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Cedars-Sinai researchers have found that aging produces important changes in the microbiome of the human small intestine, distinct from those caused by drugs or the burden of disease. The results were published in the journal Cell reports.
“By uncovering the microbial changes that occur in the small intestine with age, drug use and disease, we hope to identify unique components of the microbial community to target for therapies and interventions that could promote a healthy aging, ”said Ruchi Mathur, MD, the study’s principal investigator.
Research exploring the gut microbiome and its impact on health has relied primarily on fecal samples, which do not represent the entire gut, according to Mathur. In their study, researchers at Cedars-Sinai’s Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) program analyzed samples from the small intestine – which is over 20 feet long and on the surface of a tennis court – to examine the microbiome and its relationship. with aging.
“This study is the first of its kind to examine the microbial makeup of the small intestine of subjects between the ages of 18 and 80. We now know that some microbial populations are more influenced by drugs, while others are more affected by certain diseases. We have identified specific microbes that appear to be influenced only by a person’s chronological age, ”said Mathur, endocrinologist and director of the Diabetes Outpatient Treatment & Education Center.
The 21st century has been dubbed the “era of the gut microbiome” because scientists are paying considerable attention to the role that billions of gut bacteria, fungi and viruses can play in human health and disease. The microbiome is the name given to the genes that live in these cells. Studies have suggested that disturbances in the constellations of the microbial universe can lead to serious illnesses, including gastroenterological illnesses, diabetes, obesity, and certain neurological disorders.
While researchers know that microbial diversity in stool declines with age, researchers at Cedars-Sinai have identified bacteria in the small intestine they call “disruptors” that increase and could be bothersome.
“Coliforms are normal residents of the intestine. We have found that when these rod-shaped microbes become too abundant in the small intestine – as they do as we age – they exert a negative influence on the rest. They’re like weeds in a garden, ”said study co-author Gabriela Leite, PhD.
The researchers also found that as people get older, bacteria in the small intestine switch from microbes that prefer oxygen to those that can survive on less oxygen, which they hope to figure out as they come. as research continues.
“Our goal is to identify and identify the microbial profiles of the small intestine for human health and disease. Because of the important role the small intestine plays in absorbing nutrients, changes in the microbiome at this location in the intestine can have a greater impact on human health. , and warrants further study, ”said Mark Pimentel, MD, director of the MAST program and co-author of the study.
This research is part of Cedars-Sinai’s ongoing REIMAGINE study: Revealing the entire gut microbiota and its associations with the genetic, immunological and neuroendocrine ecosystem.
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