Gut microbiome linked to increased risk, EBV diseases, and severity of HIV

A recent study revealed that the bacteria and other microbes in our gut aid in immunity, metabolism, and digestion and protect us against bad bacteria that try to infiltrate our systems. However, a counter-research published in Nature Biotechnology by Angela Wahl, Ph.D., Balfour Sartor, MD, J. Victor Garcia, Ph.D., and UNC School of Medicine colleagues has revealed that the microbiome may not always be protective against human pathogens.
Using a first-of-its-kind precision animal model with no microbiome (germ-free), researchers have shown that the microbiome has a significant impact on the acquisition of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV) infection and plays a role in the course of the disease.
“These findings offer the first direct evidence that resident microbiota can have a significant impact on the establishment and pathology of infection by two different human-specific pathogens,” said Wahl, assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases in the UNC Department of Medicine.
This research was conducted through a collaboration with scientists at the UNC International Center for the Advancement of Translational Science and the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the UNC School of Medicine. Wahl and Garcia needed to create a “humanised” mouse model that mimicked a human’s immune system to conduct their study. Once exposed to a virus, the humanised models can replicate the virus like a human and could be used for study.
“This had never been done before,” said Wahl, also assistant director of the UNC International Center for the Advancement for Translational Science. “We humanized the mice and did our viral exposure experiments under strict germ-free conditions. Technically, it was very challenging.”