Abstract

Antibiotics that can treat or prevent infectious diseases play an important role in medical therapy. However, the use of antibiotics has potentially negative effects on the health of the host. For example, antibiotics use may affect the host's immune system by altering the gut microbiota. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the influence of antifungal (fluconazole) treatment on the gut microbiota and immune system of mice. Results showed that the gut microbial composition of mice receiving fluconazole treatment was significantly changed after the trial. Fluconazole did not affect the relative abundance of bacteria but significantly reduced the diversity of bacterial flora. In the bacteriome, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria significantly increased, while Bacteroidetes, Deferribacteres, Patescibacteria, and Tenericutes showed a remarkable reduction in the fluconazole-treated group compared with the control group. In the mycobiome, the relative abundance of Ascomycota was significantly decreased and Mucoromycota was significantly increased in the intestine of mice treated with fluconazole compared to the control group. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) results showed that the relative gene expression of ZO-1, occludin, MyD88, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 was decreased in the fluconazole-treated group compared to the control. Serum levels of IL-2, LZM, and IgM were significantly increased, while the IgG level was considerably downregulated in the fluconazole-treated compared to the control group. These results suggest that the administration of fluconazole can influence the gut microbiota and that a healthy gut microbiome is important for the regulation of the host immune responses.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.