Decrease In Bacteroidetes Research Articles

P1355 Analysis of fecal bacterial and viral characteristics in patients with ulcerative colitis based on metagenomic sequencing

Abstract Background Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory disease mainly characterized by intestinal lesions, with persistent or recurrent diarrhea, mucous purulent stools as the main symptoms, accompanied by abdominal pain, urgency, and various systemic symptoms. The coexistence of viral bodies and other components of the microbiota with the host, in a dynamic equilibrium state, is a key factor in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and function[1]. Methods Perform metagenomic sequencing on the feces of 52 UC patients and 15 normal individuals to analyze the abundance of gut microbiota and viruses and their correlation with clinical indicators. Results 1. UC patients have dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, with a significant decrease in Bacteroidetes and a significant increase in Actinobacteria and Pseudomonas. There was a significant difference (q<0.05) in the presence of intestinal Rosebery bacteria between the healthy control group and the severe UC group; There were significant differences (q<0.01) between the healthy control group and the UC severe group in terms of Streptococcus lactis, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Plantarum lactis, Lactobacillus rectalis, Enterococcus faecalis, and Lactobacillus reuteri. 2. UC patients have intestinal viral dysbiosis, There were statistically significant differences (q<0.05) between healthy individuals and patients with severe UC in terms of Bacteriophage sp., Enterococcus phage plant, Porcine type-c oncovirus, Lactobacillus phage LfeSau, and Siphaviridae sp. ctsfh5; There is a statistical difference (q<0.05) between mild and severe UC patients in Siphaviridae sp. ct4aE30, Enterococcus phage plantet, Siphaviridae sp. ctqOv4, Lactobacillus phage LfeSau, and Siphaviridae sp. ctsfh5. 3. We conducted a correlation study between differential microbiota and viruses and clinical indicators, and found that intestinal Roseburi bacteria were negatively correlated with modified Mayo score, ESR, and hsCRP; It is positively correlated with HGB. Siphaviridae sp. ctPB44 is negatively correlated with the modified Mayo score, ESR, and hsCRP. 4. We observed significant changes in the functional composition of the fecal microbiome in UC, with several microbial genes and functions identified in severe UC being more abundant than those in healthy individuals, including K13140, K01223, K02761, and K09454. Conclusion The gut microbiota and viruses of UC patients are disrupted, and whether in healthy individuals or UC patients, the predominant gut virus is Caudovicetes sp. However, the abundance of Caudovicetes sp. increases in UC patients. There is a certain correlation between intestinal Roseburia bacteria, Siphaviridae sp. ctPB44, and clinical indicators such as ESR, hsCRP, and HGB.

Gut Microbiome Alterations Following Oral Serum-Derived Bovine Immunoglobulin Administration in the Management of Dysbiosis.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis and inflammation. Serum-derived bovine immunoglobulin (SBI) is used to manage IBS and IBD and has shown prebiotic-like effects in ex vivo models. Re-establishing a healthy gut microbiome with novel treatments like SBI could help treat the underlying causes of these diseases leading to higher and sustained patient response. The objective of this study was to assess whether supplementation with SBI would improve dysbiosis in IBD and IBS patients. This cross-sectional, single-site study had each participant serving as their own control. Stool samples from 18 patients with either IBS or IBD were analyzed before and after SBI administration. The relative abundance of bacterial diversity was assessed using metagenomic next-generation sequencing-based profiling. Species diversity statistically significantly increased for measures of richness (Shannon index) (p < 0.0082) and evenness (Gini-Simpson index) (p< 0.0017). Phylum-level changes showed a 2.7-fold increase in Actinobacteria (p = 0.0181), 0.66-fold decrease in Bacteroidetes (p = 0.0401), and 0.38-fold decrease in Proteobacteria (p = 0.0071) after treatment with SBI. At the genus level, the relative abundances showed decreased Alistipes (p = 0.0121) and decreased Bacteroides (p = 0.0108) as well as increased Bifidobacterium (p = 0.0204), compared to pre-treatment levels. At the genus level, a 1.8-fold increase of Bifidobacterium breve (p = 0.0225) occurred upon treatment with SBI. These findings confirm the prebiotic effects of SBI and suggest an additional mechanism of action in managing IBD and IBS symptoms. SBI re-establishes homeostasis in patients with IBD and IBS by decreasing Proteobacteria and increasing Bifidobacteria and species diversity. These insights highlight the promise of new therapeutic strategies for managing IBS and IBD by targeting dysbiosis and underscore the potential of personalized treatments based on a patient's gut microbiome profile.

