Search

Background Existing evidence suggest that lactoferrin might be beneficial for Alzheimer's disease, while precise mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Objective To determine the effects of lactoferrin intervention on cognitive function from APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) mice, and potential mechanisms involved. Design Both the young and middle-aged male APP/PS1 mice were divided into the control and lactoferrin intervention groups with 16 weeks' intervention. Results Lactoferrin had no effects on cognitive function for both the young and middle-aged mice, and no key markers involved in Aβ, tau pathology, neuro-inflammation and synaptic plasticity were altered after lactoferrin intervention. With regards to gut microbiota profiles, in the young APP/PS1 mice, lactoferrin elevated the α diversity index including ACE and Chao 1, and reduced the relative abundance of the genera Bacteroides and Alistipes and elevated Oscillibacter; in addition, Oscillibacter, Anaerotruncus, EF096579_g, EU454405_g, Mollicutes_RF39, EU474361_g, EU774448_g, and EF096976_g were specifically abundant via linear discriminant analysis with effect size (LEfSe) analysis. In the middle-aged APP/PS1 mice, the relative abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria, as well as the genera Oscillospira, Coprococcus, and Ruminococcus was significantly reduced post lactoferrin; additionally, S24_7, Bacteroidia, Bacteroidetes, and Methylobacterium were specific via LEfSe analysis in the lactoferrin group. Conclusions Dietary lactoferrin might be beneficial for gut microbiota homeostasis although it might have no effects on cognition.

This study aimed to characterize the alteration of the fecal microbiome and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants in 24 piglets at day 3 pre-weaning (D. − 3), weaning day (D.0), days 3 (D.3) and 8 post-weaning (D.8), using whole-genome shotgun sequencing. Distinct clusters of microbiomes and AMR determinants were observed at D.8 when Prevotella (20.9%) was the major genus, whereas at D. − 3–D.3, Alistipes (6.9–12.7%) and Bacteroides (5.2–8.5%) were the major genera. Lactobacillus and Escherichia were notably observed at D. − 3 (1.2%) and D. − 3–D.3 (0.2–0.4%), respectively. For AMR, a distinct cluster of AMR determinants was observed at D.8, mainly conferring resistance to macrolide–lincosamide–streptogramin (mefA), β-lactam (cfxA6 and aci1) and phenicol (rlmN). In contrast, at D. − 3–D.3, a high abundance of determinants with aminoglycoside (AMG) (sat, aac(6')-aph(2''), aadA and acrF), β-lactam (fus-1, cepA and mrdA), multidrug resistance (MDR) (gadW, mdtE, emrA, evgS, tolC and mdtB), phenicol (catB4 and cmlA4), and sulfonamide patterns (sul3) was observed. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) plot associated Escherichia coli with aac(6')-aph(2''), emrA, mdtB, catB4 and cmlA4 at D. − 3, D.0 and/or D.3 whereas at D.8 associations between Prevotella and mefA, cfxA6 and aci1 were identified. The weaning age and diet factor played an important role in the microbial community composition.

We have found that intestinal bacteria and their metabolites, short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs), promote cancer growth in prostate cancer (PCa) mouse models. To clarify the association between gut microbiota and PCa in humans, we analyzed the gut microbiota profiles of men with suspected PCa. One hundred and fifty‐two Japanese men undergoing prostate biopsies (96 with cancer and 56 without cancer) were included in the study and randomly divided into two cohorts: a discovery cohort (114 samples) and a test cohort (38 samples). The gut microbiota was compared between two groups, a high‐risk group (men with Grade group 2 or higher PCa) and a negative + low‐risk group (men with negative biopsy or Grade group 1 PCa), using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The relative abundances of Rikenellaceae, Alistipes, and Lachnospira, all SCFA‐producing bacteria, were significantly increased in high‐risk group. In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the index calculated from the abundance of 18 bacterial genera which were selected by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression detected high‐risk PCa in the discovery cohort with higher accuracy than the prostate specific antigen test (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.85 vs 0.74). Validation of the index in the test cohort showed similar results (AUC = 0.81 vs 0.67). The specific bacterial taxa were associated with high‐risk PCa. The gut microbiota profile could be a novel useful marker for the detection of high‐risk PCa and could contribute to the carcinogenesis of PCa., To clarify the association between the gut microbiota and prostate cancer, we analyzed the gut microbiota profiles of 152 men undergoing prostate biopsy. The abundances of Rikenellaceae, Alistipes, and Lachnospira were significantly increased in men with high‐risk cancer. The index calculated from the abundance of 18 bacterial genera detected high‐risk cancer with higher accuracy than the prostate specific antigen test.

