Work

Tryptophan metabolites at the service of neuroimmune sensing of microbes

Year: 2025

Type: review

Abstract: Hosts have evolved multifaceted, intricate mechanisms to sense and respond to the microbes they coexist with, and these mechanisms play an important role in health and disease. The co-metabolism of dietary components by hosts and their microbiomes produces a myriad of signaling molecules, which are increasingly recognized in pathophysiology regulation via their engagement with the neuro-immune network. In this review, we focus on the emerging role of tryptophan (Trp) metabolites in host-microbe crosstalk through the lens of neuroimmune sensing in the gut and beyond. We highlight how Trp metabolites orchestrate the immune and neural networks to mediate the local and trans-organ effects of the microbiome. We also consider how a neuroimmunometabolic perspective could offer valuable insights into the pathogenesis of, and treatment strategies for, chronic diseases.

Source: Trends in Molecular Medicine

DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2025.10.009

Authors: Ying Wang, Jiajie Li, Zhengqi Lian, Haiping Hao, Xiao Zheng

Institutions: China Pharmaceutical University, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Tryptophan and brain disorders

Subfield: Biological Psychiatry

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $7,030