Gut microbe-derived pentadecanoic acid could represent a novel health-promoter via multiple pathways

Pentadecanoic acid (C15:0, PA), an odd-chain saturated fatty acid, originates primarily from rumen microbial fermentation. It has excellent potential for promoting human health. The source of PA in the human body is mainly the consumption of seafood and dairy products. However, these foods may lead to intolerance or allergy, suggesting that it is imperative to identify new sources of PA. Recently, the human gut microbiota has shown the capacity to synthesize PA, but the gut bacteria that can generate PA remain unexplored. Additionally, although several studies have reported a favorable effect of PA on human diseases, most of the results are based on correlation analysis rather than causal exploration. Relatively few investigations have been conducted with respect to the molecular mechanism. In this review, we cover the discovery of potential PA-producing bacteria and comprehensively summarize their physiological efficacy and possible mechanisms of action. Although PA holds great promise for the treatment of a wide range of diseases, there is still a long way to go in identifying PA-producing bacteria, increasing the concentration of PA by regulating the gut microbiota, verifying the efficacy of PA in the human body, and elucidating related mechanisms.