In doses that are regularly used for the treatment of bacterial infections in children, antibiotics changed intestinal flora in mice, dramatically increasing the risk of developing diabetes of 1 type. Does this mean that the popular drug can be dangerous for your health? Scientists at new York University tried to answer this question in the journal Nature Microbiology.
The microbiome is a unique collection of bacteria found in the body. The microbiome of the gut plays a huge role in the processes of digestion, metabolism and immunity.
In recent decades, children are often exposed to antibiotics that destroy normal intestinal flora. For example, in the U.S. for 10 years, the child receives an average of 10 courses of antibiotics. Along with the increased number of autoimmune diseases: frequency of diabetes mellitus type 1 increased more than 2 times.
A new study from researchers Luganskogo medical center at new York University have shown that small doses of antibiotics increase the risk of developing type 1 diabetes in mice. Perhaps these results are relevant for the people.
We study the mechanisms by which antibiotics affect the microbiome, increasing the risk of developing type 1 diabetes, says Martin blazer, senior author of the study. We used mice the best model to study type 1 diabetes, and doses of antibiotics, equivalent to those given to children for the treatment of common infections.
Associated diseases:
Diabetes Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus Intestinal dysbiosisDysbiosis
The risk of type 1 diabetes with the standard dosage of antibiotics
In type 1 diabetes the immune system mistakenly destroys islet cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Without insulin, patients are unable to properly control blood sugar levels. As a result, the glucose builds up, damaging nerves and blood vessels.
Some studies show that normal microbiome teaches the immune system to be less sensitive, reducing the risk of unwarranted attack on the body. But antibiotics can interfere with this process.
The researchers assessed the impact of antibiotics on the microbiome of mice are not obese, but likely to develop type 1 diabetes. The team investigated the effect of antibiotics in low doses, and found that male mice after therapy the risk of diabetes was increased in two times (53%). The incidence of diabetes mellitus in the control group of mice that did not receive antibiotics was 26% lower. In female mice the risk of diabetes is not significantly increased, because scientists need to conduct some factual research.
After antibiotic treatment in the gut of mice almost completely disappeared a certain type of bacteria necessary for normal functioning of the immune system.
To determine the effect of antibiotics on the microbiome, scientists have collected samples of gut bacteria from all the studied mice. They then used genomic and statistical methods to analyze millions of pieces of bacterial DNA. So the team was able to study the effect of antibiotics on the microbiome of mice during the first 13 weeks after birth.
The three-week males, for example, after antibiotic treatment in the gut almost completely disappeared a certain type of bacteria necessary for normal functioning of the immune system.
The results suggested that the intestinal dysbiosis Sampo itself can affect immuno system of the recipient. Moreover, after the introduction of antibiotics mice had lower levels of regulatory T cells that inhibit immune responses.
This is the first work, which confirmed the ability of antibiotics change the intestinal flora and to have a lasting impact on the immunological and metabolic processes, in particular on the formation of autoimmune diseases. Further research could fundamentally change the way that the antibiotics administered for the treatment of infectious diseases.
Source:Science Daily