Community Composition Of Gut Microbiota Research Articles

Comparison of the Intestinal Bacterial Communities between Captive and Semi-Free-Range Red-Crowned Cranes (Grus japonensis) before Reintroduction in Zhalong National Nature Reserve, China.

The wild populations of red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) in west China are gradually decreasing, necessitating the optimization of reintroduction measures. This study used 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology to compare the gut microbiota communities of cranes living in two modes (captive and semi-free-range) before their reintroduction in Zhalong National Nature Reserve, Heilongjiang Province, China. The results showed that Proteobacteria (74.39%) and Firmicutes (25.29%) were the dominant gut bacterial phyla inhabiting these cranes. Significant differences were found in the gut microbiota community composition between semi-free-range and captive cranes (p < 0.01). Psychrobacter, Sporosarcina, and Lactococcus were significantly enriched in captive cranes (p < 0.05), while Pseudomonadaceae_Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Lysobacter, and Enterobacteriaceae_Pseudomonas were more abundant in semi-free-range cranes (p < 0.05). The functions and community structure of gut microbiota were affected by feeding patterns (p < 0.05). The metabolic pathways of ethylbenzene degradation, PPAR signaling pathway, betalain biosynthesis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and shigellosis were up-regulated in semi-free-range cranes (p < 0.05).

Prickly Ash Seeds improve immunity of Hu sheep by changing the diversity and structure of gut microbiota.

Prickly Ash Seeds (PAS), as a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, have pharmacological effects such as anti-asthma, anti-thrombotic, and anti-bacterial, but their impact on gut microbiota is still unclear. This study used a full-length 16 s rRNA gene sequencing technique to determine the effect of adding PAS to the diet on the structure and distribution of gut microbiota in Hu sheep. All lambs were randomly divided into two groups, the CK group was fed with a basal ration, and the LZS group was given a basal diet with 3% of PAS added to the ration. The levels of inflammatory factors (IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α) in intestinal tissues were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Hu sheep in the CK and LZS group. The results indicate that PAS can increase the diversity and richness of gut microbiota, and can affect the community composition of gut microbiota. LEfSe analysis revealed that Verrucomicrobiota, Kiritimatiella, WCHB 41, and uncultured_rumen_bacterium were significantly enriched in the LZS group. KEGG pathway analysis found that LZS was significantly higher than the CK group in the Excretory system, Folding, sorting and degradation, and Immune system pathways (p < 0.05). The results of ELISA assay showed that the level of IL-10 was significantly higher in the LZS group than in the CK group (p < 0.05), and the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly higher in the CK group than in the LZS group (p < 0.05). LEfSe analysis revealed that the dominant flora in the large intestine segment changed from Bacteroidota and Gammaproteobacteria to Akkermansiaceae and Verrucomicrobiae after PAS addition to Hu sheep lambs; the dominant flora in the small intestine segment changed from Lactobacillales and Aeriscardovia to Kiritimatiellae and WCHB1 41. In conclusion, the addition of PAS to sheep diets can increase the number and types of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract, improve lamb immunity, and reduce intestinal inflammation. It provides new insights into healthy sheep production.

Host individual and gut location are more important in gut microbiota community composition than temporal variation in the marine herbivorous fish Kyphosus sydneyanus

BackgroundGut microbiota play a key role in the nutrition of many marine herbivorous fishes through hindgut fermentation of seaweed. Gut microbiota composition in the herbivorous fish Kyphosus sydneyanus (family Kyphosidae) varies between individuals and gut sections, raising two questions: (i) is community composition stable over time, especially given seasonal shifts in storage metabolites of dietary brown algae, and (ii) what processes influence community assembly in the hindgut?ResultsWe examined variation in community composition in gut lumen and mucosa samples from three hindgut sections of K. sydneyanus collected at various time points in 2020 and 2021 from reefs near Great Barrier Island, New Zealand. 16S rRNA gene analysis was used to characterize microbial community composition, diversity and estimated density. Differences in community composition between gut sections remained relatively stable over time, with little evidence of temporal variation. Clostridia dominated the proximal hindgut sections and Bacteroidia the most distal section. Differences were detected in microbial composition between lumen and mucosa, especially at genus level.ConclusionsHigh variation in community composition and estimated bacterial density among individual fish combined with low variation in community composition temporally suggests that initial community assembly involved environmental selection and random sampling/neutral effects. Community stability following colonisation could also be influenced by historical contingency, where early colonizing members of the community may have a selective advantage. The impact of temporal changes in the algae may be limited by the dynamics of substrate depletion along the gut following feeding, i.e. the depletion of storage metabolites in the proximal hindgut. Estimated bacterial density, showed that Bacteroidota has the highest density (copies/mL) in distal-most lumen section V, where SCFA concentrations are highest. Bacteroidota genera Alistipes and Rikenella may play important roles in the breakdown of seaweed into useful compounds for the fish host.

