1
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Ganz J, Ratcliffe EM. Who's talking to whom: microbiome-enteric nervous system interactions in early life. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2023; 324:G196-G206. [PMID: 36625480 PMCID: PMC9988524 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00166.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is the intrinsic nervous system of the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and regulates important GI functions, including motility, nutrient uptake, and immune response. The development of the ENS begins during early organogenesis and continues to develop once feeding begins, with ongoing plasticity into adulthood. There has been increasing recognition that the intestinal microbiota and ENS interact during critical periods, with implications for normal development and potential disease pathogenesis. In this review, we focus on insights from mouse and zebrafish model systems to compare and contrast how each model can serve in elucidating the bidirectional communication between the ENS and the microbiome. At the end of this review, we further outline implications for human disease and highlight research innovations that can lead the field forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ganz
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States
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2
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Rea V, Bell I, Ball T, Van Raay T. Gut-derived metabolites influence neurodevelopmental gene expression and Wnt signaling events in a germ-free zebrafish model. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:132. [PMID: 35996200 PMCID: PMC9396910 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01302-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Small molecule metabolites produced by the microbiome are known to be neuroactive and are capable of directly impacting the brain and central nervous system, yet there is little data on the contribution of these metabolites to the earliest stages of neural development and neural gene expression. Here, we explore the impact of deriving zebrafish embryos in the absence of microbes on early neural development as well as investigate whether any potential changes can be rescued with treatment of metabolites derived from the zebrafish gut microbiota. RESULTS Overall, we did not observe any gross morphological changes between treatments but did observe a significant decrease in neural gene expression in embryos raised germ-free, which was rescued with the addition of zebrafish metabolites. Specifically, we identified 354 genes significantly downregulated in germ-free embryos compared to conventionally raised embryos via RNA-Seq analysis. Of these, 42 were rescued with a single treatment of zebrafish gut-derived metabolites to germ-free embryos. Gene ontology analysis revealed that these genes are involved in prominent neurodevelopmental pathways including transcriptional regulation and Wnt signaling. Consistent with the ontology analysis, we found alterations in the development of Wnt dependent events which was rescued in the germ-free embryos treated with metabolites. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that gut-derived metabolites are in part responsible for regulating critical signaling pathways in the brain, especially during neural development. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Rea
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Ian Bell
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Taylor Ball
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Terence Van Raay
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada.
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3
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Patrono E, Svoboda J, Stuchlík A. Schizophrenia, the gut microbiota, and new opportunities from optogenetic manipulations of the gut-brain axis. Behav Brain Funct 2021; 17:7. [PMID: 34158061 PMCID: PMC8218443 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-021-00180-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia research arose in the twentieth century and is currently rapidly developing, focusing on many parallel research pathways and evaluating various concepts of disease etiology. Today, we have relatively good knowledge about the generation of positive and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. However, the neural basis and pathophysiology of schizophrenia, especially cognitive symptoms, are still poorly understood. Finding new methods to uncover the physiological basis of the mental inabilities related to schizophrenia is an urgent task for modern neuroscience because of the lack of specific therapies for cognitive deficits in the disease. Researchers have begun investigating functional crosstalk between NMDARs and GABAergic neurons associated with schizophrenia at different resolutions. In another direction, the gut microbiota is getting increasing interest from neuroscientists. Recent findings have highlighted the role of a gut-brain axis, with the gut microbiota playing a crucial role in several psychopathologies, including schizophrenia and autism. There have also been investigations into potential therapies aimed at normalizing altered microbiota signaling to the enteric nervous system (ENS) and the central nervous system (CNS). Probiotics diets and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) are currently the most common therapies. Interestingly, in rodent models of binge feeding, optogenetic applications have been shown to affect gut colony sensitivity, thus increasing colonic transit. Here, we review recent findings on the gut microbiota–schizophrenia relationship using in vivo optogenetics. Moreover, we evaluate if manipulating actors in either the brain or the gut might improve potential treatment research. Such research and techniques will increase our knowledge of how the gut microbiota can manipulate GABA production, and therefore accompany changes in CNS GABAergic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Patrono
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska, 1830, Prague, 142 20, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Svoboda
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska, 1830, Prague, 142 20, Czech Republic
| | - Aleš Stuchlík
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska, 1830, Prague, 142 20, Czech Republic.
