Elaine Hsiao
@pipethero.bsky.social
microbes, guts & brains at UCLA
www.hsiao.science
www.hsiao.science
This work underscores how a single microbial metabolite can have profound effects on host neurobiology through direct access to the brain. A huge congratulations to Guli and coauthors for unraveling this pathway from the gut lumen to the hypothalamus!
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November 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM
This work underscores how a single microbial metabolite can have profound effects on host neurobiology through direct access to the brain. A huge congratulations to Guli and coauthors for unraveling this pathway from the gut lumen to the hypothalamus!
Importantly, these associations between high ImP, decreased hypothalamic activity, & maladaptive stress behaviors were reproduced in human subjects that were assessed for stress-related behavioral traits and underwent fMRI to measure hypothalamic reactivity to palatable food-related stimuli
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November 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Importantly, these associations between high ImP, decreased hypothalamic activity, & maladaptive stress behaviors were reproduced in human subjects that were assessed for stress-related behavioral traits and underwent fMRI to measure hypothalamic reactivity to palatable food-related stimuli
Instead, ImP specifically targets the hypothalamus. Guli saw decreased neuronal activation & increased GABA in the hypothalamus (but not amygdala). In primary neuronal cultures, supplementing ImP altered excitatory responses. This suggests that ImP tunes the brain's emotional circuitry directly. 🎯
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November 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Instead, ImP specifically targets the hypothalamus. Guli saw decreased neuronal activation & increased GABA in the hypothalamus (but not amygdala). In primary neuronal cultures, supplementing ImP altered excitatory responses. This suggests that ImP tunes the brain's emotional circuitry directly. 🎯
Is this due to neuroinflammation? Guli checked. Using snRNA-seq, immunostaining in the hypothalamus, and cytokine profiling, she found no evidence of ImP-induced neuroinflammation or mTOR activation. This suggests ImP acts via a different mechanism than general immune activation.
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November 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Is this due to neuroinflammation? Guli checked. Using snRNA-seq, immunostaining in the hypothalamus, and cytokine profiling, she found no evidence of ImP-induced neuroinflammation or mTOR activation. This suggests ImP acts via a different mechanism than general immune activation.
What happens when ImP levels rise? Guli saw striking alterations in hypothalamic neurons for stress & E/I balance. ImP increased anxiety-like behaviors, seizure susceptibility, & stress-induced intake of palatable food. This was also seen with high ImP from E. lenta or ImP from HFD microbiota.
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November 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM
What happens when ImP levels rise? Guli saw striking alterations in hypothalamic neurons for stress & E/I balance. ImP increased anxiety-like behaviors, seizure susceptibility, & stress-induced intake of palatable food. This was also seen with high ImP from E. lenta or ImP from HFD microbiota.
She started by looking at how gut bacteria convert histidine into ImP. Using engineered B. theta and E. lenta, she confirmed that bacteria-derived ImP doesn’t stay in the gut. It enters systemic circulation and reaches multiple brain regions, including the hypothalamus.🩸🦠
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November 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM
She started by looking at how gut bacteria convert histidine into ImP. Using engineered B. theta and E. lenta, she confirmed that bacteria-derived ImP doesn’t stay in the gut. It enters systemic circulation and reaches multiple brain regions, including the hypothalamus.🩸🦠
We were inspired by metabolomic datasets showing that ImP is seen in the brain, as well human studies finding that high levels of serum ImP are seen in metabolic diseases like T2D and obesity. This made Guli wonder whether increased microbial production of ImP can account for high serum & brain ImP.
November 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM
We were inspired by metabolomic datasets showing that ImP is seen in the brain, as well human studies finding that high levels of serum ImP are seen in metabolic diseases like T2D and obesity. This made Guli wonder whether increased microbial production of ImP can account for high serum & brain ImP.
Reposted by Elaine Hsiao
5/5 Awardee @chuchuzhang.bsky.social explores how different body states (eg, pregnancy) may change what neurons sense & how they respond. Her work may lead to new ways to address nausea associated w/ pregnancy🤰 & chemo.