Quinoa Peptides Alleviate Obesity in Mice Induced by a High-Fat Diet via Regulating of the PPAR-α/γ Signaling Pathway and Gut Microbiota.

The obesity epidemic continues to be a major global public health threat with limited effective treatments. Peptides are a group of promising bioactive molecules. Both in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that quinoa has potential prebiotic benefits. Thus, the present study aims to investigate the influence of quinoa peptides (QP) consumption on obesity and its underlying mechanisms in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mice. QP (1000mgkg-1 day-1 ) is administered to HFD mice for 8 weeks, and is found to significantly reduce the body weight, and plasma levels of triacylglycerol (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) compare to the HFD group. In addition, QP significantly decreases lipid accumulation in the liver caused by HFD. The liver transcriptome analysis shows that the alleviation of QP on obesity is related to the PPAR signaling pathway. QP upregulates the expressions of PPAR-α and its related genes and downregulates the expressions of PPAR-γ and its downstream genes. Furthermore, QP remodels the community composition of gut microbiota by lowering the ratio of Firmicutes c Bacteroidetes (F/B). These findings suggest that QP consumption alleviates HFD-induced obesity by regulating the PPAR-α/γ signaling pathway in the liver and community structure of gut microbiota.

Impact of Donepezil Supplementation on Alzheimer's Disease-like Pathology and Gut Microbiome in APP/PS1 Mice.

Based on published information, the occurrence and development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are potentially related to gut microbiota changes. Donepezil hydrochloride (DH), which enhances cholinergic activity by blocking acetylcholinesterase (AChE), is one of the first-line drugs for AD treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the USA. However, the potential link between the effects of DH on the pathophysiological processes of AD and the gut microbiota remains unclear. In this study, pathological changes in the brain and colon, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and AChE, and changes in intestinal flora were observed. The results showed that Aβ deposition in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of AD mice was significantly decreased, while colonic inflammation was significantly alleviated by DH treatment. Concomitantly, SOD activity was significantly improved, while AChE was significantly reduced after DH administration. In addition, the gut microbiota community composition of AD mice was significantly altered after DH treatment. The relative abundance of Akkermansia in the AD group was 54.8% higher than that in the N group. The relative abundance of Akkermansia was increased by 18.3% and 53.8% in the AD_G group and the N_G group, respectively. Interestingly, Akkermansia showed a potential predictive value and might be a biomarker for AD. Molecular docking revealed the binding mode and major forces between DH and membrane proteins of Akkermansia. The overall results suggest a novel therapeutic mechanism for treating AD and highlight the critical role of gut microbiota in AD pathology.

Exploration of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of MCI patients with the ApoE ε4 gene based on the brain-gut axis theory

BackgroundMild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the predementia phase of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The intestinal microbiome is altered in MCI and AD, and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4 gene polymorphism is a risk factor for the progression of MCI to AD. This study aims to investigate the improvement in cognitive function of MCI patients with and without ApoE ε4 due to acupuncture and the changes in gut microbiota community composition and abundance in MCI.MethodsThis randomized assessor-blind controlled study will enrol MCI patients with and without the ApoE ε4 gene (n = 60/60). Sixty subjects with the ApoE ε4 gene and 60 subjects without the ApoE ε4 gene will be randomly allocated into treatment and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. Intestinal microbiome profiles will be evaluated by 16 S rRNA sequencing of faecal samples and compared between the groups.Results/conclusionsAcupuncture is an effective method to improve cognitive function in MCI. This study will provide data on the relationship between the gut microbiota and the effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with MCI from a new angle. This study will also provide data on the relationship between the gut microbiota and an AD susceptibility gene by integrating microbiologic and molecular approaches.Trial registrationwww.chictr.org.cn, ID: ChiCTR2100043017, recorded on 4 February 2021.

