The influence of nickel on intestinal microbiota disturbances Original paper
Researched by:
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Karen Pendergrass
ID
Karen Pendergrass
Karen Pendergrass is a microbiome researcher specializing in microbiome-targeted interventions (MBTIs). She systematically analyzes scientific literature to identify microbial patterns, develop hypotheses, and validate interventions. As the founder of the Microbiome Signatures Database, she bridges microbiome research with clinical practice. In 2012, based on her own investigative research, she became the first documented case of FMT for Celiac Disease—four years before the first published case study.
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Metals
Metals
OverviewHeavy metals play a significant and multifaceted role in the pathogenicity of microbial species. Their involvement can be viewed from two primary perspectives: the toxicity of heavy metals to microbes and the exploitation of heavy metals by microbial pathogens to establish infections and evade the host immune response. Understanding these aspects is critical for both […]
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Nickel
Nickel
Bacteria regulate transition metal levels through complex mechanisms to ensure survival and adaptability, influencing both their physiology and the development of antimicrobial strategies.
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Microbes
Microbes
Microbes, short for microorganisms, are tiny living organisms that are ubiquitous in the environment, including on and inside the human body. They play a crucial role in human health and disease, functioning within complex ecosystems in various parts of the body, such as the skin, mouth, gut, and respiratory tract. The human microbiome, which is […]
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Karen Pendergrass
Researched by:
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Karen Pendergrass
ID
Karen Pendergrass
Microbiome Signatures identifies and validates condition-specific microbiome shifts and interventions to accelerate clinical translation. Our multidisciplinary team supports clinicians, researchers, and innovators in turning microbiome science into actionable medicine.
Karen Pendergrass
What was reviewed?
The paper reviewed the influence of nickel on intestinal microbiota disturbances, drawing on 59 scientific publications from the past 20 years. The analysis focused on nickel’s dual role as an essential element for microbial enzymatic reactions and a disruptor of gut microbiota, especially under conditions of excessive exposure or systemic nickel allergy syndrome (SNAS).
Who was reviewed?
The review encompassed research involving humans, animals, and microbial models. Specific attention was given to populations exposed to high levels of nickel, individuals with SNAS, and animal studies demonstrating changes in microbial communities under nickel exposure.
What were the most important findings?
Nickel acts as a cofactor for metalloenzymes like urease, hydrogenase, and [NiFe]-hydrogenase, essential for microbial survival. However, excess nickel promotes dysbiosis, characterized by reductions in beneficial taxa and increases in nickel-resistant bacteria. In humans with SNAS, the microbiota showed decreased levels of beneficial genera such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, known for their probiotic effects and urease activity, and increases in nickel-tolerant taxa, including Clostridiaceae and Bacillaceae. Similarly, animal studies indicated reduced Verrucomicrobia and Bacteroidetes while promoting Escherichia coli and Enterococcus.
Nickel exposure also leads to an increased abundance of Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroidales S24-7, and Interstinimonas, with a concurrent decline in Firmicutes, disrupting the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio, a critical marker of gut health. This imbalance contributed to systemic inflammation and altered immune responses. Moreover, nickel-reliant pathogens, such as Helicobacter pylori, which require Ni2+-dependent enzymes like urease for colonization, further highlighted nickel’s role in microbial pathogenicity. Probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus fermentum demonstrated detoxifying effects by metabolizing nickel, suggesting their therapeutic potential.
What are the greatest implications of this review?
The findings reveal that nickel exposure significantly alters gut microbial ecology, driving dysbiosis and systemic inflammation in susceptible populations. The rise of nickel-tolerant taxa, coupled with the decline of protective bacteria, underscores nickel’s role as a disruptor of gut homeostasis, contributing to conditions like obesity and SNAS. Probiotic supplementation, particularly strains capable of nickel detoxification, and dietary restrictions like a low-nickel diet, have shown promise in mitigating these effects. This review highlights the urgent need for dietary nickel regulations and further clinical studies on therapeutic interventions targeting nickel-induced microbial dysbiosis.
Nickel
Bacteria regulate transition metal levels through complex mechanisms to ensure survival and adaptability, influencing both their physiology and the development of antimicrobial strategies.
Low‑Nickel Diet (LNiD)
A low-nickel diet (LNiD) is a therapeutic dietary intervention that eliminates high-nickel foods, primarily plant-based sources such as legumes, nuts, whole grains, and cocoa, to reduce systemic nickel exposure. It is clinically validated for managing systemic nickel allergy syndrome (SNAS) and nickel-induced eczema. Its relevance is well-established in microbiome modulation, with studies demonstrating clinical benefits in conditions such as endometriosis, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and GERD.