Transplant of microbiota from long-living people to mice reduces aging-related indices and transfers beneficial bacteria

Abstract

A close relationship between age and gut microbiota exists in invertebrates and vertebrates, including humans. Long-living people are a model for studying healthy aging; they also have a distinctive microbiota structure. The relationship between the microbiota of long-living people and aging phenotype remains largely unknown. Herein, the feces of long-living people were transplanted into mice, which were then examined for aging-related indices and beneficial bacteria. Mice transplanted with fecal matter from long-living people (L group) had greater α diversity, more probiotic genera (<i>Lactobacillus</i> and <i>Bifidobacterium</i>), and short-chain fatty acid producing genera (<i>Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Coprococcus</i>) than the control group. L group mice also accumulated less lipofuscin and β-galactosidase and had longer intestinal villi. This study indicates the effects that the gut microbiota from long-living people have on healthy aging.