Background Inter-individual variations in gut microbiota composition are observed even among healthy populations. The gut microbiota may exhibit a unique composition depending on the country of origin and race of individuals. To comprehensively understand the link between healthy gut microbiota and host state, it is beneficial to conduct large-scale cohort studies. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the integrated and non-redundant factors associated with gut microbiota composition within the Japanese population by 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal samples and questionnaire-based covariate analysis. Results A total of 1596 healthy Japanese individuals participated in this study via two independent cohorts, NIBIOHN cohort (n = 954) and MORINAGA cohort (n = 642). Gut microbiota composition was described and the interaction of these microorganisms with metadata parameters such as anthropometric measurements, bowel habits, medical history, and lifestyle were obtained. Thirteen genera, including Alistipes, Anaerostipes, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Blautia, Eubacterium halli group, Faecalibacterium, Fusicatenibacter, Lachnoclostridium, Parabacteroides, Prevotella_9, Roseburia, and Subdoligranulum were predominant among the two cohorts. On the basis of univariate analysis for overall microbiome variation, 18 matching variables exhibited significant association in both cohorts. A stepwise redundancy analysis revealed that there were four common covariates, Bristol Stool Scale (BSS) scores, gender, age, and defecation frequency, displaying non-redundant association with gut microbial variance. Conclusions We conducted a comprehensive analysis of gut microbiota in healthy Japanese individuals, based on two independent cohorts, and obtained reliable evidence that questionnaire-based covariates such as frequency of bowel movement and specific dietary habit affects the microbial composition of the gut. To our knowledge, this was the first study to investigate integrated and non-redundant factors associated with gut microbiota among Japanese populations.

Short-term or acute temperature stress affect the immune responses and alters the gut microbiota of broilers, but the influences of long-term temperature stress on stress biomarkers and the intestinal microbiota remains largely unknown. Therefore, we examined the effect of three long-term ambient temperatures (high (HC), medium (MC), and low (LC) temperature groups) on the gene expression of broilers’ heat shock proteins (Hsps) and inflammation – related genes, as well as the caecal microbial composition. The results revealed that Hsp70 and Hsp90 levels in HC group significantly increased, and levels of Hsp70, Hsp90, IL-6, TNF-α, and NFKB1 in LC group were significantly higher than in MC group (p < 0.05). In comparison with the MC group, the proportion of Firmicutes increased in HC and LC groups, while that of Bacteroidetes decreased in LC group at phylum level (p < 0.05). At genus level, the proportion of Escherichia/Shigella, Phascolarctobacterium, Parabacteroides,and Enterococcus increased in HC group; the fraction of Faecalibacterium was higher in LC group; and the percentage of Barnesiella and Alistipes decreased in both HC and LC groups (p < 0.05). Functional analysis based on communities’ phylogenetic investigation revealed that the pathways involved in environmental information processing and metabolism were enriched in the HC group. Those involved in cellular processes and signaling, metabolism, and gene regulation were enriched in LC group. Hence, we conclude that the long-term temperature stress can greatly alter the intestinal microbial communities in broilers and may further affect the host’s immunity and health.

Background Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) are rare autoimmune diseases characterized by the presence of CD4+ cytotoxic T cells in the blood as well as inflammation and fibrosis in various organs, but they have no established etiologies. Similar to other autoimmune diseases, the gut microbiome might encode disease-triggering or disease-sustaining factors. Methods The gut microbiomes from IgG4-RD and SSc patients as well as healthy individuals with no recent antibiotic treatment were studied by metagenomic sequencing of stool DNA. De novo assembly-based taxonomic and functional characterization, followed by association and accessory gene set enrichment analysis, were applied to describe microbiome changes associated with both diseases. Results Microbiomes of IgG4-RD and SSc patients distinctly separated from those of healthy controls: numerous opportunistic pathogenic Clostridium and typically oral Streptococcus species were significantly overabundant, while Alistipes, Bacteroides, and butyrate-producing species were depleted in the two diseases compared to healthy controls. Accessory gene content analysis in these species revealed an enrichment of Th17-activating Eggerthella lenta strains in IgG4-RD and SSc and a preferential colonization of a homocysteine-producing strain of Clostridium bolteae in SSc. Overabundance of the classical mevalonate pathway, hydroxyproline dehydratase, and fibronectin-binding protein in disease microbiomes reflects potential functional differences in host immune recognition and extracellular matrix utilization associated with fibrosis. Strikingly, the majority of species that were differentially abundant in IgG4-RD and SSc compared to controls showed the same directionality in both diseases. Compared with multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, the gut microbiomes of IgG4-RD and SSc showed similar signatures; in contrast, the most differentially abundant taxa were not the facultative anaerobes consistently identified in inflammatory bowel diseases, suggesting the microbial signatures of IgG4-RD and SSc do not result from mucosal inflammation and decreased anaerobism. Conclusions These results provide an initial characterization of gut microbiome ecology in fibrosis-prone IgG4-RD and SSc and reveal microbial functions that offer insights into the pathophysiology of these rare diseases.

