Acute stress-induced alterations in short-chain fatty acids: Implications for the intestinal and blood brain barriers

Unravelling the features of the whole-body response to acute stress exposures is critical to understand this neglected building block of chronic stress. A single acute stress exposure rapidly modulates gut-brain axis signalling including intestinal permeability, but the mechanisms are unclear. Micro...

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Main Authors: Cristina Rosell-Cardona, Sarah-Jane Leigh, Emily Knox, Emanuela Tirelli, Joshua M. Lyte, Michael S. Goodson, Nancy Kelley-Loughnane, Maria R. Aburto, John F. Cryan, Gerard Clarke
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266635462500050X
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author Cristina Rosell-Cardona
Sarah-Jane Leigh
Emily Knox
Emanuela Tirelli
Joshua M. Lyte
Michael S. Goodson
Nancy Kelley-Loughnane
Maria R. Aburto
John F. Cryan
Gerard Clarke
author_facet Cristina Rosell-Cardona
Sarah-Jane Leigh
Emily Knox
Emanuela Tirelli
Joshua M. Lyte
Michael S. Goodson
Nancy Kelley-Loughnane
Maria R. Aburto
John F. Cryan
Gerard Clarke
author_sort Cristina Rosell-Cardona
collection DOAJ
description Unravelling the features of the whole-body response to acute stress exposures is critical to understand this neglected building block of chronic stress. A single acute stress exposure rapidly modulates gut-brain axis signalling including intestinal permeability, but the mechanisms are unclear. Microbially-produced metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are key effectors within the gut-brain axis which can affect gut and brain function. The aim of this work is to determine if acute stress regulates SCFA production in the gut and to understand the associated implications for gastrointestinal and brain barrier function. Stress reduced caecal SCFA concentrations, primarily butyrate and acetate. These SCFAs prevented LPS-induced disruption of gut and brain barrier function in a dose-dependent manner in in vitro models. This functional protection was associated with altered tight-junction abundance and morphology. These results provide a better understanding of the role SCFAs have on barriers following acute stress.
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institution DOAJ
issn 2666-3546
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
spelling doaj-art-0fe72f62121843b39d754df7e861e4b62025-08-20T03:21:15ZengElsevierBrain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health2666-35462025-07-014610099210.1016/j.bbih.2025.100992Acute stress-induced alterations in short-chain fatty acids: Implications for the intestinal and blood brain barriersCristina Rosell-Cardona0Sarah-Jane Leigh1Emily Knox2Emanuela Tirelli3Joshua M. Lyte4Michael S. Goodson5Nancy Kelley-Loughnane6Maria R. Aburto7John F. Cryan8Gerard Clarke9APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, IrelandAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, IrelandAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, IrelandAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, IrelandAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH, USA711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH, USAAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, IrelandAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, IrelandAPC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Corresponding author. 1.15 Biosciences Building, Dept of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. Tel.: +353 (0)21 4901408; fax: +353 (0)21 4901722.Unravelling the features of the whole-body response to acute stress exposures is critical to understand this neglected building block of chronic stress. A single acute stress exposure rapidly modulates gut-brain axis signalling including intestinal permeability, but the mechanisms are unclear. Microbially-produced metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are key effectors within the gut-brain axis which can affect gut and brain function. The aim of this work is to determine if acute stress regulates SCFA production in the gut and to understand the associated implications for gastrointestinal and brain barrier function. Stress reduced caecal SCFA concentrations, primarily butyrate and acetate. These SCFAs prevented LPS-induced disruption of gut and brain barrier function in a dose-dependent manner in in vitro models. This functional protection was associated with altered tight-junction abundance and morphology. These results provide a better understanding of the role SCFAs have on barriers following acute stress.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266635462500050XAcute stressShort-chain fatty acidsMicrobiota-gut-brain axisBarriersMicrobial metabolites
spellingShingle Cristina Rosell-Cardona
Sarah-Jane Leigh
Emily Knox
Emanuela Tirelli
Joshua M. Lyte
Michael S. Goodson
Nancy Kelley-Loughnane
Maria R. Aburto
John F. Cryan
Gerard Clarke
Acute stress-induced alterations in short-chain fatty acids: Implications for the intestinal and blood brain barriers
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
Acute stress
Short-chain fatty acids
Microbiota-gut-brain axis
Barriers
Microbial metabolites
title Acute stress-induced alterations in short-chain fatty acids: Implications for the intestinal and blood brain barriers
title_full Acute stress-induced alterations in short-chain fatty acids: Implications for the intestinal and blood brain barriers
title_fullStr Acute stress-induced alterations in short-chain fatty acids: Implications for the intestinal and blood brain barriers
title_full_unstemmed Acute stress-induced alterations in short-chain fatty acids: Implications for the intestinal and blood brain barriers
title_short Acute stress-induced alterations in short-chain fatty acids: Implications for the intestinal and blood brain barriers
title_sort acute stress induced alterations in short chain fatty acids implications for the intestinal and blood brain barriers
topic Acute stress
Short-chain fatty acids
Microbiota-gut-brain axis
Barriers
Microbial metabolites
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266635462500050X
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