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4
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5
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Kamareddine L, Najjar H, Sohail MU, Abdulkader H, Al-Asmakh M. The Microbiota and Gut-Related Disorders: Insights from Animal Models. Cells 2020; 9:cells9112401. [PMID: 33147801 PMCID: PMC7693214 DOI: 10.3390/cells9112401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, the scientific committee has called for broadening our horizons in understanding host–microbe interactions and infectious disease progression. Owing to the fact that the human gut harbors trillions of microbes that exhibit various roles including the production of vitamins, absorption of nutrients, pathogen displacement, and development of the host immune system, particular attention has been given to the use of germ-free (GF) animal models in unraveling the effect of the gut microbiota on the physiology and pathophysiology of the host. In this review, we discuss common methods used to generate GF fruit fly, zebrafish, and mice model systems and highlight the use of these GF model organisms in addressing the role of gut-microbiota in gut-related disorders (metabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer), and in activating host defense mechanisms and amending pathogenic virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla Kamareddine
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar; (L.K.); (H.N.); (M.U.S.); (H.A.)
| | - Hoda Najjar
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar; (L.K.); (H.N.); (M.U.S.); (H.A.)
| | - Muhammad Umar Sohail
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar; (L.K.); (H.N.); (M.U.S.); (H.A.)
- Biomedical Research Center, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar
| | - Hadil Abdulkader
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar; (L.K.); (H.N.); (M.U.S.); (H.A.)
| | - Maha Al-Asmakh
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar; (L.K.); (H.N.); (M.U.S.); (H.A.)
- Biomedical Research Center, QU Health, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +974-4403-4789
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6
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Stressmann FA, Bernal-Bayard J, Perez-Pascual D, Audrain B, Rendueles O, Briolat V, Bruchmann S, Volant S, Ghozlane A, Häussler S, Duchaud E, Levraud JP, Ghigo JM. Mining zebrafish microbiota reveals key community-level resistance against fish pathogen infection. ISME JOURNAL 2020; 15:702-719. [PMID: 33077888 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-00807-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The long-known resistance to pathogens provided by host-associated microbiota fostered the notion that adding protective bacteria could prevent or attenuate infection. However, the identification of endogenous or exogenous bacteria conferring such protection is often hindered by the complexity of host microbial communities. Here, we used zebrafish and the fish pathogen Flavobacterium columnare as a model system to study the determinants of microbiota-associated colonization resistance. We compared infection susceptibility in germ-free, conventional and reconventionalized larvae and showed that a consortium of 10 culturable bacterial species are sufficient to protect zebrafish. Whereas survival to F. columnare infection does not rely on host innate immunity, we used antibiotic dysbiosis to alter zebrafish microbiota composition, leading to the identification of two different protection strategies. We first identified that the bacterium Chryseobacterium massiliae individually protects both larvae and adult zebrafish. We also showed that an assembly of 9 endogenous zebrafish species that do not otherwise protect individually confer a community-level resistance to infection. Our study therefore provides a rational approach to identify key endogenous protecting bacteria and promising candidates to engineer resilient microbial communities. It also shows how direct experimental analysis of colonization resistance in low-complexity in vivo models can reveal unsuspected ecological strategies at play in microbiota-based protection against pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska A Stressmann
- Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, UMR CNRS2001, 75015, Paris, France.,Department of Chemical Analytics and Biogeochemistry, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Joaquín Bernal-Bayard
- Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, UMR CNRS2001, 75015, Paris, France.,Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Apartado 1095, 41080, Sevilla, Spain
| | - David Perez-Pascual
- Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, UMR CNRS2001, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Bianca Audrain
- Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, UMR CNRS2001, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Olaya Rendueles
- Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, UMR CNRS2001, 75015, Paris, France.,Microbial Evolutionary Genomics Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, UMR3525, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Valérie Briolat
- Macrophages and Development of Immunity Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, UMR3738 CNRS, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Sebastian Bruchmann
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Stevenn Volant
- Hub de Bioinformatique et Biostatistique - Département Biologie Computationnelle, Institut Pasteur, USR 3756 CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Amine Ghozlane
- Hub de Bioinformatique et Biostatistique - Département Biologie Computationnelle, Institut Pasteur, USR 3756 CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Susanne Häussler
- Department of Molecular Bacteriology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.,Department of Clinical Microbiology, Rigshospitalet, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Eric Duchaud
- Unité VIM, INRAE, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Levraud
- Macrophages and Development of Immunity Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, UMR3738 CNRS, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Marc Ghigo
- Genetics of Biofilms Laboratory, Institut Pasteur, UMR CNRS2001, 75015, Paris, France.
