Space nutrition for long-duration missions: innovations and emerging Indian astronauts’ corps perspectives

The goal of this study was to identify changes in the canine gut microbiome during breastfeeding, weaning, socialization and maturation to adulthood. Due to rapid changes in the gut microbiome during the first few days after birth, samples were collected every day for the first 15 days from puppies that were born at the Hill’s Pet Nutrition Center. Samples were then collected weekly for 2 weeks, biweekly for the next 4 weeks, quarterly until the dogs were one year old. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on a total of 254 fresh fecal samples collected from 15 beagles (6 from the first litter and 9 from the second litter) to evaluate developmental changes in the gut microbiome. Puppies were weaned on day 56 and stayed with the same litter until day 150. After day 150, puppies were moved to different rooms and were mixed with other dogs in the colony. This study evaluated changes in the gut microbiome during the four major developmental stages of the dogs. Group 1a, involved samples collected during the first 20 days of the puppies before weaning. Group 1b included samples collected between day 21 and 56 before weaning. Group 2 included samples collected between weaning and the relocation of the litter with other colony dogs (day 56 to 150). Group 3 included all samples collected after day 150. Linear mixed model analysis was performed on Centered‐Log Ratio (CLR) transformed data to evaluate changes in individual OTUs with age in the 4 different groups. Significance was determined at alpha equals 0.05. During the first 20 days after birth, there were no statistically significant changes in levels of the genera Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, Sutterella, Oscillospira and unclassified genus in family Enterobacteriacea. However, there was a significant decline in levels of Bifidobacterium, Prevotella and Turicibacter during this period. Between day 20 and day 56, levels of Bifidobacterium, Prevotella Turicibacter and Lactobacillus showed significant increase. Levels of Sutterella and Oscillospira did not change significantly in this period. However, the genus Faecalibacterium and the unclassified genus in the family Enterobacteriaceae declined significantly. No statistical changes were observed in the levels of any of the above OTUs between weaning and the relocation of the puppies with other colony dogs on day 150. Faecalibacterium continued to decline between day 150 and age one, while none of the above OTUs changed. This study showed that during breastfeeding, major shifts in the canine gut microbiome take place between days 20 and 56. Contrary to our expectations, the saccharolytic Faecalibacterium declined in the presence of prebiotics in breast milk and food after weaning. The study continues to evaluate developmental changes in the gut microbiota in additional samples being collected from these and other litters.Support or Funding InformationThe work presented in this study was funded by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Topeka, KS.

Bariatric surgery is highly effective in achieving weight loss in children and adolescents with severe obesity, however the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood, and gut microbiome changes are unknown. 1) To comprehensively examine gut microbiome and metabolome changes after laparoscopic vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) in adolescents and 2) to assess whether the microbiome/metabolome changes observed with VSG influence phenotype using germ-free murine models. 1) A longitudinal observational study in adolescents undergoing VSG with serial stool samples undergoing shotgun metagenomic microbiome sequencing and metabolomics (polar metabolites, bile acids and short chain fatty acids) and 2) a human-to-mouse fecal transplant study. We show adolescents exhibit significant gut microbiome and metabolome shifts several months after VSG, with increased alpha diversity and notably with enrichment of oral-associated taxa. To assess causality of the microbiome/metabolome changes in phenotype, pre-VSG and post-VSG stool was transplanted into germ-free mice. Post-VSG stool was not associated with any beneficial outcomes such as adiposity reduction compared pre-VSG stool. However, post-VSG stool exhibited an inflammatory phenotype with increased intestinal Th17 and decreased regulatory T cells. Concomitantly, we found elevated fecal calprotectin and an enrichment of proinflammatory pathways in a subset of adolescents post-VSG. We show that in some adolescents, microbiome changes post-VSG may have inflammatory potential, which may be of importance considering the increased incidence of inflammatory bowel disease post-VSG.

