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UCSF Study Links Gut Immunity to Appetite Suppression

3/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) identify a pathway linking the gut immune response to appetite suppression during parasitic infections.
The study, published in Nature, shows tuft cells release acetylcholine in two phases.
The first phase is a short burst, followed by sustained release as the immune response escalates.
The findings suggest potential treatments for digestive disorders due to tuft cells being present in other body systems.

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Story summary

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) identify a pathway linking the gut immune response to appetite suppression during parasitic infections.
The study, published in Nature, shows tuft cells release acetylcholine in two phases.
The first phase is a short burst, followed by sustained release as the immune response escalates.
The findings suggest potential treatments for digestive disorders due to tuft cells being present in other body systems.