Modifications to the gut microbiome alter bone matrix proteomics and fracture toughness at the cellular scale.

ABSTRACT: The gut microbiome can regulate the strength of bone matrix but the specific changes in matrix function and composition are not yet understood. Here we introduce micropillar splitting to determine the fracture toughness of matrix at the cellular scale in concert with proteomic analysis of bone matrix when the gut microbiome was altered by oral antibiotics (ampicillin+neomycin). Male mice were divided into four groups (n = 3-4/group): (1) Unaltered (no alteration), (2) Continuous (alteration from 4-24 weeks), (3) Delayed (alteration from 16-24 weeks) and (4) Reconstituted (alteration from 1-16 weeks following by reconstitution). Micropillars (5 μm diameter) were fabricated using focused ion beam milling on femur cross-sections in regions of matrix formed either before or after changes in th

SUBMITTER: Hunt NK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12697349 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature