Maria Yemane, BS

MS is a neurodegenerative and autoimmune disease that is influenced by environmental factors. The gut microbiota plays a key role in modulating immune responses and disease progression in MS. Prior work from the lab found that penicillin worsened disease in male mice and improved disease in female mice. In this study, the role of the gut microbiota of penicillin-treated mice on EAE, was investigated with a focus on sex differences. Recovery from EAE symptoms was observed in male and female mice treated with the microbiota of penicillin-treated females. In contrast, female mice treated with microbiota from males treated with penicillin showed no recovery. Microbiome analysis showed that Dubosiella muris which were present in the female penicillin microbiota, were associated with a decrease in EAE severity. Dubosiella newyorkensis in the male penicillin microbiota was found to show impaired recovery of EAE. Two bacteria from the same family show once a positive and once a negative effect on EAE. This study highlights the importance of the complex interplay between sex and gut microbiota in shaping the disease course of MS. It provides insight into potential therapeutic approaches that manipulate the gut microbiota in a sex-specific manner and highlights importance of personalized treatments.