Project description:To characterize the effect of microbiota on global gene expression in the distal small intestine during postnatal gut development we employed mouse models with experimental colonization by intestinal microbiota. Using microarray analysis to assess global gene expression in ileal mucosa at the critical stage of intestinal development /maturation associated with weaning, and asking how expression is affected by microbial colonization In the study presented here, preweaned and postweaned GF, SPF mouse small intestinal total RNAs were used. Also, 3-week-old gnotobiotic mouse as well as GF mouse small intestinal RNAs were used.
Project description:The interrelationships between our diets and the structure and operations of our gut microbial communities are poorly understood. A model microbial community of ten sequenced human gut bacteria was introduced into gnotobiotic mice and changes in the abundance of each species were measured in response to randomized perturbations of four defined ingredients in the host diet. From the responses, we developed a statistical model that predicted over 50% of the variation in species abundance in response to the diet perturbations and were able to identify which factors in the diet best explained the changes seen for each community member. The community’s transcriptional response was driven by the absolute abundance of each species, as diet ingredient concentrations were not associated with significant changes in the transcription of individual community members.
Project description:Impact of small molecules from different microbial gut community types on gene expression from preterm intestinal derived organoids
Project description:To characterize the effect of microbiota on global gene expression in the distal small intestine during postnatal gut development we employed mouse models with experimental colonization by intestinal microbiota. Using microarray analysis to assess global gene expression in ileal mucosa at the critical stage of intestinal development /maturation associated with weaning, and asking how expression is affected by microbial colonization
Project description:The gut microbiota impacts many aspects of host biology including immune function. One hypothesis is that microbial communities induce epigenetic changes with accompanying alterations in chromatin accessibility, providing a mechanism that allows a community to have sustained host effects even in the face of its structural or functional variation. We used ATAC-seq to define chromatin accessibility in predicted enhancer regions of intestinal αβ+ and γδ+ intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) purified from germ-free mice, their conventionally-raised (CONV-R) counterparts, and mice reared GF and then colonized with a CONV-R gut microbiota at the end of the suckling-weaning transition. Characterizing genes adjacent to traditional enhancers and super-enhancers revealed signaling networks, metabolic pathways, and enhancer-associated transcription factors affected by the microbiota. Our results support the notion that epigenetic modifications help define microbial community-affiliated functional features of host immune cell lineages.
Project description:Opioids such as morphine have many beneficial properties as analgesics, however, opioids may induce multiple adverse gastrointestinal symptoms. We have recently demonstrated that morphine treatment results in significant disruption in gut barrier function leading to increased translocation of gut commensal bacteria. However, it is unclear how opioids modulate the gut homeostasis. By using a mouse model of morphine treatment, we studied effects of morphine treatment on gut microbiome. We characterized phylogenetic profiles of gut microbes, and found a significant shift in the gut microbiome and increase of pathogenic bacteria following morphine treatment when compared to placebo. In the present study, wild type mice (C57BL/6J) were implanted with placebo, morphine pellets subcutaneously. Fecal matter were taken for bacterial 16s rDNA sequencing analysis at day 3 post treatment. A scatter plot based on an unweighted UniFrac distance matrics obtained from the sequences at OTU level with 97% similarity showed a distinct clustering of the community composition between the morphine and placebo treated groups. By using the chao1 index to evaluate alpha diversity (that is diversity within a group) and using unweighted UniFrac distance to evaluate beta diversity (that is diversity between groups, comparing microbial community based on compositional structures), we found that morphine treatment results in a significant decrease in alpha diversity and shift in fecal microbiome at day 3 post treatment compared to placebo treatment. Taxonomical analysis showed that morphine treatment results in a significant increase of potential pathogenic bacteria. Our study shed light on effects of morphine on the gut microbiome, and its role in the gut homeostasis.
