Identification of the key excreted molecule by Lactobacillus fermentum related to host iron absorption González, Ana Gálvez Rodríguez, Natividad Martín, Jesús Reyes, Fernando Pérez-Victoria, Ignacio Domínguez-Vera, Jose M. Iron metabolims Probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus fermentum Iron supplement We have taken a vital step towards understanding why probiotic bacteria increase iron absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. We show here that Lactobacillus fermentum, one of the main probiotics of the microbiota, exhibits an extraordinary ferric-reducing activity. This activity is predominantly due to an excreted molecule: p-hydroxyphenyllactic acid (HPLA). Reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) is essential for iron absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. By reducing Fe(III), HPLA boosts Fe(II) absorption through the DMT1 channels of enterocytes. An in vitro experiment tested and confirmed this hypothesis. This discovery opens new avenues for the treatment of iron deficiency in humans, one of the most common and widespread nutritional disorders in the world. 2018-12-13T07:05:02Z 2018-12-13T07:05:02Z 2017-08-01 journal article Food Chemistry Volume 228, 2017, Pages 374-380 http://hdl.handle.net/10481/54124 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.02.008 eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ open access Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License