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7
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Flores EM, Nguyen AT, Odem MA, Eisenhoffer GT, Krachler AM. The zebrafish as a model for gastrointestinal tract-microbe interactions. Cell Microbiol 2020; 22:e13152. [PMID: 31872937 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has become a widely used vertebrate model for bacterial, fungal, viral, and protozoan infections. Due to its genetic tractability, large clutch sizes, ease of manipulation, and optical transparency during early life stages, it is a particularly useful model to address questions about the cellular microbiology of host-microbe interactions. Although its use as a model for systemic infections, as well as infections localised to the hindbrain and swimbladder having been thoroughly reviewed, studies focusing on host-microbe interactions in the zebrafish gastrointestinal tract have been neglected. Here, we summarise recent findings regarding the developmental and immune biology of the gastrointestinal tract, drawing parallels to mammalian systems. We discuss the use of adult and larval zebrafish as models for gastrointestinal infections, and more generally, for studies of host-microbe interactions in the gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika M Flores
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas.,M.D. Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
| | - Anh T Nguyen
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas.,M.D. Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
| | - Max A Odem
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - George T Eisenhoffer
- M.D. Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas.,Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Anne Marie Krachler
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas.,M.D. Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, Texas
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8
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Rocha M, Singh N, Ahsan K, Beiriger A, Prince VE. Neural crest development: insights from the zebrafish. Dev Dyn 2019; 249:88-111. [PMID: 31591788 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 09/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the neural crest, a key vertebrate innovation, is built upon studies of multiple model organisms. Early research on neural crest cells (NCCs) was dominated by analyses of accessible amphibian and avian embryos, with mouse genetics providing complementary insights in more recent years. The zebrafish model is a relative newcomer to the field, yet it offers unparalleled advantages for the study of NCCs. Specifically, zebrafish provide powerful genetic and transgenic tools, coupled with rapidly developing transparent embryos that are ideal for high-resolution real-time imaging of the dynamic process of neural crest development. While the broad principles of neural crest development are largely conserved across vertebrate species, there are critical differences in anatomy, morphogenesis, and genetics that must be considered before information from one model is extrapolated to another. Here, our goal is to provide the reader with a helpful primer specific to neural crest development in the zebrafish model. We focus largely on the earliest events-specification, delamination, and migration-discussing what is known about zebrafish NCC development and how it differs from NCC development in non-teleost species, as well as highlighting current gaps in knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Rocha
- Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Noor Singh
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Kamil Ahsan
- Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Anastasia Beiriger
- Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Victoria E Prince
- Committee on Development, Regeneration and Stem Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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9
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Ganz J, Melancon E, Wilson C, Amores A, Batzel P, Strader M, Braasch I, Diba P, Kuhlman JA, Postlethwait JH, Eisen JS. Epigenetic factors Dnmt1 and Uhrf1 coordinate intestinal development. Dev Biol 2019; 455:473-484. [PMID: 31394080 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2019.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Intestinal tract development is a coordinated process involving signaling among the progenitors and developing cells from all three germ layers. Development of endoderm-derived intestinal epithelium has been shown to depend on epigenetic modifications, but whether that is also the case for intestinal tract cell types from other germ layers remains unclear. We found that functional loss of a DNA methylation machinery component, ubiquitin-like protein containing PHD and RING finger domains 1 (uhrf1), leads to reduced numbers of ectoderm-derived enteric neurons and severe disruption of mesoderm-derived intestinal smooth muscle. Genetic chimeras revealed that Uhrf1 functions both cell-autonomously in enteric neuron precursors and cell-non-autonomously in surrounding intestinal cells, consistent with what is known about signaling interactions between these cell types that promote one another's development. Uhrf1 recruits the DNA methyltransferase Dnmt1 to unmethylated DNA during replication. Dnmt1 is also expressed in enteric neurons and smooth muscle progenitors. dnmt1 mutants have fewer enteric neurons and disrupted intestinal smooth muscle compared to wildtypes. Because dnmt1;uhrf1 double mutants have a similar phenotype to dnmt1 and uhrf1 single mutants, Dnmt1 and Uhrf1 must function together during enteric neuron and intestinal muscle development. This work shows that genes controlling epigenetic modifications are important to coordinate intestinal tract development, provides the first demonstration that these genes influence development of the ENS, and advances uhrf1 and dnmt1 as potential new Hirschsprung disease candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ganz
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Ellie Melancon
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Catherine Wilson
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Angel Amores
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Peter Batzel
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Marie Strader
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Ingo Braasch
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Parham Diba
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Julie A Kuhlman
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - John H Postlethwait
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Judith S Eisen
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.
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10
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Modeling gut-brain interactions in zebrafish. Brain Res Bull 2019; 148:55-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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James DM, Kozol RA, Kajiwara Y, Wahl AL, Storrs EC, Buxbaum JD, Klein M, Moshiree B, Dallman JE. Intestinal dysmotility in a zebrafish ( Danio rerio) shank3a;shank3b mutant model of autism. Mol Autism 2019; 10:3. [PMID: 30733854 PMCID: PMC6357389 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0250-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and aims Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is currently estimated to affect more than 1% of the world population. For people with ASD, gastrointestinal (GI) distress is a commonly reported but a poorly understood co-occurring symptom. Here, we investigate the physiological basis for GI distress in ASD by studying gut function in a zebrafish model of Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS), a condition caused by mutations in the SHANK3 gene. Methods To generate a zebrafish model of PMS, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce clinically related C-terminal frameshift mutations in shank3a and shank3b zebrafish paralogues (shank3abΔC). Because PMS is caused by SHANK3 haploinsufficiency, we assessed the digestive tract (DT) structure and function in zebrafish shank3abΔC+/− heterozygotes. Human SHANK3 mRNA was then used to rescue DT phenotypes in larval zebrafish. Results Significantly slower rates of DT peristaltic contractions (p < 0.001) with correspondingly prolonged passage time (p < 0.004) occurred in shank3abΔC+/− mutants. Rescue injections of mRNA encoding the longest human SHANK3 isoform into shank3abΔC+/− mutants produced larvae with intestinal bulb emptying similar to wild type (WT), but still deficits in posterior intestinal motility. Serotonin-positive enteroendocrine cells (EECs) were significantly reduced in both shank3abΔC+/− and shank3abΔC−/− mutants (p < 0.05) while enteric neuron counts and overall structure of the DT epithelium, including goblet cell number, were unaffected in shank3abΔC+/− larvae. Conclusions Our data and rescue experiments support mutations in SHANK3 as causal for GI transit and motility abnormalities. Reductions in serotonin-positive EECs and serotonin-filled ENS boutons suggest an endocrine/neural component to this dysmotility. This is the first study to date demonstrating DT dysmotility in a zebrafish single gene mutant model of ASD. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-018-0250-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M James
- 1Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL USA
| | - Robert A Kozol
- 1Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL USA
| | - Yuji Kajiwara
- 2Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA.,5Denali Therapeutics, South San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Adam L Wahl
- 1Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL USA
| | - Emily C Storrs
- 1Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL USA
| | - Joseph D Buxbaum
- 2Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Mason Klein
- 3Department of Physics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL USA
| | - Baharak Moshiree
- Division of Gastroenterology, Atrium Health, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC USA
| | - Julia E Dallman
- 1Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL USA
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12
