Growth Of Bifidobacteria Research Articles

Causal Inference in Microbiome Medicine: Principles and Applications.

Microorganisms that colonize the mammalian skin and cavity play critical roles in various physiological functions of the host. Numerous studies have revealed strong associations between the microbiota and multiple diseases. However, association does not mean causation. To clarify the mechanisms underlying microbiota-mediated diseases, research is moving from associative analyses to causation studies. In this article, we first introduce the principles of the computational methods for causal inference, and then discuss the applications of these methods in microbiome medicine. Furthermore, we examine the reliability of theoretically inferred causality by the interventionist framework. Finally, we show the potential of confirmed causality in microbiota-targeted therapy, especially in personalized dietary intervention. We conclude that a comprehensive understanding of the causal relationships between diets, microbiota, host targets, and diseases is critical to future microbiome medicine.

Synthesis and characterization of Bifidogenic raffinose-derived oligosaccharides via acceptor reactions of glucansucrase E81

Glucansucrases can perform acceptor reactions with different sugars to produce distinct oligosaccharides which can potentially act as prebiotics depending on their characteristics. Using cheap substrate sucrose and under mild and environmentally friendly conditions, glucansucrase-derived oligosaccharides can be produced with high yields. In this study, raffinose-derived oligosaccharides up to degree of polymerization (DP) 7 produced by glucansucrase E81 were characterized and their prebiotic functions were evaluated. The main product was a DP 4 oligosaccharide containing two products formed by the transfer of the glucose to raffinose at either the 3- (81%) or 4-O (19%) position of its galactose residue confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and LC-MS-LTQ analysis. The purified DP 4 raffinose-derived oligosaccharides were subjected to in vitro human gastric fluid and α-amylase digestion tests and no digestion was observed under both cases. Finally, prebiotic potential of DP 4 raffinose-derived oligosaccharides was tested with probiotic and pathogenic strains and only growth of Bifidobacteria promoted, thus supported the Bifidogenic activity of DP 4 raffinose-derived oligosaccharides.

Isolated Pea Resistant Starch Substrates with Different Structural Features Modulate the Production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Metabolism of Microbiota in Anaerobic Fermentation In Vitro.

Resistant starches (RSs) with different structural features were isolated from both native and pullulanase-debranched and acid-hydrolyzed pea starches. Their microscopic changes, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) composition, microbiota communities, and structural characteristics of the corresponding fermenta residues by the end of 24 h of the in vitro fermentation period were investigated. The microbial fermentation clearly caused numerous cracks and erosion on the RS granule surface. In comparison to the positive control, significantly higher levels of butyrate, propionate, and total SCFA were produced after 24 h of in vitro fecal fermentation when resistant starches were used as substrates. The RS substrates with different structural characteristics enabled varying growth of Bifidobacterium spp., Eubacterium spp., and Faecalibacterium spp. The discrepancy in microbiota communities associated with the differences in SCFA from the fermentation of RS with different structural features would be critical toward the rational design of foods containing resistant starch with targeted health benefits.

Potential Applications of Endo-β-N-Acetylglucosaminidases From Bifidobacterium longum Subspecies infantis in Designing Value-Added, Next-Generation Infant Formulas.

Human milk is the optimal source of infant nutrition. Among many other health benefits, human milk can stimulate the development of a Bifidobacterium-rich microbiome through human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). In recent years, the development of novel formulas has placed particular focus on incorporating some of the beneficial functional properties of human milk. These include adding specific glycans aimed to selectively stimulate the growth of Bifidobacterium. However, the bifidogenicity of human milk remains unparalleled. Dietary N-glycans are carbohydrate structures conjugated to a wide variety of glycoproteins. These glycans have a remarkable structural similarity to HMOs and, when released, show a strong bifidogenic effect. This review discusses the biocatalytic potential of the endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase enzyme (EndoBI-1) from Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis (B. infantis), in releasing N-glycans inherently present in infant formula as means to increase the bifidogenicity of infant formula. Finally, the potential implications for protein deglycosylation with EndoBI-1 in the development of value added, next-generation formulas are discussed from a technical perspective.

