Discoveries reshape understanding of gut microbiome

Discoveries reshape understanding of gut microbiome
Figure depicting the mucus barrier. Credit: Val Altounian/AAAS

The human gut is home to microorganisms that outnumber our cells by a factor of 10 to 1. Now, discoveries by scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have redefined how the so-called gut microbiome operates and how our bodies coexist with some of the 100 trillion bacteria that make it up.

The new findings appear in the journal Science and could lead to new therapies for and people who've had portions of their bowels removed due to conditions like colon cancer and ulcerative colitis. They also help explain why the use of antibiotics can create a multitude of problems in the .

Using research models, OMRF's Lijun Xia, M.D., Ph.D., led a team of scientists who found the controls the creation of a sticky layer of special forms of sugar-enriched that encapsulates and travels with fecal matter. The mucus—which the researchers showed not to be static as previously thought—acts as a barrier between bacteria in feces and the thousands of immune cells in the colon. Without the mucus, the whole system gets thrown out of balance.

"The colon is not just a digestive organ, but an immune organ," said Xia, who holds the Merrick Foundation Chair in Biomedical Research at OMRF. "Our microbiome begins to develop at the moment of birth and evolves throughout our lives. It's essential for the growth and maturation of the acquired immune system in our body. When it's not well developed or cared for, it doesn't operate as it should, which can lead to diseases."

The overall health of the gut microbiome is dependent on the presence of its mucus. And although mucus production can be interrupted, OMRF researchers showed that it can be restored.

In the study, the researchers found that the fecal matter of mice treated with a had no trace of the mucus coating. And when mice without this protective barrier received a transplant of with microbiome, their mucus production jump-started.

This may have significant treatment implications for patients whose microbiome is out of balance, Xia explained.

"Whether because of antibiotics interrupting or a total colon removal due to , painful inflammation can result," said Xia. "Now that we better understand the role and origin of this mucus, we will study how we can supplement it or restore its production."

OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D., noted that the has taken on increasing importance in medical research as scientists have recognized the roles its microorganisms play in our overall health.

Discoveries reshape understanding of gut microbiome
OMRF scientist Lijun Xia, M.D., Ph.D. Credit: OMRF

"Researchers have found these tiny organisms living in our digestive tracts may be key players in obesity, diabetes and a variety of autoimmune and digestive diseases. Dr. Xia's work proves a strong connection between the protective coating driven by the microbiome and the development of a disease like colitis," said Prescott.

The findings may open the door to alternatives to colonoscopies for monitoring conditions like inflammatory bowel disease. "Rather than repeated invasive procedures to track the progression of IBD, we may be able to measure the presence of the mucus in a fecal sample and assess a patient's gut health," Xia said.

The ramifications of this research are far-reaching and reinforce the importance of "basic" science, Prescott added.

"Our researchers had to understand the origin and function of this mucus and how it relates to the microbiome to learn how it connects with disease. We now understand that the long-term health implications when this pair gets out of balance can be devastating, and Dr. Xia's work can guide us to answers," Prescott said.

More information: K. Bergstrom el al., "Proximal colon–derived O-glycosylated mucus encapsulates and modulates the microbiota," Science (2020). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi … 1126/science.aay7367

G.M.H. Birchenough el al., "Forming a mucus barrier along the colon," Science (2020). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi … 1126/science.abe7194

Journal information: Science
Provided by Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
Citation: Discoveries reshape understanding of gut microbiome (2020, October 22) retrieved 19 March 2024 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-discoveries-reshape-gut-microbiome.html
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