Aging and serum MCP-1 are associated with gut microbiome composition in a murine model

Abstract

Introduction Age is the primary risk factor for major human chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. Chronic, low-grade, systemic inflammation is associated with aging and the progression of immunosenescence. Immunosenescence may play an important role in the development of age-related chronic disease and the widely observed phenomenon of increased production of inflammatory mediators that accompany this process, referred to as “inflammaging”. While it has been demonstrated that the gut microbiome and immune system interact, the relationship between the gut microbiome and age remains to be clearly defined, particularly in the context of inflammation. The aim of the study was to clarify the associations between age, the gut microbiome, and pro-inflammatory marker serum MCP-1 in a C57BL/6 murine model. Results We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to profile the composition of fecal microbiota associated with young and aged mice. Our analysis identified an association between microbiome structure and mouse age, and revealed specific groups of taxa whose abundances stratify young and aged mice. This includes the Ruminococcaceae, Clostridiaceae, and Enterobacteriaceae. We also profiled pro-inflammatory serum MCP-1 levels of each mouse and found that aged mice exhibited elevated serum MCP-1, a phenotype consistent with inflammaging. Robust correlation tests identified several taxa whose abundance in the microbiome associates with serum MCP-1 status, indicating that they may interact with the mouse immune system. We find that taxonomically similar organisms can exhibit differing, even opposite, patterns of association with the host immune system. We also find that many of the OTUs that associate with serum MCP-1 also stratify individuals by age. Discussion Our results demonstrate that gut microbiome composition is associated with age and the pro-inflammatory marker, serum MCP-1. The correlation between age, relative abundance of specific taxa in the gut microbiome, and serum MCP-1 status in mice indicates that the gut microbiome may play a modulating role in age-related inflammatory processes. These findings warrant further investigation of taxa associated with the inflammaging phenotype and the role of gut microbiome in the health status and immune function of aged individuals.

Chemically or surgically induced thyroid dysfunction altered gut microbiota in rat models

“…Gut microbial composition were analyzed using fresh fecal samples collected at weeks 0, 4, and 7 of the experimental period (Figure 1). Individually, none of the NOR, HE, and HO groups showed intra‐group similarity in the fecal bacterial distribution patterns among these observation periods (Figure S4A) and were consistent with the previous reports 32‐34 . Moreover, Chao 1 analysis and the observed OTUs from 16S rRNA sequencing data revealed that the alpha diversity of the gut microbial community did not differ significantly among the aforementioned experimental groups at any measurement time points (weeks 0, 4, and 7; Figure S2A).…”

“…Individually, neither the SHAM nor the SHO group showed any intra‐group similarity in the fecal bacterial distribution patterns among weeks 0, 4, and 7 of the experimental period (Figure S4B), in agreement with the previous studies 32‐34 . Furthermore Chao‐1 analysis and the OTUs observed from 16S rRNA sequencing data showed that the alpha diversity of gut microbial communities did not differ significantly between SHAM and SHO groups at all time‐points of measurements (weeks 0, 4, and 7; Figure S2B).…”

The gut microbiome correlates with conspecific aggression in a small population of rescued dogs (Canis familiaris)

“…S1), indicating that descendants of this genus may have recently evolved traits that 233 contribute to their differential association with canine behavior. This observation underscores 234 prior work that indicates that the functional associations between gut bacteria and mammals may 235 rapidly evolve among bacteria (Conley et al, 2016a). 289 that closely related clades can manifest opposite patterns of association with behavior, such as 290 that of Turicibacter.…”

Anti-aging food that improves markers of health in senior dogs by modulating gut microbiota and metabolite profiles

“…An example of this is the 42 increase in the number of facultative anaerobes and a decline in the proportion of beneficial bacteria 43 associated with aging (1,2). This shift in the microbial composition leads to the accumulation of toxic 44 microbial metabolites in the body causing inflammation, oxidative stress and contributing to various 45 diseases prominent in the aging condition (3).…”