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GUT MICROBIOTA

Specific gut microbiota taxa as a key source of variability in colitis model

Owing to its simplicity, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis is one of the most widely used mouse models of colitis. However, the severity of inflammation varies from one experiment to another. In a new study, Forster and colleagues have provided new insights into the DSS model by revealing specific microbial taxa that underlie disease variability.

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Fig. 1: Parameters influencing disease outcomes in the dextran sulfate sodium mouse model of colitis.

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Acknowledgements

The authors warmly thank N. Rolhion who designed the original version of Fig. 1 and helped with preparing the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Harry Sokol.

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Competing interests

H.S. received consultancy, or lecture fees, from Carenity, Abbvie, Astellas, Danone, Ferring, Mayoly Spindler, MSD, Novartis, Roche, Tillots, Enterome, Maat, BiomX, Biose, Novartis, and Takeda and is also a co-founder of Exeliom Bioscience. N.B. received lecture fees from Tillots and travel grants from Pfizer.

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Benech, N., Sokol, H. Specific gut microbiota taxa as a key source of variability in colitis model. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 19, 491–492 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-022-00644-4

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