Social overcrowding impacts gut microbiota, promoting stress, inflammation, and dysglycemia

An array of chronic inflammatory diseases, including metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes, are thought to be promoted by disturbance of the intestinal microbiota. Such diseases disproportionately impact low-income communities, which are frequently afflicted by chronic stress and increased density housing. Hence, we hypothesized that overcrowded housing might promote stress, microbiota dysbiosis, inflammation, and, consequently, metabolic diseases. We tested this hypothesis in a tractable murine model of social overcrowding (SOC), in which mice were housed at twice normal density. SOC moderately impacted behavior in some widely used assays (Open Field, Elevated Plus Maze and Light/Dark tests) and resulted in a stark increase in corticosterone levels. Such indices of stress were associated with mild chronic gut inflammation, hyperglycemia, elevations in colonic cytokines, and alterations in gut microbiota composition. All of these consequences of SOC were eliminated by broad spectrum antibiotics, while some (inflammation and hyperglycemia) were transmitted by microbiota transplantation from SOC mice to germfree mice housed at normal density. Altogether, these results suggest a central role for intestinal microbiota in driving stress, inflammation, and chronic diseases that are promoted by overcrowded housing.