🍾Congrats Dr. Zhang! @dgsomucla.bsky.social
🙏 #HFScout @pipethero.bsky.social
🍾Congrats Dr. Zhang! @dgsomucla.bsky.social
🙏 #HFScout @pipethero.bsky.social
July 17, 2025 at 6:01 PM
5/5 Awardee @chuchuzhang.bsky.social explores how different body states (eg, pregnancy) may change what neurons sense & how they respond. Her work may lead to new ways to address nausea associated w/ pregnancy🤰 & chemo.
🍾Congrats Dr. Zhang! @dgsomucla.bsky.social
🙏 #HFScout @pipethero.bsky.social
🍾Congrats Dr. Zhang! @dgsomucla.bsky.social
🙏 #HFScout @pipethero.bsky.social
Overall, this was an exciting proof of concept showing that i) a gut bacterium can be used to offset environmental risk for neurotoxicity and ii) bacterial treatment of pregnant mice has the capacity to protect the brains of their fetuses.
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May 2, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Overall, this was an exciting proof of concept showing that i) a gut bacterium can be used to offset environmental risk for neurotoxicity and ii) bacterial treatment of pregnant mice has the capacity to protect the brains of their fetuses.
To see if it reduces methylmercury to levels that are biologically meaningful, we tested it in pregnant mice. The bacterium reduced methylmercury bioaccumulation in maternal & fetal tissues, including brain, & reduced signs of toxicity in fetal brains from dams fed tuna or salmon
a robot says " if you go near this child , i will have no choice but to kill you "
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May 2, 2025 at 2:08 AM
To see if it reduces methylmercury to levels that are biologically meaningful, we tested it in pregnant mice. The bacterium reduced methylmercury bioaccumulation in maternal & fetal tissues, including brain, & reduced signs of toxicity in fetal brains from dams fed tuna or salmon
To put it to the real test, Amina got a bluefin tuna from a fish market & processed it into a fine powder. The bacterium reduced fish methylmercury when in culture & when monocolonized in mice that were fed fish-based chow. It even worked by oral gavage to conventional mice!
a man is talking to a woman and the words eliminate it are on the screen behind him
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May 2, 2025 at 2:08 AM
To put it to the real test, Amina got a bluefin tuna from a fish market & processed it into a fine powder. The bacterium reduced fish methylmercury when in culture & when monocolonized in mice that were fed fish-based chow. It even worked by oral gavage to conventional mice!
Kristie engineered the gut bacterium B. thetaiotaomicron to express enzymes that reduce methylmercury into forms that are less toxic & easily excreted, and showed the bacterium quickly reduces methylmercury in culture & in the guts of mice orally gavaged with methylmercury
a cartoon drawing of bacteria with the words party time written below them
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May 2, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Kristie engineered the gut bacterium B. thetaiotaomicron to express enzymes that reduce methylmercury into forms that are less toxic & easily excreted, and showed the bacterium quickly reduces methylmercury in culture & in the guts of mice orally gavaged with methylmercury
This made us wonder, if certain soil microbes survive by detoxifying methylmercury from their environment, could we use a microbe to detoxify methylmercury that enters the gut environment from eating mercury-containing fish?
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May 2, 2025 at 2:08 AM
This made us wonder, if certain soil microbes survive by detoxifying methylmercury from their environment, could we use a microbe to detoxify methylmercury that enters the gut environment from eating mercury-containing fish?
We were inspired by work by Fatimawali, Kepel, and Tallei at Sam Ratulangi University that found mercury-resistant soil bacteria from a polluted gold mine
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30796768/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30796768/
Potential of Organic Mercury-resistant Bacteria Isolated from Mercury Contaminated Sites for Organic Mercury Remediation - PubMed
The study suggested that there are four bacteria that have potentials to remediate organic mercury contamination sites.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
May 2, 2025 at 2:08 AM
We were inspired by work by Fatimawali, Kepel, and Tallei at Sam Ratulangi University that found mercury-resistant soil bacteria from a polluted gold mine
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30796768/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30796768/
We learned from Amina’s foundational research that levels of the neurotoxicant methylmercury are rising in fish, which poses a major issue for the billions of people iwho rely on fish as a major source of nutrition. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Climate change and overfishing increase neurotoxicant in marine predators - Nature
Overfishing and warming ocean temperature have caused an increase in methylmercury concentrations in some Atlantic predatory fish, and this trend is predicted to continue unless stronger mercury and c...