Background: The microbiota plays an important role in host health. Although rubidium (Rb) has been used to study for depression and cancers, the interaction between microbial commensals and Rb is still unexplored. To gain the knowledge of the relationship between Rb and microbes, 51 mice receiving RbCl-based treatment and 13 untreated mice were evaluated of their characteristics and bacterial microbiome changes.Results: The 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of feces showed RbCl generally maintained fecal microbial community diversity, while the shifts in fecal microbial composition were apparent after RbCl exposure for the first time. RbCl significantly enhanced the abundances of Rikenellaceae, Alistipes, Clostridium XlVa and sulfate-reducing bacteria including Deltaproteobacteria, Desulfovibrionales, Desulfovibrionaceae and Desulfovibrio. While, RbCl significantly inhibited the abundances of Tenericutes, Mollicutes, Anaeroplasmatales, Anaeroplasmataceae and Anaeroplasma lineages. Besides, with regarding to the composition of archaea, RbCl significantly enhanced the abundances of Crenarchaeota, Thermoprotei, Sulfolobales, Sulfolobaceae and Sulfolobus lineages. Conclusions: These results revealed that enrichments of Clostridium XlVa and Alistipes could affect the levels of serotonin, a critical signaling molecule of brain-gut-microbiota axis. Therefore, anticancer and anti-depressant effects of RbCl might be partly mediated by modifying brain-gut-microbiota axis.

For patients with inflammatory bowel disease, cow’s milk allergy, and lactose intolerance, soymilk is a potential alternative to cow’s milk. In this study, we aimed to identify the effects of a soy protein-based low-protein diet on the body and organ weights and the gut microbiome of six-week-old mice fed a diet containing 20% (SP) or 5% (LP) soy protein for 14 days via 16S rRNA (V4) amplicon sequencing. Body weight gain (growth) and liver, spleen, and fat tissue weight were significantly suppressed by the LP diet. Operational taxonomic unit numbers and α-diversity were lower in the LP group than in the SP group. A principal coordinate analysis revealed differences in the gut microbiome compositions of SP and LP mice. The abundances of caecal Roseburia sp., Alistipes sp., and bacteria from the family Muribaculaceae were lower in the LP group than in the SP group. In contrast, the abundance of Desulfovibrionaceae, which is positively correlated with inflammation, was higher in the LP group than in the SP group. These results differed from the effects of a milk casein-based low-protein diet (reported previously). Based on these findings, we conclude that the undesirable effects of a low-protein diet and/or protein deficiency are related to changes in the gut microbiome composition and may differ depending on the kind of proteins used.

The cecal microbiota plays a critical role in energy harvest and nutrient digestion, influencing intestinal health and the performance of chickens. Feed efficiency (FE) is essential for improving economic efficiency and saving social resources in chicken production and may be affected by the cecal microbiota. Therefore, to investigate the composition and functional capacity of cecum microbes related to FE in Xiayan chicken, an indigenous breed in Guangxi province, metagenome sequencing was performed on chicken cecal contents. 173 male and 167 female chickens were divided into high and low FE groups according to the residual feed intake. The cecal microbial genome was extracted and sequenced. The results showed that the genera Bacteroides, Prevotella, and Alistipes were the 3 most abundant in each cecal microbiome. The linear discriminant analysis effect size revealed 6 potential biomarkers in male and 14 in female chickens. Notably, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the high FE group was higher than that of the low FE group both in the male and female chickens, and the species Limosilactobacillus oris has a higher score in the high FE group of male chickens. In contrast, some potentially pathogenic microorganisms such as Campylobacter avium in females and Helicobacter pullorum in males were enriched in the low FE group. Predictive functional analysis showed that the high FE group in male chickens had a greater ability of xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism and signaling molecules and interaction. In addition, the host sex was found to exert effects on the cecal microbial composition and function associated with FE. These results increased our understanding of the cecal microbial composition and identified many potential biomarkers related to FE, which may be used to improve the FE of the chickens.

