Altered gut microbiota composition with antibiotic treatment impairs functional recovery after traumatic peripheral nerve crush injury in mice: effects of probiotics with butyrate producing bacteria

BMC Research Notes, 2022 · DOI: 10.1186/s13104-022-05967-8 · Published: February 9, 2022

Simple Explanation

Antibiotics can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, a condition known as dysbiosis. This disruption has been linked to various health issues, including neurological problems. Probiotics, on the other hand, are used to restore a healthy gut environment. This study investigates whether antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis affects recovery after traumatic peripheral nerve injury (TPNI). TPNI can cause significant neurological impairment, and the study also explores if probiotics can aid in recovery. The study uses mice models with antibiotic-induced dysbiosis and probiotic-induced microbiota enrichment to assess the gut microbiome's role in TPNI functional recovery. The research examines how pre-injury and post-injury probiotic treatments impact recovery after nerve injury.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

44 10-week-old male C57BL/6J mice

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Antibiotic (ABX) treatment before a peripheral nerve injury significantly impaired functional recovery in mice.
2
Probiotic (PBX) treatment before the injury significantly improved functional recovery, indicating a protective effect.
3
Probiotic treatment after the injury helped protect against the functional impairment caused by pre-injury antibiotic use.

Research Summary

This study investigates the impact of gut microbiota modulation on functional recovery after traumatic peripheral nerve injury (TPNI) in mice. Using antibiotic (ABX)-induced dysbiosis and probiotic (PBX)-induced microbiota enrichment models, the researchers explored the potential role of the gut microbiome in TPNI recovery. The main findings indicate that ABX impair functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury, while PBX improve or rescue post-injury functional recovery, even in the presence of ABX. The study suggests that reestablishing gut microbiota composition with butyrate-producing PBX during ABX-induced dysbiosis could be a useful adjuvant therapy for TPNI.

Practical Implications

Adjuvant Therapy

Butyrate-producing probiotics could be used as an adjuvant therapy for TPNI to improve functional recovery.

Clinical Scenarios Consideration

Clinicians should consider the potential impact of antibiotics on nerve recovery when prescribing them for trauma and surgical patients.

Gut Microbiome Importance

The study underscores the importance of the gut microbiome in neurological recovery and highlights the potential of microbiome modulation as a therapeutic strategy.

Study Limitations

1
The analysis focused on fecal microbiota abundance, diversity, and biomarkers, but did not examine enriched microbial-derived metabolites or neurochemicals.
2
The study did not investigate the time-dependent molecular and cellular changes in the injured nerve with or without the various treatments.
3
It remains unknown whether antibiotic or probiotic treatments would affect nerve myelination and conduction velocity.

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