Propionic Acid Promotes the Virulent Phenotype of Crohn`s Disease-Associated Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli (Cell Reports)

The short chain fatty acid propionic acid is a bacterium-derived human intestinal antimicrobial and immune modulator used widely in Western food production and agriculture. Here, Ormsby et al. demonstrate that exposure to propionic acid induces virulence-associated phenotypic changes in Crohn`s disease-associated adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC).