Journal Article

Fecal dysbiosis associated with colonic hypersensitivity and behavioral alterations in chronically Blastocystis-infected rats

Baudu, Elodie, This work was supported by co-financing from the Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and FEDER in 2015 (“Thématiques émergentes”). Manon Defaye and Elodie Baudu received grants from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region. This work was supported by the « Ministère de la Recherche et de la Technologie », Inserm and University Clermont Auvergne [UMR1107, UMR1071]; INRA [USC-2018]; CNRS [UMR6023], Service Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques [CHU Clermont-Ferrand] ; CHU Gabriel Montpied [Clermont-Ferrand] ; CHU Clermont-Ferrand-CHU Clermont-Ferrand-Pôle Biologie médicale et Anatomie pathologique [CHU Clermont-Ferrand] ; CHU Gabriel Montpied [Clermont-Ferrand] ; CHU Clermont-Ferrand-CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Region Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes European Union (EU) Region Auvergne-Rhone-AlpesRegion Bourgogne-Franche-ComteRegion Hauts-de-FranceRegion Nouvelle-Aquitaine Ministere de la Recherche et de la Technologie Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (Inserm) University Clermont Auvergne U

2020

Overview

Background: Infectious gastroenteritis is a risk factor for the development of post-infectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome (PI-IBS). Recent clinical studies reported a higher prevalence of the intestinal parasite Blastocystis in IBS patients. Using a rat model, we investigated the possible association between Blastocystis infection, colonic hypersensitivity (CHS), behavioral disturbances and gut microbiota changes.Methods: Rats were orally infected with Blastocystis subtype 4 (ST4) cysts, isolated from human stool samples. Colonic sensitivity was assessed by colorectal distension and animal behavior with an automatic behavior recognition system (PhenoTyper), the Elevated Plus Maze test and the Forced Swimming tests. Feces were collected at different time points after infection to study microbiota composition by 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing and for short-chain fatty acid (SFCA) analysis.Results: Blastocystis-infected animals had non-inflammatory CHS with increased serine protease activity. Infection was also associated with anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. Analysis of fecal microbiota composition showed an increase in bacterial richness associated with altered microbiota composition. These changes included an increase in the relative abundance of Oscillospira and a decrease in Clostridium, which seem to be associated with lower levels of SCFAs in the feces from infected rats.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that experimental infection of rats with Blastocystis mimics IBS symptoms with the establishment of CHS related to microbiota and metabolic shifts.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group,HAL CCSD,Nature Publishing Group UK
• Subject: 631/326 / 692/4020 / Animal behavior / Animals / Area Under Curve / Behavior / Behavior, Animal / Behavior, Animal - physiology / Blastocystis / Blastocystis - pathogenicity / Blastocystis Infections / Blastocystis Infections - complications / Blastocystis Infections - pathology / Colonic Diseases / Colonic Diseases - complications / Colonic Diseases - pathology / Cysts / Disease Models, Animal / Distension / Dysbacteriosis / Dysbiosis / Dysbiosis - etiology / Experimental infection / Fatty Acids, Volatile / Fatty Acids, Volatile - analysis / Fecal microflora / Feces / Feces - microbiology / Feces - parasitology / Gastroenteritis / Human health and pathology / Humanities and Social Sciences / Hypersensitivity / Hépatology and Gastroenterology / Infections / Inflammation / Intestinal microflora / Intestine / Irritable bowel syndrome / Life Sciences / Microbiology and Parasitology / Microbiota / multidisciplinary / Parasites / Parasitology / Rats / Rats, Wistar / Relative abundance / Risk factors / ROC Curve / rRNA / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Serine / Serine Proteases / Serine Proteases - metabolism / Serine proteinase
• ISBN: 0005404561000