Gut microbiota is a potential factor in shaping phenotypic variation in larvae and adults of female bumble bees.

Host symbionts are often considered an essential part of the host phenotype, influencing host growth and development. Bumble bee is an ideal model for investigating the relationship between microbiota and phenotypes. Variations in life history across bumble bees may influence the community composition of gut microbiota, which in turn influences phenotypes. In this study, we explored gut microbiota from four development stages (early-instar larvae, 1st instar; mid-instar larvae, 5th instar; late-instar larvae, 9th instar; and adults) of workers and queens in the bumble bee Bombus terrestris using the full-length 16S rRNA sequencing technology. The results showed that morphological indices (weight and head capsule) were significantly different between workers and queens from 5th instar larvae (p < 0.01). The alpha and beta diversities of gut microbiota were similar between workers and queens in two groups: early instar and mid instar larvae. However, the alpha diversity was significantly different in late instar larvae or adults. The relative abundance of three main phyla of bacteria (Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes) and two genera (Snodgrassella and Lactobacillus) were significantly different (p < 0.01) between workers and queens in late instar larvae or adults. Also, we found that age significantly affected the microbial alpha diversity as the Shannon and ASVs indices differed significantly among the four development stages. Our study suggests that the 5th instar larval stage can be used to judge the morphology of workers or queens in bumble bees. The key microbes differing in phenotypes may be involved in regulating phenotypic variations.

Modulation of PPARα-thermogenesis gut microbiota interactions in obese mice administrated with zingerone.

This study aimed to uncover the potential effects of zingerone (ZIN), one of the bioactive compounds in ginger, on the development of obesity as well as the mechanisms responsible for these effects in C57BL/6J mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Supplementation with 0.2% (wt/wt) zingerone for 16 weeks significantly reduced the final body weight, liver weight, and epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) weight without changing the food intake of the mice when compared with the HFD group. The hyperlipidemia of HFD-fed mice was ameliorated after zingerone administration, including decreased plasma triacylglycerol (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) level. The lipid content in liver was lower and the adipocyte size in eWAT and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) was smaller in HFD + ZIN-fed mice compared with HFD group. Zingerone also binds with nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) with an optimal docking energy of -7.31 kJ/mol. Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), PPAR-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), and PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), the downstream genes of PPAR which are related to thermogenic function of adipocytes, were significantly increased in both brown adipose tissue (BAT) and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) after zingerone administration, in comparison with HFD fed mice. Zingerone intake also restructured the community composition of gut microbiota. The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes was decreased, and the relative abundance of Akkermansia_mucinphila was increased. Zingerone can attenuate obesity and related symptoms in HFD-fed mice, probably through the modulation of PPARα-thermogenesis-gut microbiota interactions. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterization of gut microbiota dysbiosis of diarrheic adult yaks through 16S rRNA gene sequences.

The ruminant gut microbial community has a strong impact on host health and can be altered during diarrhea disease. As an indigenous breed of the Tibetan Plateau, domestic yak displays a high diarrhea rate, but little research has been done to characterize the bacterial microbial structure in diarrheic yaks. In the present study, a total of 30 adult yaks, assigned to diarrhea (case, N = 15) and healthy (control, N = 15) groups, were subjected to gut microbiota profiling using the V3–V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that the gut microbiome of the case group had a significant decrease in alpha diversity. Additionally, differences in beta diversity were consistently observed for the case and control groups, indicating that the microbial community structure was changed due to diarrhea. Bacterial taxonomic analysis indicated that the Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were the three most dominant phyla in both groups but different in relative abundance. Especially, the proportion of Proteobacteria in the case group was increased as compared with the control group, whereas Spirochaetota and Firmicutes were significantly decreased. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella and Prevotellaceae_UCG-003 were dramatically increased, whereas that of Treponema, p-2534-18B5_gut_group, and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 were observably decreased with the effect of diarrhea. Furthermore, based on our linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) results, Alistipes, Solibacillus, Bacteroides, Prevotellaceae_UCG_003, and Bacillus were significantly enriched in the case group, while the other five genera, such as Alloprevotella, RF39, Muribaculaceae, Treponema, and Enterococcus, were the most preponderant in the control group. In conclusion, alterations in gut microbiota community composition were associated with yak diarrhea, differentially represented bacterial species enriched in case animals providing a theoretical basis for establishing a prevention and treatment system for yak diarrhea.

