Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder characterized by damage to myelin, the insulating sheath around the axons of nerve cells that allows for faster electrical impulse conduction. Myelination is critical for everyday brain function. Damaged myelin results in altered synaptic transmission and clinical symptoms.
Previous research from the group reported a thinning of myelin and a reduction of myelinated fibers in preclinical models of depression, thereby providing a biological insight for the high rate of depression in MS patients.
The current study identifies bacteria-derived gut metabolites that can affect myelin content in the brains of mice and induce depression-like symptoms.
Researchers transferred fecal bacteria including members of the Clostridiales, Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae from the gut of depressed mice to genetically distinct mice exhibiting non-depressed behavior. The study showed that the transfer of microbiota was sufficient to induce social withdrawal behaviors and change the expression of myelin genes and myelin content in the brains of the recipient mice.
“Our findings will help in the understanding of microbiota in modulating multiple sclerosis,” says the author. “The study provides a proof of principle that gut metabolites have the ability to affect myelin content irrespective of the genetic makeup of mice. We are hopeful these metabolites can be targeted for potential future therapies.”
In an effort to define the mechanism of gut-brain communication, researchers identified bacterial communities associated with increased levels of cresol, a substance that has the ability to pass the blood-brain barrier. When the precursors of myelin-forming cells were cultured in a dish and exposed to cresol, they lost their ability to form myelin, thereby suggesting that a gut-derived metabolite impacted myelin formation in the brain.
Further study is needed to translate these findings to humans and to identify bacterial populations with the potential to boost myelin production.
http://www.mountsinai.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/transfer-of-gut-bacteria-affects-brain-function-and-nerve-fiber-insulation
Transfer of Gut Bacteria Affects Brain Function and Nerve Fiber Insulation
- 2,561 views
- Added
Edited
Latest News
Protein that helps COVID-19…
By newseditor
Posted 26 Jul
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SM…
By newseditor
Posted 26 Jul
Link between bowel movement…
By newseditor
Posted 26 Jul
Inhibition of IL-11 signall…
By newseditor
Posted 25 Jul
Brain changes linked to obe…
By newseditor
Posted 25 Jul
Other Top Stories
How to keep metabolites on the level
Read more
Modified extracellular vesicle signaling in ciliopathies
Read more
How a transcription factor might play a role in glioblastoma and au…
Read more
A new compound provides pain relief
Read more
Long non-coding RNAs as prognostic biomarkers in cancer
Read more
Protocols
A systems biology approach…
By newseditor
Posted 24 Jul
quantms: a cloud-based pipe…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Jul
Emerging tools and best pra…
By newseditor
Posted 19 Jul
Directly selecting cell-typ…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Jul
PUFFFIN: an ultra-bright, c…
By newseditor
Posted 16 Jul
Publications
Hepatocyte-intrinsic SMN de…
By newseditor
Posted 26 Jul
Aberrant bowel movement fre…
By newseditor
Posted 26 Jul
A pseudoautosomal glycosyla…
By newseditor
Posted 26 Jul
Microglia protect against a…
By newseditor
Posted 26 Jul
Rigor and reproducibility i…
By newseditor
Posted 26 Jul
Presentations
Myelin plasticity in the ve…
By newseditor
Posted 10 Jun
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar