Microecological Imbalance Research Articles

Synergistic amelioration of obesity in high‐fat diet–fed mice by Bifidobacterium longum and green banana powder through targeting multiple pathways

AbstractLong‐term consumption of high‐fat diet (HFD) is a major significant risk factor for various diseases, including hyperlipidemia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Recently, there has been a focus on effective dietary methods to improve lipid absorption and accumulation in the body. Simultaneously, exploring non‐pharmacological interventions to counteract the adverse consequences of obesity is crucial. Probiotics and prebiotics emerge as promising alternatives in this context, with their combined utilization yielding substantial effects surpassing those achieved by individual application alone. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of Bifidobacterium longum (BL) SYP‐B4138 and green banana powder (GBP) on HFD‐induced obesity while exploring their underlying mechanisms. The findings demonstrated that the combined intervention exhibited significantly greater efficacy than BL or GBP alone, including in mitigating weight gain and organ weight among obese mice, while also improving lipid profile, glucose tolerance, and inflammation levels. Furthermore, it effectively reduced liver fat accumulation. The mechanism study revealed that the combined intervention increased the expression of gene‐related lipid metabolism, such as Pparα, Cpt1a, Fxr, Cyp7a1, and Bsep, while decreasing expression of the regulatory genes involved in fat synthesis, Acc1, Srebpf1, and Pparγ. The correlation analysis of gut microbes and metabolites suggests that the combined effect of BL and GBP can reverse the intestinal microecological imbalance, leading to changes in bile acids, glycerophospholipids, and other related metabolites. Overall, this study demonstrates that BL combined with GBP can effectively alleviate dietary obesity, highlighting its potential as a non‐pharmacological intervention for weight reduction.

Jianpi-Huatan-Huoxue-Anshen formula ameliorates gastrointestinal inflammation and microecological imbalance in chemotherapy-treated mice transplanted with H22 hepatocellular carcinoma.

Jianpi-Huatan-Huoxue-Anshen formula [Tzu-Chi cancer-antagonizing & life-protecting II decoction (TCCL)] is a Chinese medical formula that has been clinically shown to reduce the gastrointestinal side effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients and improve their quality of life. However, its effect and mechanism on the intestinal microecology after chemotherapy are not yet clear. To discover the potential mechanisms of TCCL on gastrointestinal inflammation and microecological imbalance in chemotherapy-treated mice transplanted with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ninety-six mice were inoculated subcutaneously with HCC cells. One week later, the mice received a large dose of 5-fluorouracil by intraperitoneal injection to establish a HCC chemotherapy model. Thirty-six mice were randomly selected before administration, and feces, ileal tissue, and ileal contents were collected from each mouse. The remaining mice were randomized into normal saline, continuous chemotherapy, Yangzheng Xiaoji capsules-treated, and three TCCL-treated groups. After treatment, feces, tumors, liver, spleen, thymus, stomach, jejunum, ileum, and colon tissues, and ileal contents were collected. Morphological changes, serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-22, TNF-α, and TGF-β, intestinal SIgA, and protein and mRNA expression of ZO-1, NF-κB, Occludin, MUC-2, Claudin-1, and IκB-α in colon tissues were documented. The effect of TCCL on the abundance and diversity of intestinal flora was analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing. TCCL treatment improved thymus and spleen weight, thymus and spleen indexes, and body weight, decreased tumor volumes and tumor tissue cell density, and alleviated injury to gastric, ileal, and colonic mucosal tissues. Among proteins and genes associated with inflammation, IL-10, TGF-β, SIgA, ZO-1, MUC-2, and Occludin were upregulated, whereas NF-κB, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-22, IL-8, and IκB-α were downregulated. Additionally, TCCL increased the proportions of fecal Actinobacteria, AF12, Adlercreutzia, Clostridium, Coriobacteriaceae, and Paraprevotella in the intermediate stage of treatment, decreased the proportions of Mucipirillum, Odoribacter, RF32, YS2, and Rikenellaceae but increased the proportions of p_Deferribacteres and Lactobacillus at the end of treatment. Studies on ileal mucosal microbiota showed similar findings. Moreover, TCCL improved community richness, evenness, and the diversity of fecal and ileal mucosal flora. TCCL relieves pathological changes in tumor tissue and chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal injury, potentially by reducing the release of pro-inflammatory factors to repair the gastrointestinal mucosa, enhancing intestinal barrier function, and maintaining gastrointestinal microecological balance. Hence, TCCL is a very effective adjuvant to chemotherapy.

