Gut & MicrobiomeGut Bacteria Drive Age-Related Anemia Through a Hidden Epigenetic Switch
Anemia becomes increasingly common with age, raising risks for heart disease, cognitive decline, and death. New research pinpoints a surprising culprit: a gut bacterium called Odoribacter splanchnicus, which multiplies with age and produces phenylacetic acid (PAA) from the amino acid phenylalanine. PAA travels to the bone marrow and triggers an unusual chemical tag on histones — the proteins that package DNA — disrupting the genetic program needed for red blood cell development. Blocking this bacterium with rifaximin, inhibiting the enzyme responsible for the histone tag, or simply restricting dietary phenylalanine all reversed aging-related anemia in mice. The findings reveal a novel gut-microbiota-to-bone-marrow signaling axis and suggest several practical strategies for treating a condition that currently lacks targeted therapies.
