RRC ID 84814
Author Pal S, Morgan X, Dar HY, Gacasan CA, Patil S, Stoica A, Hu YJ, Weitzmann MN, Jones RM, Pacifici R.
Title Gender-affirming hormone therapy preserves skeletal maturation in young mice via the gut microbiome.
Journal J Clin Invest
Abstract Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is often prescribed to transgender (TG) adolescents to alleviate gender dysphoria, but the effect of GAHT on the growing skeleton is unclear. We found GAHT to improve trabecular bone structure via increased bone formation in young male mice and not to affect trabecular structure in female mice. GAHT modified gut microbiome composition in both male and female mice. However, fecal microbiota transfers (FMTs) revealed that GAHT-shaped gut microbiome was a communicable regulator of bone structure and turnover in male, but not in female mice. Mediation analysis identified 2 species of Bacteroides as significant contributors to the skeletal effects of GAHT in male mice, with Bacteroides supplementation phenocopying the effects of GAHT on bone. Bacteroides have the capacity to expand Treg populations in the gut. Accordingly, GAHT expanded intestinal Tregs and stimulated their migration to the bone marrow (BM) in male but not in female mice. Attesting to the functional relevance of Tregs, pharmacological blockade of Treg expansion prevented GAHT-induced bone anabolism. In summary, in male mice GAHT stimulated bone formation and improved trabecular structure by promoting Treg expansion via a microbiome-mediated effect, while in female mice, GAHT neither improved nor impaired trabecular structure.
Volume 134(10)
Published 2024-3-26
DOI 10.1172/JCI175410
PII 175410
PMID 38530358
PMC PMC11093603
MeSH Animals Bacteroides Bone Development / drug effects Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Female Gastrointestinal Microbiome* / drug effects Humans Male Mice Osteogenesis / drug effects T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory* / drug effects T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory* / immunology
Resource
General Microbes JCM10556
Mice RBRC05738