Expert consensus on the clinical application of bifidobacterium tetravaccine tablets for digestive diseases

Based on the fact that the human gut microbiota dysbiosis can cause various diseases, probiotics have a regulatory effect on human microecological imbalance and can be used to alleviate symptoms of some diseases and/or preventing and treating certain diseases. Probiotics have been widely applied in digestive diseases in both children and adults. Bifidobacterium tetravaccine tablets as a probiotic product contains Bifidobacterium infantis (CGMCC 0460.1), Lactobacillus acidophilus (CGMCC 0460.2), Enterococcus faecalis (CGMCC 0460.3), and Bacillus cereus (CGMCC 0460.4). By combining the unique characteristics of different strains, it exerts therapeutic effects through enhancing intestinal colonization resistance, improving intestinal mucosal barrier function, and modulating immune function, thereby maintaining gut and overall health. Bifidobacterium tetravaccine tablets have been widely used for digestive diseases, with a large number of fundamental and clinical research findings accumulated in the past years, a unified clinical guideline has yet to be achieved. To standardize and guide the rational clinical use of bifidobacterium tetravaccine tablets, this expert consensus have been formulated based on the summary and update of evidence-based medical data, providing a reference for its clinical application.

Advances in the Treatment of Post-cholecystectomy Diarrhoea based on Changes in Intestinal Flora

Post cholecystectomy diarrhoea (PCD) is one of the common complications after cholecystectomy, which is characterised by urgency of defecation, increased frequency of defecation, and often during the day. Although its pathogenesis is complex, after cholecystectomy, the diversity and abundance of bacterial flora are significantly altered, and intestinal microecological imbalance plays a major role in the pathogenesis of PCD, and the regulation of intestinal flora is an important means of treatment in the treatment of PCD. In this paper, we review the research progress of PCD treatment based on the alteration of intestinal flora.

Intestinal Microecology in Children with Pneumonia: The Relationship Between Digestive Health and Disease Recovery

This paper explores the association between intestinal microecology and digestive health and disease recovery in children with pneumonia. Intestinal microecological imbalance is common in children with pneumonia, which is closely associated with digestive health and disease recovery. Intestinal microecological imbalance may affect digestive enzyme activity, intestinal mucosal barrier function, and nutrient absorption, which in turn affects digestive health. In addition, intestinal microecological imbalances may be associated with immune regulation, inflammatory responses, and pathogen suppression, affecting disease recovery. Strategies to regulate intestinal microecology include probiotic supplementation, dietary modification, and pharmacological treatment. Currently, the study of intestinal microecology in children with pneumonia faces challenges, and there is a need for improved research methods, individualized treatment strategies, and the development of novel probiotics. In conclusion, the intestinal microecology of children with pneumonia is closely related to digestive health and disease recovery, and the regulation of intestinal microecology is of great significance to the treatment of children with pneumonia. Furthermore, future research should further explore the application of the microecology of the intestinal microecology in the treatment of children with pneumonia.

Correction of microecological imbalance in children who have suffered from multisystem inflammatory syndrome associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 in the post‐rehabilitation period

