Rapid modulation of gut microbiota composition by hypothalamic circuits in mice

In recent years, the gut microbiota and derived metabolites have emerged as relevant players in modulating several brain functions, including energy balance control1–3. This form of distant communication mirrors that of metabolic hormones (for example, leptin, ghrelin), which convey information about the organism’s energy status by exerting effects on diverse brain regions, including the master homeostatic centre, the hypothalamus4. However, whether the hypothalamus is also able to influence gut microbiota composition remains enigmatic. Here we present a study designed to unravel this challenging question. To this aim, we used chemogenetics5 (to selectively activate or inhibit hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin or agouti-related peptide neurons) or centrally administered leptin or ghrelin to male mice. Subsequently, we conducted microbiota composition analysis throughout the gut using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our results showed that these brain interventions significantly changed the gut microbiota in an anatomical and short-term (2–4 h) fashion. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that these changes were associated with the reconfiguration of neuronal and synaptic pathways in the duodenum concomitant with increased sympathetic tone. Interestingly, diet-induced obesity attenuated the brain-mediated changes triggered by leptin in gut microbiota communities and sympathetic activation. Our findings reveal a previously unanticipated brain–gut axis that acutely attunes microbiota composition on fast timescales, with potential implications for meal-to-meal adjustments and systemic energy balance control. Toledo et al. show that metabolic hormones acting in the hypothalamus, along with direct manipulation of hypothalamic neurons, can drive remodelling of microbial communities in the gut within short periods of time.