Author: Aldiyarbek Nurlan
Tursunova Balkadisha
Editor: Akhmetova Aigerim
There is currently no cure for fish smell syndrome, a condition that causes an unpleasant fish smell.
The cause of fish smell syndrome is when an enzyme pathway in the gut called CntA / B produces TMA, this occurs when the enzyme breaks down a TMA precursor called L-carnitine, which is found in dairy products, fish, and meat. If a person lacks a functional liver enzyme called FMO3, they cannot break down TMA to an odorless chemical form, TMAO (trimethylamine oxide). TMA then accumulates in the body and enters the body's fluids.
CntA / B is a notoriously difficult enzyme to study, but once it was stabilized, Professor Yin Chen's research team was able to get an idea of how CntA perceives its substrate L-carnitine, using a three-dimensional model of the crystal structure and studying everything by electron transfer, they were able to see how the protein can wrap TMA.
Now that it is clear exactly how TMA is produced in the gut and that this enzyme can be inhibited, there is reason for further research into the future discovery of drugs targeting the TMA-producing enzyme in the human gut.
Lead researcher, Dr Moussa Quareshi from the University of Warwick's School of natural Sciences, comments: "We have identified new drug inhibitors that can inhibit CntA function and therefore TMA formation with the potential to weaken TMA formation in the gut. the microbiome. This is vital not only for people with fish smell syndrome, but also because TMA can accelerate the development of atherosclerosis and heart disease, so the urgency of medication is very important."
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201123112453.htm