Background Although recent studies have indicated that intestinal microbiota dweller are involved in the pathogenesis of allergy rhinitis (AR), the influence of gut microbiota on AR adult has not been fully elucidated yet. Hence, we carried out this study to uncover the distinctive bacterial taxa that differentiate allergy rhinitis patients from healthy individuals. Feces samples from thirty three AR patients and thirty one healthy individuals were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results Results showed that the bacterial diversity in AR group was significantly higher than that of the non-AR group. Bacterial communities between AR and non-AR group were significantly differentiated as revealed by Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) and the variation within non-AR were higher than that of the counterpart. Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Chloroflexi were the significantly differed phyla taxa and the top significantly distinguished bacterial genus included Prevotella_9, Phascolarctobacterium, Roseburia, Megamonas, Alistipes, Lachnoclostridium and Fusobacterium. The higher network complexity in AR group were dominated by taxa belonging to Firmicutes. The predicted function, alpha linolenic acid metabolism and bacterial invasion of epithelial cells pathway were higher in non-AR group while gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) signaling pathway, Fc γ-R mediated phagocytosis and endocytosis were higher in AR patients. Although the bacterial diversity between moderate and severe AR patients showed no significant difference, the significant correlation between featured genus and total nasal symptom score or rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire, such as Butyricicoccus and Eisenbergiella, revealed the potential to intervene the AR status by means of gut microbiota. Conclusions In conclusion, patients with allergy rhinitis had distinguished gut microbiota characteritics in comparison with healthy controls. The results suggest that gut microbiota might play crucial roles in influencing the course and different symptoms of AR. Trial registration ChiCTR, ChiCTR1900028613. Registered 29 December 2019, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=47650.

Background Accumulating evidence infer that gut microbiome-host relations are key mediators or modulators driving the observed sexual dimorphism in some disease onset and progression. To date, the sex-differences of gut microbiota at different pubertal status have not been reported. Objective To determine the characteristics of gut microbiota of both genders at different pubertal status. Methods Gut microbiota was analyzed in 89 Chinese participants aged 5–15 years. Participants were divided into pre-puberty and puberty groups for both male and female. The composition of gut microbiota was investigated by 16S rRNA-based metagenomics. Ecological representations of microbial communities were computed. The prediction of metagenomic functional content from 16S rRNA gene surveys was conducted. Results There were 49 males (9.76 ± 2.15 years) and 40 females (9.74 ± 1.63 years); 21 males and 26 females were at puberty. At genus level, Alistipes, Megamonas, Oscillospira and Parabacteroides were more prevalent in girls than in boys (p Dorea, Megamonas, Bilophila, Parabacteroides and Phascolarctobacterium as microbial markers for pubertal subjects. The predicted metabolic profiles differ in both pubertal and pre-pubertal groups between genders. Conclusion This cross-sectional study revealed that sex differences in the gut microbiota composition and predicted metabolic profiles exist before puberty, which become more significant at puberty. The identification of novel puberty bacterial markers may disclose a potential effects of gender-related microbiota profiles on puberty onset.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) reduces the quality of life by triggering stroke and heart failure. The association between AF onset and gut metabolites suggests a causal relationship between AF and gut microbiota dysbiosis; however, the relationship remains poorly understood. We prospectively enrolled 34 hospitalized patients with AF and 66 age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched control subjects without a history of AF. Gut microbial compositions were evaluated by amplicon sequencing targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. We assessed differences in dietary habits by using a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ). Gut microbial richness was lower in AF patients, although the diversity of gut microbiota did not differ between the two groups. At the genus level,Enterobacterwas depleted, whileParabacteroides,Lachnoclostridium,Streptococcus,andAlistipeswere enriched in AF patients compared to control subjects. The BDHQ revealed that the intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and eicosadienoic acid was higher in AF patients. Our results suggested that AF patients had altered gut microbial composition in connection with dietary habits.

Purpose To investigate the effect of Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT) on intestinal microbiota diversity after fermentation by Bacillus subtilis. Methods B. subtilis was used to ferment DBT. Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into the following four groups with six rats in each group: the control group, DBT nonfermentation group, B. subtilis group, and DBT fermentation group. Rats were fed continuously for 14 days. The 16S rRNA of faecal samples was analysed by high-throughput Illumina sequencing. Results In total, 3483 operational taxonomical units (OTUs) were identified in this study, and 1236 OTUs were shared among all samples. Moreover, the most abundant phyla identified in this study were Bacteroidetes (29.65–38.19%) and Firmicutes (48.30–67.04%). The F/B ratios of the DBT nonfermentation group (1.07%) and the DBT fermentation group (1.78%) were slightly lower than those of the control group (2.29%). Lactobacillus was most upregulated in the DBT fermentation group (38.4%), followed by the DBT nonfermentation group (18.97%), control group (14.61%), and probiotics group (8.39%). Moreover, the pathogenic bacteria Alistipes and Parabacteroides were found to be downregulated in the DBT fermentation group (the percentages of Alistipes and Parabacteroides were as follows: control group, 8.09% and 0.16%; DBT nonfermentation group, 4.31% and 0.37%; DBT fermentation group, 1.96 and 0.09%; and probiotics group, 6.25% and 0.12%, respectively). Conclusion This study is the first to research systematically the effects of DBT on the diversity of rat intestinal microbiota before and after fermentation. The structural characteristics of complex bacterial community in each group were clearly analysed, and DBT significantly increases probiotics and inhibits pathogenic bacterial growth in the intestinal tract of rats after fermentation, which plays a significant role in maintaining the balance of the intestinal microbiota of the rats. This research provides new insights into the development and utilization of traditional Chinese medicine.

