Estrogen protection against EAE modulates the microbiota and mucosal-associated regulatory cells

•Estrogen treatment induces changes in the gut microbiota composition.•While EAE lead to gut dysbiosis, estrogen pretreatment reduced these changes.•A possible crosstalk between sex hormones and microbiota affects the immune system.

Sex hormones promote immunoregulatory effects on multiple sclerosis. In the current study we evaluated the composition of the gut microbiota and the mucosal-associated regulatory cells in estrogen or sham treated female mice before and after autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induction. Treatment with pregnancy levels of estrogen induces changes in the composition and diversity of gut microbiota. Additionally, estrogen prevents EAE-associated changes in the gut microbiota and might promote the enrichment of bacteria that are associated with immune regulation. Our results point to a possible cross-talk between the sex hormones and the gut microbiota, which could promote neuroprotection.

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