Effects of sphingolipid-producing bacteria on Caco-2 gene expression

Sphingolipids produced by the microbiome have the potential to signal into host pathways and influence metabolic health. To investigate the effects of bacterial sphingolipids on host signaling pathways, we generated RNA-seq data from human colonic epithelial (Caco-2) cells exposed to sphingolipid synthesis competent and deficient bacteria. We used Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (BTWT) and a strain with an inactivated sphingolipid synthesis gene that showed ablation of sphingolipid production (SLMUT). This allowed us to assess how Caco-2 cells respond to whole bacterial cells with and without sphingolipids. Caco-2 cells were grown in a transwell system that allowed for the transfer of bacterial metabolites without physical contact between bacterial and human cells.