Spinal cord injury-induced gut dysbiosis inﬂuences neurological recovery partly through short-chain fatty acids

npj Bioﬁlms and Microbiomes, 2023 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-023-00466-5 · Published: December 4, 2023

Spinal Cord Injury Genetics Gastroenterology

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can disrupt the balance of gut bacteria, potentially affecting patient outcomes. This study explores how short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by gut bacteria, might influence the connection between the gut and brain to improve recovery in a mouse model of SCI. The research involved analyzing gut bacteria and SCFAs in SCI patients compared to healthy individuals. The findings revealed that SCI patients had lower levels of SCFA-producing bacteria and reduced amounts of SCFAs in their gut. To investigate the impact of SCFAs, the researchers supplemented SCFAs in SCI mice. The results showed that SCFA supplementation improved locomotor recovery, enhanced neuronal survival, and reduced inflammation in the injured spinal cord.

Study Duration

4 weeks (animal experiment)

Participants

59 SCI patients and 27 healthy controls; mice

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
SCI patients exhibited a decrease in SCFA-producing genera, such as Faecalibacterium, Megamonas, and Agathobacter, compared to healthy controls.
2
Supplementation with SCFAs significantly improved locomotor recovery in SCI mice, enhanced neuronal survival, promoted axonal formation, reduced astrogliosis, and suppressed microglial activation.
3
SCFA supplementation downregulated NF-κB signaling while upregulating neurotrophin-3 expression following SCI.

Research Summary

This study investigates the relationship between spinal cord injury (SCI), gut dysbiosis, and neurological recovery, focusing on the role of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The research involved analyzing gut microbiota and SCFA levels in SCI patients and healthy controls, followed by SCFA supplementation in SCI mice to assess its impact on functional recovery and underlying mechanisms. The findings suggest that SCI induces gut dysbiosis with reduced SCFA production, and SCFA supplementation can promote neurological recovery by reducing inflammation and enhancing neurotrophic factors.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Potential of SCFAs

SCFAs could be a potential therapeutic option for post-SCI recovery, especially for individuals who may not be suitable candidates for fecal microbiota transplantation or exhibit limited responsiveness to probiotics supplementation.

Dietary Interventions

The findings catalyze the exploration of dietary interventions aimed at modulating gut microbiota and increasing SCFA production to improve neurological outcomes after SCI.

Pharmaceutical Development

The research provides insights for the development of pharmaceutical agents targeting gut microbiota metabolites, offering novel insights and empirical substantiation for the clinical translation of therapies addressing SCI.

Study Limitations

1
The study did not observe alterations in both gut microbiota and SCFA levels within the same group of SCI patients across the transition from acute to chronic stages.
2
The SCI clinical trials had different inclusion criteria, including the injury degree, injury segment, injury course, and antibiotic use, coupled with eating habits and lifestyles.
3
Species differences between mice and humans may affect the translatability of SCFA effects, necessitating future clinical investigations.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Spinal Cord Injury