Human Alcohol-Microbiota Mice have Increased Susceptibility to Bacterial Pneumonia

Authors

Kelly C. Cunningham, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Deandra R. Smith, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Daniel N. Villageliú, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Christi M. Ellis, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Amanda E. Ramer-Tait, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Jeffrey D. Price, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Todd A. Wyatt, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Daren L. Knoell, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Mystera M. Samuelson, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Patricia E. Molina, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
David A. Welsh, LSU Health Sciences Center - New OrleansFollow
Derrick R. Samuelson, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-13-2023

Publication Title

Cells

Abstract

Preclinical studies have shown that chronic alcohol abuse leads to alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiota that are associated with behavior changes, physiological alterations, and immunological effects. However, such studies have been limited in their ability to evaluate the direct effects of alcohol-associated dysbiosis. To address this, we developed a humanized alcohol-microbiota mouse model to systematically evaluate the immunological effects of chronic alcohol abuse mediated by intestinal dysbiosis. Germ-free mice were colonized with human fecal microbiota from individuals with high and low Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores and bred to produce human alcohol-associated microbiota or human control-microbiota F1 progenies. F1 offspring colonized with fecal microbiota from individuals with high AUDIT scores had increased susceptibility to Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia, as determined by increased mortality rates, pulmonary bacterial burden, and post-infection lung damage. These findings highlight the importance of considering both the direct effects of alcohol and alcohol-induced dysbiosis when investigating the mechanisms behind alcohol-related disorders and treatment strategies.

PubMed ID

37759490

Volume

12

Issue

18

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Cunningham, Kelly C.; Smith, Deandra R.; Villageliú, Daniel N.; Ellis, Christi M.; Ramer-Tait, Amanda E.; Price, Jeffrey D.; Wyatt, Todd A.; Knoell, Daren L.; Samuelson, Mystera M.; Molina, Patricia E.; Welsh, David A.; and Samuelson, Derrick R., "Human Alcohol-Microbiota Mice have Increased Susceptibility to Bacterial Pneumonia" (2023). School of Medicine Faculty Publications. 1560.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/som_facpubs/1560