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Ganz J, Baker RP, Hamilton MK, Melancon E, Diba P, Eisen JS, Parthasarathy R. Image velocimetry and spectral analysis enable quantitative characterization of larval zebrafish gut motility. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2018; 30:e13351. [PMID: 29722095 PMCID: PMC6150784 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.13351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Normal gut function requires rhythmic and coordinated movements that are affected by developmental processes, physical and chemical stimuli, and many debilitating diseases. The imaging and characterization of gut motility, especially regarding periodic, propagative contractions driving material transport, are therefore critical goals. Previous image analysis approaches have successfully extracted properties related to the temporal frequency of motility modes, but robust measures of contraction magnitude, especially from in vivo image data, remain challenging to obtain. METHODS We developed a new image analysis method based on image velocimetry and spectral analysis that reveals temporal characteristics such as frequency and wave propagation speed, while also providing quantitative measures of the amplitude of gut motion. KEY RESULTS We validate this approach using several challenges to larval zebrafish, imaged with differential interference contrast microscopy. Both acetylcholine exposure and feeding increase frequency and amplitude of motility. Larvae lacking enteric nervous system gut innervation show the same average motility frequency, but reduced and less variable amplitude compared to wild types. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES Our image analysis approach enables insights into gut dynamics in a wide variety of developmental and physiological contexts and can also be extended to analyze other types of cell movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ganz
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403
| | - Ryan P. Baker
- Department of Physics, 1274 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403
| | | | - Ellie Melancon
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403
| | - Parham Diba
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403
| | - Judith S. Eisen
- Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403,Corresponding authors (JSE, ; RP, )
| | - Raghuveer Parthasarathy
- Department of Physics, 1274 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403,Corresponding authors (JSE, ; RP, )
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13
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Migration and diversification of the vagal neural crest. Dev Biol 2018; 444 Suppl 1:S98-S109. [PMID: 29981692 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Arising within the neural tube between the cranial and trunk regions of the body axis, the vagal neural crest shares interesting similarities in its migratory routes and derivatives with other neural crest populations. However, the vagal neural crest is also unique in its ability to contribute to diverse organs including the heart and enteric nervous system. This review highlights the migratory routes of the vagal neural crest and compares them across multiple vertebrates. We also summarize recent advances in understanding vagal neural crest ontogeny and discuss the contribution of this important neural crest population to the cardiovascular system and endoderm-derived organs, including the thymus, lungs and pancreas.
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14
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de Abreu MS, Giacomini ACVV, Zanandrea R, Dos Santos BE, Genario R, de Oliveira GG, Friend AJ, Amstislavskaya TG, Kalueff AV. Psychoneuroimmunology and immunopsychiatry of zebrafish. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 92:1-12. [PMID: 29609110 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Despite the high prevalence of neural and immune disorders, their etiology and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. As the zebrafish (Danio rerio) is increasingly utilized as a powerful model organism in biomedical research, mounting evidence suggests these fish as a useful tool to study neural and immune mechanisms and their interplay. Here, we discuss zebrafish neuro-immune mechanisms and their pharmacological and genetic modulation, the effect of stress on cytokines, as well as relevant models of microbiota-brain interplay. As many human brain diseases are based on complex interplay between the neural and the immune system, here we discuss zebrafish models, as well as recent successes and challenges, in this rapidly expanding field. We particularly emphasize the growing utility of zebrafish models in translational immunopsychiatry research, as they improve our understanding of pathogenetic neuro-immune interactions, thereby fostering future discovery of potential therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murilo S de Abreu
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Ana C V V Giacomini
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Environmental Sciences, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Zanandrea
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
| | - Bruna E Dos Santos
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
| | - Rafael Genario
- Bioscience Institute, University of Passo Fundo (UPF), Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Ashton J Friend
- Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Tamara G Amstislavskaya
- Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine SB RAS, and Department of Neuroscience, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia; ZENEREI Research Center, Slidell, LA, USA; Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Institute of Experimental Medicine, Almazov National Medical Research Center, St. Petersburg, Russia; Russian Research Center for Radiology and Surgical Technologies, Pesochny, Russia; Laboratory of Translational Biopsychiatry, Research Institute of Physiology and Basic Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia.
