Chronic Stress Exposure Alters the Gut Barrier: Sex-Specific Effects on Microbiota and Jejunum Tight Junctions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Of individuals with MDD, 30% to 50% are unresponsive to common antidepressants, highlighting untapped causal biological mechanisms. Dysfunction in the microbiota-gut-brain axis has been implicated in MDD pathogenesis. Exposure to chronic stress disrupts blood-brain barrier integrity; still, little is known about intestinal barrier function in these conditions, particularly for the small intestine, where absorption of most foods and drugs takes place.

Methods

We investigated how chronic social or variable stress, two mouse models of depression, impact the jejunum intestinal barrier in males and females. Mice were subjected to stress paradigms followed by analysis of gene expression profil

SUBMITTER: Doney E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10829561 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature