Using a Model of Germ-Free Animals to Study the Impact of Gut Microbiome in Research: A Step by Step Sterility Setting and Management

Gabay, Odile; Vicenty, Jonathan; Smith, Dylan; Tiffany, Linda; Ascher, Jill; Curry, Tina; Dennis, John; Clouse, Kathleen A.

doi:10.3390/mps3010018

Open AccessProtocol

Using a Model of Germ-Free Animals to Study the Impact of Gut Microbiome in Research: A Step by Step Sterility Setting and Management

by

Odile Gabay

^1,*

,

Jonathan Vicenty

¹,

Dylan Smith

¹,

Linda Tiffany

¹,

Jill Ascher

²,

Tina Curry

²,

John Dennis

² and

Kathleen A. Clouse

¹

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Office of Biotechnology Products, Division of Biotechnology Review and Research 1, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA

²

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Office of Management, Division of Veterinary Services, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Methods Protoc. 2020, 3(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3010018

Submission received: 22 January 2020 / Revised: 19 February 2020 / Accepted: 20 February 2020 / Published: 22 February 2020

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Abstract

The particularly unique composition of the gut microbiota has the potential to influence the health or disease status of animal and human hosts. Altering the homeostasis of the host-bacteria could lead to changes in gut flora that result in disease or activation of a specific immunological response, which could explain the variations observed in patient responses to current therapies. A standardized model is crucial for studying the influence of the gut microbiota on therapeutic modalities. A step by step mouse model and sterility management system that compares a control strain of C57BL/6 mice to the established C57BL/6 germ-free (GF) strain has been developed. The GF BL/6 mouse phenotype is well established, and the anatomical differences between the GF and control mice were evident in this model. This method could be applied to research studies investigating the microbiome impact, the response to various therapies, or disease transfer via fecal transplants. A standardized sterility maintenance method is crucial in this context.

Keywords: microbiome; germ free; sterility method; animal model

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MDPI and ACS Style

Gabay, O.; Vicenty, J.; Smith, D.; Tiffany, L.; Ascher, J.; Curry, T.; Dennis, J.; Clouse, K.A. Using a Model of Germ-Free Animals to Study the Impact of Gut Microbiome in Research: A Step by Step Sterility Setting and Management. Methods Protoc. 2020, 3, 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3010018

AMA Style

Gabay O, Vicenty J, Smith D, Tiffany L, Ascher J, Curry T, Dennis J, Clouse KA. Using a Model of Germ-Free Animals to Study the Impact of Gut Microbiome in Research: A Step by Step Sterility Setting and Management. Methods and Protocols. 2020; 3(1):18. https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3010018

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gabay, Odile, Jonathan Vicenty, Dylan Smith, Linda Tiffany, Jill Ascher, Tina Curry, John Dennis, and Kathleen A. Clouse. 2020. "Using a Model of Germ-Free Animals to Study the Impact of Gut Microbiome in Research: A Step by Step Sterility Setting and Management" Methods and Protocols 3, no. 1: 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3010018

APA Style

Gabay, O., Vicenty, J., Smith, D., Tiffany, L., Ascher, J., Curry, T., Dennis, J., & Clouse, K. A. (2020). Using a Model of Germ-Free Animals to Study the Impact of Gut Microbiome in Research: A Step by Step Sterility Setting and Management. Methods and Protocols, 3(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/mps3010018

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Using a Model of Germ-Free Animals to Study the Impact of Gut Microbiome in Research: A Step by Step Sterility Setting and Management

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