The protection of Lactobacillus plantarum JM113 against deoxynivalenol (DON)-induced apoptosis and intestinal inflammation on the jejunum of broiler chickens and the potential roles of gut microbiota were determined. A total of 144 one-day-old male broilers (Arbor Acres) were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups consisting of 6 replicates with 8 birds per replicate, including the CON (basal diet), the DON (basal diet + 10 mg/kg DON), and the DL (basal diet + 10 mg/kg DON + 1 × 109 CFU/kg L. plantarum JM113). The DON-diet decreased (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression of mucosal defense proteins and mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway genes. Meanwhile, DON challenge significantly increased Bcl-2-associated X gene/B-cell lymphoma 2 gene (Bcl-2) in the jejunum (P < 0.05) and demonstrated proapoptosis status. In contrast, the DL group showed normal immunity-related gene expression of jejunal mucosa and manifested a superior antiapoptosis status. Adding L. plantarum JM113 significantly raised (P < 0.05) propionic acid, n-butyric acid, and total short-chain fatty acids concentrations in cecal contents of birds fed with DON diet. In addition, DON exposure altered bacterial community structure and disturbed the abundance of several bacterial phyla, families, and genera, leading to dysbiosis. Supplementation with JM113 shifted the gut microbiota composition to that of the CON group. Finally, Spearman correlation analysis suggested that most positive correlations with the mRNA expression of immunity-related and apoptosis-regulatory gene were observed within the phylum Bacteroidetes, and most negative correlations with the indicators were observed within the phylum Firmicutes. The mRNA expression of Bcl-2, TLR2, mTOR, Raptor, and RPS6KB1 (P < 0.05), which are regarded as important cell proliferation and antiapoptosis parameters, were significantly negatively associated with the relative abundances of norank_f__Erysipelotrichaceae, Subdoligranulum, and Anaeroplasma, whereas they had a strong positive correlation with Ruminococcaceae_UCG-004, Alistipes, and Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group. These results implied that L. plantarum JM113 supplementation could ameliorate DON-induced apoptosis and intestinal inflammation via manipulating the bacterial community composition and could be used as a potential candidate to attenuate intestinal impairments.

Type 2 resistant starch (RS2) is a fermentable dietary fiber conferring health benefits. We investigated the effects of RS2 on host, gut microbiota, and metabolites in aged mice on high-fat diet. In eighteen-month old mice randomly assigned to control, high-fat (HF), or high-fat+20% RS2 (HFRS) diet for 16 weeks, RS2 reversed the weight gain and hepatic steatosis induced by high-fat diet. Serum and fecal LPS, colonic IL-2 and hepatic IL-4 mRNA expressions decreased while colonic mucin 2 mRNA and protein expressions increased in the HFRS compared to the HF and the control group. 16s rRNA sequencing of fecal microbial DNA demonstrated that RS2 decreased the abundance of pathogen taxa associated with obesity, inflammation, and aging including Desulfovibrio (Proteobacteria phylum), Ruminiclostridium 9, Lachnoclostridium, Helicobacteria, Oscillibacter, Alistipes, Peptococcus, and Rikenella. Additionally, RS2 increased the colonic butyric acid by 2.6-fold while decreasing the isobutyric and isovaleric acid levels by half compared to the HF group. Functional analyses based on Clusters of Orthologous Groups showed that RS2 increased carbohydrate while decreasing amino acid metabolism. These findings demonstrate that RS2 can reverse weight gain, hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and increased intestinal permeability in aged mice on high-fat diet mediated by changes in gut microbiome and metabolites.