The cross-talk between the metabolome and microbiome in a double-hit neonatal rat model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic lung disease in preterm infants, is associated with inflammation and high oxygen exposure. However, the effects of antenatal inflammation and postnatal extended hyperoxia on the metabolome and microbiome remain unclear. In this study, pregnant rats received lipopolysaccharide or saline injections on gestational day 20 and were exposed to either 21 % or 80 % oxygen for 4 weeks post-birth. Analysis revealed an increase in Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria, with a decrease in Bacteroidetes in BPD rats. Metabolomic analysis identified 78 altered metabolites, primarily lipids, enriched in pathways including arginine biosynthesis, sphingolipid metabolism, and primary bile acid biosynthesis in BPD rats. Integration analysis revealed strong correlations between intestinal microbiota and metabolites in BPD rats. These findings underscored the impact of antenatal inflammation and prolonged postnatal hyperoxia on gut microbiota and serum metabolome, suggesting their role in BPD pathogenesis.

Probiotic powder with polysaccharides from Wolfiporia cocos alleviates antibiotic-associated diarrhea by modulating immune activities and gut microbiota

To enhance immunomodulatory effects of lyophilized probiotics, we screened a new lyophilizing protective agent, that is Wolfiporia cocos polysaccharide (WP). This study demonstrated WP significantly increased the survival rate among seven polysaccharides, with the optimal dosage being 10 % (w/v). The ratio of bacterial suspension to lyophilizing protective agent was 1:2, in the condition, the probiotic survival rate of probiotics reached 83.06 %. Probiotic powder with WP (PWP) showed superior improvement in immune regulation and gut microbiota in antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) mice compared to powder without WP. It notably increased IgM, IgG and IgA contents, and enhanced the activity of macrophage cells in the abdominal cavity. Furthermore, PWP exhibited the combined benefits of both the WP and PP in regulating the gut microbiota homeostasis, inhibiting the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota reflected in a significant increase in Proteobacteria, such as Sutterella, and decrease in Bacteroidetes, such as Muribaculaceae induced by AAD. Additionally, the correlation analysis indicated Sutterella had negative correlations with the immunomodulatory activities, meanwhile Muribaculace had positive correlations with the immunomodulatory activities. Overall, PWP could regulate the abundances of gut microbiota, thereby modulating immune activities and alleviating antibiotic-associated diarrhea, providing valuable insights for the development and application of WP in probiotics.

Overlap of gallbladder dysfunction and irritable bowel syndrome: clinical and microbiological features and therapeutic possibilities

Objective — to analyse the clinical and microbiological features in patients with an overlap between gallbladder dysfunction (GBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and a complex assessment of the effectiveness and safety of using ursodeoxycholic acid (Ursis) in these patients. Materials and methods. Under our observation were 115 patients with the overlap of GBD and IBS aged from 19 to 52. The majority of them were women (62.6%). All patients complained of abdominal pain, mostly without clear localization or in the right hypochondrium and along the course of the large intestine. Constipation was diagnosed in 83 (72.2%) patients, and meteorism in 89 (77.4%) patients. Therefore, 62 patients with the overlap of GBD and IBS, who had abdominal pain, constipation and meteorism, were selected for further study. During the study, all patients kept a diary in which the frequency and nature of bowel movements, the severity of abdominal pain, and the degree of meteorism were recorded. All patients before and after treatment underwent an ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity, which included the study of the contractile function of the gallbladder, the emptying coefficient of the gallbladder, the thickness and density of its wall, and the density of bile. Changes in the main bacterial enterotypes were analyzed by qRT‑PCR using primers targeting 16S rRNA. We studied Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, as well as the content of butyrate‑producing bacteria (Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Akkermansia muciniphila) and methanogens (Methanobrevibacter smithii and Methanosphaera stadmanae). Results. Before treatment, all patients had abdominal pain of moderate intensity (6.9±0.7 points), mostly without clear localization, constipation, with a frequency of defecation (1.4±0.5) times a week, and meteorism. Before treatment, patients with an overlap of GBD and IBS had changes in the contractile function of the gallbladder with a decrease in the emptying ratio, a thickening of the gallbladder wall and an increase in its density and bile density, as well as a disturbance of the intestinal microbiome (an increase in the number of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and methanogenic archaea and a decrease in Bacteroidetes and butyrate‑producing bacteria). Conclusions. The use of Ursis® medication in the complex therapy of patients with a GBD and IBS overlap is effective and safe. The aplication of Ursis® led to a more pronounced positive clinical dynamics (a decrease in the intensity of abdominal pain, normalization of the frequency of bowel movements, a decrease in meteorism and an improvement in general well‑being) than in the patients of the comparison group. After treatment with Ursis® the coefficient of emptying of the gallbladder increased, the thickness and density of its wall decreased. The use of the drug Ursis® in the complex therapy of patients with the overlap of GBD and IBS contributed to the improvement of intestinal flora: an increase in the number of Bacteroidetes and butyrate‑producing bacteria (Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Akkermansia muciniphila), and a decrease in the content of methanogens (Methanobrevibacter smithii and Methanosphaera stadmanae).