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15
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Nikaido M, Izumi S, Ohnuki H, Takigawa Y, Yamasu K, Hatta K. Early development of the enteric nervous system visualized by using a new transgenic zebrafish line harboring a regulatory region for choline acetyltransferase a (chata) gene. Gene Expr Patterns 2018; 28:12-21. [PMID: 29413438 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is the largest part of the peripheral nervous system in vertebrates. Toward the visualization of the development of the vertebrate ENS, we report our creation of a new transgenic line, Tg(chata:GGFF2) which has a 1.5-kb upstream region of the zebrafish choline acetyltransferase a (chata) gene followed by modified green fluorescent protein (gfp). During development, GFP + cells were detected in the gut by 60 h post-fertilization (hpf). In the gut of 6- and 12-days post-fertilization (dpf) larvae, an average of 92% of the GFP + cells were positive for the neuronal marker HuC/D, suggesting that GFP marks enteric neurons in this transgenic line. We also observed that 66% of the GFP + cells were choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunopositive at 1.5 months. Thus, GFP is expressed at the larval stages at which ChAT protein expression is not yet detected by immunostaining. We studied the spatiotemporal pattern of neural differentiation in the ENS by live-imaging of this transgenic line. We observed that GFP + or gfp + cells initially formed a pair of bilateral rows at 60 hpf or 53 hpf, respectively, in the migrating enteric neural crest cells. Most of the GFP + cells did not migrate, and most of the new GFP + cells were added to fill the space among the previously formed GFP + cells. GFP expression reached the anus by 72 hpf. New GFP + cells then also appeared in the dorsal and ventral sides of the initial GFP + rows, resulting in their distribution on the entire gut by 4 dpf. A small number of new GFP + cells were found to move among older GFP + cells just before the cells stopped migration, suggesting that the moving GFP + cells may represent neural precursor cells searching for a place for the final differentiation. Our data suggest that the Tg(chata:GGFF2) line could serve as a useful tool for studies of enteric neural differentiation and cell behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masataka Nikaido
- University of Hyogo, Koto 3-2-1, Kamigori-cho, Ako-gun, Hyogo 678-1297, Japan
| | - Saki Izumi
- University of Hyogo, Koto 3-2-1, Kamigori-cho, Ako-gun, Hyogo 678-1297, Japan
| | - Honoka Ohnuki
- Saitama University, Shimo-Okubo 255, Saitama City, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Yuki Takigawa
- University of Hyogo, Koto 3-2-1, Kamigori-cho, Ako-gun, Hyogo 678-1297, Japan
| | - Kyo Yamasu
- Saitama University, Shimo-Okubo 255, Saitama City, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Kohei Hatta
- University of Hyogo, Koto 3-2-1, Kamigori-cho, Ako-gun, Hyogo 678-1297, Japan.
