Excessive production of trimethylamine (TMA) by the gut microbiota leads to increased concentrations of TMA or trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the bloodstream, which is associated with health risks. High levels of TMAO have been linked to cardiovascular disease, inflammation and other health problems. In addition, people affected by a genetic deficiency of the liver enzyme FMO3, which oxidises TMA to TMAO, suffer from trimethylaminuria (TMAU), a rare disorder caused by mutations in the Fmo3 gene, in which the body odour resembles that of rotting fish, leading to significant discomfort and social isolation. We report here on (R)-N-fluoromethylcarnitine (FCAR), the first inhibitor of TMA production that acts without altering the microbiome and has favourable pharmacokinetic properties. We also tested FCAR in an animal model of trimethylaminuria (TMAU) using mice with a knock-out for the Fmo3 gene. We observed that FCAR reduced TMA levels in the blood and urine of these mice. No weight loss was observed in the animals, demonstrating the low toxicity of FCAR and making it a potential candidate for clinical development for the treatment of trimethylaminuria (TMAU) and other TMA-related disorders.
Cini et al. (Thu,) studied this question.