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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.10.12.511923

Cross-sex cecal microbiota transfer alters depressive-like behaviours in mice

Swift-Gallant, A.·Hinks, M. E.·Martin, Y.·Burke, F.·Bambico, F.
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Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of non-fatal global disease burden, with females being two-fold more likely than males to be diagnosed with the disorder. Despite this distinct sex-linked disparity of diagnosis, it is unclear what underlies the sex bias of MDD prevalence. Recent findings suggest a role for the gut in mediating affective disorders through the gut-brain-axis (GBA). However, few studies have included sex as a biological variable. For this study, cross-sex transfer of cecal microbiota was performed between male and female C57Bl/6 mice to elucidate the effects of sex and the gut microbiome on a standard battery of tests measuring depressive-like behaviours. Specifically, regardless of sex, recipients of male cecal content had a greater sucrose preference than controls and recipients of female cecum. Conversely, in the splash test, recipients of female cecum displayed a decrease in grooming behaviour compared to both controls and recipients of male cecum, suggestive of an increase in depressive-like behaviour. These results support a role for female-specific gut microbes in contributing to female vulnerability to depression, while male-specific gut microbes may protect in part against an anhedonia-like phenotype

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Swift-Gallant, A., Hinks, M. E., Martin, Y., Burke, F., Bambico, F.. 2022-10-16. Cross-sex cecal microbiota transfer alters depressive-like behaviours in mice. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.10.12.511923

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