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Faecalibacterium prausnitzii Indicates Healthspan and Lifespan in Nonhuman Primates
Kylie Kavanagh1, Taylor Sheridan2, Ravichandra Vemuri3
1Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America; College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
Objective:
To assess the relationship between fecal Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and health resiliency.
Design:
Cohorts of nonhuman primates were evaluated prior to disease development for fecal abundances of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii.
Setting:
Radiation-induced and spontaneously arising age-induced morbidity and mortality, including high rates of Type 2 diabetes.
Participants:
Old world male and female nonhuman primates.
Measurements:
Age, weight, glycemic indices, fecal total microbial loads and specific detection Faecalibacterium prausnitzii levels as measured by whole genome sequencing or polymerase chain reaction.
Results:
Higher levels of fecal Faecalibacterium prausnitzii was observed in nonhuman primates that survived whole body irradiation, had longer lifespans, and were protected from future Type 2 diabetes diagnoses. Type 2 diabetes development further lowered Faecalibacterium prausnitzii levels. The mean effect size for differences in fecal abundance was 1.76 (95% confidence interval 0.03-3.50).
Conclusion:
The abundance of the intestinal microbial species Faecalibacterium prausnitzii appears to be a strong candidate biomarker species for a preferred microbiome that predicts superior health resiliency and associated lifespan.
