title: Correlation of Gut Microbiota Composition with Resistance to Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in Rats.
abstract: Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). It is widely accepted that autoimmune response against the antigens of the CNS is the essential pathogenic force in the disease. It has recently become increasingly appreciated that activated encephalitogenic cells tend to migrate toward gut associated lymphoid tissues (GALTs) and that interrupted balance between regulatory and inflammatory immunity within the GALT might have decisive role in the initiation and propagation of the CNS autoimmunity. Gut microbiota composition and function has the major impact on the balance in the GALT. Thus, our aim was to perform analyses of gut microbiota in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis. Albino Oxford (AO) rats that are highly resistant to EAE induction and Dark Agouti (DA) rats that develop EAE after mild immunization were compared for gut microbiota composition in different phases after EAE induction. Microbial analyses of the genusLactobacillusand related lactic acid bacteria showed higher diversity ofLactobacillusspp. in EAE-resistant AO rats, while some members ofFirmicutesandProteobacteria(Undibacterium oligocarboniphilum) were detected only in feces of DA rats at the peak of the disease (between 13 and 16 days after induction). Interestingly, in contrast to our previous study whereTuricibactersp. was found exclusively in non-immunized AO, but not in DA rats, in this study it was detected in DA rats that remained healthy 16 days after induction, as well as in four of 12 DA rats at the peak of the disease. Similar observation was obtained for the members ofLachnospiraceae. Further, production of a typical regulatory cytokine interleukin-10 was compared in GALT cells of AO and DA rats, and higher production was observed in DA rats. Our data contribute to the idea that gut microbiota and GALT considerably influence multiple sclerosis pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković," University of Belgrade Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Suzana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stanisavljević
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jovanka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lukić
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Svetlana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soković
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Sanja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mihajlovic
authors.affiliation: Institute for Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mostarica Stojković
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković," University of Belgrade Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Djordje
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miljković
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Golić
keywords: DGGE; EAE; Lachnospiraceae; Turicibacter sp.; gut microbiota; interleukin-10; lactobacilli