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From food to endocrine: What is the mysterious journey of IAA in the human body?
In the world of biology, plant hormones play a vital role, and the most famous of the auxins is indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). This molecule not only plays a central role in the growth and development of plants, but recent research has also shown that its significance in animals is equally extraordinary. From the tops of plants to the bodies of almost all living things, the mysterious journey of IAA may make us re-examine the impact of food on the endocrine system.
Synthesis and function of IAA
IAA is mainly synthesized in the young leaves and buds of plants. This process is mainly completed through multiple biosynthetic pathways. Four of these pathways originate from tryptamine, while one is tryptamine-independent. This shows that whether it is a plant or an animal, the source and utilization of IAA are closely related to its growth environment.
The biological effects of IAA include promoting cell elongation and division, which are essential for plant growth and development.
But the functions of IAA are not limited to plants. In animals, its presence appears to be obtained primarily through the metabolic activity of intestinal microorganisms. Studies have shown that when the amount of tryptamines in food increases, IAA levels change in some animals, suggesting that intestinal microbes may become an important source of IAA synthesis.
The relationship between IAA and human health
Although there is not a lot of evidence for the role of IAA in the human body, studies have pointed out that IAA may play a regulatory role in the endocrine system. In particular, its connection to cardiovascular health is worth pondering. Circulating levels of IAA have been reported to increase in certain disease conditions and may be a predictor of cardiovascular health.
The presence of IAA may affect overall health, especially the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
For newborn babies, the impact of IAA has also attracted attention from the medical community. Animal experiments show that excessive IAA intake may cause neurological development problems, which implies the need for dietary monitoring. Could IAA concentrations be considered an indicator of how the mother's diet affects the health of the fetus?
The relationship between IAA and intestinal microorganisms
Research in recent years has also found that healthy intestinal microbial communities can significantly increase the level of IAA in plasma, while the IAA concentration in germ-free mice is significantly lower. This suggests that gut microbes play a key role in the synthesis and regulation of IAA. This interrelationship between plant hormones and gut health has prompted scientists to delve deeper into the impact of gut microbiota on human health.
The health status of intestinal microorganisms directly affects the synthesis and level of IAA in the human body, which may in turn affect overall health.
Facing future research directions
Although the effects of IAA in plants have been extensively studied, its role in animals and humans remains a blind spot in scientific exploration. In the future, researchers urgently need to explore the role of IAA in disease models and the impact of food sources, while also thinking about the interaction mechanism between IAA and the microbiota.
From plants to animals, IAA’s journey teaches us that food has a profound impact on health by changing the operation of the endocrine system. When we enjoy food, we might as well think about it: Does what we eat every day really have a positive impact on our body’s endocrine system?