Pathogenetic role of changes in the colon mucous barrier in patients with ulcerative colitis and the possibility of correction

The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the colon mucosal barrier in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and to analyze the efficacy of using Zafacol IQ in the complex therapy of these patients. Materials and methods. A prospective, multicenter, randomized, comparative study was conducted in parallel groups to investigate the efficacy and safety of the Zafacol IQ administration in the complex therapy of patients with UC. 64 patients with left‑sided UC of medium‑severe course in the acute stage were observed. There were 34 men and 30 women among the patients; the average age was (46.6±5.8) years. The diagnosis of UC was established clinically and confirmed endoscopically and histologically. The study included patients suffering from UC for at least 1 year. All patients underwent endoscopic examination of the large intestine with biopsy before treatment and after 6 weeks of therapy. The biopsy was stained with hematoxylin and eosin; the PAS reaction was performed. To determine the content of mucins in colonic mucus and the state of tight junctions, an immunohistochemical study was conducted with mucins (MUC‑2, MUC‑4) and proteins of the tight junction family Claud‑1 and Claud‑7. Before and after therapy, the status of the main bacterial enterotypes (Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria), as well as the level of regulatory, butyrate‑producing bacteria (Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Akkermansia muciniphila) were studied in all patients using the polymerase chain reaction qRT‑PCR method. Results. Before therapy, against the background of the development of clinical symptoms, UC patients had a violation of the integrity of the epithelium with the formation of erosive‑ulcerative defects and changes in the colon mucous membrane with the development of inflammatory cell infiltration and disorders of mucus formation and increased epithelial permeability. Before treatment, changes in the colon microbial landscape were detected in UC patients, with a significant decrease in Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes against the background of an increase in representatives of Actinobacteria and other, mostly opportunistic flora. In addition, a reduction in the regulatory butyrate‑producing bacteria (Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii) was fixed in patients with UC. The use of Zafacol IQ in patients contributed to a lower level of clinical activity of the disease, increased the frequency of achieving endoscopic remission of UC after complex treatment, led to a decrease in active neutrophils in the cellular infiltrate, improved mucus formation with tendencies to normalize its quality characteristics, an increase in glycoproteins and glycosaminoglycans, as well as MUC2 in colonic mucus, contributed to a decrease in epithelial permeability and an increase in the expression of Claud­­1 and Claud­­7 in goblet cells with an increase in Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Conclusions. The use of Zafacol IQ in the complex therapy of UC patients was effective and safe. This drug in combination with mesalazine contributed to positive clinical dynamics and a lower level of clinical activity of the disease, increased the frequency of endoscopic remission of UC. Pronounced positive morphological dynamics were observed: an improvement in mucus formation, an increase in the intensity of the PAS reaction, an increase in MUC2 in the colonic mucus, a decrease in epithelial permeability, and an increase in the expression of Claud‑1 and Claud‑7 in both goblet cells and in the surface epithelium. Complex therapy with the appointment of ­Zafacol IQ contributed to the normalization of the intestinal microbiome in UC patients — an increase in Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii with a tendency to decrease Actinobacteria.