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16
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Ganz J. Gut feelings: Studying enteric nervous system development, function, and disease in the zebrafish model system. Dev Dyn 2018; 247:268-278. [PMID: 28975691 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is the largest part of the peripheral nervous system and is entirely neural crest-derived. It provides the intrinsic innervation of the gut, controlling different aspects of gut function, such as motility. In this review, we will discuss key points of Zebrafish ENS development, genes, and signaling pathways regulating ENS development, as well as contributions of the Zebrafish model system to better understand ENS disorders. During their migration, enteric progenitor cells (EPCs) display a gradient of developmental states based on their proliferative and migratory characteristics, and show spatiotemporal heterogeneity based on gene expression patterns. Many genes and signaling pathways that regulate the migration and proliferation of EPCs have been identified, but later stages of ENS development, especially steps of neuronal and glial differentiation, remain poorly understood. In recent years, Zebrafish have become increasingly important to test candidate genes for ENS disorders (e.g., from genome-wide association studies), to identify environmental influences on ENS development (e.g., through large-scale drug screens), and to investigate the role the gut microbiota play in ENS development and disease. With its unique advantages as a model organism, Zebrafish will continue to contribute to a better understanding of ENS development, function, and disease. Developmental Dynamics 247:268-278, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Ganz
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
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17
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Uribe RA, Hong SS, Bronner ME. Retinoic acid temporally orchestrates colonization of the gut by vagal neural crest cells. Dev Biol 2018; 433:17-32. [PMID: 29108781 PMCID: PMC5722660 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The enteric nervous system arises from neural crest cells that migrate as chains into and along the primitive gut, subsequently differentiating into enteric neurons and glia. Little is known about the mechanisms governing neural crest migration en route to and along the gut in vivo. Here, we report that Retinoic Acid (RA) temporally controls zebrafish enteric neural crest cell chain migration. In vivo imaging reveals that RA loss severely compromises the integrity and migration of the chain of neural crest cells during the window of time window when they are moving along the foregut. After loss of RA, enteric progenitors accumulate in the foregut and differentiate into enteric neurons, but subsequently undergo apoptosis resulting in a striking neuronal deficit. Moreover, ectopic expression of the transcription factor meis3 and/or the receptor ret, partially rescues enteric neuron colonization after RA attenuation. Collectively, our findings suggest that retinoic acid plays a critical temporal role in promoting enteric neural crest chain migration and neuronal survival upstream of Meis3 and RET in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa A Uribe
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
| | - Stephanie S Hong
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Marianne E Bronner
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
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18
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Wang W. Optogenetic manipulation of ENS - The brain in the gut. Life Sci 2017; 192:18-25. [PMID: 29155296 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2017.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Optogenetics has emerged as an important tool in neuroscience, especially in central nervous system research. It allows for the study of the brain's highly complex network with high temporal and spatial resolution. The enteric nervous system (ENS), the brain in the gut, plays critical roles for life. Although advanced progress has been made, the neural circuits of the ENS remain only partly understood because the appropriate research tools are lacking. In this review, I highlight the potential application of optogenetics in ENS research. Firstly, I describe the development of optogenetics with focusing on its three main components. I discuss the applications in vitro and in vivo, and summarize current findings in the ENS research field obtained by optogenetics. Finally, the challenges for the application of optogenetics to the ENS research will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- School of Biological Science and Biotechnology, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou 363000, China.