Effect of dietary resveratrol supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, intestinal immunity and gut microbiota in yellow-feathered broilers challenged with lipopolysaccharide

Resveratrol (RES) displays strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in protecting the animals from various stressors and inflammatory injuries, but its interrelationship with the gut microbiota remained largely unclear. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary RES supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, intestinal immunity and gut microbiota in yellow-feathered broilers challenged by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A total of 240 yellow-feathered broilers were randomly assigned to four treatment groups in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The broilers were fed with the control diet or control diet supplemented with 400 mg/kg RES, followed by challenge with LPS or the same amount of saline. Dietary RES supplementation significantly alleviated the decreases in the final body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and ADFI induced by LPS (P < 0.05). LPS challenge significantly increased plasma concentrations of triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and cortisol levels, but decreased triiodothyronine (T3) and insulin levels (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with RES significantly reversed the elevated creatinine concentrations and the decreased concentrations of T3 and insulin caused by LPS (P < 0.05). Moreover, dietary RES supplementation significantly increased plasma total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and catalase (CAT) activities and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and T-AOC activities in jejunal mucosa and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in the plasma (P < 0.05). The reduction in the villus height to crypt depth ratio in duodenum, jejunum and ileum and the shortening of villus height in jejunum and ileum caused by LPS were also alleviated by RES treatment (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the increased concentrations of intestinal tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1β caused by LPS were significantly decreased by RES treatment (P < 0.05). Dietary RES treatment increased the mRNA expression of claudin-1, claudin-5, occludin, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), and decreased mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-8, IL-17, and TNF-α after LPS challenge (P < 0.05). Dietary RES treatments significantly decreased the dominance of cecal microbiota, and increased the Pieiou-e and Simpson index. Moreover, dietary RES supplementation increased relative abundance of UCG_ 009, Erysipelotrichaceae, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Anaerotruncus, RF39, and Ruminococcus while decreasing the abundance of Alistipes at genus level. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the microbes at the order and genus levels significantly correlated with indicators of growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health. Collectively, dietary supplementation with 400 mg/kg RES could improve growth performance and antioxidant capacity, and modulate intestinal immunity in yellow-feathered broilers challenged by LPS at early stage, which might be closely associated with the regulation of gut microbiota community composition.

Comparison of Gut Microbiota Diversity Between Captive and Wild Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko).

Captive animals and wild animals may exhibit different characteristics due to the heterogeneity of their living environments. The gut microbiota play an important role in the digestion and absorption, energy metabolism, immune regulation, and physiological health of the host. However, information about the gut microbiota of captive and wild Gekko gecko is currently limited. To determine the difference in gut microbiota community composition, diversity, and structure between captive and wild geckos, we used the Illumina miseq platform to conduct high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of the v3–v4 hypervariable region of 16S rRNA in 54 gecko samples. Our results showed that Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were the dominant gut microbiota phyla of the gecko. The dominant genera comprised mainly Pseudomonas, Burkholderia-caballeronia-paraburkholderia, Ralstonia, Romboutsia, and Bacteroides. Captive geckos had significantly higher alpha diversity and potential pathogenic bacteria than wild populations. Moreover, significant differences in beta diversity of gut microbiota were observed between two populations. Functional prediction analysis showed that the relative abundance of functional pathways of wild geckos was more higher in metabolism, genetic information processing and organismal system function than those in captive geckos. Total length significantly affected gut microbial community (R2 = 0.4527, p = 0.001) and explained 10.45% of the total variation for gut microbial community variance between two groups. These results may be related to differences in diet and living environment between two populations, suggesting that the management of captive populations should mimic wild environments to the greatest extent possible to reduce the impact on their gut microbiota.

