Transplantation of bacteriophages from ulcerative colitis patients shifts the gut bacteriome and exacerbates the severity of DSS colitis

• DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01275-2
• Publication Date: 2022-07-08T03:27:59Z
• Authors: Anshul Sinha; Yue Li; Mohammadali Khan ...; Michael Shamash; Rana Samadfam; Irah L. King; Corinne F. Maurice
• Keywords: Human virome; Dysbiosis; Medical microbiology

Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are characterized by chronic debilitating gut inflammation. Altered bacterial communities of the intestine strongly associated with IBD initiation progression. The virome, which is primarily composed viruses (bacteriophages, phages), thought to be an important factor regulating shaping microbial in gut. While alterations virome have been observed patients, contribution these community heightened inflammatory responses patients remains largely unknown. Results Here, we performed vivo cross-infection experiments follow effects fecal virus-like particles (VLPs) isolated from UC healthy controls on diversity severity experimental human microbiota-associated (HMA) mice. Shotgun metagenomics confirmed that several phages were transferred HMA mice, resulting treatment-specific virome. VLPs also shifted effect was amplified during colitis. specifically altered relative abundance taxa previously implicated Additionally, VLP administration as indicated shortened colon length increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Importantly, this dependent intact VLPs. Conclusions Our findings build recent literature indicating dynamic regulators implicate intestinal modulating inflammation disease.