Stimulation of Codonopsis pilosula Polysaccharide on Bifidobacterium of Human Gut Bacteria In Vitro.

Objective To evaluate the prebiotic effects of Codonopsis pilosula polysaccharide (CPP) on human gut bacteria in vitro. Methods Codonopsis Radix was extracted with water at 100°C, and the extract was precipitated by 80% ethanol to obtain CPP. Human fresh fecal samples were collected from three healthy adults and used to ferment CPP. The fermented samples were collected to be analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results The results showed that CPP exhibited significantly the stimulation on the growth of genus Bifidobacterium of human gut bacteria (Padj < 0.05). Although CPP also exhibited regulative trends on the genera including Acidaminococcus, Bilophila, Dorea, and Eggerthella, no significant differences were observed (Padj > 0.05), which was likely associated with the limited samples (n = 3). Conclusion CPP has the potential to stimulate the growth of Bifidobacterium of the human gut bacteria and to be benefit to human health.

A postbiotic consisting of heat-treated lactobacilli has a bifidogenic effect in pure culture and in human fermented faecal communities.

The gut microbiota has a significant impact on host health. Dietary interventions using probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics have the potential to alter microbiota composition and function. Other therapeutic interventions such as antibiotics and faecal microbiota transplantation have also been shown to significantly alter the microbiota and its metabolites. Supplementation of a faecal fermentation model of the human gut with a postbiotic product Lactobacillus LB led to changes in microbiome composition (i.e. increase in beneficial bifidobacteria) and associated metabolic changes (i.e. increased acid production). Lactobacillus LB is a heat-treated preparation of cellular biomass and a fermentate generated by Limosilactobacillus fermentum CNCM MA65/4E-1b (formerly known as Lactobacillus fermentum CNCM MA65/4E-1b) and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. delbrueckii CNCM MA65/4E-2z, medically relevant strains used to produce antidiarrheal preparations. In pure culture, Lactobacillus LB also stimulates the growth of a range of bifidobacterial species and strains. Lactobacillus LB-like preparations generated using other Lactobacillaceae, including commercially available probiotic bacteria, did not have the same impact on a model strain (Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis ATCC 15697). This bifidogenic activity is heat- and enzyme-stable and cannot be attributed to lactose, which is a major constituent of Lactobacillus LB. L fermentum CNCM MA65/4E-1b is largely responsible for the observed activity and there is a clear role for compounds smaller than 1 kDa.Importance In general, disruptions to the gut microbiota are associated with multiple disorders in humans. The presence of high levels of Bifidobacterium spp. in the human gut is commonly considered to be beneficial. Bifidobacteria can be supplemented in the diet (as probiotics) or those bifidobacteria already present in the gut can be stimulated by the consumption of prebiotics such as inulin. We demonstrate that Lactobacillus LB (a product consisting of two heat-killed lactic acid bacteria and their metabolites) can stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria in human fermented faecal communities and in pure culture. Given the heat-treatment applied during the production process, there is no risk of the lactic acid bacteria colonising (or causing bacteraemia) in vulnerable consumers (infants, immunocompromised, etc). Lactobacillus LB has the potential to affect human health by selectively promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Study of dietary polyphenols from natural herbal sources for providing protection against human degenerative disorders

In newer times, great advances has been made by the discovery of the newer products from the natural sources. Towards the growing awareness in the treatment of the human degenerative disorders, polyphenols comes into play. Polyphenols are bioactive compounds that are commonly evacuated from natural, synthetic and semi-synthetic sources. They have a collective functions like antimicrobial properties and free radical scavenging activity. Polyphenols has an additional ability to reduce the oxidative damage of various compounds such as carbohydrates, lipids proteins etc. They mainly occurs as glycosides and are combined with varying organic acids. These glycosides helps in combating against the aggressive pathogenic organisms. They are found in a mixed state naturally. The natural polyphenols exemplifies a novel and relevant strategy in the treatment of human degenerative disorders. They play an important role by promoting the growth of Bifidobacterium sp. in the human GI tract this bacteria reduces the pH in the intestinal area and henceforth provides protection there. There are certain metabolic products of polyphenols that are demarked separately as they provide improvised actions against IBD patients. The herbal polyphenols gets hydrolysed through the intestinal brush border cells and thereby able to reduce the enzyme produced toxicity. This property shows a promising characteristic of the polyphenols that has the ability of modulating the human gut micro flora and enhancing certain friendly mechanisms within. On the line parallel to this, focus will also be on other human degenerative disorders that can be prevented by the action of the polyphenols.

