Multi-Platform Physiologic and Metabolic Phenotyping Reveals Microbial Toxicity (part II)
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ABSTRACT: The gut microbiota are susceptible to modulation by environmental stimuli and therefore can serve as biological sensors. Recent evidence suggests that xenobiotics can disrupt the interaction between the microbiota and host. Here, we describe an approach that combines in vitro microbial incubation (isolated cecal contents from mice), flow cytometry, and mass spectrometry- and 1H NMR-based metabolomics to evaluate xenobiotic-induced microbial toxicity. Tempol, a stabilized free radical scavenger known to remodel the microbial community structure and function in vivo, was studied to assess its direct effects on the gut microbiota. Microbiota were isolated from mouse cecum and were exposed to tempol for 4 h under strict anaerobic condition. The flow cytometry data suggested short term exposure of the microbiota to tempol is associated with disrupted membrane physiology as well as compromised metabolic activity. Mass spectrometry and NMR metabolomics revealed that tempol exposure significantly disrupted microbial metabolic activity, specifically indicated by changes in short chain fatty acids, branched chain amino acids, amino acids, nucleotides, glucose, and oligosaccharides. In addition, a mouse study with tempol (5 days gavage) showed similar microbial physiologic and metabolic changes, indicating the in vitro approach reflected in vivo conditions. Our results, through evaluation of microbial viability, physiology and metabolism, and comparison of in vitro and in vivo exposures with tempol, suggests that physiologic and metabolic phenotyping provides unique insight into gut microbiota toxicity.
ORGANISM(S): Mouse Mus Musculus
TISSUE(S): Intestine
SUBMITTER: Robert Nichols
PROVIDER: ST001008 | MetabolomicsWorkbench | Sun Jul 15 00:00:00 BST 2018
REPOSITORIES: MetabolomicsWorkbench
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