Polystyrene nanoparticles aggravate the adverse effects of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on different segments of intestine in mice

Emerging evidence indicates that nanoplastics (NPs) can transport organic pollutants such as di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) into organisms and induce adverse health effects. Nevertheless, the toxic effects of NPs combined with DEHP on mammalian intestine are still unclear. In this study, the C57BL6J mice were exposed to polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs), DEHP or them both for 30 days to determine their effects on different segments of intestine and the gut microbiota. As a result, DEHP alone or co-exposure to DEHP and PSNPs induced histological damages in all intestinal parts, mainly manifested as the decreased villus lengths, increased crypt depths in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum and decreased villus counts accompanied with decreased epithelial area in the colon. Moreover, decreased mucus coverage, down-regulated Muc2 expression levels as well as the broken tight junctions were observed in intestinal epithelium of mice, particularly obvious in the co-treatment groups. In general, as manifested by greater alterations in most of the parameters mentioned above, simultaneously exposed to PSNPs and DEHP seemed to induce enhanced toxic effects on intestine of mouse when compared with DEHP alone. Furthermore, the altered community composition of gut microbiota might at least partially contribute to these abnormalities. Overall, our results highlight the aggravated toxicity on different segments of intestine in mammalians due to co-exposure of PSNPs and DEHP, and these findings will provide valuable insights into the health risk of NPs and plastic additives.

Alarmins and innate lymphoid cells 2 activation: A common pathogenetic link connecting respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis and later wheezing/asthma?

Severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in infancy is associated with increased risk of recurrent wheezing in childhood. Both acute and long-term alterations in airway functions are thought to be related to inefficient antiviral immune response. The airway epithelium, the first target of RSV, normally acts as an immunological barrier able to elicit an effective immune reaction but may also be programmed to directly promote a Th2 response, independently from Th2 lymphocyte involvement. Recognition of RSV transcripts and viral replication intermediates by bronchial epithelial cells brings about release of TSLP, IL-33, HMGB1, and IL-25, dubbed "alarmins." These epithelial cell-derived proteins are particularly effective in stimulating innate lymphoid cells 2 (ILC2) to release IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. ILC2, reflect the innate counterparts of Th2 cells and, when activate, are potent promoters of airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in RSV bronchiolitis and childhood wheezing/asthma. Long-term epithelial progenitors or persistent epigenetic modifications of the airway epithelium following RSV infection may play a pathogenetic role in the short- and long-term increased susceptibility to obstructive lung diseases in response to RSV in the young. Additionally, ILC2 function may be further regulated by RSV-induced changes in gut microbiota community composition that can be associated with disease severity in infants. A better understanding of the alarmin-ILC interactions in childhood might provide insights into the mechanisms characterizing these immune-mediated diseases and indicate new targets for prevention and therapeutic interventions.

Tyrosol Ameliorates the Symptoms of Obesity, Promotes Adipose Thermogenesis, and Modulates the Composition of Gut Microbiota in HFD Fed Mice.

Tyrosol is one of the main polyphenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and its role in combating obesity is unknown. Thus, this study is designed to investigate the effect of tyrosol consumption on obesity and its underlying mechanisms in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mice. After supplementation with 0.2% (wt/wt) tyrosol for 16 weeks, the final body weight, and the levels of plasma triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and fasting glucose are significantly decreased when compared with HFD group. Furthermore, tyrosol may act as a ligand which binds with nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα).Uncouplingprotein1(UCP1), iodothyronine deiodinase 2 (DIO2), PPAR-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), and PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), the downstream genes of PPARα which are related to thermogenic function of adipocytes, are significantly increased in both brown adipose tissue (BAT) and inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) after tyrosol administration. In addition, tyrosol changes the community composition of gut microbiota, including decreasing the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, and increasing the relative abundance of family muribaculaceae, genus Blautia and Lachnospiraceae_bacterium_28_4. Tyrosol consumption attenuates obesity and related symptoms in HFD-fed mice probably via the modulation of PPARα-thermogenesis and gut microbiota.

