Indole from Healthy Gut Bacteria Could Shield Children from Fatty Liver Disease
University of Oklahoma researchers found that giving indole, a compound produced by beneficial gut bacteria, to pregnant and nursing mice on a high-fat, high-sugar diet significantly lowered fatty liver risk and improved metabolic health in their offspring later in life. The protective effect correlated with activation of the gut AHR signaling pathway and favorable shifts in liver lipids, including ceramides. Transferring the protected offspring’s microbiome to other mice also conferred protection, underscoring the microbiome’s central role. While human applications require more study, the work suggests early prevention of MASLD through maternal microbiome modulation.
