The Increased Abundance of Commensal Microbes Decreases Drosophila melanogaster Lifespan through an Age-Related Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Commensal microbes affects the host’s health, physiology, dysbiosis, and the disruption of microbiota homeostasis, which can lead to a wide range of diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Drosophila melanogaster was recently introduced as a model for human intestinal infection and pathology. Here, we show that the lifespan of flies is tightly related with the gut permeability of flies, confirming a causal relationship between gut dysbiosis and host lifespan. ABSTRACT: Background: Commensal microbiota live in their host with a symbiotic relationship that affects the host’s health and physiology. Many studies showed that microbial load and composition were changed by aging and observed that increasing the abundance and changing the composition of commensal microbes had detrimental effects on host lifespan. We hypothesized that dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota leads to systemic effects in aging flies as a result of the increased intestinal permeability. Methods: We used the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, laboratory strains w(1118), as a model system with many advantages for microbe–host studies. Results: The incidence of intestinal dysfunction was increased with age, and intestinal dysfunction increased the permeability of the fly intestine to resident microbes. The lifespan of flies with an intestinal barrier dysfunction was increased by removal of the microbes. Interestingly, some bacteria were also found in the hemolymph of flies with intestinal barrier dysfunction. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the possibility that, as the host ages, there is an increase in intestinal permeability, which leads to an increased intestinal microbial load and a reduction in the host lifespan. Our data therefore indicate a connection between commensal microbes and host lifespan.