Nature: gut bacteria help gut muscles contract

February 7, 2020 / BIOON / -- according to the latest research published in the journal Nature, microorganisms in the gut support healthy digestion by helping nerve cells in the gut regulate the contraction and relaxation of the colonic muscle wall The contraction and expansion of intestinal muscles, that is, the process of "intestinal peristalsis", is the premise of digestion of food Previous studies have shown that intestinal peristalsis is strictly regulated by local neural networks, while this study found that contraction and relaxation of muscles in the colon are affected by intestinal flora In the presence of certain microorganisms, the gut nerves activate a gene called AHR, which leads to normal colonic peristalsis In the case of intestinal diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), this regulatory process may be disrupted (image source: www Pixabay Com) Yuuki obata, the lead author of the study, said: "there is a clear link between the presence of microorganisms in the colon and the peristalsis speed of the intestine If this relationship is abnormal, it may cause considerable harm " There are trillions of microbes in the healthy intestine, which help to digest food and promote the health of intestinal tissues, such as coeliac epithelium and a large number of immune cells and nerve cells in the intestinal wall The levels and types of microorganisms in the gut vary from person to person and are influenced by diet and commonly used drugs such as antibiotics The disruption of this homeostasis often leads to the abnormal contraction of the intestine Based on this study, we can better understand how nerve cells sense microbes in the gut and how they coordinate with other intestinal tissues "The phenomenon of intestinal motility disorder is very common, such as after surgery or irritable bowel syndrome, which will bring a lot of pain to patients This work illustrates the role of microbiota in regulating intestinal peristalsis, "explained Andrew MacPherson, Professor of medicine and director of gastroenterology at the University of Berne hospital In the future, it may be possible to reduce the symptoms of intestinal peristalsis by taking microbial products that change the activity of AHR in nerve cells " Source of information: gutbattery help control health muscle contract in the colony original source: national programming by microbiology regulations internal physiology, nature (2020) Doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-1975-8, https://nature.com/articles/s41586-020-1975-8