Effect of OEA on gut microbiota in mice

The lipid sensor oleoylethanolamide (OEA), an endogenous high-affinity agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-a (PPAR-a) secreted in the proximal intestine, is endowed with several distinctive homeostatic properties, such as control of appetite, anti-inflammatory activity, stimulation of lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation. When administered exogenously, OEA has beneficial effects in several cognitive paradigms; therefore, in all respects, OEA can be considered a hormone of the gut-brain axis. Here we report an unexplored modulatory effect of OEA on the intestinal microbiota and immune response.