Gut Microbes: A Natural Defense Against Forever Chemicals

Gut Microbes: A Natural Defense Against Forever Chemicals

Recent groundbreaking research, primarily from the University of Cambridge, has revealed that certain human gut bacteria possess the remarkable ability to absorb and eliminate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as 'forever chemicals.' These toxic compounds, linked to severe health issues, are a pervasive environmental pollutant. This discovery offers a promising natural, non-invasive defense mechanism against PFAS, potentially leading to the development of targeted probiotic treatments. A new biotech startup, Cambiotics, has been founded to commercialize these findings and develop probiotic supplements for human use.

Main Themes and Key Insights

  1. Gut Microbes as a Natural Defense Against PFAS:
  • The central finding is that specific human gut bacteria can actively absorb and eliminate PFAS from the body. This represents a significant natural defense mechanism against these pervasive toxins.
  • "Gut microbes may flush 'forever chemicals' from the body," indicating a biological solution to a widespread environmental and public health problem.
  1. Key Bacterial Species and Their Efficacy:
  • Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is identified as a "notable player in PFAS absorption."
  • Bacteroides uniformis stands out for its "particularly high absorption rates, concentrating PFAS up to 50-fold."
  • Researchers identified a total of 38 different gut bacterial strains capable of absorbing PFAS, with absorption occurring "within minutes of exposure."
  • Cambiotics has specifically identified 46-XY1 and 46-SL1 (from the Bacteroides and Streptococcus families, specifically Bacteroides uniformis and Streptococcus salivarius) as "particularly effective bacterial strains" for capturing PFAS.
  1. Mechanism of PFAS Absorption and Elimination:
  • The bacteria rapidly accumulate PFAS and "continue to function normally despite storing these toxic compounds in protective internal clusters."
  • The defense mechanism is robust: "The bacteria work harder at higher concentrations, maintaining a steady removal rate between 25% and 74% of PFAS present."
  • In vivo experiments in mice demonstrated that these "high-accumulating bacterial strains... rapidly absorbed ingested PFAS before being naturally excreted in feces." This is the "first evidence of the gut microbiome's protective role against PFAS chemicals."
  • The probiotics are designed to interrupt the reabsorption cycle of PFAS that travel from the blood and liver to the gut, "capturing the chemicals for excretion via the digestive system."
  1. Implications for Public Health and Treatment Development:
  • This research has "significant implications for public health," as current PFAS removal treatments are "invasive procedures like blood replacement or medications with substantial side effects."
  • The discovery opens the door for developing "targeted probiotics that could enhance our natural defenses against these ubiquitous pollutants," offering a "simple, effective approach to combat these pervasive environmental toxins."
  1. Commercialization and Future Outlook (Cambiotics):
  • Building on the Cambridge University research, the biotech startup Cambiotics was founded in early 2024 to "commercialize probiotic treatments that can eliminate PFAS from the human body."
  • Co-founded by Dr. Anna Lindell, Professor Kiran Patil (from the original research team), and entrepreneur Peter Holme Jensen.
  • Cambiotics is developing "precision-formulated probiotics containing specific bacterial strains that naturally bioaccumulate PFAS in the gastrointestinal tract."
  • Their "first product expected to be ready in 2026," aiming to provide a "non-invasive, natural solution to the growing PFAS contamination crisis."
  • Human trials are "still pending," but the potential is enormous.

Important Ideas/Facts

  • Researchers: Dr. Kiran Patil's team at the University of Cambridge's MRC Toxicology Unit.
  • Publication: Research published in Nature Microbiology.
  • Key Bacterial Families: Predominantly Gram-negative strains, specifically Faecalibacterium, Bacteroides (e.g., Bacteroides uniformis), and Streptococcus (e.g., Streptococcus salivarius).
  • Absorption Rate: Some strains, like Bacteroides uniformis, can concentrate PFAS "up to 50-fold."
  • Removal Efficiency: Bacteria maintain a "steady removal rate between 25% and 74% of PFAS present" even at higher concentrations.
  • Startup: Cambiotics, co-founded by Dr. Anna Lindell, Professor Kiran Patil, and Peter Holme Jensen.
  • Product Timeline: Cambiotics expects its first probiotic product by 2026.
  • Significance: Offers a natural, non-invasive alternative to current invasive PFAS removal methods.

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