Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Probio-M8 alleviates abnormal behavior and regulates gut microbiota in a mouse model suffering from autism

Zhuangzhuang Miao; Lin Chen; Yong Zhang; Jiachao Zhang; Heping Zhang

doi:10.1128/msystems.01013-23

mSystems (Jan 2024)

Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Probio-M8 alleviates abnormal behavior and regulates gut microbiota in a mouse model suffering from autism

Zhuangzhuang Miao,
Lin Chen,
Yong Zhang,
Jiachao Zhang,
Heping Zhang

Affiliations

Zhuangzhuang Miao: Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
Lin Chen: School of Food Science and Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, China
Yong Zhang: School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), Beijing, China
Jiachao Zhang: School of Food Science and Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, China
Heping Zhang: Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/msystems.01013-23
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 1

Abstract

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ABSTRACTProbiotics can effectively improve a variety of neurological diseases, but there is little research on autism, and the specific mechanism is unclear. In this study, shotgun metagenomics analysis was used to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Probio-M8 on autism. The results showed that Probio-M8 treatment significantly alleviated valproate (VPA)-induced autism in mice, with autistic symptoms characterized by increased stereotyped behaviors such as grooming, reduced learning ability, and decreased desire to socialize. Further studies have found that Probio-M8 can alleviate autism by optimizing gut microbiota diversity and regulating metabolic levels. Probio-M8 regulates gut microbiota structure by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium globosum and Akkermansia muciniphila. In addition, Probio-M8 regulates metabolic activity by increasing levels of choline, which corrects CAZy disorders. In conclusion, Probio-M8 is therapeutic in the VPA-induced autism mouse model by regulating the gut microbiome and metabolic levels.IMPORTANCEIndividuals with autism often exhibit symptoms of social invariance, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and repetitive behaviors. However, early intervention and treatment can be effective in improving social skills and mitigating autism symptoms, including behaviors related to irritability. Although taking medication for autism may lead to side effects such as weight gain, probiotics can be an ideal intervention for alleviating these symptoms. In this study, we investigated the effects of Probio-M8 intervention on the behavior of autistic mice using an open-field test, a three-chamber sociability test, and a novel object recognition test. Metagenomic analysis revealed differences in gut microbiota diversity among groups, predicted changes in metabolite levels, and functionally annotated CAZy. Additionally, we analyzed serum neurotransmitter levels and found that probiotics were beneficial in mitigating neurotransmitter imbalances in mice with autism.

Published in mSystems

ISSN: 2379-5077 (Online)
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: https://journals.asm.org/journal/msystems

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