Probiotic Metabolite Aids Gut Health, HIV Treatment
Researchers at UC Davis have discovered that a metabolite produced by gut bacteria can help repair gut damage in HIV patients. This finding could improve the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy and enhance long-term health outcomes.
Why it matters
This discovery offers a potential new therapeutic approach to managing the chronic health complications associated with HIV/AIDS.
Scientists at the UC Davis School of Medicine have identified a naturally occurring metabolite that repairs gut damage caused by HIV infection and significantly improves the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the nonhuman primate model of HIV/AIDS.
The biotherapeutic metabolite, 10-hydroxystearic acid (10-HSA), is produced by the beneficial gut bacterium Lactiplantibacillus plantarum . L. plantarum is a common lactic acid bacterium found in many over-the-counter probiotics and fermented foods. It also occurs naturally in the human gut.
The findings were published in Nature Microbiology .
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