In Vitro Assessment of Prebiotic Activity.

Bifidogenic effect is a main target for the assessment of prebiotic activity. pH-controlled batch processes of bifidobacteria and fecal microbiota are herein presented. Growth of bifidobacteria, carbohydrate breakdown and consumption, organic acid production, and activity of specific glycosyl hydrolases involved inthe hydrolysis of di-, oligo-, or polysaccharides are exploited to study and compare substrate preference of bifidobacteria for candidate prebiotics.

Next-generation prebiotic promotes selective growth of bifidobacteria, suppressing Clostridioides difficile

ABSTRACT Certain existing prebiotics meant to facilitate the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestine also promote the growth of other prominent bacteria. Therefore, the growth-promoting effects of β-galactosides on intestinal bacteria were analyzed. Galactosyl-β1,4-l-rhamnose (Gal-β1,4-Rha) selectively promoted the growth of Bifidobacterium. Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum 105-A (JCM 31944) has multiple solute-binding proteins belonging to ATP-binding cassette transporters for sugars. Each strain in the library of 11 B. longum subsp. longum mutants, in which each gene of the solute-binding protein was disrupted, was cultured in a medium containing Gal-β1,4-Rha as the sole carbon source, and only the BL105A_0502 gene-disruption mutant showed delayed and reduced growth compared to the wild-type strain. BL105A_0502 homolog is highly conserved in bifidobacteria. In a Gal-β1,4-Rha-containing medium, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis JCM 1222T, which possesses BLIJ_2090, a homologous protein to BL105A_0502, suppressed the growth of enteric pathogen Clostridioides difficile, whereas the BLIJ_2090 gene-disrupted mutant did not. In vivo, administration of B. infantis and Gal-β1,4-Rha alleviated C. difficile infection-related weight loss in mice. We have successfully screened Gal-β1,4-Rha as a next-generation prebiotic candidate that specifically promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria without promoting the growth of prominent bacteria and pathogens.

Multi-targeted properties of the probiotic saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 against enterotoxigenic escherichia coli (ETEC) H10407 pathogenesis across human gut models

ABSTRACT Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is one of the most common causes of acute traveler’s diarrhea. Adhesins and enterotoxins constitute the major ETEC virulence traits. With the dramatic increase in antibiotic resistance, probiotics are considered a wholesome alternative to prevent or treat ETEC infections. Here, we examined the antimicrobial properties of the probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 against ETEC H10407 pathogenesis upon co-administration in the TNO gastrointestinal Model (TIM-1), simulating the physicochemical and enzymatic conditions of the human upper digestive tract and preventive treatment in the Mucosal Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (M-SHIME), integrating microbial populations of the ileum and ascending colon. Interindividual variability was assessed by separate M-SHIME experiments with microbiota from six human individuals. The probiotic did not affect ETEC survival along the digestive tract. However, ETEC pathogenicity was significantly reduced: enterotoxin encoding virulence genes were repressed, especially in the TIM-1 system, and a lower enterotoxin production was noted. M-SHIME experiments revealed that 18-days probiotic treatment stimulate the growth of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in different gut regions (mucosal and luminal, ileum and ascending colon) while a stronger metabolic activity was noted in terms of short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) and ethanol production. Moreover, the probiotic pre-treated microbiota displayed a higher robustness in composition following ETEC challenge compared to the control condition. We thus demonstrated the multi-inhibitory properties of the probiotic S. cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 against ETEC in the overall simulated human digestive tract, regardless of the inherent variability across individuals in the M-SHIME.

Lactobacillus reuteri CCFM1072 and CCFM1040 with the role of Treg cells regulation alleviate airway inflammation through modulating gut microbiota in allergic asthma mice

Lactobacillus reuteri CCFM1072 and CCFM1040 alleviate airway inflammation in HDM-induced allergic asthma through promoting the population of the Treg cells, which link to modulation of gut microbiota. • CCFM1072 and CCFM1040 significantly alleviated airway inflammation, while DYNDL216, GDLZ105, and FZJTZ20M3 did not. • CCFM1072 and CCFM1040 induced Treg cells proliferation, which could further alleviated airway inflammation. • CCFM1072 and CCFM1040 modulated the gut microbiota in different ways, which were related to the Treg cells proliferation. This study investigated the effects of Lactobacillus ( L. ) reuteri strains on airway inflammation, immune responses, and gut microbiota in a house dust mite (HDM)-induced allergic asthma murine model. The L. reuteri strains CCFM1072 and CCFM1040, which increased Treg populations in the spleen, lowered airway inflammation as compared to other strains, downregulated histamine, IL-17A, IL-5, and IL-13 levels in the lungs, and reduced Th2-related immunoglobulin concentrations in serum. Gut microbiota and metabolism analysis revealed that CCFM1072 maintained the diversity of the gut microbiota, promoted the growth of L. reuteri and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , and increased propionate levels, whereas CCFM1040 remodeled the structure of the gut microbiota, particularly promoting the growth of Bifidobacterium , and these promoted bacteria were linked to the improvement of airway inflammation . In summary, the two L. reuteri strains have effects on alleviating airway inflammation partly depending on modulating gut microbiota, albeit differently, and promoting Tregs proliferation.

Arabinogalactan Utilization by Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum NCC 2705 and Bacteroides caccae ATCC 43185 in Monoculture and Coculture.

Arabinogalactan (AG) has been studied as a potential prebiotic in view of stimulating bifidobacteria presence in the gut microbiota. However, bifidobacteria prefer fermentation of oligosaccharides to that of polysaccharides. The contribution of other gut bacteria may allow better growth of bifidobacteria on AG. β-galactanases and β-galactosidases are the main enzymes for the degradation of AG. Additional enzymes such as α-L-arabinofuranosidase and β-L-arabinopyranosidase are required to remove the arabinose side chains. All of these predicted functions are encoded by the genomes of both Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum NCC 2705 and Bacteroides caccae ATCC 43185. However, neither strain was able to grow significantly on AG, with 25% (B. longum subsp. longum NCC 2705) and 39% (Bac. caccae ATCC 43185) of AG degraded after 48-h fermentation, respectively. In this study, the β-galactanase, β-galactosidase, α-L-arabinofuranosidase, and β-L-arabinopyranosidase from both strains were investigated. The extracellular β-galactosidases of both B. longum subsp. longum NCC 2705 and Bac. caccae ATCC 43185 were able to cleave the β-1,3; 1,4 and 1,6 linkages. However, the β-galactosidase activity of B. longum subsp. longum NCC 2705 was weaker for the β-1,4 linkage, compared with the β-1,3 and 1,6 linkages. The arabinose side chains of AG inhibited the cleavage of β-1,3 and 1,6 linkages by the endo-β-galactanase from both strains, and partially inhibited the cleavage of β-1,4 linkages by the endo-β-1,4 galactanase from Bac. caccae ATCC 43185. The α-L-arabinofuranosidase and β-L-arabinopyranosidase from both strains were unable to cleave arabinose from AG under the conditions used. These results show limited breakdown of AG by these two strains in monoculture. When cocultured with Bac. caccae ATCC 43185, B. longum subsp. longum NCC 2705 grew significantly better than in monoculture on AG after 6 h of fermentation (p < 0.05). The coculture showed 48% AG degradation after 48 h of fermentation, along with reduced pH. Furthermore, compared to monoculture of Bac. caccae ATCC 43185, the concentration of succinate significantly increased from 0.01 ± 0.01 to 4.41 ± 0.61 mM, whereas propionate significantly decreased from 13.07 ± 0.37 to 9.75 ± 2.01 mM in the coculture (p < 0.05). These results suggest that the growth and metabolic activities of Bac. caccae ATCC 43185 were restrained in the coculture, as the pH decreased due to the metabolism of B. longum subsp. longum NCC 2705.

