Abstract
Although the importance of the intestinal microbiota in host growth and health is well known, the relationship between microbiota colonization and muscle development is unclear. In this study, the direct causal effects of the colonization of gut microorganisms on the muscle tissue of piglets were investigated. The body weight and lean mass of germ-free (GF) piglets were approximately 40% lower than those of normal piglets. The deletion of the intestinal microbiota led to weakened muscle function and a reduction in myogenic regulatory proteins, such as MyoG and MyoD, in GF piglets. In addition, the blinded IGF1/AKT/mTOR pathway in GF piglets caused muscle atrophy and autophagy, which were characterized by the high expression of Murf-1 and KLF15. Gut microbiota introduced to GF piglets via fecal microbiota transplantation not only colonized the gut but also partially restored muscle growth and development. Furthermore, the proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers was lower in the muscle of GF piglets, which was caused by the reduced short-chain fatty acid content in the circulation and impaired mitochondrial function in muscle. Collectively, these findings suggest that the growth, development and function of skeletal muscle in animals are mediated by the intestinal microbiota.