A methionine-choline-deficient diet induces nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and alters the lipidome, metabolome, and gut microbiome profile in the C57BL/6J mouse

The methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in mice is a well-established model. Our study aims to elucidate the factors influencing liver pathology in the MCD mouse model by examining physiological, biochemical, and molecular changes using histology, molecular techniques, and OMICS approaches (lipidomics, metabolomics, and metagenomics). Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a standard chow diet, a methionine-choline-sufficient (MCS) diet, or an MCD diet for 10 weeks. The MCD diet resulted in reduced body weight and fat mass, along with decreased plasma triglyceride, cholesterol, glucose, and insulin levels. However, it notably induced steatosis, inflammation, and alterations in gene expression associated with lipogenesis, inflammation, fibrosis, and the synthesis of apolipoproteins, sphingolipids, ceramides, and carboxylesterases.Lipid analysis revealed significant changes in plasma and tissues: most ceramide non-hydroxy-sphingosine lipids significantly decreased in the liver and plasma but increased in the adipose tissue of MCD diet-fed animals. Oxidized glycerophospholipids mostly increased in the liver but decreased in the adipose tissue of the MCD diet-fed group. The gut microbiome of the MCD diet-fed group showed an increase in Firmicutes and a decrease in Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. Metabolomic profiling demonstrated that the MCD diet significantly altered amino acid biosynthesis, metabolism, and nucleic acid metabolism pathways in plasma, liver, fecal, and cecal samples. LC-MS data indicated higher total plasma bile acid intensity and reduced fecal glycohyodeoxycholic acid intensity in the MCD diet group. This study demonstrates that although the MCD diet induces hepatic steatosis, the mechanisms underlying NASH in this model differ from those in human NASH pathology.

Blood and sputum microbiota composition in Afghan immigrants and Iranian subjects with pulmonary tuberculosis.

TB infection is one of the most challengeable epidemiological issues. Complex interactions between microbiota and TB infection have been demonstrated. Alteration in microbial population during TB infection may act as a useful biomarker. The present study examined the microbiota patterns of blood and sputum samples collected from Afghan immigrants and Iranian patients with active TB. Sixty active pulmonary TB patients were enrolled in the study. Blood and sputum samples were collected. To detect phylum bacterial composition in the blood and sputum samples, bacterial 16S rRNA quantification by Real-Time qPCR was performed. A significant decrease in Bacteroidetes in Iranian sputum and blood samples of Afghan immigrants and Iranian TB active subjects were seen. While, sputum samples of Afghan immigrants showed no significant differences in Bacteroidetes abundance among TB active and control. Firmicutes were also presented no significant difference between sputum samples of the two races. Actinobacteria showed a significant increase in Iranian and Afghan sputum samples while this phylum showed no significant abundance in Iranian and Afghan TB positive blood samples. Proteobacteria also showed an increase in sputum and blood samples of the two races. An imbalance in Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes abundance may cause an alteration in the microbiota composition, resulting in dysregulated immune responses and resulting in the augmentation of opportunistic pathogens during TB infection, notably Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Evaluation of human microbiota under different conditions of TB infection can be critical to a deeper understanding of the disease control.

Akkermansia muciniphila isolated from forest musk deer ameliorates diarrhea in mice via modification of gut microbiota.

The forest musk deer, a rare fauna species found in China, is famous for its musk secretion which is used in selected Traditional Chinese medicines. However, over-hunting has led to musk deer becoming an endangered species, and their survival is also greatly challenged by various high incidence and high mortality respiratory and intestinal diseases such as septic pneumonia and enteritis. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that Akkermannia muciniphila (AKK) is a promising probiotic, and we wondered whether AKK could be used as a food additive in animal breeding programmes to help prevent intestinal diseases. We isolated one AKK strain from musk deer feces (AKK-D) using an improved enrichment medium combined with real-time PCR. After confirmation by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, a series of invitro tests was conducted to evaluate the probiotic effects of AKK-D by assessing its reproductive capability, simulated gastrointestinal fluid tolerance, acid and bile salt resistance, self-aggregation ability, hydrophobicity, antibiotic sensitivity, hemolysis, harmful metabolite production, biofilm formation ability, and bacterial adhesion to gastrointestinal mucosa. The AKK-D strain has a probiotic function similar to that of the standard strain in humans (AKK-H). An invivo study found that AKK-D significantly ameliorated symptoms in the enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)-induced murine diarrhea model. AKK-D improved organ damage, inhibited inflammatory responses, and improved intestinal barrier permeability. Additionally, AKK-D promoted the reconstitution and maintenance of the homeostasis of gut microflora, as indicated by the fact that AKK-D-treated mice showed a decrease in Bacteroidetes and an increase in the proportion of other beneficial bacteria like Muribaculaceae, Muribaculum, and unclassified f_Lachnospiaceae compared with the diarrhea model mice. Taken together, our data show that this novel AKK-D strain might be a potential probiotic for use in musk deer breeding, although further extensive systematic research is still needed.

Oral Microbiome Stamp in Alzheimer's Disease.

