Scientific Reports (Aug 2024)

d-Glutamate production by stressed Escherichia coli gives a clue for the hypothetical induction mechanism of the ALS disease

  • Edna Ben-Izhak Monselise,
  • Maria Vyazmensky,
  • Tali Scherf,
  • Albert Batushansky,
  • Itzhak Fishov

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-68645-8
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract In the search for the origin of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis disease (ALS), we hypothesized earlier (Monselise, 2019) that d-amino acids produced by stressed microbiome may serve as inducers of the disease development. Many examples of d-amino acid accumulation under various stress conditions were demonstrated in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. In this work, wild-type Escherichia coli, members of the digestive system, were subjected to carbon and nitrogen starvation stress. Using NMR and LC–MS techniques, we found for the first time that d-glutamate accumulated in the stressed bacteria but not in control cells. These results together with the existing knowledge, allow us to suggest a new insight into the pathway of ALS development: d-glutamate, produced by the stressed microbiome, induces neurobiochemical miscommunication setting on C1q of the complement system. Proving this insight may have great importance in preventive medicine of such MND modern-age diseases as ALS, Alzheimer, and Parkinson.

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