Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Gao, Wen-Ting
• Liu, Jin-Xiu
• Wang, De-Hua
• Sun, Hai-Ji
• Zhang, Xue-Ying

Titel

Melatonin reduced colon inflammation but had no effect on energy metabolism in ageing Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

Ist Teil von

• Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Toxicology & pharmacology, 2023-11, Vol.273, p.109731-109731, Article 109731

Ort / Verlag

United States: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2023

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• In photoperiod-sensitive wild animals, the secretion of melatonin (MT) is modulated by external photoperiod, and MT affects inflammation and the ageing process. The beneficial effects of MT in delaying the progress of ageing have been reported in laboratory mice and rats. However, little is known about MT in wild mammals. In the current study, we investigated energy metabolism, microbial community structure and colon homeostasis in ageing Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) through exogenous supplementation of MT to test the hypothesis that MT has beneficial effects on gut homeostasis in ageing gerbils. Exogenous MT supplementation had no effect on energy metabolism in Mongolian gerbils but reduced the levels of circulating tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), immune globulin G (IgG) and corticosterone (CORT). The increase in the level of inflammation in ageing animals was related to changes in the structure and diversity of the gut microbiota. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Prevotella, Treponema, Corynebacterium, and Sphingomonas was increased in ageing animals and decreased significantly by the treatment of MT. Christensenella and Lactobacillus were attenuated in ageing animals, and tended to be enhanced by MT treatment. Functions related to glycosphingolipid biosynthesis-ganglio series and lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis (metabolisms of cofactors, vitamins and glycan) were increased in ageing animals and decreased significantly by the treatment of MT. Our data suggest that a supplement of MT could improve colon homeostasis through changing the composition of gut microbiota and reducing inflammation in ageing gerbils. The ageing gerbils exhibit gut microbiota dysbiosis and the increase in circulating pro-inflammatory factors, which further leads to the gut imbalance. Exogenous melatonin supplementation leads to the recondition of microbiota, increased the relative abundance of probiotics, reduced pro-inflammatory factors, and restored gut homeostasis. [Display omitted] •MT supplementation did not change metabolic phenotypes in ageing Mongolian gerbils.•MT supplementation regulated gut microbes and alleviated ageing-induced inflammation.•MT supplementation plays a role in colon homeostasis in ageing gerbils.