Intestinal Crosstalk between Microbiota and Serotonin and its Impact on Gut Motility

The gastrointestinal tract harbours a diverse bacterial community that contributes to health and disease. A number of studies have demonstrated that the gut microbiota plays a critical role in the metabolism of serotonin.

Microbial-derived metabolites, such as bile acids and short-chain fatty acids, are reported to affect the production of serotonin which, in turn, directly or indirectly regulates gut motility. Enterochromaffin cells are important specialized endocrine cells found in the intestine, which is the major location of serotonin biosynthesis. The relationship between microbiota and gut motility are studied depended on microbial-derived metabolites and serotonin.

Both bile acids and short-chain fatty acids can modulate serotonin metabolism in hosts by affecting key intermediates of the serotonin pathway. Thus, gut motility may be regulated through microbial modifications of host serotonin biosynthesis, which continues to be evaluated as a target for functional gastrointestinal disorders.