The use of an in-vitro batch fermentation (human colon) model for investigating mechanisms of TMA production from choline, l-carnitine and related precursors by the human gut microbiota

PURPOSE: Plasma trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) levels have been shown to correlate with increased risk of metabolic diseases including cardiovascular diseases. TMAO exposure predominantly occurs as a consequence of gut microbiota-dependent trimethylamine (TMA) production from dietary substrates including choline, carnitine and betaine, which is then converted to TMAO in the liver. Reducing microbial TMA production is likely to be the most effective and sustainable approach to overcoming TMAO burden in humans. Current models for studying microbial TMA production have numerous weaknesses including the cost and length of human studies, differences in TMA(O) metabolism in animal models and the risk of failing to replicate multi-enzyme/multi-strain pathways when using isolated bacterial strains. The purpose of this research was to investigate TMA production from dietary precursors in an in-vitro model of the human colon. METHODS: TMA production from choline, l-carnitine, betaine and γ-butyrobetaine was studied over 24–48 h using an in-vitro human colon model with metabolite quantification performed using LC–MS. RESULTS: Choline was metabolised via the direct choline TMA-lyase route but not the indirect choline–betaine-TMA route, conversion of l-carnitine to TMA was slower than that of choline and involves the formation of the intermediate γ-BB, whereas the Rieske-type monooxygenase/reductase pathway for l-carnitine metabolism to TMA was negligible. The rate of TMA production from precursors was choline > carnitine > betaine > γ-BB. 3,3-Dimethyl-1-butanol (DMB) had no effect on the conversion of choline to TMA. CONCLUSION: The metabolic routes for microbial TMA production in the colon model are consistent with observations from human studies. Thus, this model is suitable for studying gut microbiota metabolism of TMA and for screening potential therapeutic targets that aim to attenuate TMA production by the gut microbiota. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02653001 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov), registered 12 Jan 2016. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00394-021-02572-6.