Changes of Human Gut Microbiome Correlated with Metabolomics After Cranberry Juice Consumption in a Double-Blinded, Placebo Controlled, Crossover Study

Parturition is a crucial event in the sow reproduction cycle, which accompanies by a series of physiological changes, including sex hormones, metabolism, and immunity. More and more studies have indicated the changes of the gut microbiota from pregnancy to parturition. However, what bacterial species and functional capacities of the gut microbiome are changed around parturition has been largely unknown, and the correlations between the changes of gut bacterial species and host metabolome were also uncovered. In this study, by combining 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing data, and the profiles of serum metabolome and fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), we investigated the changes of gut microbiome, serum metabolite features and fecal SCFAs from late pregnancy (LP) to postpartum (PO) stage. We found the significant changes of gut microbiota from LP to PO stage in both 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic sequencing analyses. The bacterial species from Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Clostridium were enriched at the LP stage, while the species from Bacteroides, Escherichia, and Campylobacter had higher abundances at the PO stage. Functional capacities of the gut microbiome were also significantly changed and associated with the shifts of gut bacteria. Untargeted metabolomic analyses revealed that the metabolite features related to taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and arginine biosynthesis and metabolism were enriched at the LP stage, and positively associated with those bacterial species enriched at the LP stage, while the metabolite features associated with vitamin B6 and glycerophospholipid metabolism had higher abundances at the PO stage and were positively correlated with the bacteria enriched at the PO stage. Six kinds of SCFAs were measured in feces samples and showed higher concentrations at the LP stage. These results suggested that the changes of gut microbiome from LP to PO stage lead to the shifts of host lipid, amino acids and vitamin metabolism and SCFA production. The results from this study provided new insights for the changes of sow gut microbiome and host metabolism around parturition, and gave new knowledge for guiding the feeding and maternal care of sows from late pregnancy to lactation in the pig industry.

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in gut microbiome both during and after the consumption of malted rice amazake (MR-Amazake), a fermented food from Japan, in home healthcare patients with disabilities including patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID). We monitored 12 patients who consumed MR-Amazake for six weeks, investigating them before and after the intervention as well as six weeks after the end of intake to compare their physical condition, diet, the type of their medication, Constipation Assessment Scale (CAS), and an analysis of their comprehensive fecal microbiome using 16S rRNA sequencing. Their constipation symptom significantly alleviated and principal coordinates analysis revealed that 30% of patients showed significant changes in gut microbiome after MR-Amazake ingestion. Furthermore, Bifidobacterium was strongly associated with these changes. These changes were observed only during MR-Amazake intake; the original gut microbiome was restored when MR-Amazake intake was discontinued. These results suggest that six weeks is a reasonable period of time for MR-Amazake to change human gut microbiome and that continuous consumption of MR-Amazake is required to sustain such changes.

BackgroundThe oral uptake of nanoparticles is an important route of human exposure and requires solid models for hazard assessment. While the systemic availability is generally low, ingestion may not only affect gastrointestinal tissues but also intestinal microbes. The gut microbiota contributes essentially to human health, whereas gut microbial dysbiosis is known to promote several intestinal and extra-intestinal diseases. Gut microbiota-derived metabolites, which are found in the blood stream, serve as key molecular mediators of host metabolism and immunity.ResultsGut microbiota and the plasma metabolome were analyzed in male Wistar rats receiving either SiO2 (1000 mg/kg body weight/day) or Ag nanoparticles (100 mg/kg body weight/day) during a 28-day oral gavage study. Comprehensive clinical, histopathological and hematological examinations showed no signs of nanoparticle-induced toxicity. In contrast, the gut microbiota was affected by both nanoparticles, with significant alterations at all analyzed taxonomical levels. Treatments with each of the nanoparticles led to an increased abundance of Prevotellaceae, a family with gut species known to be correlated with intestinal inflammation. Only in Ag nanoparticle-exposed animals, Akkermansia, a genus known for its protective impact on the intestinal barrier was depleted to hardly detectable levels. In SiO2 nanoparticles-treated animals, several genera were significantly reduced, including probiotics such as Enterococcus. From the analysis of 231 plasma metabolites, we found 18 metabolites to be significantly altered in Ag-or SiO2 nanoparticles-treated rats. For most of these metabolites, an association with gut microbiota has been reported previously. Strikingly, both nanoparticle-treatments led to a significant reduction of gut microbiota-derived indole-3-acetic acid in plasma. This ligand of the arylhydrocarbon receptor is critical for regulating immunity, stem cell maintenance, cellular differentiation and xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes.ConclusionsThe combined profiling of intestinal microbiome and plasma metabolome may serve as an early and sensitive indicator of gut microbiome changes induced by orally administered nanoparticles; this will help to recognize potential adverse effects of these changes to the host.

Obesity is prevalent in type 1 diabetes (T1D) and is problematic with higher risk for diabetes complications. It is unknown to what extent gut microbiome changes are associated with obesity and T1D. This work aimed to describe the gut microbiome and microbial metabolite changes associated with obesity in T1D. We hypothesized statistically significant gut microbial and metabolite differences in lean T1D youth (body mass index [BMI]: 5%-<85%) vs those with obesity (BMI: ≥95%). We analyzed stool samples for gut microbial (using metagenomic shotgun sequencing) and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) differences in lean (n = 27) and obese (n = 21) T1D youth in a pilot study. The mean ± SD age was 15.3 ± 2.2 years, glycated hemoglobin A1c 7.8 ± 1.3%, diabetes duration 5.1 ± 4.4 years, 42.0% female, and 94.0% were White. Bacterial community composition showed between sample diversity differences (β-diversity) by BMI group (P = .013). There was a higher ratio of Prevotella to Bacteroides in the obese group (P = .0058). There was a differential distribution of significantly abundant taxa in either the lean or obese groups, including increased relative abundance of Prevotella copri, among other taxa in the obese group. Functional profiling showed an upregulation of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) biosynthesis in the obese group and upregulation of BCAA degradation, tyrosine metabolism, and secondary bile acid biosynthesis in the lean group. Stool SCFAs were higher in the obese vs the lean group (P < .05 for all). Our findings identify a gut microbiome and microbial metabolite signature associated with obesity in T1D. These findings could help identify gut microbiome-targeted therapies to manage obesity in T1D.

Despite being one of the most common and debilitating mood disorders, bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed and undertreated. Its pathogenesis is complex, with significant patient variability and inconsistent treatment effectiveness. The brain-gut-microbiota axis plays a critical role in bipolar disorder by modulating neurotransmitter secretion, gut peptides and systemic inflammation. However, the mechanisms by which psychotropic treatments influence gut microbiota composition and their implications for clinical outcomes remain poorly understood. This systematic review evaluated the impact of psychotropic drugs on gut microbiota and their potential role in bipolar disorder treatment outcomes. A comprehensive search across Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycINFO, Scopus and PubMed yielded 314 articles, of which 12 met the inclusion criteria (last search: 13 August 2024). The studies included were those on adults with bipolar disorder type I or II receiving psychopharmacological treatments; those with group comparisons (e.g. healthy controls vs. medicated vs. non-medicated) investigating gut microbiome changes; and no restrictions applied to psychotic features, comorbid anxiety or prior treatment responses. Exclusions involved individual case reports, incomplete conference submissions or early terminated studies lacking efficacy analysis. Cochrane ROBINS-I V2 tool was used to measure the risk of bias, and the GRADE approach was utilized to rate the certainty of evidence in included studies. Two authors independently extracted data into Excel spreadsheets, categorizing demographic and clinical characteristics, describing microbiome analytic methods and summarizing findings on gut microbiome changes post-treatment. Given the high variability in methods and outcome measures across studies, all details were reported without data conversion. Data synthesis reveals that psychotropic treatments, including quetiapine and lithium, influence gut microbiota by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria supporting gut health and pathogenic bacteria linked to metabolic dysfunction. Notably, female patients exhibited more significant changes in microbial diversity following psychotropic treatment. Additionally, patients treated with psychotropics showed an increased prevalence of gut bacteria associated with multidrug antibiotic resistance. In bipolar patients treated with quetiapine, responders - those experiencing improved depressive symptom scores - displayed distinct gut microbiome profiles more closely resembling those of healthy individuals compared with non-responders. Responders also exhibited neural connectivity patterns similar to healthy subjects. These findings underscore the complex dual impact of psychotropic medications on gut microbiota, with potential consequences for both gut and mental health. While the enrichment of beneficial bacteria may support gut health, the rise in antibiotic-resistant and metabolically disruptive bacteria is concerning. Study limitations include methodological heterogeneity, inclusions of other psychiatric disorders, a high risk of bias in some studies due to incomplete statistical analyses or insufficient control for confounding factors and potential duplication of study populations arising from overlapping authorship. Further research is essential to elucidate the functional consequences of these microbial shifts and their influence on treatment efficacy. Nevertheless, this review highlights the potential of utilizing gut microbiota profiles to inform personalized treatment strategies, optimize therapeutic outcomes and minimize side effects in bipolar disorder. This study was registered with Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3GUZR).

