Probiotics, commonly referred to as “good bacteria”, exist in the human digestive tract to help maintain a healthy digestive system by keeping harmful bacteria at bay. Of the 400 types of probiotics that exist naturally in the human body, most have been shown to prevent diarrhea, gas and cramping due to antibiotic use. Others have been studied for the treatment of stomach and intestine diseases including colon cancer and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Vanderbilt University researchers have discovered that a genetic variant of the Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacterium can produce a compound in the gut that prevents negative consequences associated with a high-fat diet in mice. A genetically modified strain of E. coli Nissle 1917 has been shown to prevent wait gain and insulin resistance through the production of N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE). NAPE is a hormone released by the small intestine into the bloodstream when metabolizing fat. Research has previously suggested lower concentrations of NAPE in individuals with high-fat diets.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation tested the effect of the modified bacteria on the food intake, adiposity (body fat) and hepatosteatosis (fatty liver), as compared to mice who were given the control bacteria. Results showed decreased food intake, adiposity and hepatosteatosis in mice receiving the modified E. coli, lasting for at least four weeks. The mice in the modified E. coli group were also shown to be healthier than the control mice after 12 weeks.

“NAPE seemed like a great compound to try — since it’s something that the host normally produces,” said senior investigator Sean Davies, Ph.D., assistant professor of Pharmacology. “Of course it’s hard to speculate from mouse to human,” Davies noted . “But essentially we’ve prevented most of the negative consequences of obesity in mice, even though they’re eating a high-fat diet.”

The next step will be to receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to pursue human clinical trials. Approval is highly dependent on the implementation of additional safety and ethical measures.