Abnormal composition of gut microbiota is associated with resilience versus susceptibility to inescapable electric stress

Abstract

Increasing evidence indicates that abnormalities in the composition of gut microbiota might play a role in stress-related disorders. In the learned helplessness (LH) paradigm, ~60–70% rats are susceptible to LH in the face of inescapable electric stress. The role of gut microbiota in susceptibility in the LH paradigm is unknown. In this study, male rats were exposed to inescapable electric stress under the LH paradigm. The compositions of gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids were assessed in fecal samples from control rats, non-LH (resilient) rats, and LH (susceptible) rats. Members of the order Lactobacillales were present at significantly higher levels in the susceptible rats than in control and resilient rats. At the family level, the number of Lactobacillaceae in the susceptible rats was significantly higher than in control and resilient rats. At the genus level, the numbers of Lactobacillus, Clostridium cluster III, and Anaerofustis in susceptible rats were significantly higher than in control and resilient rats. Levels of acetic acid and propionic acid in the feces of susceptible rats were lower than in those of control and resilient rats; however, the levels of lactic acid in the susceptible rats were higher than those of control and resilient rats. There was a positive correlation between lactic acid and Lactobacillus levels among these three groups. These findings suggest that abnormal composition of the gut microbiota, including organisms such as Lactobacillus, contributes to susceptibility versus resilience to LH in rats subjected to inescapable electric foot shock. Therefore, it appears likely that brain–gut axis plays a role in stress susceptibility in the LH paradigm.

Splenic NKG2D confers resilience versus susceptibility in mice after chronic social defeat stress: beneficial effects of (R)-ketamine

“…Multiple lines of evidence indicate that abnormal composition of gut microbiota may contribute to resilience versus susceptibility in rodents after either CSDS or inescapable electric stress [7,[49][50][51][52][53][54]. Further study of the role of braingut microbiota and spleen in stress susceptibility and resilience is also of interest (Fig.…”

A key role of the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve in the depression-like phenotype and abnormal composition of gut microbiota in mice after lipopolysaccharide administration

“…Accumulating evidence suggests that the brain-gutmicrobiota axis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of depression, as the composition of gut microbiota in patients with depression is altered compared with healthy control subjects [27][28][29] . Preclinical studies showed that abnormal composition of gut microbiota might contribute to the depression-like behaviors detected in rodents [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39] . Interestingly, it is suggested that the communication between the brain and the endogenous and exogenous microorganisms in the gut is modulated by the vagus nerve system [40][41][42][43][44][45][46] .…”

Ingestion of Lactobacillus intestinalis and Lactobacillus reuteri causes depression- and anhedonia-like phenotypes in antibiotic-treated mice via the vagus nerve

“…The brain-gut-microbiota axis plays a fundamental role in host physiology, homeostasis, development, and metabolism [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Accumulating evidence has implicated an abnormal microbiota composition in the host gastrointestinal tract in the pathogenesis of stress-related disorders such as depression [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15], and this abnormality could affect the antidepressant-like effects of certain compounds [16][17][18][19][20][21].…”