Contribution of gut microbiota for the metabolic changes induced by acute infection with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Abstract

In recent years, we have experienced a widespread of obesity affecting population at different ages worldwide. It has been shown that obesity is highly associated to the development of systemic and adipose tissue chronic inflammation. As a consequence of this chronic inflammation, secondary pathologies such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders may develop. Recent studies have evidenced an important connection between the immune system and gut microbiota in the development of metabolic disorders. The microbiota is nowadays the major subject for studying the interface between host microorganisms and systemic metabolism. In our current project, we showed that following an acute episode of oral infection with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, mice develop persistent metabolic changes. This phenotype is characterized by a metabolic advantage in carbohydrate metabolism associated with an increased response to insulin and normal body metabolism and development even under malnourished conditions. Our data shows the presence an altered microbiota post-infection and preliminary data suggests that this altered microbiota might contribute for the metabolic advantage following infection. In this context, we aim to analyze the directly or indirectly influence of microbiota for the metabolic changes induced by the mucosal infection. In order to achieve this aim, we will use gem-free animals and gnotobiotic mice to analyze how the microbiota from naïve or infected animals interferes in host metabolism.