Journal
FOOD CHEMISTRY
Volume 228, Issue -, Pages 374-380Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.02.008
Keywords
Iron metabolism; Probiotic bacteria; Lactobacillus fermentum; Iron supplement
Funding
- MINECO [PCT-010000-2010-4, INP-2011-0016-PCT-010000-ACT6]
- FEDER [CTQ2015-64538-R]
- Biosearch S.A.
Ask authors/readers for more resources
We have taken a vital step towards understanding why probiotic bacteria increase iron absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. We show here that Lactobacillus fermentum, one of the main probiotics of the microbiota, exhibits an extraordinary ferric-reducing activity. This activity is predominantly due to an excreted molecule: p-hydroxyphenyllactic acid (HPLA). Reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) is essential for iron absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. By reducing Fe(III), HPLA boosts Fe(II) absorption through the DMT1 channels of enterocytes. An in vitro experiment tested and confirmed this hypothesis. This discovery opens new avenues for the treatment of iron deficiency in humans, one of the most common and widespread nutritional disorders in the world. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available