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Tang W, Wang Q, Sun M, Liu C, Huang Y, Zhou M, Zhang X, Meng Z, Zhang J. The gut microbiota-oligodendrocyte axis: A promising pathway for modulating oligodendrocyte homeostasis and demyelination-associated disorders. Life Sci 2024; 354:122952. [PMID: 39127317 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
The bidirectional regulation between the gut microbiota and brain, known as gut-brain axis, has received significant attention. The myelin sheath, produced by oligodendrocytes or Schwann cells, is essential for efficient nervous signal transmission and the maintenance of brain function. Growing evidence shows that both oligodendrogenesis and myelination are modulated by gut microbiota and its metabolites, and when dysbiosis occurs, changes in the microbiota composition and/or associated metabolites may impact developmental myelination and the occurrence of neurodevelopmental disabilities. Although the link between the microbiota and demyelinating disease such as multiple sclerosis has been extensively studied, our knowledge about the role of the microbiota in other myelin-related disorders, such as neurodegenerative diseases, is limited. Mechanistically, the microbiota-oligodendrocyte axis is primarily mediated by factors such as inflammation, the vagus nerve, endocrine hormones, and microbiota metabolites as evidenced by metagenomics, metabolomics, vagotomy, and morphological and molecular approaches. Treatments targeting this axis include probiotics, prebiotics, microbial metabolites, herbal bioactive compounds, and specific dietary management. In addition to the commonly used approaches, viral vector-mediated tracing and gene manipulation, integrated multiomics and multicenter clinical trials will greatly promote the mechanistic and interventional studies and ultimately, the development of new preventive and therapeutic strategies against gut-oligodendrocyte axis-mediated brain impairments. Interestingly, recent findings showed that microbiota dysbiosis can be induced by hippocampal myelin damage and is reversible by myelin-targeted drugs, which provides new insights into understanding how hippocampus-based functional impairment (such as in neurodegenerative Alzheimer's disease) regulates the peripheral homeostasis of microbiota and associated systemic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Tang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Chongqing Western Hospital, Chongqing 400052, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Mingguang Sun
- Department of Neurology, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China; Department of Neurology, Beijing Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Chang''e Liu
- Department of Nutrition, The Seventh Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Yonghua Huang
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Maohu Zhou
- Department of Neurobiology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Zhaoyou Meng
- Department of Neurology, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China.
| | - Jiqiang Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
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Eisen A, Pioro EP, Goutman SA, Kiernan MC. Nanoplastics and Neurodegeneration in ALS. Brain Sci 2024; 14:471. [PMID: 38790450 PMCID: PMC11119293 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14050471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Plastic production, which exceeds one million tons per year, is of global concern. The constituent low-density polymers enable spread over large distances and micro/nano particles (MNPLs) induce organ toxicity via digestion, inhalation, and skin contact. Particles have been documented in all human tissues including breast milk. MNPLs, especially weathered particles, can breach the blood-brain barrier, inducing neurotoxicity. This has been documented in non-human species, and in human-induced pluripotent stem cell lines. Within the brain, MNPLs initiate an inflammatory response with pro-inflammatory cytokine production, oxidative stress with generation of reactive oxygen species, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Glutamate and GABA neurotransmitter dysfunction also ensues with alteration of excitatory/inhibitory balance in favor of reduced inhibition and resultant neuro-excitation. Inflammation and cortical hyperexcitability are key abnormalities involved in the pathogenic cascade of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and are intricately related to the mislocalization and aggregation of TDP-43, a hallmark of ALS. Water and many foods contain MNPLs and in humans, ingestion is the main form of exposure. Digestion of plastics within the gut can alter their properties, rendering them more toxic, and they cause gut microbiome dysbiosis and a dysfunctional gut-brain axis. This is recognized as a trigger and/or aggravating factor for ALS. ALS is associated with a long (years or decades) preclinical period and neonates and infants are exposed to MNPLs through breast milk, milk substitutes, and toys. This endangers a time of intense neurogenesis and establishment of neuronal circuitry, setting the stage for development of neurodegeneration in later life. MNPL neurotoxicity should be considered as a yet unrecognized risk factor for ALS and related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Eisen
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6S 1Z3, Canada;
| | - Erik P. Pioro
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6S 1Z3, Canada;
| | - Stephen A. Goutman
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
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Kutsyr O, Maestre-Carballa L, Lluesma-Gomez M, Martinez-Garcia M, Cuenca N, Lax P. Retinitis pigmentosa is associated with shifts in the gut microbiome. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6692. [PMID: 33758301 PMCID: PMC7988170 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86052-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome is known to influence the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. However, there has been relatively little focus upon the implications of the gut microbiome in retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Here, we investigated changes in gut microbiome composition linked to RP, by assessing both retinal degeneration and gut microbiome in the rd10 mouse model of RP as compared to control C57BL/6J mice. In rd10 mice, retinal responsiveness to flashlight stimuli and visual acuity were deteriorated with respect to observed in age-matched control mice. This functional decline in dystrophic animals was accompanied by photoreceptor loss, morphologic anomalies in photoreceptor cells and retinal reactive gliosis. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data showed a microbial gut dysbiosis with differences in alpha and beta diversity at the genera, species and amplicon sequence variants (ASV) levels between dystrophic and control mice. Remarkably, four fairly common ASV in healthy gut microbiome belonging to Rikenella spp., Muribaculaceace spp., Prevotellaceae UCG-001 spp., and Bacilli spp. were absent in the gut microbiome of retinal disease mice, while Bacteroides caecimuris was significantly enriched in mice with RP. The results indicate that retinal degenerative changes in RP are linked to relevant gut microbiome changes. The findings suggest that microbiome shifting could be considered as potential biomarker and therapeutic target for retinal degenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana Kutsyr
- Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Lucía Maestre-Carballa
- Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Mónica Lluesma-Gomez
- Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Manuel Martinez-Garcia
- Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
| | - Nicolás Cuenca
- Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
- Institute Ramón Margalef, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Pedro Lax
- Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
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Chen L, Chen Y, Zhao M, Zheng L, Fan D. Changes in the concentrations of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15198. [PMID: 32938991 PMCID: PMC7495434 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72184-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
To compare the plasma concentrations of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, their spouses and healthy controls and to find associations between gut microbiota metabolites and ALS. ALS patients were recruited at Peking University Third Hospital from January 2015 to December 2018. Information was collected from their spouses at the same time. Age and gender matched healthy controls were recruited from individuals who visited the physical examination center for health checkups. Blood samples were collected after at least 4 h of fasting. Concentrations of the metabolites were quantified using stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Group differences were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric tests, as appropriate. In this study, 160 patients with ALS were recruited. In these patients, 63 were compared with their spouses, 148 were compared with age and gender matched controls, and 60 were compared with both their spouses and heathy controls in the same time. The carnitine concentration was significantly higher in patients than in their spouses, while there were no significant differences in the concentrations of other metabolites. The carnitine and betaine concentrations were higher, while the choline, TMAO and butyrobetaine concentrations were lower in ALS than in healthy controls. The concentrations of the metabolites in the spouses were more similar to the ALS patients rather than to the healthy controls. In the ALS group, the plasma concentrations of carnitine, betaine, choline and TMAO were inversely related to the severity of upper motor neuron impairment. The TMAO metabolic pathway of the gut microbiota is disturbed in both ALS patients and their spouses, which might suggest that the changes in the gut microbiota occurred before disease onset. The negative correlations between the involvement of UMNs and the concentrations of the metabolites might suggest that the inhibition of this metabolic pathway might lead to a better prognosis in ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Chen
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China
| | - Mingming Zhao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences of Ministry of Education, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Lemin Zheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Molecular Cardiovascular Sciences of Ministry of Education, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Dongsheng Fan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, 49 North Garden Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China. .,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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Erber AC, Cetin H, Berry D, Schernhammer ES. The role of gut microbiota, butyrate and proton pump inhibitors in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review. Int J Neurosci 2019; 130:727-735. [PMID: 31870202 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2019.1702549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Aim of the study: We conducted a systematic review on existing literature in humans and animals, linking the gut microbiome with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Additionally, we sought to explore the role of the bacterially produced metabolite butyrate as well as of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in these associations.Materials and methods: Following PRISMA guidelines for systematic literature reviews, four databases (Medline, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science) were searched and screened by two independent reviewers against defined inclusion criteria. Six studies in humans and six animal studies were identified, summarized and reviewed.Results: Overall, the evidence accrued to date is supportive of changes in the gut microbiome being associated with ALS risk, and potentially progression, though observational studies are small (describing a total of 145 patients with ALS across all published studies), and not entirely conclusive.Conclusions: With emerging studies beginning to apply metagenome sequencing, more clarity regarding the importance and promise of the gut microbiome in ALS can be expected. Future studies may also help establish the therapeutic potential of butyrate, and the role of PPIs in these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid C Erber
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Nuffield Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Hakan Cetin
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - David Berry
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Function, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Joint Microbiome Facility of the Medical University of Vienna and the University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva S Schernhammer
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Dempsey JL, Little M, Cui JY. Gut microbiome: An intermediary to neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicology 2019; 75:41-69. [PMID: 31454513 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2019.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There is growing recognition that the gut microbiome is an important regulator for neurological functions. This review provides a summary on the role of gut microbiota in various neurological disorders including neurotoxicity induced by environmental stressors such as drugs, environmental contaminants, and dietary factors. We propose that the gut microbiome remotely senses and regulates CNS signaling through the following mechanisms: 1) intestinal bacteria-mediated biotransformation of neurotoxicants that alters the neuro-reactivity of the parent compounds; 2) altered production of neuro-reactive microbial metabolites following exposure to certain environmental stressors; 3) bi-directional communication within the gut-brain axis to alter the intestinal barrier integrity; and 4) regulation of mucosal immune function. Distinct microbial metabolites may enter systemic circulation and epigenetically reprogram the expression of host genes in the CNS, regulating neuroinflammation, cell survival, or cell death. We will also review the current tools for the study of the gut-brain axis and provide some suggestions to move this field forward in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Dempsey
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, United States
| | - Mallory Little
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, United States
| | - Julia Yue Cui
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, United States.
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