Project description:Emerging knowledge shows the importance of early life events in programming the intestinal mucosal immune system and development of the intestinal barrier function. These processes depend heavily on close interactions between gut microbiota and host cells in the intestinal mucosa. In turn, development of the intestinal microbiota is largely dependent on available nutrients and substrates required for the specific microbial community structures to expand. It is currently not known what the specificities are of intestinal microbial community structures in relation to the programming of the intestinal mucosal immune system and development of the intestinal barrier function. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of a nutritional intervention on intestinal development of suckling piglets by daily oral administration of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) over a period of 12 days. At the microbiota community level a clear “bifidogenic” effect of the FOS administration was observed in colon digesta at day 14. The former, however, did not translate into significant changes of local gene expression in the colonic mucosa. In the jejunum, significant changes were observed for microbiota composition at day 14, and microbiota diversity at day 25. In addition, significant differentially expressed gene sets in mucosal tissues of jejunum were identified at both days 14 and 25 of age. At the age of 14 days, lower activity of cell cycle-related processes and a higher activity of extracellular matrix processes were observed in jejunal scrapings of piglets supplemented with FOS compared to control piglets. At day 25, lower activity of immune-related processes in jejunal tissue were seen in piglets supplemented with FOS. Histological parameters, villi height and crypt depth, were significantly different at day 25 between the experimental and control group, where piglets supplemented with FOS had higher villi and deeper crypts. We conclude that oral FOS administration during the suckling period of piglets has significant bifidogenic effects on the microbiota in the colon and on gene expression in jejunal mucosa scrapings. We hypothesize that FOS supplementation of suckling piglets results in a higher butyrate production in the colon due to the increase in bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the hindgut. We further speculate that a higher butyrate production in colonic digesta relates to changes in gene expression in the jejunum by thus far unknown mechanisms.
Project description:The mammalian gut is inhabited by a large and complex microbial community that lives in a mutualistic relationship with its host. Innate and adaptive mucosal defense mechanisms ensure a homeostatic relationship with this commensal microbiota. Secretory antibodies are generated from the active polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR)-mediated transport of IgA and IgM antibodies to the gut lumen and form the first line of adaptive immune defense of the intestinal mucosa. We probed mucosal homeostasis in pIgR knockout (KO) mice, which lack secretory antibodies. We found that in pIgR KO mice, colonic epithelial cells, the cell type most closely in contact with intestinal microbes, differentially expressed (>2-fold change) more than 200 genes compared with wild type mice, and upregulated the expression of anti-microbial peptides in a commensal-dependent manner. Detailed profiling of microbial communities based on 16S rRNA genes revealed differences in the commensal microbiota between pIgR KO and wild type mice. Furthermore, we found that pIgR KO mice showed increased susceptibility to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, and that this was driven by their conventional intestinal microbiota. In conclusion, secretory antibodies or the pIgR itself are required to maintain a stable commensal microbiota. In the absence of these humoral effector components, gut homeostasis is disturbed and the outcome of colitis significantly worsened. 4 groups: wild type mice treated with antibiotic (5 replicates), wild type mice left untreated (5 replicates), pIgR KO mice treated with antibiotic (6 replicates), and pIgR KO mice left untreated (6 replicates).
Project description:The mammalian gut is inhabited by a large and complex microbial community that lives in a mutualistic relationship with its host. Innate and adaptive mucosal defense mechanisms ensure a homeostatic relationship with this commensal microbiota. Secretory antibodies are generated from the active polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR)-mediated transport of IgA and IgM antibodies to the gut lumen and form the first line of adaptive immune defense of the intestinal mucosa. We probed mucosal homeostasis in pIgR knockout (KO) mice, which lack secretory antibodies. We found that in pIgR KO mice, colonic epithelial cells, the cell type most closely in contact with intestinal microbes, differentially expressed (>2-fold change) more than 200 genes compared with wild type mice, and upregulated the expression of anti-microbial peptides in a commensal-dependent manner. Detailed profiling of microbial communities based on 16S rRNA genes revealed differences in the commensal microbiota between pIgR KO and wild type mice. Furthermore, we found that pIgR KO mice showed increased susceptibility to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, and that this was driven by their conventional intestinal microbiota. In conclusion, secretory antibodies or the pIgR itself are required to maintain a stable commensal microbiota. In the absence of these humoral effector components, gut homeostasis is disturbed and the outcome of colitis significantly worsened.