| Propionic Acid - Propionate
Abbreviation: PA, propionate
Type: Short-chain fatty acid / microbial and metabolic signaling metabolite
Function: Propionic acid is a three-carbon short-chain fatty acid produced primarily by gut microbial fermentation of dietary carbohydrates and fiber. It is converted to propionyl-CoA and ultimately succinyl-CoA and can influence mitochondrial metabolism, gut-brain signaling, immune responses, gene expression, GLP-1 and PYY secretion, and histone deacetylase activity.
Cancer: ↕ Context-dependent. Propionate can inhibit histone deacetylases, alter tumor-cell metabolism, suppress proliferation, and promote differentiation or apoptosis in selected cancer models. However, its effects vary substantially with tumor type, concentration, metabolic state, and microbiome context.
Alzheimer's Disease: ↕ Context-dependent. Physiological SCFA signaling may support intestinal and blood-brain barrier function and regulate neuroinflammation, whereas excessive propionate has been associated with Alzheimer's disease and may contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction, excitotoxicity, altered nitrogen metabolism, and neuroinflammation. Elevated propionate has been reported in some human and experimental AD studies.
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