Cherbuy C, Honvo-Houeto E, Bruneau A, Bridonneau C, Mayeur C, Duée PH, Langella P, Thomas M. Microbiota matures colonic epithelium through a coordinated induction of cell cycle-related proteins in gnotobiotic rat. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 299: G348 -G357, 2010. First published May 13, 2010; doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00384.2009.-Previous studies have suggested that intestinal microbiota modulates colonic epithelium renewal. The objective of our work was to study the effects of microbiota on colonic epithelium structure and cell cycle-related proteins by using gnotobiotic rats. Colonic crypts and amount of cell cycle-related proteins were compared between germ-free (GF), conventional (CV), and conventionalized rats by histochemistry and Western blot. Ki67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were used as surrogates for proliferative cells; p21 cip1 and p27 kip1 were markers of cell cycle arrest; anti-and proapoptotic proteins, Bcl2 and Bax, respectively, were also studied. We observed 40% increase of the crypt proliferative area 2 days after inoculation of GF rats with a complex microbiota. This recruitment of proliferative cells may account for the 30% increase of crypt depth observed between CV and GF rats. The hyperproliferative boost induced by microbiota was compensated by a fourfold increase of p21 cip1 and p27 kip1 involved in cell cycle arrest and a 30% drop of antiapoptotic Bcl2 protein while Bax was unchanged. Inductions of p21 cip1 , p27 kip1 , and PCNA protein were not paralleled by an increase of the corresponding mRNA. We also showed that p21 cip1 induction by microbiota was partially restored by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Ruminococcus gnavus, and Clostridium paraputrificum. Colonization of the colon by a complex microbiota increases the crypt depth of colon epithelium. This event takes place in conjunction with a multistep process: a hyperproliferative boost accompanied by compensatory events as induction of p21 cip1 and p27 kip1 and decrease of Bcl2.intestine; germ-free; PCNA; Bcl2; p21 cip1 ; p27 kip1 THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT of mammals is colonized by a community of microorganisms reaching levels as high as 10 11 bacteria/g of content in the colon. The intestinal microbiota includes more than 1,000 different species of bacteria belonging mainly to two divisions, the Firmicutes and the Bacteroidetes. Microbiota represents a large genomic repertoire as revealed by metagenomic approaches (12) and an efficacious organ to recover energy (33). Intestinal microbiota has coevolved with its host, exploiting mutualistic interactions (24). Thus the gut immune tolerance toward microbiota partly involves fine-tuned regulation of the transcription factor NF-B by commensal bacteria (19). Furthermore, microbiota induce expression of fucosylated cell surface glycans by mammalian gut epithelium (4, 29), which may be used as receptors for bacterial adhesins or as energy sources for the intestinal bacteria, especially in limited nutrient availability (45). Finally, our group has shown that in...