The microbiome-gut-brain axis during early life regulates the hippocampal serotonergic system in a sex-dependent manner

Typeset version

 

TY  - JOUR
  - Clarke, G,Grenham, S,Scully, P,Fitzgerald, P,Moloney, RD,Shanahan, F,Dinan, TG,Cryan, JF
  - 2013
  - June
  - Molecular Psychiatry
  - The microbiome-gut-brain axis during early life regulates the hippocampal serotonergic system in a sex-dependent manner
  - Validated
  - Altmetric: 67 ()
  - anxiety central nervous system germ-free microbiota recolonisation serotonin TRYPTOPHAN-HYDROXYLASE ISOFORM MATERNAL SEPARATION MODEL IRRITABLE-BOWEL-SYNDROME ANIMAL-MODELS DEVELOPMENTAL ROLE ANXIETY BEHAVIOR NERVOUS-SYSTEM MICE STRESS MOUSE
  - 18
  - 666
  - 673
  - Bacterial colonisation of the intestine has a major role in the post-natal development and maturation of the immune and endocrine systems. These processes are key factors underpinning central nervous system (CNS) signalling. Regulation of the microbiome-gut-brain axis is essential for maintaining homeostasis, including that of the CNS. However, there is a paucity of data pertaining to the influence of microbiome on the serotonergic system. Germ-free (GF) animals represent an effective preclinical tool to investigate such phenomena. Here we show that male GF animals have a significant elevation in the hippocampal concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, its main metabolite, compared with conventionally colonised control animals. Moreover, this alteration is sex specific in contrast with the immunological and neuroendocrine effects which are evident in both sexes. Concentrations of tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin, are increased in the plasma of male GF animals, suggesting a humoral route through which the microbiota can influence CNS serotonergic neurotransmission. Interestingly, colonisation of the GF animals post weaning is insufficient to reverse the CNS neurochemical consequences in adulthood of an absent microbiota in early life despite the peripheral availability of tryptophan being restored to baseline values. In addition, reduced anxiety in GF animals is also normalised following restoration of the intestinal microbiota. These results demonstrate that CNS neurotransmission can be profoundly disturbed by the absence of a normal gut microbiota and that this aberrant neurochemical, but not behavioural, profile is resistant to restoration of a normal gut flora in later life.
  - 10.1038/mp.2012.77
DA  - 2013/06
ER  - 
@article{V243941507,
   = {Clarke,  G and Grenham,  S and Scully,  P and Fitzgerald,  P and Moloney,  RD and Shanahan,  F and Dinan,  TG and Cryan,  JF },
   = {2013},
   = {June},
   = {Molecular Psychiatry},
   = {The microbiome-gut-brain axis during early life regulates the hippocampal serotonergic system in a sex-dependent manner},
   = {Validated},
   = {Altmetric: 67 ()},
   = {anxiety central nervous system germ-free microbiota recolonisation serotonin TRYPTOPHAN-HYDROXYLASE ISOFORM MATERNAL SEPARATION MODEL IRRITABLE-BOWEL-SYNDROME ANIMAL-MODELS DEVELOPMENTAL ROLE ANXIETY BEHAVIOR NERVOUS-SYSTEM MICE STRESS MOUSE},
   = {18},
  pages = {666--673},
   = {{Bacterial colonisation of the intestine has a major role in the post-natal development and maturation of the immune and endocrine systems. These processes are key factors underpinning central nervous system (CNS) signalling. Regulation of the microbiome-gut-brain axis is essential for maintaining homeostasis, including that of the CNS. However, there is a paucity of data pertaining to the influence of microbiome on the serotonergic system. Germ-free (GF) animals represent an effective preclinical tool to investigate such phenomena. Here we show that male GF animals have a significant elevation in the hippocampal concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, its main metabolite, compared with conventionally colonised control animals. Moreover, this alteration is sex specific in contrast with the immunological and neuroendocrine effects which are evident in both sexes. Concentrations of tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin, are increased in the plasma of male GF animals, suggesting a humoral route through which the microbiota can influence CNS serotonergic neurotransmission. Interestingly, colonisation of the GF animals post weaning is insufficient to reverse the CNS neurochemical consequences in adulthood of an absent microbiota in early life despite the peripheral availability of tryptophan being restored to baseline values. In addition, reduced anxiety in GF animals is also normalised following restoration of the intestinal microbiota. These results demonstrate that CNS neurotransmission can be profoundly disturbed by the absence of a normal gut microbiota and that this aberrant neurochemical, but not behavioural, profile is resistant to restoration of a normal gut flora in later life.}},
   = {10.1038/mp.2012.77},
  source = {IRIS}
}
AUTHORSClarke, G,Grenham, S,Scully, P,Fitzgerald, P,Moloney, RD,Shanahan, F,Dinan, TG,Cryan, JF
YEAR2013
MONTHJune
JOURNAL_CODEMolecular Psychiatry
TITLEThe microbiome-gut-brain axis during early life regulates the hippocampal serotonergic system in a sex-dependent manner
STATUSValidated
TIMES_CITEDAltmetric: 67 ()
SEARCH_KEYWORDanxiety central nervous system germ-free microbiota recolonisation serotonin TRYPTOPHAN-HYDROXYLASE ISOFORM MATERNAL SEPARATION MODEL IRRITABLE-BOWEL-SYNDROME ANIMAL-MODELS DEVELOPMENTAL ROLE ANXIETY BEHAVIOR NERVOUS-SYSTEM MICE STRESS MOUSE
VOLUME18
ISSUE
START_PAGE666
END_PAGE673
ABSTRACTBacterial colonisation of the intestine has a major role in the post-natal development and maturation of the immune and endocrine systems. These processes are key factors underpinning central nervous system (CNS) signalling. Regulation of the microbiome-gut-brain axis is essential for maintaining homeostasis, including that of the CNS. However, there is a paucity of data pertaining to the influence of microbiome on the serotonergic system. Germ-free (GF) animals represent an effective preclinical tool to investigate such phenomena. Here we show that male GF animals have a significant elevation in the hippocampal concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, its main metabolite, compared with conventionally colonised control animals. Moreover, this alteration is sex specific in contrast with the immunological and neuroendocrine effects which are evident in both sexes. Concentrations of tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin, are increased in the plasma of male GF animals, suggesting a humoral route through which the microbiota can influence CNS serotonergic neurotransmission. Interestingly, colonisation of the GF animals post weaning is insufficient to reverse the CNS neurochemical consequences in adulthood of an absent microbiota in early life despite the peripheral availability of tryptophan being restored to baseline values. In addition, reduced anxiety in GF animals is also normalised following restoration of the intestinal microbiota. These results demonstrate that CNS neurotransmission can be profoundly disturbed by the absence of a normal gut microbiota and that this aberrant neurochemical, but not behavioural, profile is resistant to restoration of a normal gut flora in later life.
PUBLISHER_LOCATION
ISBN_ISSN
EDITION
URL
DOI_LINK10.1038/mp.2012.77
FUNDING_BODY
GRANT_DETAILS