It is being investigated as a way to deliver cancer-treating drugs to tumours in patients.[3]C. sporogenes is often used as a surrogate for C. botulinum when testing the efficacy of commercial sterilisation.[4]
Clostridium sporogenes colonizes the human gastrointestinal tract, but is only present in a subset of the population; in the intestine, it uses tryptophan to synthesize indole and subsequently 3-indolepropionic acid (IPA)[5] – a type of auxin (plant hormone)[6][7] – which serves as a potent neuroprotectiveantioxidant within the human body and brain.[5][8][9][10] IPA is an even more potent scavenger of hydroxyl radicals than melatonin.[8][9][10] Similar to melatonin but unlike other antioxidants, it scavenges radicals without subsequently generating reactive and pro-oxidant intermediate compounds.[8][9][11]C. sporogenes is the only species of bacteria known to synthesize 3-indolepropionic acid in vivo at levels which are subsequently detectable in the blood stream of the host.[5][12]
^Parker, Charles Thomas; Taylor, Dorothea; Garrity, George M. (2009). Parker, Charles Thomas; Garrity, George M (eds.). "Clostridium sporogenes". US Department of Energy. doi:10.1601/nm.4021. Retrieved 5 September 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^Lu Q, Zhang L, Chen T, Lu M, Ping T, Chen G (2008). "Identification and quantitation of auxins in plants by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry". Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 22 (16): 2565–72. Bibcode:2008RCMS...22.2565L. doi:10.1002/rcm.3642. PMID18655000.
^ abcdChyan YJ, Poeggeler B, Omar RA, Chain DG, Frangione B, Ghiso J, Pappolla MA (July 1999). "Potent neuroprotective properties against the Alzheimer beta-amyloid by an endogenous melatonin-related indole structure, indole-3-propionic acid". J. Biol. Chem. 274 (31): 21937–21942. doi:10.1074/jbc.274.31.21937. PMID10419516. S2CID6630247. [Indole-3-propionic acid (IPA)] has previously been identified in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of humans, but its functions are not known. ... In kinetic competition experiments using free radical-trapping agents, the capacity of IPA to scavenge hydroxyl radicals exceeded that of melatonin, an indoleamine considered to be the most potent naturally occurring scavenger of free radicals. In contrast with other antioxidants, IPA was not converted to reactive intermediates with pro-oxidant activity.