How the gut and liver hibernate.

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Microbiology
• Comparative Biology

Background:

• Hibernation involves profound physiological adaptations for survival during winter.
• The gastrointestinal tract undergoes significant remodeling during the transition to hibernation.
• Understanding these changes is crucial for insights into metabolic regulation and stress resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize knowledge on hibernation-related remodeling in the thirteen-lined ground squirrel's gastrointestinal tract.
• To explore alterations in intestinal and hepatic physiology and gut microbiota during hibernation.
• To identify potential therapeutic applications from hibernation-induced stress tolerance.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of existing research on hibernation in thirteen-lined ground squirrels.
• Analysis of studies on intestinal epithelial, immune, and cell survival pathways.
• Examination of research on lipid metabolism, cholesterol dynamics, and gut microbiota composition and function.

Main Results:

• Hibernation induces protective changes in intestinal pathways, aiding adaptation to fasting and fluctuating nutrient/oxygen delivery.
• Fasting during hibernation alters lipid metabolism and cholesterol dynamics, involving both the gut and liver.
• Hibernation impacts gut microbiota composition, diversity, and metabolite production, potentially influencing host traits.
• The hibernation phenotype confers resistance to ischemia-reperfusion injury in the gut and liver.

Conclusions:

• Hibernation involves significant gastrointestinal plasticity, contributing to enhanced stress tolerance.
• Hibernators serve as valuable models for studying physiological resilience and potential therapeutic strategies.
• Further research into hibernation biology can offer solutions to human health problems related to metabolic stress and organ injury.