To conduct a study of the quality of life of children who have suffered from multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS‐C) associated with SARSCoV‐2 in the post‐rehabilitation period against the background of correction of microecological imbalance.The study involved 49 children aged 2 to 12 years who underwent MIS‐C associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 and received treatment in a hospital (DGKB No. 3 in Novosibirsk), and then underwent rehabilitation on an outpatient basis. The duration of rehabilitation was 7–8 weeks. All children were prescribed a course of additional rehabilitation for 30 days in order to correct microecological imbalance, which included: Biovestin, a dietary supplement in liquid form, containing bifidobacteria of the Bifidobacterium longum MC‐42 strain; the official drug, Kudesan, (active ingredient Coenzyme Q10); and the official drug, Succinic Acid. The assessment of physical, social, educational, emotional and psychological functioning, as well as quality of life as an integrating indicator before and after a comprehensive rehabilitation course using the parental form of the Reds OL Generic Core Scales questionnaire (Russian version) was carried out.After the rehabilitation course, children who underwent MIS‐C associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 showed signs of dysfunction of various organs and systems, which may be the result of an imbalance in the microbial ecosystem and requires mandatory correction. The introduction of a probiotic product and drugs affecting metabolic processes into the rehabilitation course led to a decrease in inflammatory reactions, as well as normalisation of metabolic processes and increased oxygenation, which improved the condition of the children and their quality of life.Federal Research Center for Fundamental and Translational Medicine (FRC FTM), Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences

Adjusting the microbial ecosystem via a natural “spear and shield” implant coating: Engineering bacterial extracellular vesicles for infection treatment

Bacterial infectious diseases caused by microecological imbalance pose serious threats to human health, while conventional bacteriostatic strategies often suffer from limitations including imprecision and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this study, bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs), derived specifically from S. aureus, are applied to construct a stable implant coating mediated by poly (tannic acid) (pTA). The resultant EVs coating, functioning akin to a “spear and shield”, possesses the ability to autonomously discriminate between non-parental bacteria (N-bacteria) and parental bacteria (P-bacteria), bestowing implants with accurate and selective adjusting capacities in vitro and in vivo. Within this construct, the EVs coating of gram-positive bacteria alters bacterial metabolism and membrane transport, affecting gene mismatch repair. For N-bacteria, the EVs coating acts like a sharp spear, effectively combating their growth. Conversely, it functions as a protective shield, precisely fostering the growth of P-bacteria. The TA-mediated EVs coating provides a research basis for advancing research in microecological control of infectious diseases and the treatment of other diseases associated with microecological imbalances.

Gut microbiota profiling reflects the renal dysfunction and psychological distress in patients with diabetic kidney disease.

The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the development of diabetes and kidney disease. However, it is not clear how the intestinal microecological imbalance is involved in the context of diabetic kidney disease (DKD), the leading cause of renal failure. To elucidate the gut microbial signatures associated with DKD progression towards end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and explore whether they could reflect renal dysfunction and psychological distress. A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the gut microbial signatures of 29 DKD non-ESRD patients and 19 DKD ESRD patients compared to 20 healthy controls. Differential analysis was performed to detect distinct gut microbial alterations in diversities and taxon abundance of DKD with and without ESRD. Renal dysfunction was estimated by urea, creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Psychological distress was assessed using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Alpha diversity indexes were reduced in DKD patients, particularly those with ESRD. Beta diversity analysis revealed that the gut microbial compositions of DKD patients were different with healthy individuals whereas similar compositions were observed in DKD patients. Taxon differential analysis showed that when compared with the controls, DKD patients exhibit distinct microbial profiles including reduced abundances of butyrate-produced, anti-inflammatory bacteria Faecalibacterium, Lachnospira, Roseburia Lachnoclostridium, and increased abundances of pro-inflammatory bacteria Collinsella, Streptococcus etc. These distinctive genera presented consistent associations with renal dysfunction, as well as psychological distress, especially in DKD patients. DKD patients, especially those who have progressed to ESRD, exhibit unique characteristics in their gut microbiota that are associated with both renal dysfunction and psychological distress. The gut microbiota may be a significant factor in the deterioration of DKD and its eventual progression to ESRD.

Exopolysaccharide from Lacticaseibacillus paracasei alleviates gastritis in Helicobacter pylori-infected mice by regulating gastric microbiota.

