Fighting obesity: APC to commercialize new bacterial strain for metabolic and mental health

18 Dec 2020 --- A new bacterial strain could address the obesity crisis thanks to its impact on metabolism and stress. The APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre, which identified and patented Bifidobacterium longum APC1472, is now talking to “interested parties” about the commercialization of the strain.

“The findings highlight the promising potential of B. longum APC1472 to be developed as a valuable probiotic supplement to reduce blood glucose. This is important in the development of conditions such as Type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Harriet Schellekens, leader of the research and joint senior author of a study assessing the strain’s capabilities, tells NutritionInsight.

“The fact that it also reduces stress hormones – corticosterone in mice and cortisol in (obese) humans – is very exciting and suggest this strain may have applications to reduce stress.”

She believes this warrants further investigation into B. longum APC1472 and its potential use as a psychobiotic to improve mental health. “The strain could be developed as a supplement or medical food, for example.”Schellekens says the strain has potential to address metabolic and mental health.

Investigating ghrelin and cortisol effects
In an investigation set to be published in eBioMedicine, the researchers demonstrated that the B. longum APC1472 strain – previously shown to attenuate signaling of the hunger hormone ghrelin – reduces body weight gain, fat depot size, glucose tolerance and leptin levels. 

This was found to be the case in a preclinical mouse model of diet-induced obesity.

In a second part of the experiment, supplementation of B. longum APC1472 strain in a human cohort of 124 otherwise healthy overweight and obese individuals did not reduce weight. However, a reduced fasting blood glucose level was observed. 

“When we looked at only the obese individuals, the B. longum APC1472 was able to normalize active ghrelin levels and the cortisol awakening response, which are both dysregulated in obesity,” explains Schellekens.

“It has been known for a long time that stress and obesity are linked. While stress can suppress appetite in the short-term, chronic stress is known to increase cortisol, which increases appetite – hence the phrase ‘stress eating,’” she continues.The investigation used both a preclinical mouse model of obesity and a human intervention study in otherwise healthy overweight and obese individuals.  

Addressing the gut-brain axis
The findings also reinforce the concept of the link between the gut microbiome, metabolic disease and mental health, according to Professor John Cryan, joint senior author of the study.

This growing area has been the topic of a great deal of investigation recently. FrieslandCampina Ingredients has unveiled new delivery formats for its Biotis Brain Health Benefit Solutions, which use galacto-oligosaccharides to address stress and anxiety. 

In October, Aspen Farmacêutica brought the first psychobiotic for the gut-brain axis with approved health claims to the Brazilian market in partnership with Lallemand Health Solutions. Meanwhile, Fonterra offers milk phospholipids to manage the effects of stress. 

Trailblazing new kinds of research
Schellekens says the study is the first of its kind demonstrating the translation of a B. longum species from initial laboratory studies through preclinical studies to a human intervention study. 

“This strain is a great example of a success story, showing the identification of a novel strain and a putative mechanism of action using laboratory studies. Within APC, we have adopted this bug-to-drug screening platform for the identification of the most promising bacterial strains, which are then more likely to yield a positive health effect in preclinical and human studies.”

Earlier this week, APC also joined forces with ImmuCell to boost dairy productivity via animal health. 

Over the summer, it participated in a joint venture called SeqBiome, which will provide high-quality and interactive sequencing and microbiome analysis for academia and industry.

APC was also behind a study finding that Irish Travellers have a gut microbiome “strikingly” different from that of the non-Traveller settled community. This highlighted the importance of taking the ethnicity of the individual into account. 

By Katherine Durrell