Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40503491›Full record

ArticleJournal of inflammation research2025

Gut Microbiota and Tryptophan Metabolism as Therapeutic Targets for Spinal Cord Injury: Insights From Probiotic Treatment.

Jinwang Dong, Chen Xu, Shanshan Jin, Tao Xie, Zhengwei Xu, Dingjun Hao, Liang Dong

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of inflammation research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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  8. Effect of equine-derivedFrontiers in microbiology · 2026
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jinwang Dong *Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.ORCID 0009-0000-0245-4637
Chen Xu *Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
Shanshan Jin *Department of Rehabilitation, The second People's Hospital of Cao County of Shandong Province, Heze, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
Tao Xie *Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
Zhengwei XuDepartment of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
Dingjun HaoDepartment of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
Liang DongDepartment of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.ORCID 0000-0001-9047-8371

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Probiotics have been demonstrated to repair spinal cord injuries (SCI) by improving gut microbiota dysbiosis; however, the specific mechanisms underlying their therapeutic effects on SCI remain incompletely elucidated. Objective: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of probiotics and analyze the mechanisms of probiotic treatment for SCI through the gut-spinal cord axis. Methods: A rat model of SCI was established to evaluate the therapeutic effects of probiotics. Fecal samples were analyzed to assess gut microbiota composition and metabolite profiles, while differential gene expression in spinal cord tissue was examined. Results: Pathological assessments demonstrated that probiotic treatment facilitated structural restoration of the spinal cord tissue. Behavioral evaluations via the Basso Mouse Scale (BMS) and inclined plane tests revealed significant improvements in locomotor recovery after SCI. Metagenomic sequencing showed that probiotics enhanced gut microbiota diversity, particularly enriching the relative abundance of Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Clostridia. Metabolite profiling identified an enrichment of key tryptophan metabolites, including 3-Indoleacetonitrile, Xanthoxic acid, Serotonin, and Tryptophanol. Transcriptomic analysis identified 468 upregulated and 173 downregulated genes in spinal cord tissues. Furthermore, gut microbiota, microbial metabolites and spinal cord gene expression were integrated to construct a "gut microbiota-tryptophan metabolites-signaling pathway network" using Cytoscape v.3.10.2. This network linked 19 microbial species (17 belonging to Bacillota and Clostridia, including seven Lactobacillus species) with tryptophan metabolites and downstream signaling pathways. Among these, tryptophan metabolites activated 17 genes predominantly involved in anti-inflammatory and neuroregenerative processes. Protein-level validation confirmed the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of probiotics. Conclusion: The "Gut microbiota-tryptophan metabolites-signaling pathway network" offers novel therapeutic targets for SCI injury treatment. Probiotics exert their effects by modulating gut microbiota and enhancing tryptophan metabolism, thereby influencing multiple signaling pathways in the spinal cord that can lead to anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective outcomes.

Indexed as

Gut-Spinal Cord AxisInflammatory ResponseNeural RegenerationProbioticSpinal Cord Injurytryptophan metabolism

Identifiers

PMID40503491
PMCPMC12153968

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.