Recent studies have suggested that periodontal disease and alterations in the oral microbiome may be associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD) development. Here, we report a case-control study of oral microbiota diversity in AD patients compared to healthy seniors from Central Asia. We have characterized the bacterial taxonomic composition of the oral microbiome from AD patients (n = 64) compared to the healthy group (n = 71) using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. According to our results, the oral microbiome of AD has a higher microbial diversity, with an increase in Firmicutes and a decrease in Bacteroidetes in the AD group. LEfSe analysis showed specific differences at the genus level in both study groups. A region-based analysis of the oral microbiome compartment in AD was also performed, and specific differences were identified, along with the absence of differences in bacterial richness and on the functional side. Noteworthy findings demonstrated the decrease in periodontitis-associated bacteria in the AD group. Distinct differences were revealed in the distribution of metabolic pathways between the two study groups. Our study confirms that the oral microbiome is altered in AD. However, a comprehensive picture of the complete composition of the oral microbiome in patients with AD requires further investigation.

Alterations in the Gut Microbiota Composition in Obesity with and without Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Study.

Obesity has become a major public health concern worldwide, increasing the risk of T2DM. Growing evidence indicates gut microbiota dysbiosis is related to metabolic disorders. We aimed to firstly investigate the compositional and functional features of the gut microbiome between obesity with and without T2DM in the Chinese population. A total of 32 obese individuals accompanied with T2DM and 18 age and gender-matched obesity with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) were enrolled. Fecal samples were collected, and the gut microbiota profile was determined using the Illumina MiSeq platform based on V3-V4 bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Compared with obesity- NGT, obesity-T2DM showed a significantly higher alpha diversity. Principal coordinates analysis based on both Bray-Curtis distance and weighted Unifrac revealed that the global microbial composition was significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.007 and P = 0.005, respectively). At the phylum level, Obesity-T2DM patients exhibited a significant decrease in Bacteroidetes, and a pronounced increase in Firmicutes. Regarding the genus level, Bacteroides and Escherichia-Shigella were found to increase considerably, while Prevotella_9 and Sutterella had an evident decrease in Obesity-T2DM. Furthermore, Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Prevotella_9 and Sutterella were negatively associated with HbA1c and fasting blood glucose. We found clear differences in the gut microbiota composition in obesity-T2DM compared with obesity-NGT. Obesity accompanied with T2DM may aggravate the obesity-associated gut microbiota, and gut microbiota is expected to be a promising novel intervention target for obese management. However, larger sample size and more in-depth taxonomic identification studies are warranted.

Conjugation of chitopentaose with β-lactoglobulin using Maillard reaction, and its effect on the allergic desensitization in vivo

The conjugation of chitopentaose (CHP) on β-lactoglobulin (βLg) via Maillard reaction was used to desensitize βLg. The stable βLg-CHP conjugate (βC-4) was formed at 4 h incubation, which contains 5 CHP attached molecules and a conjugated degree of 42 %. The conjugation promoted the thermal stability and emulsifying properties of βLg, and inhibited the immunoglobulin E (IgE) combining capacity by decreasing the content of β-sheet in βLg. Moreover, βLg-CHP conjugates were imparted with anti-oxidant properties and anti-inflammatory activities. Further, the combined action of inhibited IgE combining capacity and anti-inflammatory activities improved the allergy desensitization in βLg sensitized mice. The results showed that overexpressed IgE and inflammatory factors, unbalanced Th1-/Th2- immune cytokines were significantly attenuated after βLg was conjugated with CHP, avoiding the inflammatory lesions in spleen and colon. Additionally, the adverse changes in gut microbiota were alleviated in βC-4 group with a decrease of Bacteroidetes and increase of Firmicutes at phylum level and the probiotic bacteria of Lactobacillaceae was significantly improved at the family level. Thus, the conjugation of CHP can desensitize allergic reaction caused by βLg.

