iTarmen

Acrolein has been associated with diabetes, cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurodegenerative diseases. Gut microbiota possesses the potential for acrolein production via the key enzyme glycerol/diol dehydratase PduCDE. This study aimed at estimating the contribution of gut microbiota to endogenous acrolein production depending on diet. To minimise confounding acrolein sources, we investigated the acrolein producing potential of intestinal microbiota of 20 volunteers under defined housing conditions and with standardized diet. Glycerol was present in every meal and was detectable in feces suggesting availability to intestinal microbiota. Based on metagenomic sequencing and pduC gene biomarker analysis of fecal microbiota, all volunteers showed potential for intestinal glycerol transformation; the genus Anaerobutyricum was the major contributor across donors and time. Levels of urinal biomarkers of acrolein N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl)-l-cysteine (3-HPMA) and N-acetyl-S-(carboxyethyl)-l-cysteine (CEMA) were higher after the consumption of meals with high glycerol levels suggesting immediate microbial transformation to acrolein. Only a small proportion of acrolein was recovered in urine possibly due to high compound reactivity. Donors could be separated in 3-HPMA or CEMA phenotypes based on predominance of urinal biomarkers. Our data shows that high intestinal abundance taxa using glycerol allows immediate transformation and that oral fat/glycerol take together with intestinal microbiota activity intake might temporarily increase endogenous acrolein formation.