Gut Microbiota Metabolites Differentially Release Gliotransmitters from the Cultured Human Astrocytes: A Preliminary Report

Butyrate and indole-3-propionic acid represent the CNS-available gut microbiota metabolites exhibiting potentially beneficial effects on human brain function and being tested as antidepressants. Astrocytes represent one of the putative targets for the gut metabolites; however, the mechanism of action of butyrate and indole-3-propionic acid is not well understood. In order to test this mechanism, a human astrocyte cell-line culture was treated with the compounds or without them, and the supernatants were collected for the analysis of ATP and glutamate gliotransmitter release with the use of luminescent and fluorescent methods, respectively. A 10-min incubation of astrocytes with 1–5 mM butyrate increased the ATP gliotransmitter release by 78% (95%CI: 45–119%), p < 0.001. The effect was found to be mediated by the cytosolic Ca(2+) mobilization. Both 10-min and 24-h treatments with indole-3-propionic acid produced no significant effects on the release of gliotransmitters. The results for glutamate release were inconclusive due to a specific glutamate release pattern discovered in the tested model. This preliminary report of butyrate-induced ATP gliotransmitter release appears to provide a novel mechanistic explanation for the beneficial effect of this gut microbiota metabolite on brain function; however, the results require further evaluation in more composed models.