Deficiency of histone variant macroH2A1.1 is associated with sexually dimorphic obesity in mice

Obesity has a major socio-economic health impact. There are profound sex differences in adipose tissue deposition and obesity-related conditions. The underlying mechanisms driving sexual dimorphism in obesity and its associated metabolic disorders remain unclear. Histone variant macroH2A1.1 is a candidate epigenetic mechanism linking environmental and dietary factors to obesity. Here, we used a mouse model genetically depleted of macroH2A1.1 to investigate its potential epigenetic role in sex dimorphic obesity, metabolic disturbances and gut dysbiosis. Whole body macroH2A1 knockout (KO) mice, generated with the Cre/loxP technology, and their control littermates were fed a high fat diet containing 60% of energy derived from fat. The diet was administered for three months starting from 10 to 12 weeks of age. We evaluated the progression in body weight, the food intake, and the tolerance to glucose by means of a glucose tolerance test. Gut microbiota composition, visceral adipose and liver tissue morphology were assessed. In addition, adipogenic gene expression patterns were evaluated in the visceral adipose tissue. Female KO mice for macroH2A1.1 had a more pronounced weight gain induced by high fat diet compared to their littermates, while the increase in body weight in male mice was similar in the two genotypes. Food intake was generally increased upon KO and decreased by high fat diet in both sexes, with the exception of KO females fed a high fat diet that displayed the same food intake of their littermates. In glucose tolerance tests, glucose levels were significantly elevated upon high fat diet in female KO compared to a standard diet, while this effect was absent in male KO. There were no differences in hepatic histology. Upon a high fat diet, in female adipocyte cross-sectional area was larger in KO compared to littermates: activation of proadipogenic genes (ACACB, AGT, ANGPT2, FASN, RETN, SLC2A4) and downregulation of antiadipogenic genes (AXIN1, E2F1, EGR2, JUN, SIRT1, SIRT2, UCP1, CCND1, CDKN1A, CDKN1B, EGR2) was detected. Gut microbiota profiling showed increase in Firmicutes and a decrease in Bacteroidetes in females, but not males, macroH2A1.1 KO mice. MacroH2A1.1 KO mice display sexual dimorphism in high fat diet-induced obesity and in gut dysbiosis, and may represent a useful model to investigate epigenetic and metabolic differences associated to the development of obesity-associated pathological conditions in males and females.

Alfalfa hay substitution for wheat straw improves beef quality via rumen microflora alteration

The use of high-quality roughage to improve beef quality has become an important issue in China, as the country has become the world's largest beef consumer. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different forage qualities (wheat straw vs alfalfa hay) on Simmental crossbreed cattle's meat quality, rumen fermentation and microbiota. AHG (Alfalfa hay group) improved the ADFI (Average daily feed intake) and ADG (Average daily gain) of the beef cattle, meat-to-bone ratio and EE (Ether extract). The C18:3n3 and C20:3n3 composition of LD in AHG was significantly higher than WSG. An increase in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and a decrease in Bacteroidetes was observed. AHG resulted in higher relative abundance of Saccharomonospora, Streptomyces. A negative correlation between Treponema and muscle PUFA was noticed. Prevotella was negatively correlated with starch and sucrose metabolism. In conclusion, current study demonstrates that feeding alfalfa hay can raise meat quality by altering the rumen microbiota, providing valuable information for the application of alfalfa hay in beef cattle breeding.

Gastrointestinal Microbial Ecology of Weaned Piglets Fed Diets with Different Levels of Glyphosate.

Glyphosate possesses antimicrobial properties, and the present study investigated potential effects of feed glyphosate on piglet gastrointestinal microbial ecology. Weaned piglets were allocated to four diets (glyphosate contents [mg/kg feed]: 0 mg/kg control [CON; i.e., basal diet with no glyphosate added], 20 mg/kg as Glyphomax commercial herbicide [GM20], and 20 mg/kg [IPA20] and 200 mg/kg [IPA200] as glyphosate isopropylamine [IPA] salt). Piglets were sacrificed after 9 and 35 days of treatment, and stomach, small intestine, cecum, and colon digesta were analyzed for glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), organic acids, pH, dry matter content, and microbiota composition. Digesta glyphosate contents reflected dietary levels (on day 35, 0.17, 16.2, 20.5, and 207.5 mg/kg colon digesta, respectively). Overall, we observed no significant glyphosate-associated effects on digesta pH, dry matter content, and-with few exceptions-organic acid levels. On day 9, only minor gut microbiota changes were observed. On day 35, we observed a significant glyphosate-associated decrease in species richness (CON, 462; IPA200, 417) and in the relative abundance of certain Bacteroidetes genera: CF231 (CON, 3.71%; IPA20, 2.33%; IPA200, 2.07%) and g_0.24 (CON, 3.69%; IPA20, 2.07%; IPA200, 1.75%) in cecum. No significant changes were observed at the phylum level. In the colon, we observed a significant glyphosate-associated increase in the relative abundance of Firmicutes (CON, 57.7%; IPA20, 69.4%; IPA200, 66.1%) and a decrease in Bacteroidetes (CON, 32.6%; IPA20, 23.5%). Significant changes were only observed for few genera, e.g., g_0.24 (CON, 7.12%; IPA20, 4.59%; IPA200, 4.00%). In conclusion, exposing weaned piglets to glyphosate-amended feed did not affect gastrointestinal microbial ecology to a degree that was considered actual dysbiosis, e.g., no potential pathogen bloom was observed. IMPORTANCE Glyphosate residues can be found in feed made from genetically modified glyphosate-resistant crops treated with glyphosate or from conventional crops, desiccated with glyphosate before harvest. If these residues affect the gut microbiota to an extent that is unfavorable to livestock health and productivity, the widespread use of glyphosate on feed crops may need to be reconsidered. Few in vivo studies have been conducted to investigate potential impact of glyphosate on the gut microbial ecology and derived health issues of animals, in particular livestock, when exposed to dietary glyphosate residues. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate potential effects on the gastrointestinal microbial ecology of newly weaned piglets fed glyphosate-amended diets. Piglets did not develop actual gut dysbiosis when fed diets, containing a commercial herbicide formulation or a glyphosate salt at the maximum residue level, defined by the European Union for common feed crops, or at a 10-fold-higher level.

