Figure 3.

Clostridium growth and epipregnanolone production in the progesterone-amended fecal cultures. Fresh fecal samples from 14 patients were anaerobically incubated in the DCB-1 medium containing progesterone (1 mm) for 6 days. (a) The growth of clostridium and the production of epipregnanolone in the active (n = 6) and inactive (n = 8) fecal cultures amended with progesterone. (b) Clostridium abundance and epipregnanolone production is significantly higher in the progesterone-treated active gut microbiota with longer incubation duration (≥4 days). Data shown in a and b are mean ± standard error for 6 (active group) and 8 (inactive group) individuals. Statistical results were calculated with unpaired nonparametric t-test; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. (c) The NMDS analysis of the progesterone-treated gut microbiota. Fresh fecal samples collected from a total of 14 female patients (active group, n = 6; inactive group, n = 8) were anaerobically incubated in the DCB-1 broth containing 1 mm of progesterone for 6 days, and the fecal cultures were sampled at different incubation stages.