title: Archaebiotics: proposed therapeutic use of archaea to prevent trimethylaminuria and cardiovascular disease.
abstract: Trimethylamine (TMA) is produced by gut bacteria from dietary ingredients. In individuals with a hereditary defect in flavin-containing monooxygenase 3, bacterial TMA production is believed to contribute to the symptoms of trimethylaminuria (TMAU; fish-odor syndrome). Intestinal microbiota TMA metabolism may also modulate atherosclerosis risk by affecting trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) production levels. We propose that reducing TMA formation in the gut by converting it to an inert molecule could be used to prevent or limit these human diseases, while avoiding the major drawbacks of other clinical interventions. Reducing TMA levels by microbiological interventions could also be helpful in some vaginoses. Particular members of a recently discovered group of methanogens, that are variably present in the human gut, are unusual in being apparently restricted to utilizing only methyl compounds including TMA as substrates. We confirmed experimentally that one of these strains tested, Methanomassiliicoccus luminyensis B10, is able to deplete TMA, by reducing it with H 2 for methanogenesis. We therefore suggest that members of this archaeal lineage could be used as treatments for metabolic disorders.
authors.affiliation: EA 4678 CIDAM; Clermont Université; Université d'Auvergne; Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Brugère
authors.affiliation: EA 4678 CIDAM; Clermont Université; Université d'Auvergne; Clermont-Ferrand, France; Department of Microbiology and Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre; University College Cork; Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borrel
authors.affiliation: EA 4678 CIDAM; Clermont Université; Université d'Auvergne; Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gaci
authors.affiliation: EA 4678 CIDAM; Clermont Université; Université d'Auvergne; Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tottey
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre; University College Cork; Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: O'Toole
authors.affiliation: Clermont Université; Université d'Auvergne - INRA; UMR 1019 UNH; Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malpuech-Brugère
mesh_terms: D001105:Archaea / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008661:Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008744:Methylamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D064307:Microbiota; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D008744:Methylamines; C023336:trimethylamine
keywords: L-carnitine; Methanomassiliicoccusspp; TMA; TMAO; archaebiotics; cardiovascular disease (CVD); choline; thermoplasmata-related methanogens; trimethylaminuria (TMAU); vaginosis