Microbiota modulate sympathetic neurons via a gut–brain circuit

Paul A. Muller (), Marc Schneeberger, Fanny Matheis, Putianqi Wang, Zachary Kerner, Anoj Ilanges, Kyle Pellegrino, Josefina Mármol, Tiago B. R. Castro, Munehiro Furuichi, Matthew Perkins, Wenfei Han, Arka Rao, Amanda J. Pickard, Justin R. Cross, Kenya Honda, Ivan Araujo and Daniel Mucida ()
Additional contact information
Paul A. Muller: The Rockefeller University
Marc Schneeberger: The Rockefeller University
Fanny Matheis: The Rockefeller University
Putianqi Wang: The Rockefeller University
Zachary Kerner: The Rockefeller University
Anoj Ilanges: The Rockefeller University
Kyle Pellegrino: The Rockefeller University
Josefina Mármol: The Rockefeller University
Tiago B. R. Castro: The Rockefeller University
Munehiro Furuichi: Keio University School of Medicine
Matthew Perkins: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Wenfei Han: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Arka Rao: Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Cancer Metabolism Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Amanda J. Pickard: Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Cancer Metabolism Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Justin R. Cross: Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Cancer Metabolism Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Kenya Honda: Keio University School of Medicine
Ivan Araujo: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Daniel Mucida: The Rockefeller University

Nature, 2020, vol. 583, issue 7816, 441-446

Abstract: Abstract Connections between the gut and brain monitor the intestinal tissue and its microbial and dietary content1, regulating both physiological intestinal functions such as nutrient absorption and motility2,3, and brain-wired feeding behaviour2. It is therefore plausible that circuits exist to detect gut microorganisms and relay this information to areas of the central nervous system that, in turn, regulate gut physiology4. Here we characterize the influence of the microbiota on enteric-associated neurons by combining gnotobiotic mouse models with transcriptomics, circuit-tracing methods and functional manipulations. We find that the gut microbiome modulates gut-extrinsic sympathetic neurons: microbiota depletion leads to increased expression of the neuronal transcription factor cFos, and colonization of germ-free mice with bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids suppresses cFos expression in the gut sympathetic ganglia. Chemogenetic manipulations, translational profiling and anterograde tracing identify a subset of distal intestine-projecting vagal neurons that are positioned to have an afferent role in microbiota-mediated modulation of gut sympathetic neurons. Retrograde polysynaptic neuronal tracing from the intestinal wall identifies brainstem sensory nuclei that are activated during microbial depletion, as well as efferent sympathetic premotor glutamatergic neurons that regulate gastrointestinal transit. These results reveal microbiota-dependent control of gut-extrinsic sympathetic activation through a gut–brain circuit.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2474-7

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