The MaMBA facility as a testbed for bioregenerative life support systems

Study question From when do abnormality in gut microbiome and phenotypes of PCOS appear during the process of growth? Summary answer Reproductive phenotypes of PCOS appear from 6 weeks and metabolic phenotypes from 12 weeks onward. Alteration in gut microbiome appears as early as 4 weeks. What is known already The etiology of PCOS remains largely unknown, however PCOS is considered as a complex multigenic disorder with strong epigenetic and environmental influence. Previous studies have suggested that fetal over-exposure to androgens could be the main factor of the development of PCOS after birth. On the other hands, recent studies on both human and PCOS rodent models have demonstrated the association between PCOS and alteration of gut microbiome in adulthood. Furthermore, it was recently reported that gut microbiome in obese adolescent with PCOS is different from obese adolescent without PCOS. Study design, size, duration A rodent PCOS model induced by prenatal dehydroepiandrosterone (DHT) exposure was applied to this study. Phenotypes and gut microbiome were compared between PCOS model mice (n = 12/group) and control mice (n = 10/group) at each stage of growth; 4 weeks (prepuberty), 6 weeks (puberty), 8 weeks (adolescent), 12 weeks (young adult), and 16 weeks (adult). The determinants for PCOS phenotypes are onset of puberty, estrous cycle, morphology of ovaries, serum testosterone level, body weight, and insulin resistance. Participants/materials, setting, methods Pregnant dams were subcutaneously injected on days of 16, 17, and 18 of gestation with either sesame oil for control groups or sesame oil containing 250µg of DHT for prenatal DHT groups. The evaluation of PCOS phenotypes and gut microbiome in female offspring were performed at each stage of growth. For examination of gut microbiota, next generation sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of 16S rRNA genes were performed on DNA extracted from mouse fecal samples. Main results and the role of chance Prenatal DHT mice exhibited delayed puberty onset, disrupted estrous cycle, and significantly increased testosterone levels from 6 weeks onward. Significantly increased atretic antral follicles were observed in prenatal DHT mice at 6, 12, and 16 weeks. Prenatal DHT mice showed significantly decreased body weight at 4, 6, 8 weeks and increased body weight from 12 weeks onward. As for gut microbiome, alpha-diversity was significantly different between control and prenatal DHT mice from 8 weeks onward and beta-diversity was significantly different at 6 and 8 weeks. Altered composition of gut microbiota was observed as early as 4 weeks. At phylum level, Firmicutes are significantly increased in prenatal DHT mice at 4 and 8 weeks and decreased at 16 weeks. Actinobacteria phylum showed significant decrease at 6 and 8 weeks in prenatal DHT mice. At genus level, relative abundance of several bacterial taxa significantly differed between control and prenatal DHT mice; some taxa, such as Allobaculum, Adlercreutzia, Bilophila, Clostridium, Gemella, Gemmiger, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, Staphylococcus, and Sutterella, exhibited constant increase or decrease in prenatal DHT mice during the process of growth. Interestingly, Roseburia was never detected in prenatal DHT mice, while approximately half of control mice harbored Roseburia at 12 and 16 weeks. Limitations, reasons for caution It is not clearly determined whether alteration in gut microbiome is cause or result of PCOS development, although the changes in gut microbiome seemed to precede the appearance of typical PCOS phenotypes in the present study. Mouse model does not completely recapitulate human PCOS. Wider implications of the findings: Our findings suggest that prenatal androgen exposure causes alteration of gut microbiome from pre-puberty onward, even before PCOS phenotypes become apparent. Intervention for girls at risk of PCOS with pre/pro-biotics may prevent them from developing PCOS in future. Trial registration number Not applicable

