

    The researchers were also able to see that people with IBS had lower levels of one of the bacteria (L. mucosae) in their stool compared to healthy individuals, and that this bacterium also has the enzyme required for serotonin production.

    “Our results indicate that certain intestinal bacteria can produce bioactive serotonin and thus play an important role in intestinal health and open new avenues for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders such as IBS,” he says.

    “Our findings indicate that intestinal bacteria can form signaling substances such as serotonin, which may be the key to understanding how the intestine and its inhabitants can affect our brain and the behavior,” concludes Fredrik Bäckhed.

    Press Contact: Margareta G. Kubista, tel. +46 705 30 19 80, email press@sahlgrenska.gu.se


    Wissenschaftliche Ansprechpartner:

    Fredrik Bäckhed, tel. +46 702 18 23 55, email fredrik.backhed@wlab.gu.se
    Magnus Simrén, tel. +46 768 97 91 65, email magnus.simren@medicine.gu.se


    Originalpublikation:

    https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(25)01205-7


    Weitere Informationen:

    https://www.gu.se/en/news/new-role-of-gut-bacteria-provides-hope-for-a-novel-ibs...


    Bilder

    Fredrik Bäckhed and Magnus Simrén
    Fredrik Bäckhed and Magnus Simrén

    Copyright: Johan Wingborg, University of Gothenburg


    Merkmale dieser Pressemitteilung:
    Journalisten
    Medizin
    überregional
    Forschungsergebnisse, Wissenschaftliche Publikationen
    Englisch


     

    Fredrik Bäckhed and Magnus Simrén


    Zum Download

    x

    Hilfe

    Die Suche / Erweiterte Suche im idw-Archiv
    Verknüpfungen

    Sie können Suchbegriffe mit und, oder und / oder nicht verknüpfen, z. B. Philo nicht logie.

    Klammern

    Verknüpfungen können Sie mit Klammern voneinander trennen, z. B. (Philo nicht logie) oder (Psycho und logie).

    Wortgruppen

    Zusammenhängende Worte werden als Wortgruppe gesucht, wenn Sie sie in Anführungsstriche setzen, z. B. „Bundesrepublik Deutschland“.

    Auswahlkriterien

    Die Erweiterte Suche können Sie auch nutzen, ohne Suchbegriffe einzugeben. Sie orientiert sich dann an den Kriterien, die Sie ausgewählt haben (z. B. nach dem Land oder dem Sachgebiet).

    Haben Sie in einer Kategorie kein Kriterium ausgewählt, wird die gesamte Kategorie durchsucht (z.B. alle Sachgebiete oder alle Länder).