Low-Intensity Exercise Modulates Gut Microbiota to Fight Against Radiation-Induced Gut Toxicity in Mouse Models.

ABSTRACT: Radiation-induced gastrointestinal (GI) tract toxicity halts radiotherapy and degrades the prognosis of cancer patients. Physical activity defined as "any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscle that requires energy expenditure" is a beneficial lifestyle modification for health. Here, we investigate whether walking, a low-intensity form of exercise, could alleviate intestinal radiation injury. Short-term (15 days) walking protected against radiation-induced GI tract toxicity in both male and female mice, as judged by longer colons, denser intestinal villi, more goblet cells, and lower expression of inflammation-related genes in the small intestines. High-throughput sequencing and untargeted metabolomics analysis showed that walking restructured the gut microbiota configuration, such as

SUBMITTER: Wang B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8566984 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature