Antibiotic-treated versus germ-free rodents for microbiota transplantation studies

TY - JOUR

T1 - Antibiotic-treated versus germ-free rodents for microbiota transplantation studies

AU - Lundberg, Randi

AU - Toft, Martin Fitzner

AU - August, Benjamin

AU - Hansen, Axel Kornerup

AU - Hansen, Camilla Hartmann Friis

PY - 2016/1/2

Y1 - 2016/1/2

N2 - We recently investigated the applicability of antibiotic-treated recipient mice for transfer of different gut microbiota profiles. With this addendum we elaborate on perspectives and limitations of using antibiotics as an alternative to germ-free (GF) technology in microbial transplantation studies, and we speculate on the housing effect. It is possible to transfer host phenotypes via fecal transplantation to antibiotic-treated animals, but problems with reproducibility, baseline values, and antibiotic resistance genes should be considered. GF animals maintained in isolators still seem to be the best controlled models for long-term microbial transplantation, but antibiotic-treated recipients are also commonly utilized. We identify a need for systematic experiments investigating the stability of microbial transplantations by addressing 1) the recipient status as either GF, antibiotic-treated or specific pathogen free and 2) different levels of protected housing systems. In addition, the developmental effect of microbes on host physiological functions should be evaluated in the different scenarios.

AB - We recently investigated the applicability of antibiotic-treated recipient mice for transfer of different gut microbiota profiles. With this addendum we elaborate on perspectives and limitations of using antibiotics as an alternative to germ-free (GF) technology in microbial transplantation studies, and we speculate on the housing effect. It is possible to transfer host phenotypes via fecal transplantation to antibiotic-treated animals, but problems with reproducibility, baseline values, and antibiotic resistance genes should be considered. GF animals maintained in isolators still seem to be the best controlled models for long-term microbial transplantation, but antibiotic-treated recipients are also commonly utilized. We identify a need for systematic experiments investigating the stability of microbial transplantations by addressing 1) the recipient status as either GF, antibiotic-treated or specific pathogen free and 2) different levels of protected housing systems. In addition, the developmental effect of microbes on host physiological functions should be evaluated in the different scenarios.

KW - Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

KW - animal models

KW - fecal transplantation

KW - germ-free

KW - gut microbiota

KW - mouse

KW - reproducibility

U2 - 10.1080/19490976.2015.1127463

DO - 10.1080/19490976.2015.1127463

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26744774

SN - 1949-0976

VL - 7

SP - 68

EP - 74

JO - Gut Microbes

JF - Gut Microbes

IS - 1

ER -