Effects of Different Human Milk Oligosaccharides on Growth of Bifidobacteria in Monoculture and Co-culture With Faecalibacterium prausnitzii.

Human milk oligosaccharides (hMOs) are important bioactive components in mother’s milk contributing to infant health by supporting colonization and growth of gut microbes. In particular, Bifidobacterium genus is considered to be supported by hMOs. Approximately 200 different hMOs have been discovered and characterized, but only a few abundant hMOs can be produced in sufficient amounts to be applied in infant formula. These hMOs are usually supplied in infant formula as single molecule, and it is unknown which and how individual hMOs support growth of individual gut bacteria. To investigate how individual hMOs influence growth of several relevant intestinal bacteria species, we studied the effects of three hMOs (2′-fucosyllactose, 3-fucosyllactose, and 6′-sialyllactose) and an hMO acid hydrolysate (lacto-N-triose) on three Bifidobacteria and one Faecalibacterium and introduced a co-culture system of two bacterial strains to study possible cross-feeding in presence and absence of hMOs. We observed that in monoculture, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis could grow well on all hMOs but in a structure-dependent way. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii reached a lower cell density on the hMOs in stationary phase compared to glucose, while B. longum subsp. longum and Bifidobacterium adolescentis were not able to grow on the tested hMOs. In a co-culture of B. longum subsp. infantis with F. prausnitzii, different effects were observed with the different hMOs; 6′-sialyllactose, rather than 2′-fucosyllactose, 3-fucosyllactose, and lacto-N-triose, was able to promote the growth of B. longum subsp. infantis. Our observations demonstrate that effects of hMOs on the tested gut microbiota are hMO-specific and provide new means to support growth of these specific beneficial microorganisms in the intestine.

Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation: possibilities of prebiotic therapy

Numerous investigations have provided evidence that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be stipulated by the dynamical individual combination of internal and external conditions, including genetics, immune response, environment, stress, diet, and intestinal microbiome. The additional risk factors of the disease include effects of a wide-spectrum antibiotics and gastrointestinal infections. Despite the multifactorial IBS nature, there are clear microbial differences in patients in comparison with healthy subjects, and investigations directed on the microbiome testing and monitoring, suggest that altered microbiome can make a person more susceptible to this disease.Recent investigations were directed on the implementation of dietary fibers and prebiotics, due to the fact that many of these polysaccharides can be metabolized by intestinal microbiota кишечника, resulting in the formation of short chain fatty acids. The prebiotic specificity of fructans (inulin) is mediated through species-specific gene clusters in sucrolytic bacteria controlled by signal sensors for different substrates. The health benefits of prebiotics are related to immune regulation and the production of bacterial metabolites.A great number of randomized clinical trials of the use of inulin as bifidogenic prebiotic proved its clinical effectiveness in the treatment of constipation in patients with IBS, inflammatory bowel diseases, as well as possibility to modulate intestinal microbiota, affect intestinal dysbiosis, provide immune modulating, inti-inflammatory actions on the intestinal mucosa, to support homeostasis of colonocytes.As a therapeutic target, the stimulation of specific prebiotic growth of bifidobacteria by inulin is promising.

S0480 Portable Hydrogen Breath Testing and Microbiome Analysis Identifies Prebiotic-Induced Increases in Colonic Fermentation and Bifidobacterium

