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Using corticosteroids to reshape the gut microbiome: implications for inflammatory bowel diseases
Edmond Y Huang1, Takuya Inoue, Vanessa A Leone
1*Department of Medicine, Knapp Center for Biomedical Discovery, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; †2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Medical College, Takatsuki, Japan; ‡Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; §Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois; ‖Biosciences Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois; ¶Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; **Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts; and ††College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Glucocorticoid treatment alters gut microbiota, reducing colonic Muc2 expression. These microbial shifts, particularly in Muc2-knockout mice, influence inflammation, but dexamethasone-treated microbiota can ameliorate inflammatory symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Commensal gut microbiota significantly influence host metabolic and inflammatory conditions.
- Pharmacological modulation of intestinal microbiota presents a potential therapeutic strategy.
- Understanding glucocorticoid effects on gut microbes is crucial for host health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate glucocorticoid-induced changes in gut microbiota.
- To determine the impact of these alterations on host mucin regulation.
- To assess the role of gut microbiota in glucocorticoid-mediated colonic inflammation.
Main Methods:
- Adult male C57Bl/6 mice (wild-type, Muc2-heterozygote, Muc2-knockout) were treated with dexamethasone for 4 weeks.
- Gut microbiota composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
- Mucin gene expression and host inflammatory responses were evaluated; germ-free mice were conventionalized to assess microbial function.
Main Results:
- Dexamethasone induced significant shifts in gut microbiota composition in wild-type mice.
- A notable downregulation of colonic Muc2 gene expression was observed post-treatment.
- Muc2-knockout mice exhibited a proinflammatory gut microbial environment, with transferable colitogenic potential; dexamethasone-pretreated microbiota ameliorated inflammation.
Conclusions:
- Commensal gut bacteria are key mediators of glucocorticoid's anti-inflammatory effects in the colon.
- Intestinal microbes function as a 'microbial organ' vital for host physiology.
- Targeting the gut microbiota offers a therapeutic approach to restore intestinal homeostasis.
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