Prednisone (PRED) is a synthetic glucocorticoid (GC) widely used in immune-mediated diseases for its immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties. The effects of GC are achieved by genomic and nongenomic mechanisms. However, the nongenomic effects are largely unknown. Thus, we aimed to investigate how long-term prednisone therapy changes the composition of the gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a control (CON) group and a PRED group, which received prednisone treatment daily for 6 weeks by gavage. The V3 to V4 regions of bacterial 16S rRNA genes were amplified and sequenced after the total bacterial DNA was extracted from fecal samples. The alpha and beta diversities were calculated. The compositional alteration of the gut microbiota at different taxonomic levels was analyzed using the Metastats method. Meanwhile, the fecal metabolites were quantitated in an ultra-performance liquid chromatography system. Similar microbial richness and diversity between the CON and PRED groups were indicated by the alpha diversity results. The gut microbial communities differed significantly between two groups. The relative abundances of the genera Eisenbergiella, Alistipes, and Clostridium XIVb decreased, whereas that of Anaerobacterium increased significantly in rats after the 6-week prednisone treatment. In total, 11 downregulated and 10 upregulated fecal metabolites were identified. Differential fecal metabolites were enriched in the pathways, including phenylalanine metabolism, butanoate metabolism, and propanoate metabolism. The lowered production of short-chain fatty acids was associated with the decreased relative abundance of the genera Alistipes and Clostridium XIVb and increased abundance of the genus Anaerobacterium. The composition of the gut microbiota and fecal metabolites was changed after long-term prednisone treatment. This may help us to understand the pharmacology of prednisone. IMPORTANCE Prednisone is widely used in chronic glomerular diseases, immunological disorders, and rheumatic diseases for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. It is a synthetic glucocorticoid (GC) that shows therapeutic effects after conversion to prednisolone by the liver. Prolonged GC therapy causes anti-inflammatory effects; it also results in a variety of adverse events, including obesity, hypertension, psychiatric symptoms, and dyslipidemia. The therapeutic effects and adverse events of GCs may be associated with changes in the gut microbiota, as the host might be affected by the metabolites generated by the altered gut microbes. Thus, we investigated how long-term prednisone therapy changed the composition of the gut microbiota and fecal metabolites in rats. This study may shed new light on the pharmacology of prednisone.

Impaired exercise tolerance and lung function is a marker for increased mortality in lung cancer patients undergoing lung resection surgery. Recent data suggest that the gut-lung axis regulates systemic metabolic and immune functions, and microbiota might alter exercise tolerance. Here, we aimed to evaluate the associations between gut microbiota and outcomes in lung cancer patients who underwent lung resection surgery. We analysed stool samples, from 15 early-stage lung cancer patients, collected before and after surgical resection using shotgun metagenomic and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequencing. We analysed microbiome and mycobiome associations with post-surgery lung function and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to assess the maximum level of work achieved. There was a significant difference, between pre- and post-surgical resection samples, in microbial community functional profiles and several species from Alistipes and Bacteroides genus, associated with the production of SCFAs, increased significantly in abundance. Interestingly, an increase in VO2 coincides with an increase in certain species and the "GABA shunt" pathway, suggesting that treatment outcome might improve by enriching butyrate-producing species. Here, we revealed associations between specific gut bacteria, fungi, and their metabolic pathways with the recovery of lung function and exercise capacity.

PurposeSleeve gastrectomy (SG) is a surgical intervention for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), especially for patients with obesity. Here, we explored the effects of SG on the gut microbiota of rats with PCOS and investigated the association between the intestinal flora and efficacy of SG in PCOS.MethodsDehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) injection was administered alone and in combination with a high-fat diet to induce PCOS in rats. SG was performed in rats with PCOS, and the effects of SG on the fecal and gut microbiota and the short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content were observed. Furthermore, the association among gut microbiota, SCFA content and hyperandrogenism or other hallmarks of PCOS was evaluated.ResultsThe abundance of Firmicutes reduced and that of Bacteroidetes increased in response to SG in the DHEA-induced PCOS rat model. At the genus level, the abundances of Bacteroides and Blautia increased and those of Ruminococcus, Clostridium, and Alistipes reduced distinctly in the PCOS-SG groups. Moreover, the levels of fecal SCFAs, especially butyric acid, reduced after SG. SG significantly ameliorated PCOS-related symptoms such as hyperandrogenism, disrupted ovary function, and impaired glucose tolerance. Bacteroides and Blautia exhibited a negative correlation and Ruminococcus, Clostridium, and Alistipes exhibited a positive correlation with the levels of fecal SCFAs, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and inflammatory factors.ConclusionsThe amelioration of PCOS-related reproductive and metabolic disorders following SG was associated with the regulation of microbial taxa and SCFA content. Our findings provide a novel perspective on the microbial mechanisms in PCOS after SG.

