RT Conference Proceedings
T1 Bioelectric Signals in the Gut-Brain Connection: How Bacteria Influence Neuronal Activity
A1 Lombardo Hernández, Juan
A1 Binello, Alberto
A1 Rapetta, Ivana
A1 Leaño Hinojosa, Ariana
A1 Benítez de la Cruz, Javier
A1 García Esteban, María Teresa
A1 Murciano Cespedosa, Antonio
A1 Geuna, Stefano
A1 Cocolin, Luca
A1 Herrera Rincón, Celia
AB Bioelectric signaling-encompassing ion flows, voltage gradients, and electric fields-is fundamental notonly for excitable cells, such as neurons, but also for organism-wide processes such as development,regeneration, and cancer. Recent evidence extends the role of bioelectricity beyond eukaryoticsystems, revealing its importance in bacterial physiology and gut microbiome regulation. While it isclear that bacteria in the gut and neurons in brain communicate (the microbiota-brain-gut-axis), mostof the fundamental questions in this field are wide-open. Crucially, the community and state-of-theart work focuses almost exclusively on molecular (hormone receptors, immune cell signaling, etc.)and not – as we propose to do – on top-down, information-based approaches, which are needed tofully understand the high-level meaning behind the mechanisms.In this study, we investigated the influence of bacteria on neural bioelectric properties by analyzingtranscriptomic responses following short-term direct interactions between neurons and the probioticbacterium Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. We further examined neuronal viability, synaptic plasticity,and bioelectric profiles across different bacterial species, interaction durations, and concentrations,comparing probiotic and opportunistic strains. Our results demonstrate that neurons detect bacterialpresence in the culture medium, triggering significant transcriptomic changes related tobioelectricity, excitability, and synaptic plasticity. These responses are species-specific andmodulated by interaction conditions.Our results suggest that bioelectricity plays a key role in neuron-bacteria interactions, reveling anunderexplored interkingdom communication network. Understanding how the gut microbiomeinfluences neuronal function and identifying bacterial species and conditions that promote beneficialneural effects could open new avenues for targeted interventions and therapeutic strategies fornervous system disorders.
YR 2025
FD 2025-09
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/130830
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/130830
LA eng
DS Docta Complutense
RD 25 ene 2026