title: Association of germ-free mice with a simplified human intestinal microbiota results in a shortened intestine.
abstract: Genetic, nutritional, and gut microbiota-derived factors have been proposed to play a role in the development of the whole intestine that is around 40% longer in PRM/Alf mice compared with other mouse strains. The PRM/Alf genotype explains 60% of this length difference. The remaining 40% are due to a maternal effect that could depend on the gut microbiota transmitted by the mother to their pups. Germ-free PRM/Alf mice and C3H/He mice were associated with a simplified human microbiota (SIHUMI) to study its impact on gut length. The small intestines of the SIHUMI-associated mice were 16.4% (PRM/Alf) and 9.7% (C3H/He) shorter than those of the corresponding germ-free counterparts. Temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis and quantitative real-time PCR revealed differences in microbiota composition between both SIHUMI-associated mouse strains. Anaerostipes caccae was one log lower in PRM/Alf mice than in C3H/He mice. Since polyamines and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are important intestinal growth factors, their concentrations were explored. Cecal concentrations of putrescine, spermine, spermidine, and N-acetylspermine were 1.5-fold, 3.7-fold, 2.2-fold, and 1.4-fold higher, respectively, in the SIHUMI-C3H/He mice compared with the SIHUMI-PRM/Alf mice. In addition, cecal acetate, propionate, and butyrate concentrations in SIHUMI-C3H/He mice were 1.4-fold, 1.1-fold, and 2.1-fold higher, respectively, than in SIHUMI-PRM/Alf mice. These results indicate that polyamines and SCFAs did not promote gut lengthening in any of the two mouse strains. This suggests that as yet unknown factors provided by the SIHUMI prevented gut lengthening in the SIHUMI-associated mice compared with the germfree mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Microbiology; German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke; Nuthetal, Germany.
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Slezak
authors.affiliation: NRA; GABI UMR1313; Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Krupova
authors.affiliation: INRA; UMR1319 Micalis; Jouy-en-Josas, France; AgroParisTech; Micalis; Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rabot
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Microbiology; German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke; Nuthetal, Germany.
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.affiliation: INRA; UMR1319 Micalis; Jouy-en-Josas, France; AgroParisTech; Micalis; Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Levenez
authors.affiliation: INRA; UMR1319 Micalis; Jouy-en-Josas, France; AgroParisTech; Micalis; Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Amandine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Descamps
authors.affiliation: INRA; UMR1319 Micalis; Jouy-en-Josas, France; AgroParisTech; Micalis; Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lepage
authors.affiliation: INRA; UMR1319 Micalis; Jouy-en-Josas, France; AgroParisTech; Micalis; Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Doré
authors.affiliation: NRA; GABI UMR1313; Jouy-en-Josas, France; INRA; UMR955 de Génétique Fonctionnelle et Médicale; Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bellier
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Microbiology; German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke; Nuthetal, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blaut
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002087:Butyrates / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011073:Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism; D011422:Propionates / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002087:Butyrates; D011073:Polyamines; D011422:Propionates
keywords: PRM/Alf mouse; germ-free mice; gut length; gut microbiota; polyamine