Background: The gut microbiome, a dynamic bacterial community that interacts with the host, is integral to human health because it regulates energy metabolism and immune functions. The gut microbiome may also play a role in risks from environmental toxicants.Objectives: We investigated the effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and exercise on the composition and structure of the gut microbiome in mice.Methods: After mice exercised voluntarily for 5 weeks, they were treated by oral gavage with a mixture of environmentally relevant PCB congeners (PCB153, PCB138, and PCB180; total PCB dose, 150 µmol/kg) for 2 days. We then assessed the microbiome by determination of 16S rRNA using microarray analysis.Results: Oral exposure to PCBs significantly altered the abundance of the gut microbiome in mice primarily by decreasing the levels of Proteobacteria. The activity level of the mice correlated with a substantial shift in abundance, biodiversity, and composition of the microbiome. Importantly, exercise attenuated PCB-induced changes in the gut microbiome.Conclusions: Our results show that oral exposure to PCBs can induce substantial changes in the gut microbiome, which may then influence their systemic toxicity. These changes can be attenuated by behavioral factors, such as voluntary exercise.

Heavy metal exposure causes changes in the metabolic health-associated gut microbiome and metabolites

The human gut microbiome is a dynamic ecosystem with prolific health connotations. Physical activity is emerging as a potent regulator of human microbiome composition. This study examined changes in the gut microbiome of a world‐class ultramarathon runner before and after competing in the Western States Endurance Run (WSER), a 163 km mountain footrace. Anthropometrics and body composition were assessed and the ultramarathoner's submaximal and maximal performance profiles were evaluated. Gut microbiome analyses were performed at four time‐points: 21 weeks and 2 weeks before and 2 hours and 10 days after WSER. Aerobic power (VO2max) was 4.24 L/min (66.7 ml kg−1 min−1), and running economy (51.1 ml kg−1 min−1 at 268 m/min) and lactate threshold (~83% VO2max) values were comparable to that of highly trained distance runners. Two hours post‐race, considerable changes in the ultrarunners’ gut microbiome were observed. Alpha diversity (Shannon Diversity Index) increased from 2.73 to 2.80 and phylum‐level bacterial composition (Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio) rose from 4.4 to 14.2. Underlying these macro‐level microbial alterations were demonstrable increases in select bacterial genera such as Veillonella (+14,229%) and Streptococcus (+438%) concomitant with reductions in Alloprevotella (−79%) and Subdolingranulum (−50%). To our knowledge, this case study shows the most rapid and pronounced shifts in human gut microbiome composition after acute exercise in the human literature. These findings provide yet another example of how exercise can be a powerful modulator of human health.

Changes in the mammalian gut microbiome are linked to the impairment of immunological function and numerous other pathologies. Antimicrobial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are incorporated into numerous consumer products (e.g., clothing, cosmetics, food packaging), which may directly impact the gut microbiome through ingestion. The human health impact of chronic AgNP ingestion is still uncertain, but evidence from exposure to other antimicrobials provides a strong rationale to assess AgNP effects on organ function, immunity, metabolism, and gut-associated microbiota. To investigate this, mice were gavaged daily for 5 weeks with saline, AgNPs, antibiotics (ciprofloxacin and metronidazole), or AgNPs combined with antibiotics. Animals were weighed daily, assessed for glucose tolerance, organ function, tissue and blood cytokine and leukocyte levels. At the end of the study, we used 16S rDNA amplicon and whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing to assess changes in the gut microbiome. In mice exposed to both AgNPs and antibiotics, silver was found in the stomach, and small and large intestines, but negligible amounts were present in other organs examined. Mice exposed to AgNPs alone showed minimal tissue silver levels. Antibiotics, but not AgNPs, altered glucose metabolism. Mice given AgNPs and antibiotics together demonstrated slower weight gain, reduced peripheral lymphocytes, and elevated splenic, but not circulatory markers of inflammation. 16S rDNA profiling of cecum and feces and metagenomic sequencing of fecal DNA demonstrated that combined AgNP-antibiotic treatment also significantly altered the structure and function of the gut microbiota, including depletion of the indicator species Akkermansia muciniphila. This study provides evidence for possible biological effects from repeated ingestion of AgNP-containing consumer products when antibiotics are also being used and raises concern that an impaired gut microbiome (e.g., through antibiotic use) can potentiate the harm from chemical exposures such as AgNPs.

Changes in the rodent gut microbiome following chronic restraint stress and low-intensity rTMS