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Defence Against Sinister Pathogens
The gut microbiome serves as a critical defence system, protecting against harmful pathogens through a combination of beneficial microbes, physical barriers, and immune responses. Layers of mucus and tight junctions in the gut lining prevent invaders from crossing into the bloodstream, while immune cells work with the microbiome to keep infections at bay. Together, these elements create a robust natural defence.
When these defences are compromised, pathogens like Clostridioides difficile can exploit the weakened microbiome, leading to severe infections. Research into therapies like faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) offers hope by restoring microbial balance and helping the body recover from disruptions caused by illness or antibiotic use.
In cases of recurrent C. difficile infection, FMT has emerged as a promising treatment. In Helsinki, Finland, researchers developed a protocol for preparing FMT samples under anaerobic conditions using the Whitley A85 Workstation. This ensured that microbial diversity, particularly anaerobic bacteria, was preserved during the transplant process. As Berta Bosch et al. noted in their 2023 study, “FMT has shown highly variable results in indications beyond recurrent C. difficile infection. Microbiota dysbiosis in many diseases is characterized by the depletion of strictly anaerobic bacteria, which may be crucial for FMT efficacy.” This protocol represents a significant step in ensuring the success of FMT by maintaining the microbial richness required to restore gut health.
Finland is not alone in developing FMT protocols; BiomeBank in Australia is another success story. BiomeBank is a clinical-stage biotechnology company with a pipeline of live biotherapeutic products aimed at treating various diseases, including the use of FMT to combat recurrent C. difficile infections.
At their research facility, BiomeBank now operates multiple Whitley Workstations. After trialling other anaerobic cabinets available on the market, they found none could match the strict, repeatable conditions provided by Don Whitley Scientific products.
“We have always used anaerobic cabinets to achieve anaerobic conditions as they enable a high-throughput workflow, which has always been core to our discovery process. We did however start by using cabinets from other manufacturers and have found that none compared to the Whitley A55 Workstation,” said Rueben Wheeler, Research Scientist at BiomeBank (2021).
If you are interested in more from BiomeBank or any of the latest in gut microbiome research, head over to our website using the link below to watch our free webinars. Or for more information on our anaerobic workstations please email us at sales@dwscientific.co.uk.
References:
- C. Chassard., M. Dapoigny., K. Scott., L. Crouzet., C. Del'homme., P. Marquet., J. C. Martin., G. Pickering., D. Ardid., A. Eschalier., C. Dubray., H. J. Flint., & A. Bernalier-Donadille. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. (2012). Functional dysbiosis within the gut microbiota of patients with constipated-irritable bowel syndrome. Wiley Online Library. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com
- Degruttola, A. K., Low, D., Mizoguchi, A., & Mizoguchi, E. (2016). Current understanding of dysbiosis in disease in human and animal models. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 22, 1137–1150. https://doi.org/10.1097/MIB.0000000000000750
- B.Bosch., A. Hartikainen., A. Ronkainen., F. Scheperjans., P. Arkkila., & R. Satokari. (2023). Microorganisms. Development of a protocol for anaerobic preparation and banking of fecal microbiota transplantation material: Evaluation of bacterial richness in the cultivated fraction. Microorganisms, 11(12), 2901. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11122901
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