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19
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Roy-Carson S, Natukunda K, Chou HC, Pal N, Farris C, Schneider SQ, Kuhlman JA. Defining the transcriptomic landscape of the developing enteric nervous system and its cellular environment. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:290. [PMID: 28403821 PMCID: PMC5389105 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-3653-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Motility and the coordination of moving food through the gastrointestinal tract rely on a complex network of neurons known as the enteric nervous system (ENS). Despite its critical function, many of the molecular mechanisms that direct the development of the ENS and the elaboration of neural network connections remain unknown. The goal of this study was to transcriptionally identify molecular pathways and candidate genes that drive specification, differentiation and the neural circuitry of specific neural progenitors, the phox2b expressing ENS cell lineage, during normal enteric nervous system development. Because ENS development is tightly linked to its environment, the transcriptional landscape of the cellular environment of the intestine was also analyzed. RESULTS Thousands of zebrafish intestines were manually dissected from a transgenic line expressing green fluorescent protein under the phox2b regulatory elements [Tg(phox2b:EGFP) w37 ]. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting was used to separate GFP-positive phox2b expressing ENS progenitor and derivatives from GFP-negative intestinal cells. RNA-seq was performed to obtain accurate, reproducible transcriptional profiles and the unbiased detection of low level transcripts. Analysis revealed genes and pathways that may function in ENS cell determination, genes that may be identifiers of different ENS subtypes, and genes that define the non-neural cellular microenvironment of the ENS. Differential expression analysis between the two cell populations revealed the expected neuronal nature of the phox2b expressing lineage including the enrichment for genes required for neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, and identified many novel genes not previously associated with ENS development. Pathway analysis pointed to a high level of G-protein coupled pathway activation, and identified novel roles for candidate pathways such as the Nogo/Reticulon axon guidance pathway in ENS development. CONCLUSION We report the comprehensive gene expression profiles of a lineage-specific population of enteric progenitors, their derivatives, and their microenvironment during normal enteric nervous system development. Our results confirm previously implicated genes and pathways required for ENS development, and also identify scores of novel candidate genes and pathways. Thus, our dataset suggests various potential mechanisms that drive ENS development facilitating characterization and discovery of novel therapeutic strategies to improve gastrointestinal disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweta Roy-Carson
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Kevin Natukunda
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Hsien-Chao Chou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.,Present Address: National Cancer Institute, US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Narinder Pal
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.,Present address: North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station, 1305 State Ave, Ames, IA, 50014, USA
| | - Caitlin Farris
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.,Present address: Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Johnson, IA, 50131, USA
| | - Stephan Q Schneider
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Julie A Kuhlman
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. .,642 Science II, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA.
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20
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The enteric nervous system promotes intestinal health by constraining microbiota composition. PLoS Biol 2017; 15:e2000689. [PMID: 28207737 PMCID: PMC5331947 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2000689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sustaining a balanced intestinal microbial community is critical for maintaining intestinal health and preventing chronic inflammation. The gut is a highly dynamic environment, subject to periodic waves of peristaltic activity. We hypothesized that this dynamic environment is a prerequisite for a balanced microbial community and that the enteric nervous system (ENS), a chief regulator of physiological processes within the gut, profoundly influences gut microbiota composition. We found that zebrafish lacking an ENS due to a mutation in the Hirschsprung disease gene, sox10, develop microbiota-dependent inflammation that is transmissible between hosts. Profiling microbial communities across a spectrum of inflammatory phenotypes revealed that increased levels of inflammation were linked to an overabundance of pro-inflammatory bacterial lineages and a lack of anti-inflammatory bacterial lineages. Moreover, either administering a representative anti-inflammatory strain or restoring ENS function corrected the pathology. Thus, we demonstrate that the ENS modulates gut microbiota community membership to maintain intestinal health. Intestinal health depends on maintaining a balanced microbial community within the highly dynamic environment of the intestine. Every few minutes, this environment is rocked by peristaltic waves of muscular contraction and relaxation through a process regulated by the enteric nervous system (ENS). We hypothesized that normal, healthy intestinal microbial communities are adapted to this dynamic environment, and that their composition would become perturbed without a functional ENS. To test this idea, we used a model organism, the zebrafish, with a genetic mutation that prevents formation of the ENS. We found that some mutant individuals without an ENS develop high levels of inflammation, whereas other mutants have normal intestines. We profiled the intestinal bacteria of inflamed and healthy mutants and found that the intestines of inflamed individuals have an overabundance of pro-inflammatory bacterial lineages, lack anti-inflammatory bacterial lineages, and are able to transmit inflammation to individuals with a normally functioning ENS. Conversely, we were able to prevent inflammation in the ENS mutants by either administering a representative anti-inflammatory bacterial strain or restoring ENS function. From these experiments, we conclude that the ENS modulates intestinal microbiota community membership to maintain intestinal health.
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