Perturbed Mucosal Immunity and Dysbiosis Accompany Clinical Disease in a Rat Model of Spondyloarthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The HLA-B27/β2 -microglobulin (β2 m)-transgenic (Tg) rat is a leading model of B27-associated spondyloarthritis (SpA), and the disease is dependent on the presence of intestinal bacteria. Previous studies have shown that adult HLA-B27/β2 m-Tg rats have an altered intestinal microbiota. This study sought to better define the age-dependent changes to both mucosal immune function and dysbiosis in this rat model of SpA.

Methods

Intestinal contents were collected from wild-type and HLA-B27/β2 m-Tg rats postweaning (ages 3 and 6 weeks), at disease onset (age 10 weeks), and after the establishment of disease (ages ≥16 weeks). The microbial community structure was determined by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (q

SUBMITTER: Asquith MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5542398 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature