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Handling stress may confound murine gut microbiota studies
Cary R Allen-Blevins1, Xiaomeng You2, Katie Hinde3
1Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge , MA , United States.
Peerj
|January 19, 2017
Summary
Stressful experimental techniques can alter mouse gut microbiota, impacting studies on human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and infant development. Even simple handling can change microbial profiles, necessitating careful consideration in future research.
Area of Science:
- Microbiome research
- Neuroscience
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) interact with infant gut microbiota and influence behavior.
- Certain gut bacteria, like *Bifidobacterium longum* subsp. *infantis* (*B. infantis*), metabolize HMOs and are sensitive to stress.
- Early-life stress can impact both behavior and the gut microbiome, complicating research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a less-invasive method for administering HMOs to mice, avoiding the stress of oral gavage.
- To investigate the hypothesis that stress affects gut microbiota composition, particularly *B. infantis* levels.
Main Methods:
- Neonatal mice received fructooligosaccharide (FOS) solution or water via active or passive administration.
- Gut microbiota composition was analyzed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).
- Bacterial phyla including *Bifidobacterium*, *Bacteroides*, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were quantified.
Main Results:
- A significant difference in Firmicutes levels was observed between pups receiving water passively and those receiving FOS actively (p=0.009).
- Significant alterations in fecal microbiota were found between handled and non-handled mouse pups.
Conclusions:
- Handling mice for experimental purposes, even without gavage, can induce stress and alter gut microbiota profiles.
- Stress induced by experimental techniques may confound results in gut microbiota studies.
- Future research should account for potential stress effects from experimental methodologies.
