Changes in duodenal tissue-associated microbiota following hookworm infection and consecutive gluten challenges in humans with coeliac disease.
A reduced diversity of the gastrointestinal commensal microbiota is associated with the development of several inflammatory diseases. Recent reports in humans and animal models have demonstrated the beneficial therapeutic effects of infections by parasitic worms (helminths) in some inflammatory disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and coeliac disease (CeD). Interestingly, these studies have described how helminths may alter the intestinal microbiota, potentially representing a mechanism by which they regulate inflammation. However, for practical reasons, these reports have primarily analysed the faecal microbiota. In the present investigation, we have assessed, for the first time, the changes in the microbiota at the site of infection by a parasitic helminth (hookworm) and gluten-dependent inflammation in humans with CeD using biopsy tissue from the duodenum. Hookworm infection and gluten exposure were associated with an increased abundance of species within the Bacteroides phylum, as well as increases in the richness and diversity of the tissue-resident microbiota within the intestine, results that are consistent with previous reports using other helminth species in humans and animal models. Hence, this may represent a mechanism by which parasitic helminths may restore intestinal immune homeostasis and exert a therapeutic benefit in CeD, and potentially other inflammatory disorders.
Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
Paul
P
Giacomin
Bioinformatics Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia.
Martha
M
Zakrzewski
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Timothy P
TP
Jenkins
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Xiaopei
X
Su
Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
Rafid
R
Al-Hallaf
Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
John
J
Croese
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Stefan
S
de Vries
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Andrew
A
Grant
McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America.|Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States of America.
Makedonka
M
Mitreva
Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
Alex
A
Loukas
The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba 4102, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Lutz
L
Krause
Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.|Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Cinzia
C
Cantacessi
D000723:Ancylostomatoidea / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004386:Duodenum / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D064307:Microbiota; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA