Christensenella minuta DSM 22607 and Food Restriction Manage Age-Related Disorders In Vivo
摘要
With age, low-grade inflammation tends to increase a process known as inflammaging, which is associated with the development of age-related diseases. Concurrently, the gut microbiota undergoes age-related changes in humans. In centenarians and supercentenarians, certain bacteria from the Christensenellaceae family have been found to increase with age and are associated with healthy aging. This study aimed to investigate the potential beneficial effects of Christensenella minuta DSM 22607, a well-characterized strain from this family, on the aging process. Fourteen-month-old male C57BL/6J mice (n = 40) were assigned to four groups receiving either C. minuta DSM 22607 (5 × 109 CFU/mL) or vehicle, combined with ad libitum or calorie-restricted feeding, for 5 months. Intestinal permeability, inflammatory markers, gut microbiota composition, bile acid profiles, and metabolic parameters were assessed via fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Dextran, soluble CD14, multiplex assay, immune cell staining, short-chain fatty acids determination and 16sDNA sequencing. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test or Mann-Whitney test, with significance set at p < 0.05. Young (6-month-old) and old (19-month-old) mice were compared to validate age-related phenotypes. The effects of DSM 22607 were then evaluated, using food restriction as a positive control. DSM 22607 was found to influence the intestinal barrier by modulating goblet cell populations. Moreover, administration exerted anti-inflammatory effects by reducing pro-inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IL-6) and modulating T lymphocyte, macrophage, and NK cell populations. In addition, DSM 22607 counteracted the effects of food restriction by restoring short-chain fatty acid levels and improving metabolic parameters and bile acid composition. These findings suggest that C. minuta DSM 22607 may represent a promising microbiota-based therapeutic strategy to support healthy aging.