Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy induces sex-specific dysbiosis in mice

Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) is the most common cause of spinal cord impairment in elderly populations. It describes a spectrum of disorders that cause progressive spinal cord compression, neurological impairment, loss of bladder and bowel functions, and gastrointestinal dysfunction. The g...

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Main Authors: Carlos Farkas, Eduardo Retamal-Fredes, Ariel Ávila, Michael G. Fehlings, Pia M. Vidal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1229783/full
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author Carlos Farkas
Eduardo Retamal-Fredes
Ariel Ávila
Michael G. Fehlings
Michael G. Fehlings
Pia M. Vidal
author_facet Carlos Farkas
Eduardo Retamal-Fredes
Ariel Ávila
Michael G. Fehlings
Michael G. Fehlings
Pia M. Vidal
author_sort Carlos Farkas
collection DOAJ
description Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) is the most common cause of spinal cord impairment in elderly populations. It describes a spectrum of disorders that cause progressive spinal cord compression, neurological impairment, loss of bladder and bowel functions, and gastrointestinal dysfunction. The gut microbiota has been recognized as an environmental factor that can modulate both the function of the central nervous system and the immune response through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Changes in gut microbiota composition or microbiota-producing factors have been linked to the progression and development of several pathologies. However, little is known about the potential role of the gut microbiota in the pathobiology of DCM. Here, DCM was induced in C57BL/6 mice by implanting an aromatic polyether material underneath the C5-6 laminae. The extent of DCM-induced changes in microbiota composition was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing of the fecal samples. The immune cell composition was assessed using flow cytometry. To date, several bacterial members have been identified using BLAST against the largest collection of metagenome-derived genomes from the mouse gut. In both, female and males DCM caused gut dysbiosis compared to the sham group. However, dysbiosis was more pronounced in males than in females, and several bacterial members of the families Lachnospiraceae and Muribaculaceae were significantly altered in the DCM group. These changes were also associated with altered microbe-derived metabolic changes in propionate-, butyrate-, and lactate-producing bacterial members. Our results demonstrate that DCM causes dynamic changes over time in the gut microbiota, reducing the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria, and lactate-producing bacteria to a lesser extent. Genome-scale metabolic modeling using gapseq successfully identified pyruvate-to-butanoate and pyruvate-to-propionate reactions involving genes such as Buk and ACH1, respectively. These results provide a better understanding of the sex-specific molecular effects of changes in the gut microbiota on DCM pathobiology.
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spelling doaj.art-f6385fa0dbb74bacb0e03f00d7d097172023-10-20T13:11:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2023-10-011410.3389/fmicb.2023.12297831229783Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy induces sex-specific dysbiosis in miceCarlos Farkas0Eduardo Retamal-Fredes1Ariel Ávila2Michael G. Fehlings3Michael G. Fehlings4Pia M. Vidal5Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, ChileBiomedical Science Research Laboratory, Developmental Neurobiology Unit, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, ChileBiomedical Science Research Laboratory, Developmental Neurobiology Unit, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, ChileDepartment of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, CanadaSpinal Program, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, CanadaBiomedical Science Research Laboratory, Neuroimmunology and Regeneration of the Central Nervous System Unit, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, ChileDegenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) is the most common cause of spinal cord impairment in elderly populations. It describes a spectrum of disorders that cause progressive spinal cord compression, neurological impairment, loss of bladder and bowel functions, and gastrointestinal dysfunction. The gut microbiota has been recognized as an environmental factor that can modulate both the function of the central nervous system and the immune response through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Changes in gut microbiota composition or microbiota-producing factors have been linked to the progression and development of several pathologies. However, little is known about the potential role of the gut microbiota in the pathobiology of DCM. Here, DCM was induced in C57BL/6 mice by implanting an aromatic polyether material underneath the C5-6 laminae. The extent of DCM-induced changes in microbiota composition was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing of the fecal samples. The immune cell composition was assessed using flow cytometry. To date, several bacterial members have been identified using BLAST against the largest collection of metagenome-derived genomes from the mouse gut. In both, female and males DCM caused gut dysbiosis compared to the sham group. However, dysbiosis was more pronounced in males than in females, and several bacterial members of the families Lachnospiraceae and Muribaculaceae were significantly altered in the DCM group. These changes were also associated with altered microbe-derived metabolic changes in propionate-, butyrate-, and lactate-producing bacterial members. Our results demonstrate that DCM causes dynamic changes over time in the gut microbiota, reducing the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria, and lactate-producing bacteria to a lesser extent. Genome-scale metabolic modeling using gapseq successfully identified pyruvate-to-butanoate and pyruvate-to-propionate reactions involving genes such as Buk and ACH1, respectively. These results provide a better understanding of the sex-specific molecular effects of changes in the gut microbiota on DCM pathobiology.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1229783/fullDegenerative Cervical Myelopathygut dysbiosisbutyrateshort chain fatty acidsneuroinflammation
spellingShingle Carlos Farkas
Eduardo Retamal-Fredes
Ariel Ávila
Michael G. Fehlings
Michael G. Fehlings
Pia M. Vidal
Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy induces sex-specific dysbiosis in mice
Frontiers in Microbiology
Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy
gut dysbiosis
butyrate
short chain fatty acids
neuroinflammation
title Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy induces sex-specific dysbiosis in mice
title_full Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy induces sex-specific dysbiosis in mice
title_fullStr Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy induces sex-specific dysbiosis in mice
title_full_unstemmed Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy induces sex-specific dysbiosis in mice
title_short Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy induces sex-specific dysbiosis in mice
title_sort degenerative cervical myelopathy induces sex specific dysbiosis in mice
topic Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy
gut dysbiosis
butyrate
short chain fatty acids
neuroinflammation
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1229783/full
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