Supplementation with Combined <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> R0052 and <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 Across Development Reveals Sex Differences in Physiological and Behavioural Effects of Western Diet in Long–Evans Rats
The gut microbiome affects various physiological and psychological processes in animals and humans, and environmental influences profoundly impact its composition. Disorders such as anxiety, obesity, and inflammation have been associated with certain microbiome compositions, which may be modulated i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/10/1527 |
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| author | Elizabeth M. Myles M. Elizabeth O’Leary Rylan Smith Chad W. MacPherson Alexandra Oprea Emma H. Melanson Thomas A. Tompkins Tara S. Perrot |
| author_facet | Elizabeth M. Myles M. Elizabeth O’Leary Rylan Smith Chad W. MacPherson Alexandra Oprea Emma H. Melanson Thomas A. Tompkins Tara S. Perrot |
| author_sort | Elizabeth M. Myles |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The gut microbiome affects various physiological and psychological processes in animals and humans, and environmental influences profoundly impact its composition. Disorders such as anxiety, obesity, and inflammation have been associated with certain microbiome compositions, which may be modulated in early life. In 62 Long–Evans rats, we characterised the effects of lifelong <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 and <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> R0052 administration—along with Western diet exposure—on later anxiety, metabolic consequences, and inflammation. We found that the probiotic formulation altered specific anxiety-like behaviours in adulthood. We further show distinct sex differences in metabolic measures. In females, probiotic treatment increased calorie intake and leptin levels without affecting body weight. In males, the probiotic seemed to mitigate the effects of Western diet on adult weight gain and calorie intake, without altering leptin levels. The greatest inflammatory response was seen in male, Western-diet-exposed, and probiotic-treated rats, which may be related to levels of specific steroid hormones in these groups. These results suggest that early-life probiotic supplementation and diet exposure can have particular implications on adult health in a sex-dependent manner, and highlight the need for further studies to examine the health outcomes of probiotic treatment in both sexes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:50:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6e4885a1527142d3be687240049da907 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:50:44Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-6e4885a1527142d3be687240049da9072023-11-20T16:05:39ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072020-10-01810152710.3390/microorganisms8101527Supplementation with Combined <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> R0052 and <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 Across Development Reveals Sex Differences in Physiological and Behavioural Effects of Western Diet in Long–Evans RatsElizabeth M. Myles0M. Elizabeth O’Leary1Rylan Smith2Chad W. MacPherson3Alexandra Oprea4Emma H. Melanson5Thomas A. Tompkins6Tara S. Perrot7Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford St., Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, CanadaDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford St., Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, CanadaDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford St., Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, CanadaRosell® Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics, 6100 Ave. Royalmount, Montreal, QC H4P 2R2, CanadaDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford St., Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, CanadaDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford St., Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, CanadaRosell® Institute for Microbiome and Probiotics, 6100 Ave. Royalmount, Montreal, QC H4P 2R2, CanadaDepartment of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford St., Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, CanadaThe gut microbiome affects various physiological and psychological processes in animals and humans, and environmental influences profoundly impact its composition. Disorders such as anxiety, obesity, and inflammation have been associated with certain microbiome compositions, which may be modulated in early life. In 62 Long–Evans rats, we characterised the effects of lifelong <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 and <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> R0052 administration—along with Western diet exposure—on later anxiety, metabolic consequences, and inflammation. We found that the probiotic formulation altered specific anxiety-like behaviours in adulthood. We further show distinct sex differences in metabolic measures. In females, probiotic treatment increased calorie intake and leptin levels without affecting body weight. In males, the probiotic seemed to mitigate the effects of Western diet on adult weight gain and calorie intake, without altering leptin levels. The greatest inflammatory response was seen in male, Western-diet-exposed, and probiotic-treated rats, which may be related to levels of specific steroid hormones in these groups. These results suggest that early-life probiotic supplementation and diet exposure can have particular implications on adult health in a sex-dependent manner, and highlight the need for further studies to examine the health outcomes of probiotic treatment in both sexes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/10/1527probioticsfood intakeleptinWestern dietanxietyinflammation |
| spellingShingle | Elizabeth M. Myles M. Elizabeth O’Leary Rylan Smith Chad W. MacPherson Alexandra Oprea Emma H. Melanson Thomas A. Tompkins Tara S. Perrot Supplementation with Combined <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> R0052 and <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 Across Development Reveals Sex Differences in Physiological and Behavioural Effects of Western Diet in Long–Evans Rats Microorganisms probiotics food intake leptin Western diet anxiety inflammation |
| title | Supplementation with Combined <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> R0052 and <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 Across Development Reveals Sex Differences in Physiological and Behavioural Effects of Western Diet in Long–Evans Rats |
| title_full | Supplementation with Combined <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> R0052 and <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 Across Development Reveals Sex Differences in Physiological and Behavioural Effects of Western Diet in Long–Evans Rats |
| title_fullStr | Supplementation with Combined <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> R0052 and <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 Across Development Reveals Sex Differences in Physiological and Behavioural Effects of Western Diet in Long–Evans Rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Supplementation with Combined <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> R0052 and <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 Across Development Reveals Sex Differences in Physiological and Behavioural Effects of Western Diet in Long–Evans Rats |
| title_short | Supplementation with Combined <i>Lactobacillus helveticus</i> R0052 and <i>Bifidobacterium longum</i> R0175 Across Development Reveals Sex Differences in Physiological and Behavioural Effects of Western Diet in Long–Evans Rats |
| title_sort | supplementation with combined i lactobacillus helveticus i r0052 and i bifidobacterium longum i r0175 across development reveals sex differences in physiological and behavioural effects of western diet in long evans rats |
| topic | probiotics food intake leptin Western diet anxiety inflammation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/10/1527 |
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