Changes in intestinal microbiota composition and metabolism coincide with increased intestinal permeability in young adults under prolonged physiological stress
Abstract
The magnitude, temporal dynamics, and physiological effects of intestinal microbiome responses to physiological stress are poorly characterized. This study used a systems biology approach and a multiple-stressor military training environment to determine the effects of physiological stress on intestinal microbiota composition and metabolic activity, as well as intestinal permeability (IP). Soldiers ( n = 73) were provided three rations per day with or without protein- or carbohydrate-based supplements during a 4-day cross-country ski-march (STRESS). IP was measured before and during STRESS. Blood and stool samples were collected before and after STRESS to measure inflammation, stool microbiota, and stool and plasma global metabolite profiles. IP increased 62 ± 57% (mean ± SD, P 50% of identified genera, including increased abundance of less dominant taxa at the expense of more dominant taxa such as Bacteroides. Changes in intestinal microbiota composition were linked to 23% of metabolites that were significantly altered in stool after STRESS. Together, pre-STRESS Actinobacteria relative abundance and changes in serum IL-6 and stool cysteine concentrations accounted for 84% of the variability in the change in IP. Findings demonstrate that a multiple-stressor military training environment induced increases in IP that were associated with alterations in markers of inflammation and with intestinal microbiota composition and metabolism. Associations between IP, the pre-STRESS microbiota, and microbiota metabolites suggest that targeting the intestinal microbiota could provide novel strategies for preserving IP during physiological stress.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2017
- Source ID
- 10.1152/ajpgi.00066.2017
Entities
People
- Aarti Gautam
- Allison V. Hoke
- Elisabeth H. Madslien
- J Philip Karl
- John W Castellani
- Lee M. Margolis
- Michael W. Levangie
- Nabarun Chakraborty
- Nancy E. Murphy
- Raina Kumar
- Rasha Hammamieh
- Scott J. Montain
- Stefan M. Pasiakos
- Svein Martini
- Yngvar Gundersen
Organizations
- Defense Health Agency
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research
- Geneva Foundation
- Norwegian Defence Research Establishment
- United States Army
- United States Army Medical Research and Development Command