Open AccessExperimental Chagas disease-induced perturbations of the fecal microbiome and metabolome
Author(s) -
Laura-Isobel McCall,
Anupriya Tripathi,
Fernando Vargas,
Rob Knight,
Pieter C. Dorrestein,
Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
plos neglected tropical diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.99
H-Index - 135
eISSN - 1935-2735
pISSN - 1935-2727
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006344
Subject(s) - metabolome , chagas disease , biology , trypanosoma cruzi , lachnospiraceae , microbiome , metabolomics , gut flora , feces , triatominae , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , bioinformatics , parasite hosting , reduviidae , bacteria , zoology , genetics , 16s ribosomal rna , heteroptera , world wide web , computer science , firmicutes
Trypanosoma cruzi parasites are the causative agents of Chagas disease. These parasites infect cardiac and gastrointestinal tissues, leading to local inflammation and tissue damage. Digestive Chagas disease is associated with perturbations in food absorption, intestinal traffic and defecation. However, the impact of T . cruzi infection on the gut microbiota and metabolome have yet to be characterized. In this study, we applied mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and 16S rRNA sequencing to profile infection-associated alterations in fecal bacterial composition and fecal metabolome through the acute-stage and into the chronic stage of infection, in a murine model of Chagas disease. We observed joint microbial and chemical perturbations associated with T . cruzi infection. These included alterations in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) derivatives and in specific members of families Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae , as well as alterations in secondary bile acids and members of order Clostridiales. These results highlight the importance of multi-‘omics’ and poly-microbial studies in understanding parasitic diseases in general, and Chagas disease in particular.