Many probiotics have the ability to produce extracellular polysaccharides (EPS). EPS derived from these probiotics has been confirmed to regulate the host intestinal microecological balance and alleviate the symptoms of diseases caused by gastrointestinal microecological imbalance. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strain with good exopolysaccharide (EPS) producing ability, namely, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei ZFM54 (L. paracasei ZFM54) was screened. The fermentation conditions of L. paracasei ZFM54 for EPS production were optimized. The EPS54 was characterized by chemical component and monosaccharide composition determination, UV, FT-IR and NMR spectra analysis. Cango red, SEM, AFM and XRD analysis were conducted to characterize the structure of EPS54. The EPS54 effectively reduced the colonization of Helicobacter pylori to AGS cells and recovered the cell morphology. EPS54 could also effectively alleviate the gastritis in the H. pylori-infected mice by down-regulating the mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β and TNF-α and up-regulating the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in gastric cells. EPS54 was also found to be able to positively regulate the structure of gastric microbiota. The EPS 54 from L. paracasei ZFM54 can alleviate gastritis in H. pylori-infected mice by modulating the gastric microbiota.

Melanin Nanoparticle-Modified Probiotics for Targeted Synergistic Therapy of Ulcerative Colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a recurrent chronic mucosal inflammation disease whose most significant pathological characteristics are intestinal inflammation and damaged mucosal barrier induced by reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, abnormal immune microenvironment, and intestinal microecological imbalance. Oral probiotics are a living therapy for intestinal diseases, but their clinical application is hindered by poor bacterial biological activity and insufficient intestinal retention. Here, we developed a targeted oral formulation, functionalized probiotic Lf@MPB, with Lactobacillus fermentum (Lf) as the core and modified melanin nanoparticles (MNPs) on its surface through a click reaction of tricarboxyphenylboronic acid for synergistic therapy of UC. In vitro experiments showed that Lf@MPB not only possessed strong free radical scavenging ability, reduced cellular mitochondrial polarization, and inhibited apoptosis but also significantly enhanced the viability of Lf probiotics in simulated gastrointestinal fluid. Fluorescence imaging in vivo revealed the high accumulation of Lf@MPB at the site of intestinal inflammation in dextran sulfate sodium-induced UC mice. Moreover, in vivo results demonstrated that Lf@MPB effectively alleviated oxidative stress and inflammatory response and restored the intestinal barrier. In addition, 16S rRNA gene sequencing verified that Lf@MPB could increase the abundance and diversity of intestinal microbial communities and optimize microbial composition to inhibit the progression of UC. This work combines effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory strategies with the oral administration of functionalized probiotics to provide a promising alternative for UC treatment.

Multi-omics analyses reveal interactions between the skin microbiota and skin metabolites in atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases. Skin microecological imbalance is an important factor in the pathogenesis of AD, but the underlying mechanism of its interaction with humans remains unclear. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was conducted to reveal the skin microbiota dynamics. Changes in skin metabolites were tracked by LC-MS metabolomics. We then explored the potential mechanism of interaction by analyzing the correlation between skin bacterial communities and metabolites in corresponding skin-associated samples. Samples from 18 AD patients and 18 healthy volunteers (HVs) were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing and LC-MS metabolomics. AD patients had dysbiosis of the skin bacterial community with decreased species richness and evenness. The relative abundance of the genus Staphylococcus increased significantly in AD, while the abundances of the genera Propionibacterium and Brevundimonas decreased significantly. The relative abundance of the genera Staphylococcus in healthy females was significantly higher than those in healthy males, while it showed no difference in AD patients with or without lesions. The effects of AD status, sex and the presence or absence of rashes on the number of differentially abundant metabolites per capita were successively reduced. Multiple metabolites involved in purine metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism pathways (such as xanthosine/xanthine and L-phenylalanine/trans-cinnamate) were increased in AD patients. These trends were much more obvious between female AD patients and female HVs. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the genus Staphylococcus was positively correlated with various compounds involved in phenylalanine metabolism and purine metabolic pathways. The genera Brevundimonas and Lactobacillus were negatively correlated with various compounds involved in purine metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism and sphingolipid signaling pathways. We suggest that purine metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism pathway disorders may play a certain role in the pathogenic mechanism of Staphylococcus aureus in AD. We also found that females are more likely to be colonized by the genus Staphylococcus than males. Differentially abundant metabolites involved in purine metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism pathways were more obvious in female. However, we should notice that the metabolites we detected do not necessarily derived from microbes, they may also origin from the host.