INTRODUCTION: Changes in gut microbiome composition and the attendant health benefits associated with prebiotic intake, vary from person-to-person, implying the need for personalisation. As the primary metabolite of colonic fermentation that can be detected on exhaled breath, hydrogen could be used to indicate when a prebiotic is being metabolized by the host microbiota. METHODS: Volunteers (n = 20) were studied in a double-blind, crossover design (1-week baseline, 2-weeks 1st prebiotic, 2-week wash-out, 2-weeks 2nd prebiotic, 1-week washout) using two different prebiotic fibres, a galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) and a wheat dextrin (WD). Breath hydrogen scores were recorded using a portable breath analyser, while 6 faecal samples per individual were acquired during the study (2 baseline samples and 4 intervention samples) (Figure 1). Bacterial DNA was extracted and submitted to 16S rRNA sequencing on an iSeq platform (Carbiotix) to characterise the gut microbiota. RESULTS: Five faecal samples were excluded due to low quality DNA. A mean number of 388 breath hydrogen levels were recorded per individual (SD 59). A high degree of interpersonal variation was apparent in both breath hydrogen and microbiome composition. We noted a consistent trend for increased abundance of the genus Bifidobacterium on administration of GOS (group 1, 1% (range 0–2.1) - 3.6% (0.4–14.2), P = 0.004; group 2, 2.4% (0.03–11.6) - 10.2% (0.04–22), P = 0.04) and in one of two groups following WD (group 1, 0.09% (0–10) - 1.1% (0–19), P = 0.04). On an individual level, we saw greater changes in breath hydrogen on administration of GOS, which was less apparent if WD was taken first in sequence. We used repeated-measures-correlation to correlate the relative abundance of bacterial genera with weekly breath hydrogen. Following correction for multiple comparisons, only Bifidobacterium was significantly positively correlated with weekly breath hydrogen (r = 0.35, adjusted P-value = 0.016) (Figure 2). CONCLUSION: These results reflect the known Bifidogenic effects of these prebiotics. Interestingly, Bifidobacterium are unable to produce hydrogen, as they do not possess hydrogenases. However, a possible mechanism is that the fermentation of these prebiotics resulted in an initial increase in hydrogen and other important products, and via cross-feeding, the growth of Bifidobacterium was supported, to varying degrees in all individuals. Future studies are needed to understand the processes at play.Figure 1.: Overview of study. A baseline was established for each user (week one). A prebiotic fibre was taken for a two week period (week two and three), followed by a two week wash-out period (week four and five), before switching to the other prebiotic intervention (week six and seven). No prebiotic was taken during week eight.Figure 2.: Breath hydrogen simple moving average (SMA) and Bifidobacterium abundance levels for one of the study participants for the duration of the study period.

Human colonic in vitro fermentation of water-soluble arabinoxylans from hard and soft wheat alters Bifidobacterium abundance and short-chain fatty acids concentration

The human intestinal microbiome plays an important role in health due to the large number of beneficial effects related to the bacterial profile and the metabolites generated in the intestine. Arabinoxylans are compounds present in different cereals such as wheat and they can modulate the profile and functioning of some beneficial bacteria from human intestinal microbiota. In the present work, a colonic in vitro fermentation with human faecal inoculum was done using arabinoxylans extracted from Argentinian hard and soft wheat as substrates. Molecular size alteration of arabinoxylans were studied during fermentation and Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium abundance as well as short chain fatty acids concentrations were determined. The arabinoxylans fermentation was proved to induce the growth of Bifidobacterium and the release of short-chain fatty acids. The speed and efficiency of fermentation were different for each of the arabinoxylan extracted from both wheat genotypes, perhaps because of differences in their chemical and physical structures. The consumption of water-extractable arabinoxylans (WE-AX) (either supplemented or enriched) to maintain the balance or modulate in a favorable way the profile of Bifidobacterium can be an important contribution to the human health.

