COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOWO) — New research from The Ohio State University suggests gut bacteria could play an important role in the body’s response to spinal cord injuries, potentially opening new avenues for treatments aimed at reducing inflammation and other complications.
In experiments involving mice, researchers found that restoring a strain of bacteria depleted after a spinal cord injury reduced inflammation and helped stabilize weight loss. A separate study identified 19 bacterial species with the strongest links to changes in nitrogen levels following an injury — a process associated with muscle wasting in humans.
The findings come from two studies published in the journals NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes and Communications Biology. Researchers say the work provides a more detailed picture of how spinal cord injuries affect the gut microbiome, the community of bacteria and other microorganisms living in the digestive system.
The research team included scientists from Ohio State’s neuroscience and microbiology programs. They developed a detailed catalog of gut microorganisms using genetic analysis of 333 fecal samples collected from mice. The analysis produced 6,635 draft microbial genomes, covering an estimated 80% of the gut microbiome in one of the mouse strains commonly used in nervous system research.
Researchers compared mice with injuries at different levels of the thoracic spinal cord against animals without spinal cord damage. They tracked changes over six months, examining differences related to injury location, sex and the amount of time since the injury.
One finding centered on Lactobacillus johnsonii, a bacterial species consistently depleted in injured mice. When researchers restored the bacteria, some symptoms improved, inflammation decreased and weight loss stabilized.
However, researchers cautioned that simply adding back one bacterial species may not be enough. Other microorganisms in the gut interact with one another, sharing or competing for nutrients. Those relationships may determine whether restored bacteria can survive and provide lasting benefits.
A separate analysis found changes in nitrogen balance in injured male mice. Researchers traced those changes to the depletion of bacteria involved in converting a particular compound into a usable form of nitrogen. The disruption affected chemical signaling associated with muscle function.
By narrowing the strongest microbial connections to 19 species, researchers say they have a more focused direction for future studies into the relationship between gut bacteria and muscle loss.
Phillip Popovich, a neuroscience professor and chair at Ohio State, said spinal cord injuries affect more than the spinal cord itself. The injury can disrupt communication between the brain and organs, including the gut, where large populations of microbes interact with immune cells.
Those disruptions can contribute to inflammation, infections, slow healing and gastrointestinal problems.
Researchers say the findings could have implications beyond traumatic spinal cord injuries. Conditions including stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and ALS can also interfere with communication between the brain, spinal cord and internal organs.
The team emphasized that the findings are preliminary and come from animal studies. More research will be needed to determine whether similar approaches can safely and effectively improve recovery in people.
Still, researchers say the gut could offer a promising target for future treatments because it is more accessible than the brain or spinal cord and may be easier to modify.