Intestinal microecology in pediatric surgery-related gastrointestinal diseases: Current insights and future perspectives

Intestinal microecology is established from birth and is constantly changing until homeostasis is reached. Intestinal microbiota is involved in the immune inflammatory response of the intestine and regulates the intestinal barrier function. The imbalance of intestinal microecology is closely related to the occurrence and development of digestive system diseases. In some gastrointestinal diseases related to pediatric surgery, intestinal microbiota and its metabolites undergo a series of changes, which can provide a certain basis for the diagnosis of diseases. The continuous development of microecological agents and fecal microbiota transplantation technology has provided a new means for its clinical treatment. We review the relationship between pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of pediatric surgery-related gastrointestinal diseases and intestinal microecology, in order to provide new ideas and methods for clinical diagnosis, treatment and research. Level of evidence: This is a review study, hence not applicable.

Novel insights into safety and quality enhancement of low-salt fermented chilies: High-order positively interacting lactic acid bacteria co-fermentation regulates microflora structure, metabolomics, and volatilomics profiles

Microbial interactions, with their impact on community structure and function, emerge as a promising strategy for regulating low-salt fermented foods' safety and quality. Here, the mechanisms of microbial interaction on the safety and quality improvement of low-salt fermented chilies (LSFC) were untangled through high-throughput sequencing, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, interaction networks, co-fermentation, and multivariate statistical analyses. Results showed that 4 spoilage microorganisms (Acinetobacter, Cronobacter, Enterobacter, and Klebsiella), 139.96 mg/kg of biogenic amines, and 13 off-flavor compounds affected the safety and quality of low-salt fermented chilies. Moreover, bacterial communities, mainly lactic acid bacteria (LAB) communities (relative abundance of 58.27–66.38%), were the primary contributors of volatile metabolites (diversity: R2 = 0.60; structure: R2 = 0.48; P < 0.001). Multiple interactions among LAB were quantified, including positive (11.7%), negative (55.0%), and neutral interactions (33.3%), in which positively interacting LAB community enhanced the robustness of in-situ community, resulting in the decrease of biogenic amines (decreased to 8.21 mg/kg) and the increase of the inhibition rate of Enterobacter hormaechei (inhibition rate of 80.31%). Additionally, co-fermentation experiments showed that the higher-order positively interacting LAB community (Leu. mesenteroides, Lac. plantarum, and Lac. brevis) corrected the microecological imbalance of the LSFC, increasing the content of linalool, 2,3-butanediol, and ethyl phenylacetate, and decreasing spoilage bacteria abundance and off-flavor compound types by 53.25% and 61.54%, respectively. Overall, the compatibility and niche competition between positively interacting communities and in-situ communities affect the microbial structure and function in LSFC. These findings provide new insights into enhancing low-salt fermented foods' biochemical safety and flavor quality.

Relationship between vaginal microecology and human papillomavirus infection as well as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in 2,147 women from Wenzhou, the southeast of China.

The female reproductive tract is a significant microecological region, and its micro-environment can directly affect women's cervical health. This research aimed to investigate the effect of vaginal microecology on human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(CIN). A retrospective cohort study enrolling 2,147 women who underwent a colposcopic examination between August 2021 and August 2022 was conducted. The relationship between vaginal microecology and HPV infection as well as cervical lesions were assessed using the chi-square test, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, and Cochran-Armitage trend test. HPV infection was linked to the imbalance of vaginal microecology [odds ratio (OR)=3.00, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.66-5.43; P<0.001]. Clue cell (OR=1.59, 95% CI=0.99-2.54; P=0.054) and sialidase (OR=1.54, 95% CI=1.01-2.35; P<0.046) were considered as significant risk factors for HPV infection. Further analysis showed that vaginal microecological disorder was more likely to be detected in patients infected with HPV 16/18 subtypes (OR=9.86, 95% CI=2.37-41.80; P=0.002). Although there was no significant correlation between the incidence of vaginal microecological disorder and the severity of cervical lesions (P > 0.05), the proportions of abnormal PH value (OR=2.6, 95% CI=1.63-10.42; P=0.001) and abnormal vaginal cleanliness (OR=2.6, 95% CI=1.36-4.0; P= 0.004) increased as the histological stage progressed. Vaginal microecology associates with HPV infection and the progression of cervical lesions. Detection of vaginal secretion may contribute to the development of targets for micro-environmental modulation with probiotics and the reduction of the incidence of cervical cancer.

