Fig. 2: Bacteroides vulgatus regulates bone-associated phenotypes of mice in vivo.
From: Gut microbiota impacts bone via Bacteroides vulgatus-valeric acid-related pathways
Changes in various bone-associated phenotypes in mice after gavage with B. vulgatus or NS for 8 weeks after OVX, compared with sham (non-OVX) and blank (non-OVX and no oral gavage) female mice (n_mice = 12/group): a–e representative microCT/HE staining/Von Kossa staining/IHC-OC staining/TRAP staining images of the 5th lumbar vertebral body. Arrows point to osteocalcin positive cells (d) and osteoclasts positive cells (e). f–i Quantitative indices of trabecular bone volume and structure, including Tb.N, Tb.Th, Tb.Sp, and BV/TV (n_mice = 12/gourp). j Mineralized volumes of mice bone are quantified by percentages of mineralized area in Von Kossa staining (n_mice = 6/group). k, l Quantitative data of osteocalcin positive cells and osteoclasts, respectively (n_mice = 6/group). m–o Relative abundance of B. vulgatus and valeric acid-producing species (Megasphaera elsdenii and Oscillibacter valericigenes) (n_mice = 12/group). p–r serum levels of valeric acid, PINP concentrations, and CTX-I concentrations (n_mice = 12/group). microCT - micro-computed tomography, B.V. Bacteroides vulgatus, BV/TV bone volume/tissue volume, CTX-I C-telopeptide of type I collagen, HE hematoxylin-eosin, IHC-OC immunohistochemistry-osteocalcin, Md. Ar mineralized area, NS normal saline, N.OC+/B.Pm osteocalcin positive cells number per analyzed bone perimeter, N.TRAP+/B.Pm TRAP-stained osteoclast number per analyzed bone perimeter, OVX ovariectomized, PINP procollagen I N-terminal propeptide. Tb.N trabecular number, Tb.Sp trabecular separation, Tb.Th trabecular thickness. Data are presented as mean values with SD. ns indicates non-significant, * indicates q-value < 0.05, ** indicates q-value < 0.01, *** indicates q-value < 0.001. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