Distinct Diet-Microbiota-Metabolism Interactions in Overweight and Obese Pregnant Women: a Metagenomics Approach

ABSTRACTDiet and gut microbiota are known to modulate metabolic health. Our aim was to apply a metagenomics approach to investigate whether the diet-gut microbiota-metabolism and inflammation relationships differ in pregnant overweight and obese women. This cross-sectional study was conducted in overweight (n = 234) and obese (n = 152) women during early pregnancy. Dietary quality was measured by a validated index of diet quality (IDQ). Gut microbiota taxonomic composition and species diversity were assessed by metagenomic profiling (Illumina HiSeq platform). Markers for glucose metabolism (glucose, insulin) and low-grade inflammation (high sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP], glycoprotein acetylation [GlycA]) were analyzed from blood samples. Higher IDQ scores were positively associated with a higher gut microbiota species diversity (r = 0.273, P = 0.007) in obese women, but not in overweight women. Community composition (beta diversity) was associated with the GlycA level in the overweight women (P = 0.04) but not in the obese. Further analysis at the species level revealed a positive association between the abundance of species Alistipes finegoldii and the GlycA level in overweight women (logfold change = 4.74, P = 0.04). This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01922791 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01922791).IMPORTANCE We observed partially distinct diet-gut microbiota-metabolism and inflammation responses in overweight and obese pregnant women. In overweight women, gut microbiota community composition and the relative abundance of A. finegoldii were associated with an inflammatory status. In obese women, a higher dietary quality was related to a higher gut microbiota diversity and a healthy inflammatory status.

Association between CD4+ T cell counts and gut microbiota and serum cytokines levels in HIV-infected immunological non-responders

BackgroundCD4+ T cell counts in certain human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients called immunological non-responders (INRs) could not return to a normal level even with sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART) because of persistent immune activation, which is associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines production and an altered intestinal microbiome profile. Changes in gut bacterial composition have been linked to low CD4+ T cell counts in HIV-infected individuals. However, the association between CD4+ T cell counts and gut microbiota community composition and cytokines levels in INRs (CD4+ T cell counts < 500 cells/μL) from Yunnan Province, China, has not been previously investigated.MethodsTo address this issue, we carried out a cross-sectional study of 34 HIV-infected INRs. The patients were divided into CD4 count > 200 cells/μL group and CD4 count < 200 cells/μL group. The gut microbiota composition of each subject was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We also compared CD8+ T cell counts, pro-inflammatory cytokines levels, and nutritional status between the two groups.ResultsCompared to INRs with CD4 count > 200 cells/μL, those with CD4 count < 200 cells/μL had a lower CD4/CD8 ratio, lower nutritional status and higher serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon-γ-inducible protein (IP)-10 and interleukin (IL)-1α. Ruminococcaceae was less abundant in the CD4 count < 200 cells/μL group than in the CD4 count > 200 cells/μL group, and difference in alpha diversity was observed between the two groups. Moreover, CD4+ T cell counts were negatively associated with TNF-α and IL-1α levels and positively associated with the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae.ConclusionsOur study demonstrated that lower CD4+ T cell counts in INRs are associated with a reduced abundance of Ruminococcaceae in the gut and elevated serum pro-inflammatory cytokines levels. Thus, interventions targeting gut microbiota to increase CD4+ T cell counts are a potential strategy for promoting immune reconstitution in HIV-infected INRs.

Interspecific variation and functional traits of the gut microbiome in spiders from the wild: The largest effort so far.

Spiders being one of the most diverse group in phylum arthropod are of great importance due to their role as predators, silk producer, and in medicinal applications. Spiders in prey–predator relationships play a crucial role in balancing the food-chain of any ecosystem; therefore it is essential to characterize the gut microbiota of spiders collected from natural environments. In the present work, the largest effort so far has been made to characterize the gut microbiota of 35 spider species belonging to four different families using 16S amplicon targeting sequencing. Further, we compared the gut microbiota composition including endosymbiont abundance in spider species collected from different geographical locations. The results obtained revealed the presence of genera like Acinetobacter (15%), V7clade (9%), Wolbachia (8%), Pseudomonas (5%), Bacillus (6%). Although comparative analysis revealed that the gut bacterial composition in all the spider families has a similar pattern, in terms of community richness and evenness. The bacterial diversity in the spider family, Lycosidae are more diverse than in Salticidae, Tetragnathidae and Araneidae. Furthermore, it was observed that the abundance of endosymbiont genera, i.e. Wolbachia and Rickettsia, leads to shift in the abundance of other bacterial taxa and may cause sexual alterations in spider species. Moreover, predicted functional analysis based on PICRUSt2 reveals that gut microbiota of spider species were involved in functions like metabolism of carbohydrates, cofactors and vitamins, amino acids; biosynthesis of organic compounds, fatty acids, lipids etc. Based on the results obtained, it can be said that different locations do not correlate with community composition of gut microbiota in spider species collected from natural environments.

