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de Noronha SISR, de Moraes LAG, Hassell JE, Stamper CE, Arnold MR, Heinze JD, Foxx CL, Lieb MM, Cler KE, Karns BL, Jaekel S, Loupy KM, Silva FCS, Chianca-Jr DA, Lowry CA, de Menezes RC. High-fat diet, microbiome-gut-brain axis signaling, and anxiety-like behavior in male rats. Biol Res 2024; 57:23. [PMID: 38705984 PMCID: PMC11071217 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-024-00505-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Obesity, associated with the intake of a high-fat diet (HFD), and anxiety are common among those living in modern urban societies. Recent studies suggest a role of microbiome-gut-brain axis signaling, including a role for brain serotonergic systems in the relationship between HFD and anxiety. Evidence suggests the gut microbiome and the serotonergic brain system together may play an important role in this response. Here we conducted a nine-week HFD protocol in male rats, followed by an analysis of the gut microbiome diversity and community composition, brainstem serotonergic gene expression (tph2, htr1a, and slc6a4), and anxiety-related defensive behavioral responses. We show that HFD intake decreased alpha diversity and altered the community composition of the gut microbiome in association with obesity, increased brainstem tph2, htr1a and slc6a4 mRNA expression, including in the caudal part of the dorsomedial dorsal raphe nucleus (cDRD), a subregion previously associated with stress- and anxiety-related behavioral responses, and, finally, increased anxiety-related defensive behavioral responses. The HFD increased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio relative to control diet, as well as higher relative abundances of Blautia, and decreases in Prevotella. We found that tph2, htr1a and slc6a4 mRNA expression were increased in subregions of the dorsal raphe nucleus in the HFD, relative to control diet. Specific bacterial taxa were associated with increased serotonergic gene expression in the cDRD. Thus, we propose that HFD-induced obesity is associated with altered microbiome-gut-serotonergic brain axis signaling, leading to increased anxiety-related defensive behavioral responses in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvana I S Rendeiro de Noronha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, 35400-000, Brazil
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Lauro Angelo Gonçalves de Moraes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, 35400-000, Brazil
- Computing Department, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - James E Hassell
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Christopher E Stamper
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Mathew R Arnold
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Jared D Heinze
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Christine L Foxx
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Margaret M Lieb
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Kristin E Cler
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Bree L Karns
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Sophia Jaekel
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Kelsey M Loupy
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Fernanda C S Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Deoclécio Alves Chianca-Jr
- Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Rodrigo Cunha de Menezes
- Department of Biological Science Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro s/n, Ouro Preto, 35400-000, MG, Brazil.
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