Title: 3D dynamic in vitro model of the human gut microbiota
Abstract:
The word “microbiota” refers to all the microorganisms that resides within human body. Several types of microbiota are associated with different district in our body and, in each of them, the mutualist interaction between the microorganisms and the host plays a critical role in health and disease. For example, an alteration of the human gut microbiota composition, which is the most studied microbial population in our body, seems to have one of the leading roles in the development of several systemic diseases ranging from dementia to autism, from renal (e.g. Pyelonephritis) to hepatic diseases (Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). Here, we present a dynamic in vitro model for culturing the microorganisms from the human gut microbiota with the principal goal to maintain the complexity of the microbial profile over time and to connect this dynamic module to different cells compartments for studying the interactions between the microorganisms and the host. The entire platform was composed by a gelatin electrospun structure (e.g. a scaffold where the microorganisms were cultured), and the culture chamber which is housed in an anaerobic box (i.e. the anaerobiosis was generated through commercial filters). In particular, we analysed the adhesion and the microbial profile through quantitative RT-PCR. The results showed a batter increase in the adhesion and in the number of microorganismsin the dynamic culture chamber respect to a static control. Also, the chamber was modified to monitor different environmental parameters (e.g. dissolved oxygen and pH) using sensor spots. Finally, to develop a complete dynamic model of the cross-relation between bacteria and human cell in different diseases, the presented platform could be adapted for a co-culture. In particular, a dialyzer-based system has been implemented to physically and chemically isolate the microorganism culture to reduce the mortality of human cells. Results and final data of this work will be further presented at the conference. Here, indirect (i.e. using conditioned media from bacteria culture) co-culture system will be taken in account.