www.nature.com
May 2, 2025 at 2:08 AM
We learned from Amina’s foundational research that levels of the neurotoxicant methylmercury are rising in fish, which poses a major issue for the billions of people iwho rely on fish as a major source of nutrition. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
This all began with a chance meeting at Scialog meeting by @RCSA1—think science speed-dating with rapid seed funding- a fun and impactful way to advance new ideas. Thanks to @RCSA1 for supporting collaborative, interdisciplinary research & making this work possible! newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/red...
Designer microbe shows promise for reducing mercury absorption from seafood
UCLA and UCSD research suggests a probiotic could one day increase the benefits of eating fish.
newsroom.ucla.edu
May 2, 2025 at 2:08 AM
This all began with a chance meeting at Scialog meeting by @RCSA1—think science speed-dating with rapid seed funding- a fun and impactful way to advance new ideas. Thanks to @RCSA1 for supporting collaborative, interdisciplinary research & making this work possible! newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/red...
Lots more to do and improve, but overall, this was an exciting proof of concept showing that i) a gut bacterium can be used to offset environmental risk for neurotoxicity and ii) bacterial treatment of pregnant mice has the capacity to protect the brains of their fetuses.
a green cartoon character is giving a thumbs up sign
ALT: a green cartoon character is giving a thumbs up sign
media.tenor.com
May 2, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Lots more to do and improve, but overall, this was an exciting proof of concept showing that i) a gut bacterium can be used to offset environmental risk for neurotoxicity and ii) bacterial treatment of pregnant mice has the capacity to protect the brains of their fetuses.
To see if it reduces methylmercury to levels that are biologically meaningful, we tested it in pregnant mice. The bacterium reduced methylmercury bioaccumulation in maternal & fetal tissues, including brain, & reduced signs of toxicity in fetal brains from dams fed tuna or salmon
a robot says " if you go near this child , i will have no choice but to kill you "
ALT: a robot says " if you go near this child , i will have no choice but to kill you "
media.tenor.com
May 2, 2025 at 2:03 AM
To see if it reduces methylmercury to levels that are biologically meaningful, we tested it in pregnant mice. The bacterium reduced methylmercury bioaccumulation in maternal & fetal tissues, including brain, & reduced signs of toxicity in fetal brains from dams fed tuna or salmon
To put it to the real test, Amina got a bluefin tuna from a fish market & processed it into a fine powder. The bacterium reduced fish methylmercury when in culture & when monocolonized in mice that were fed fish-based chow. It even worked by oral gavage to conventional mice!
a man is talking to a woman and the words eliminate it are on the screen behind him
ALT: a man is talking to a woman and the words eliminate it are on the screen behind him
media.tenor.com
May 2, 2025 at 2:03 AM
To put it to the real test, Amina got a bluefin tuna from a fish market & processed it into a fine powder. The bacterium reduced fish methylmercury when in culture & when monocolonized in mice that were fed fish-based chow. It even worked by oral gavage to conventional mice!
Kristie engineered the gut bacterium B. thetaiotaomicron to express enzymes that reduce methylmercury into forms that are less toxic & easily excreted, and showed the bacterium quickly reduces methylmercury in culture & in the guts of mice orally gavaged with methylmercury
a cartoon drawing of bacteria with the words party time written below them
ALT: a cartoon drawing of bacteria with the words party time written below them
media.tenor.com
May 2, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Kristie engineered the gut bacterium B. thetaiotaomicron to express enzymes that reduce methylmercury into forms that are less toxic & easily excreted, and showed the bacterium quickly reduces methylmercury in culture & in the guts of mice orally gavaged with methylmercury