Sex Difference in the Effect of on Repeated Water Avoidance Stress-induced Gut Dysbiosis in Wistar Rats.

Dysbiosis in gut microbiota is known to contribute to development of irritable bowel syndrome. We tried to investigate the effect of on repeated water avoidance stress (WAS) in a Wistar rat model. The three groups (no-stress, WAS, and WAS with ) of rats were allocated to sham or WAS for 1 hour daily for 10 days, and was administered through gavage for 10 days. Fecal pellet numbers were counted at the end of each 1-hour session of WAS. After 10 days of repeated WAS, the rats were eutanized, and the feces were collected. WAS increased fecal pellet output (FPO) significantly in both sexes ( < 0.001), while the female group showed significantly decreased FPO ( = 0.005). However, there was no consistent change of myeloperoxidase activity and mRNA expression of interleukin-1β and TNF-α. Mast cell infiltration at colonic submucosa increased in the female WAS group ( = 0.016). In terms of fecal microbiota, the repeated WAS groups in both sexes showed different beta-diversity compared to control and WAS with groups. WAS-induced mast cell infiltration was reduced by the administration of in female rats. Moreover, administration of relieved WAS-caused dysbiosis, especially in female rats. In conclusion, was beneficial for WAS-induced stress in rats, especially in females.