In this study, we compared the content of main components in goat colostrum and mature milk, and evaluated their influences on the intestinal microbiota to establish the correlations between milk components and functional features of the intestinal microbiota. Compared with goat mature milk, colostrum had significantly higher contents of protein, fat, minerals, dry matter, EGF, IGF-I, LTF and IgG, but lower concentrations of lactose and cAMP. The metagenomic analysis indicated that ingestion of mature milk increased the abundance of probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus and Muribaculum, while goat colostrum intake could promote the growth of probiotics Lactobacillus and Alistipes, but also the pathogen Helicobacter. Fat content was positively associated with the abundance of Helicobacter. Our study provided evidence that goat colostrum and mature milk could change the composition and structure of the intestinal microbiota community in different ways, which might drive the downstream effects on the host’s metabolism and health.

The gut microbiome has been speculated to modulate feeding behavior through multiple factors, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). Evidence on this relationship in humans is however lacking. We aimed to explore if specific bacterial genera relate to eating behavior, diet, and SCFA in adults. Moreover, we tested whether eating-related microbiota relate to treatment success in patients after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Anthropometrics, dietary fiber intake, eating behavior, 16S-rRNA-derived microbiota, and fecal and serum SCFA were correlated in young overweight adults (n = 27 (9 F), 21–36 years, BMI 25–31 kg/m2). Correlated genera were compared in RYGB (n = 23 (16 F), 41–70 years, BMI 25–62 kg/m2) and control patients (n = 17 (11 F), 26–69 years, BMI 25–48 kg/m2). In young adults, 7 bacteria genera, i.e., Alistipes, Blautia, Clostridiales cluster XVIII, Gemmiger, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, and Streptococcus, correlated with healthier eating behavior, while 5 genera, i.e., Clostridiales cluster IV and XIVb, Collinsella, Fusicatenibacter, and Parabacteroides, correlated with unhealthier eating (all | r | > 0.4, FDR-corrected p

Interest in the beneficial effects of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOSs), a prebiotic supplement, on human health is increasing. The effects of 1-kestose, a key component of FOS, have been studied; however, the effects of kestose-enriched FOS on atopic dermatitis (AD) have not been investigated. This study aimed to examine the mechanism through which kestose-enriched FOS alleviated AD in OVA-sensitised Balb/c mice and compared the effects with those of normal FOS. Kestose-enriched FOS increased butyric and propionic acid levels in faeces to a significantly greater extent than did normal FOS. This increase was associated with increased abundance of Lactobacillus and Alistipes and decreased abundance of Prevotella. Furthermore, kestose-enriched FOS markedly decreased IgE levels and the counts of regulatory T cell-mediated T helper cell type 2, mast cells, and eosinophils. Thus, kestose-enriched FOS modulated the gut-skin axis by altering the intestinal microbiome and immune response, indicating its potential as a supplement for AD mitigation.

Gut microbiota disorder will lead to intestinal damage. This study evaluated the influence of total diterpenoids extracted from Euphorbia pekinensis (TDEP) on gut microbiota and intestinal mucosal barrier after long‐term administration, and the correlations between gut microbiota and intestinal mucosal barrier were analysed by Spearman correlation analysis. Mice were randomly divided to control group, TDEP groups (4, 8, 16 mg/kg), TDEP (16 mg/kg) + antibiotic group. Two weeks after intragastric administration, inflammatory factors (TNF‐α, IL‐6, IL‐1β) and LPS in serum, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces were tested by Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The expression of tight junction (TJ) protein in colon was measured by western blotting. Furthermore, the effects of TDEP on gut microbiota community in mice have been investigated by 16SrDNA high‐throughput sequencing. The results showed TDEP significantly increased the levels of inflammatory factors in dose‐dependent manners, and decreased the expression of TJ protein and SCFAs, and the composition of gut microbiota of mice in TDEP group was significantly different from that of control group. When antibiotics were added, the diversity of gut microbiota was significantly reduced, and the colon injury was more serious. Finally, through correlation analysis, we have found nine key bacteria (Barnesiella, Muribaculaceae_unclassified, Alloprevotella, Candidatus_Arthromitus, Enterorhabdus, Alistipes, Bilophila, Mucispirillum, Ruminiclostridium) that may be related to colon injury caused by TDEP. Taken together, the disturbance of gut microbiota caused by TDEP may aggravate the colon injury, and its possible mechanism may be related to the decrease of SCFAs in feces, disrupted the expression of TJ protein in colon and increasing the contents of inflammatory factors., The total diterpenoids were extracted and isolated from the radix of Euphorbia pekinensis (TDEP), and it’s influence on gut microbiota and intestinal mucosal barrier were evaluated. Correlation analysis was conducted to find out key microbiota. In conclusion, we found the disturbance of gut microbiota caused by TDEP may aggravate the colon injury, and its possible mechanism may be related to the decrease of SCFAs in feces, disrupted the expression of TJ protein in colon and increasing the contents of inflammatory factors.

