Effects of Dihydrotestosterone on Mouse Gut Microbiome – A Study of Sex Differences and Hormonal Effects on Gut Microbiome

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a polygenic and multifactorial disease, traditionally attributed to genetic susceptibility and diet. Over the past decade, novel studies have placed a higher significance on the role of gut microbiome in T1D pathogenesis. Furthermore, diabetic mice models have shown higher incidence of T1D in females compared to males, attributed to the differences in gut microbial community structure. Interestingly, female mice models elicited male- like protection when transplanted with the male gut microbiome. In a previous study, we observed that female Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice implanted with slow release 5-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) for 90 days showed improved glucose tolerance when compared to untreated females. We hypothesize that DHT treatment alters female gut microbial profile to resemble a male-like microbiome that induces improved glucose tolerance, a determinant of T1D protection. By comparing the gut microbiome composition of DHT treated female mice with untreated females and age matched males, we aim to identify the microbial changes and understand the relationship between gut microbiome and disease protection. Bacterial DNA was extracted from the gut microbiome and was sequenced. The sequence data will be used to identify organisms present, calculate microbial community diversity indices and identify predominant metabolic profiles in each sample. Our study will help to better understand the effects of androgens on gut microbiome composition and its protective effects against T1D.