Effects of Human Milk Oligosaccharides on the Adult Gut Microbiota and Barrier Function.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) shape the gut microbiota in infants by selectively stimulating the growth of bifidobacteria. Here, we investigated the impact of HMOs on adult gut microbiota and gut barrier function using the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME®), Caco2 cell lines, and human intestinal gut organoid-on-chips. We showed that fermentation of 2’-O-fucosyllactose (2’FL), lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), and combinations thereof (MIX) led to an increase of bifidobacteria, accompanied by an increase of short chain fatty acid (SCFA), in particular butyrate with 2’FL. A significant reduction in paracellular permeability of FITC-dextran probe was observed using Caco2 cell monolayers with fermented 2’FL and MIX, which was accompanied by an increase in claudin-8 gene expression as shown by qPCR, and a reduction in IL-6 as determined by multiplex ELISA. Using gut-on-chips generated from human organoids derived from proximal, transverse, and distal colon biopsies (Colon Intestine-Chips), we showed that claudin-5 was significantly upregulated across all three gut-on-chips following treatment with fermented 2’FL under microfluidic conditions. Taken together, these data show that, in addition to their bifidogenic activity, HMOs have the capacity to modulate immune function and the gut barrier, supporting the potential of HMOs to provide health benefits in adults.

Enduring Behavioral Effects Induced by Birth by Caesarean Section in the Mouse

Birth by Caesarean (C)-section impacts early gut microbiota colonization and is associated with an increased risk of developing immune and metabolic disorders. Moreover, alterations of the microbiome have been shown to affect neurodevelopmental trajectories. However, the long-term effects of C-section on neurobehavioral processes remain unknown. Here, we demonstrated that birth by C-section results in marked but transient changes in microbiome composition in the mouse, in particular, the abundance of Bifidobacterium spp. was depleted in early life. Mice born by C-section had enduring social, cognitive, and anxiety deficits in early life and adulthood. Interestingly, we found that these specific behavioral alterations induced by the mode of birth were also partially corrected by co-housing with vaginally born mice. Finally, we showed that supplementation from birth with a Bifidobacterium breve strain, or with a dietary prebiotic mixture that stimulates the growth of bifidobacteria, reverses selective behavioral alterations in C-section mice. Taken together, our data link the gut microbiota to behavioral alterations in C-section-born mice and suggest the possibility of developing adjunctive microbiota-targeted therapies that may help to avert long-term negative consequences on behavior associated with C-section birth mode.

Effects of simulated digestion on black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliot) anthocyanins and intestinal flora.

In this study, the changes of anthocyanin content, total phenols, antioxidant capacity, microbiota composition before and after digestion and intestine fermentation in stomach and intestine were studied. The results indicated that after simulated gastrointestinal digestion, compared with the original sample, the total phenol content and anthocyanin content of intestinal digestion group for 2h (ID 2 group) decreased by 53.64% and 70.45%, respectively, DPPH inhibition rate was 32.75% and T-AOC values of the extracts decreased to 62.89U/mg. The anthocyanins were identified to be composed of cyanidin-3-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-galactoside, cyanidin-3-xyloside, and cyanidin-3-glucoside. Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliot) anthocyanins significantly increased the relative richness of Bacteroides, promoted the growth of Bifidobacterium, Blautia, Faecalibacterium, and inhibited the growth of Prevotella, Megamonas, Escherichia/Shigella, etc. Anthocyanins have a positive regulatory effect on intestinal flora. These studies also provide essential information for the development of anthocyanin related health care products and drug products.

Commensal Relationship of Three Bifidobacterial Species Leads to Increase of Bifidobacterium in Vitro Fermentation of Sialylated Immunoglobulin G by Human Gut Microbiota

Sialylated immunoglobulin G (IgG) is an important immunoglobulin in breast milk, but its effect on adult gut microbiota is not yet clear due to digestion by pepsin. Based on our previous IgG protecting study, effects of sialylated IgG on gut microbiota were investigated by in vitro anaerobic fermentation in the present study. It was found that the addition of sialylated IgG could significantly promote the growth of Bifidobacterium. Meanwhile, three bifidobacterial species B. bifidum CCX 19061, Bembidion breve CCX 19041, and B. longum subsp. infantis CCX 19042 were isolated. Furthermore, B. breve CCX 19041 and B. longum subsp. infantis CCX 19042 showed co-culture growth property with B. bifidum CCX 19061 in a sialylated IgG-based medium, which was also supported by changes of free monosaccharides and N-glycan structure. These findings suggest that the increase of Bifidobacterium in vitro fermentation is attributed to the commensal relationship of the three bifidobacterial species by utilizing sugars released from sialylated IgG.