Bacteroides ovatus colonization influences the abundance of intestinal short chain fatty acids and neurotransmitters
Thomas D. Horvath,
Faith D. Ihekweazu,
Sigmund J. Haidacher,
Wenly Ruan,
Kristen A. Engevik,
Robert Fultz,
Kathleen M. Hoch,
Ruth Ann Luna,
Numan Oezguen,
Jennifer K. Spinler,
Anthony M. Haag,
James Versalovic,
Melinda A. Engevik
Affiliations
Thomas D. Horvath
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
Faith D. Ihekweazu
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
Sigmund J. Haidacher
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
Wenly Ruan
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
Kristen A. Engevik
Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
Robert Fultz
Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
Kathleen M. Hoch
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
Ruth Ann Luna
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
Numan Oezguen
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
Jennifer K. Spinler
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
Anthony M. Haag
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
James Versalovic
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
Melinda A. Engevik
Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Regenerative Medicine & Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Ave, BSB 621, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Corresponding author
Summary: Gut microbes can synthesize multiple neuro-active metabolites. We profiled neuro-active compounds produced by the gut commensal Bacteroides ovatus in vitro and in vivo by LC-MS/MS. We found that B. ovatus generates acetic acid, propionic acid, isobutyric acid, and isovaleric acid. In vitro, B. ovatus consumed tryptophan and glutamate and synthesized the neuro-active compounds glutamine and GABA. Consistent with our LC-MS/MS-based in vitro data, we observed elevated levels of acetic acid, propionic acid, isobutyric acid, and isovaleric acid in the intestines of B. ovatus mono-associated mice compared with germ-free controls. B. ovatus mono-association also increased the concentrations of intestinal GABA and decreased the concentrations of tryptophan and glutamine compared with germ-free controls. Computational network analysis revealed unique links between SCFAs, neuro-active compounds, and colonization status. These results highlight connections between microbial colonization and intestinal neurotransmitter concentrations, suggesting that B. ovatus selectively influences the presence of intestinal neurotransmitters.
