Gut probiotics to lower high blood phenylalanine in inherited metabolic disorders
Microbiota-based probiotics to treat inborn errors in metabolism
Natural gut bacteria are being used to lower high blood phenylalanine in people with phenylketonuria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261166 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks for natural gut bacteria that can break down phenylalanine, the amino acid that builds up in phenylketonuria. Researchers will search bacterial genomes and measure gene activity and metabolites to identify pathways that consume phenylalanine. Promising microbes will be tested by introducing them into germ-free mice that model phenylketonuria to see whether blood phenylalanine levels fall. The longer-term aim is to develop probiotic strains that could one day be given to people to help control harmful blood amino acids.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with phenylketonuria or related inborn errors causing elevated blood phenylalanine would be the primary candidates for this approach.
Not a fit: People without amino-acid metabolic disorders or whose condition cannot be managed by microbial breakdown of the problematic metabolite are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to probiotic treatments that lower blood phenylalanine and reduce complications of phenylketonuria and similar inborn errors of metabolism.
How similar studies have performed: Engineered bacteria have shown promise in preclinical and some early clinical work for lowering toxic metabolites, but using native, non-genetically modified gut strains for PKU is a newer strategy.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dodd, Dylan — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Dodd, Dylan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.