The mice also lost weight as the changes in gut bacteria promoted the formation of beige fat.
由于腸道細菌的改變促進了灰褐色脂肪的形成,這些老鼠的重量也下降了.
Professor Trajkovski said: 'These findings demonstrate that gut microbes directly regulate the energy balance in response to changes in the environment.'
特拉伊科夫斯基教授說："這些發現證明腸道微生物可以直接調節能量平衡以應對環境變化."
However, after three weeks of cold exposure, body weight began to stabilise.
不過,暴露在寒冷中三周后,體重就開始穩定下來.
The intestine grew so it absorbed more nutrients from food, offsetting any additional weight loss.
因為腸道開始成長,所以從食物中吸收了更多的營養,彌補了任何額外的體重下降.
He added: 'These findings demonstrate that gut microbes enable mammals to harvest more energy from food as a way to adapt to the increased energy demand associated with long periods of cold exposure, thereby helping to protect against hypothermia.
他補充說,這些發現證明腸道微生物能夠使哺乳動物從食物中收獲更多能量,以此適應與長時間暴露在低溫下有關的能量需求上升,從而有助于防止體溫過低.
'We were surprised to see that gut microbes had such dramatic effects on the structure and function of the intestine.'
"我們很驚訝地發現腸道微生物對腸道結構和功能有如此巨大的影響."
The team now plans to study the molecular mechanisms by which gut microbes sense changes in the environment, such as cold, which affect how much energy a person uses up.
該團隊現在正計劃研究分子機制,通過它腸道微生物可以意識到像寒冷這樣的環境變化,這種環境變化可以影響一個人到底能消耗多少能量.
They are also looking into how changing certain gut bacteria may prevent obesity by remodelling intestinal tissue and thereby decreasing the absorption of nutrients in the gut.
他們也正在研究某種腸道細菌的改變可能會如何通過改變腸道組織結構來阻止肥胖,從而降低腸道中營養成分的吸收.
