Gonadal sex and chromosome complement influence the gut microbiome in a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation.

ABSTRACT

Evidence abounds that gut microbiome components are associated with sex disparities in the immune system. However, it remains unclear whether the observed sex disparity in asthma incidence is associated with sex-dependent differences in immune-modulating gut microbiota, and/or its influence on allergic airway inflammatory processes. Using a mouse model of house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic inflammation and the four core genotypes (FCGs) model, we have previously reported sex differences in lung inflammatory phenotypes. Here, we investigated associations of gut microbiomes with these phenotypes by challenging FCG mice [mouse with female sex chromosome and male gonad (XXM), mouse with female sex chromosome and female gonad (XXF), mouse with male sex chromosome and male gonad (XYM), and mouse with male sex chromosome and female gonad (XYF); n = 7/group] with HDM (25 µg) or PBS intranasally for 5 wk and collecting fecal samples. We extracted fecal DNA and analyzed the 16S microbiome via Targeted Metagenomic Sequencing. We compared α and ß diversity across genotypes and assessed the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio. When comparing baseline and after exposure for the FCG, we found that the gut F/B ratio was only increased in the XXM genotype. We also found that α diversity was significantly increased in all FCG mice upon HDM challenge, with the highest increase in the XXF, and the lowest in the XXM genotypes. Similarly, ß diversity of the microbial community was also affected by challenge in a gonad- and chromosome-dependent manner. In summary, our results indicated that HDM treatment, gonads, and sex chromosomes significantly influence the gut microbial community composition. We concluded that allergic lung inflammation may be affected by the gut microbiome in a sex-dependent manner involving both hormonal and genetic influences.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Recently, the gut microbiome and its role in chronic respiratory disease have been the subject of extensive research and the establishment of its involvement in immune functions. Using the FCG mouse model, our findings revealed the influence of gonads and sex chromosomes on the microbial community structure before and after exposure to HDM. Our data provide a potential new avenue to better understand mediators of sex disparities associated with allergic airway inflammation.