107 Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Preclinical Microbiome Data from Studies of Burn Injury

Abstract Introduction Following burn injury, the ecology of the host microbiota is disrupted to varying degrees and may leave the patient susceptible to opportunistic pathogens or disrupt the endogenous flora needed to potentiate recovery and homeostasis. Studies examining the microbiome post-burn injury usually have a limited sample size which, coupled with experimental and analysis variation, impacts overall interpretation of data. Methods We performed a meta-analysis of publicly available sequencing data from burn patients and burn animals to determine if there were consistent alterations in the microbiome across various anatomical sites and species. A MEDLINE search was used to identify applicable publications. Corresponding authors of papers without available data were contacted, and data were used if a response occurred. Ten human and animal 16S rRNA sequencing studies spanning respiratory, urinary, cutaneous, and gastrointestinal microbiomes were included. Raw sequencing data were systematically analyzed with taxonomic classification and α and β diversity metrics generated. Results Alpha diversity was consistently lower post-burn, except for human skin (Figure 1) due to perianal skin sampling of burn patients resulting in higher species richness than controls. Weighted UniFrac distance analysis showed that rodent specimens clustered less closely to humans than pig samples (P &amp;lt; 0.0001) for both rectal and skin samples. Host species (R2 = 0.21, P = 0.001), and institute (R2 = 0.35, P = 0.001) had a significant impact on the β diversity. In rectal samples, bacterial composition in pig and human burn samples included Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria, while rodent samples were dominated by over 90% Firmicutes. Burns induced an increase of Proteobacteria and a decrease in Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in pig rectal samples. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes increased on burned skin in each host species. Longitudinal studies revealed a decrease in α diversity upon burn injury with β diversity and taxa shifts. Conclusions Overall, our results suggest that host species and the sequencing site strongly influence microbiome structure. Burn-induced alterations in microbiome diversity and taxa exist across hosts, with certain metrics more influenced by host. Applicability of Research to Practice Coordinated, multi-center studies, both clinical and pre-clinical, are needed to truly realize the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of the microbiome for improving outcomes post-burn.

Influence of adrenalectomy on the gut microbiome and MDMA-induced hyperthermia

The increased use of the stimulant drug, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), more commonly known as Ecstasy, Molly or X, has been linked to the development of life-threatening hyperthermia in human and animal models. The current study aimed to investigate the role of the gut-adrenal axis in MDMA-induced hyperthermia by assessing the influence of the acute exogenous supplementation with norepinephrine (NE) or corticosterone (CORT) to adrenalectomized (ADX) rats following MDMA administration. MDMA (10 mg/kg, sc) resulted in significant increase of body temperature in SHAM animals compared to ADX animals at 30-, 60- and 90-min timepoints post-MDMA treatment. The attenuated MDMA-mediated hyperthermic response seen in ADX animals was partially restored by the exogenous administration of NE (3 mg/kg, ip) or CORT (3 mg/kg, ip) 30 min after MDMA treatment. Additionally, 16 S rRNA analysis revealed distinct changes in the gut microbiome composition and diversity notable by the higher abundance of minor phyla Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and Proteobacteria in ADX rats compared to control and SHAM rats. Furthermore, MDMA administration resulted in marked changes in the dominant phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and minor phyla Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and Proteobacteria in ADX animals. The most notable changes in the gut microbiome upon CORT treatment were reported with increase in Bacteroidetes and decrease in Firmicutes phyla whereas NE treatment resulted in increase in Firmicutes and decrease in Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria post treatment. These results suggest a correlation between the sympathoadrenal axis, gut microbiome structure and diversity and MDMA-mediated hyperthermia.

