An emerging role of Prevotella histicola on estrogen-deficiency induced bone loss through the gut microbiota-bone axis

Gut microbiota (GM)-bone axis has emerged as a crucial mediator in the maintenance of bone homeostasis. Estrogen-deficiency induced bone loss is closely associated with an altered GM. However, the underlying mechanisms remain not fully understood. To this end, feces samples collected from the postmenopausal patients with osteoporosis (PMO) and with normal bone mass (PMN) were examined by 16s rRNA gene sequencing. We found that GM in PMO group was featured by a significant decreased proportion of genus in comparison with that in the PMN group. Next, (), a typical specie of , was orally given to the mice following the ovariectomy (OVX) procedure and it significantly prevented OVX induced bone loss. Mechanistically, the protective effects of on bone mass were found to be associated with the inhibition of osteoclastic resorption by attenuating osteoclastogenic cytokines expression and ameliorating gut permeability. Thus, may prevent estrogen-deficiency induced bone loss through the GM-bone axis.