Simple Summary Gut microbiota is a large number of microbes colonized in the gut tract, and it plays a certain role in regulating the host’s immunity, metabolism, and nervous system. Recent studies have shown that the gut microbiota also has a close relationship with reproduction. The wild ground squirrel (Spermophilus dauricus) is a typical seasonal breeding animal. The purpose of this study was to explore the distinct taxonomy and function of the gut microbiota in the breeding and non-breeding seasons of the wild ground squirrel using 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology. The results show that the taxonomy of gut microbiota was different between the breeding season and non-breeding season. Functional prediction of the gut microbiota indicated that the relative abundance of metabolic pathways was differentially enriched between the breeding season and non-breeding season. This study further revealed the potential relationship between gut microbiota and reproduction and expanded our understanding of the function of gut microbiota. At the same time, it provided a new direction for research on the breeding strategy of seasonal breeding animals. Abstract Seasonal breeding is a normal phenomenon in which animals adapt to natural selection and reproduce only in specific seasons. Large studies have reported that the gut microbiota is closely related to reproduction. The purpose of this study was to explore the distinct taxonomy and function of the gut microbiota in the breeding and non-breeding seasons of the wild ground squirrel (Spermophilus dauricus). The 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology was utilized to sequence the gut microbiota of the wild ground squirrel. PICRUSt analysis was also applied to predict the function of the gut microbiota. The results suggested that the main components of the gut microbiota in all samples were Firmicutes (61.8%), Bacteroidetes (32.4%), and Proteobacteria (3.7%). Microbial community composition analyses revealed significant differences between the breeding and non-breeding seasons. At the genus level, Alistipes, Mycoplasma, Anaerotruncus, and Odoribacter were more abundant in the non-breeding season, while Blautia and Streptococcus were more abundant in the breeding season. The results of a functional prediction suggested that the relative abundance of functional categories that were related to lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism increased in the breeding season. The relative abundance of energy metabolism, transcription, and signal transduction increased in the non-breeding season. Overall, this study found differences in the taxonomy and function of the gut microbiota of the wild ground squirrel between the breeding and non-breeding seasons, and laid the foundation for further studies on the relationship between the gut microbiota and seasonal breeding.

The gut microbiota has been previously linked with tumorigenesis and gastrointestinal cancer progression; however, intra-tumor microbiota analysis has just emerged and deserves increasing attention. Based on the public databases of The Cancer Microbiome Atlas (TCMA) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), this study identified the tissue/organ microbial signatures generated from 443 biosamples of four major gastrointestinal cancer types, including esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), which further includes esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAD) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD), colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), and rectum adenocarcinoma (READ). According to partial least squares discrimination analysis (PLS-DA), the profile differences in microbial communities between the tumor and normal samples were not particularly noticeable across the four cancer cohorts, whereas paired comparison analyses revealed several specific differences in bacteria between tumor and normal samples in the EAD, STAD, and COAD samples. The taxa classified from the phylum to genus level revealed a trend of distinguishable microbial profiles between upper and lower gastrointestinal tumors. The Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio in lower gastrointestinal tract tumors was nearly three times that in upper gastrointestinal tract tumors. We also determined the relative tissue/organ-prevalent microbes for each of the four cohorts at the order and genus levels. Microbe Alistipes, Blautia, Pasteurellales, and Porphyromonas compositions were correlated with the clinical characteristics of patients with gastrointestinal cancer, particularly colorectal cancer. Taken together, our findings indicate that microbial profiles shift across different gastrointestinal cancer types and that microbial colonization is highly site-specific. Composition of specific microbes can be indicative of cancer stage or disease progression. Overall, this study indicates that the microbial community and abundance in human tissues can be determined using publicly available data, and provides a new perspective for intra-tissue/organ microbiota research.

The intestinal flora is recognized as a significant contributor to the immune system. In this research, the protective effects of oyster peptides on immune regulation and intestinal microbiota were investigated in mice treated with cyclophosphamide. The results showed that oyster peptides restored the indexes of thymus, spleen and liver, stimulated cytokines secretion and promoted the relative mRNA levels of Th1/Th2 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10). The mRNA levels of Occludin, Claudin-1, ZO-1, and Mucin-2 were up-regulated, and the NF-κB signaling pathway was also activated after oyster peptides administration. Furthermore, oyster peptides treatment reduced the proportion of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes, increased the relative abundance of Alistipes, Lactobacillus, Rikenell and the content of short-chain fatty acids, and reversed the composition of intestinal microflora similar to that of normal mice. In conclusion, oyster peptides effectively ameliorated cyclophosphamide-induced intestinal damage and modified gut microbiota structure in mice, and might be utilized as a beneficial ingredient in functional foods for immune regulation.