Changes of gut microbiota in pregnant sows induced by 5-Aminolevulinic acid

Sow health is related to farm productivity and sustainability, but the increased resistance of bacteria to antibiotics in the pig industry has led to a decline in resistance to disease and environmental pollution. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is considered a feed additive to replace antibiotics, but the effect of 5-ALA on gut microbiota has not been studied. In this study, we fed 12 healthy Landrace × Large White two-line hybrid sows with different concentrations of 5-ALA; blood and fecal samples were obtained after 110 days of pregnancy, and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was performed. The alpha diversity of the gut microbiota in sows was not significant among the sows fed different concentrations of 5-ALA. PCoA revealed a significant (P < 0.05) difference in the gut microbiota composition with different 5-ALA groups. LEfSe revealed that 5-ALA increased relative abundance of Streptococcus, while Myroides was enriched in CK group. Functional prediction of Tax4Fun showed that different concentrations of 5-ALA significantly (P < 0.05) increased the mean relative abundance of KEGG pathways involved in core microbiota cellular processes, environmental information processing, and genetic information processing. In summary, 5-ALA changed bacterial community composition of gut microbiota, reduced colonization of some pathogenes and increased the relative abundance of some probiotics. These results provide a theoretical basis for the healthy breeding of pigs.

Comparative Analysis of the Gut Microbial Communities of the Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) at Different Developmental Stages.

The gut microflora play a very important role in the life of animals. Although an increasing number of studies have investigated the gut microbiota of birds in recent years, there is a lack of research work on the gut microbiota of wild birds, especially carnivorous raptors, which are thought to be pathogen vectors. There are also a lack of studies focused on the dynamics of the gut microbiota during development in raptors. In this study, 16S rRNA gene amplicon high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the gut microbiota community composition of a medium-sized raptor, the Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), and to reveal stage-specific signatures in the gut microbiota of nestlings during the pre-fledging period. Moreover, differences in the gut microbiota between adults and nestlings in the same habitat were explored. The results indicated that the Eurasian Kestrel hosts a diverse assemblage of gut microbiota. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the primary phyla shared within the guts of adults and chicks. However, adults harbored higher abundances of Proteobacteria while nestlings exhibited higher abundances of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and consequently the majority of dominant genera observed in chicks differed from those in adults. Although no significant differences in diversity were observed across the age groups during nestling ontogeny, chicks from all growth stages harbored richer and more diverse bacterial communities than adults. In contrast, the differences in gut microbial communities between adults and younger nestlings were more pronounced. The gut microbes of the nestlings in the last growth stage were converged with those of the adults. This study provides basic reference data for investigations of the gut microbiota community structure of wild birds and deepens our understanding of the dynamics of the gut microflora during raptor development.

Effect of diet and intestinal AhR expression on fecal microbiome and metabolomic profiles

BackgroundDiet, loss of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) expression and their modification of the gut microbiota community composition and its metabolites affect the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the concordance between fecal microbiota composition and the fecal metabolome is poorly understood. Mice with specific AhR deletion (AhRKO) in intestinal epithelial cell and their wild-type littermates were fed a low-fat diet or a high-fat diet. Shifts in the fecal microbiome and metabolome associated with diet and loss of AhR expression were assessed. Microbiome and metabolome data were integrated to identify specific microbial taxa that contributed to the observed metabolite shifts.ResultsOur analysis shows that diet has a more pronounced effect on mouse fecal microbiota composition than the impact of the loss of AhR. In contrast, metabolomic analysis showed that the loss of AhR in intestinal epithelial cells had a more pronounced effect on metabolite profile compared to diet. Integration analysis of microbiome and metabolome identified unclassified Clostridiales, unclassified Desulfovibrionaceae, and Akkermansia as key contributors to the synthesis and/or utilization of tryptophan metabolites.ConclusionsAkkermansia are likely to contribute to the synthesis and/or degradation of tryptophan metabolites. Our study highlights the use of multi-omic analysis to investigate the relationship between the microbiome and metabolome and identifies possible taxa that can be targeted to manipulate the microbiome for CRC treatment.