Results of a Clinical Trial Showing Changes to the Faecal Microbiome in Racing Thoroughbreds after Feeding a Nutritional Supplement

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been used to evaluate the effect of various interventions on the equine microbiome. The aim of this randomised blinded clinical trial was to determine if a prebiotic nutritional supplement would result in a change from baseline in the faecal microbiome composition of racing Thoroughbred horses in training being fed a high concentrate/grain-based diet to be more similar to that found in forage fed/pasture grazed horses. Thirty-two horses on one training yard were randomised to either receive the supplement or not. Faecal samples were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks for NGS of the 16S ribosomal subunit gene. Twenty-two horses completed the trial, met the inclusion criteria and were included in the intention to treat analysis; 20 horses were included in the per protocol analysis. The mean and median percent decreases in Bacteroidetes, increases in Firmicutes and the Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio were significantly greater than zero for the treated horses only. Supplemented horses (8/10) were more likely than control horses (2/10) to show an increase in Firmicutes of a ≥9% with ≥24% increase in Clostridia, ≥5% decrease in Bacteroidetes, ≥16% increase in the F:B ratio and ≥2% increase in Actinobacteria (RR = 4, 95% CI: 1.1-14.4, p = 0.01). This provides useful information for further investigations on long-term effects on the microbiome and on health and racing-related outcomes.

STATE OF THE GUT MICROBIOTA IN PATIENTS WITH METABOLIC-ASSOCIATED FATTY LIVER DISEASE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS

Introduction. One of the frequent complications of the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Aim. To study the composition of gut microbiota in patients with a combination of T2DM and MAFLD and to compare it with the microbiota in isolated T2DM and MAFLD.&#x0D; Methods. 111 patients were studied. The main group consisted of 56 patients with a combination of MAFLD and T2DM; the 1st group included 28 patients with MAFLD and the 2nd - 27 patients with T2DM. The control group consisted of 30 practically healthy people. Diagnosis was made by steatometry, shear wave elastography, lactulose H2 breath test, qPCR of feces using primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene, and stool culture.&#x0D; Results. In the the main group SIBO was found in 48.2%, in 1st – 35.7%, in 2nd – 33.3%, compared to 10% in the control group. When compared with healthy people, the number of "other" microorganisms significantly increased in the group with isolated T2DM and Clostridium, Proteus and Candida were cultured; in the case of isolated MAFLD, a decrease in Bacteroidetes and an increase in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, as well as an increase in Klebsiella and Clostridium. In the main group, an increase in Actinobacteria, "other" microorganisms, a ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes and a decrease in Bacteroidetes were found, when cultured - an increase in Clostridium, Klebsiella and Candida.&#x0D; Conclusions. Only the group of MAFLD with T2DM was characterized by increased Actinobacteria; decreased absolute number of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and increased Escherichia, including with altered enzymatic properties in the stool culture.

Ivermectin-induced bacterial gut dysbiosis does not increase susceptibility to Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection but exacerbates liver damage

Excessive use of medications, including the antiparasitic drug ivermectin, can lead to bacterial gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in the intestinal microbiome, which in turn may increase or decrease susceptibility to infectious processes. To better understand the effects of continuous ivermectin usage on the gut bacterial community, C57BL/6 isogenic mice were treated by gavage with ivermectin or saline. Ivermectin-induced bacterial gut dysbiosis is characterized by a decrease in Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Tenericutes and an increase in species of the phylum Verrucomicrobia. A pro-inflammatory immunostimulatory caecal content, as well as disruption of caecal tissue organization and liver tissue damage, was observed in mice with gut dysbiosis. However, ivermectin-induced gut dysbiosis did not lead to acute susceptibility to Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection: infected mice with and without gut dysbiosis showed similar rates of recovery of viable bacteria in organs, histopathology and differential cytokine expression in the lung. Therefore, an extension of liver damage was observed in ivermectin-treated and P. aeruginosa-infected mice, which was exacerbated by infection.