Vaginal microecological imbalance and expression of serum inflammatory factors in pregnant women with group B streptococcus infection and pregnancy outcome.

The objective of this study was to explore the correlation between vaginal microecological imbalance and the expression of related inflammatory factors in pregnant women with group B streptococcus (GBS) infection and pregnancy outcomes. For this purpose, 100 GBS-positive pregnant women were recruited as the experimental group, and 100 GBS-negative pregnant women were recruited as the controls. The balance of vaginal microecology of pregnant women in different groups was compared. Results showed that the probability of vaginal microecological imbalance in the experimental group was much higher than against the controls. Fasting venous blood was drawn from the pregnant women in two groups. After centrifugation, the expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in serum were detected. It was found that the expression levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the experimental group were higher than against the controls. After delivery, it suggested that the incidence of premature delivery, neonatal infection, premature rupture of membranes, and other adverse childbirth in the experimental group was much higher in contrast to the controls, up to 87%. In conclusion, GBS infection can increase the incidence of vaginal microecological imbalance and the expression of serum inflammatory factors in pregnant women, and it can greatly raise the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Research progress on the regulation of oxidative stress by phenolics: the role of gut microbiota and Nrf2 signaling pathway.

In recent years, the increase in high-calorie diets and sedentary lifestyles has made obesity a global public health problem. An unbalanced diet promotes the production of proinflammatory cytokines and causes redox imbalance in the body. Phenolics have potent antioxidant activity and cytoprotective ability. They can scavenge free radicals and reactive oxygen species, and enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes, thus combating the body's oxidative stress. They can also improve the body's inflammatory response, enhance the enzyme activity of lipid metabolism, and reduce the contents of cholesterol and triglyceride. Most phenolics are biotransformed and absorbed into the blood after the action by gut microbiota; these metabolites then undergo phase I and II metabolism and regulate oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals and increasing expression of antioxidant enzymes. Phenolics induce the expression of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes and phase II detoxification enzymes by stimulating Nrf2 to enter the nucleus and bind to the antioxidant response element after uncoupling from Keap1, thereby promoting the production of antioxidant enzymes and phase II detoxification enzymes. The absorption rate of phenolics in the small intestine is extremely low. Most phenolics reach the colon, where they interact with the microbiota and undergo a series of metabolism. Their metabolites will reach the liver via the portal vein and undergo conjugation reactions. Subsequently, the metabolites reach the whole body to exert biological activity by traveling with the systemic circulation. Phenolics can promote the growth of probiotics, reduce the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B), and improve intestinal microecological imbalance. This paper reviews the nutritional value, bioactivity, and antioxidant mechanism of phenolics in the body, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the development and utilization of natural antioxidants and provide a reference for elucidating the mechanism of action of phenolics for regulating oxidative stress in the body. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Gut microbiome, metabolome and alopecia areata.

Alopecia areata (AA) is a type of dermatological disease characterized by rapid and non-scarring hair loss of the scalp or body skin that may be related to genetic, immunological and physiological factors. It is now believed that AA is associated with oxidative stress, autoimmune disease, neuropsychological factors, pathogens, immune checkpoint inhibitors and microecological imbalance under the premise of host genetic susceptibility. In recent years, studies have revealed the significant role of the gut microbiome or metabolome in many aspects of human health. Diverse studies have revealed that the gut microbiome and metabolome have an important influence on skin conditions. This review highlights the relationship between AA and the gut microbiome or metabolome to provide novel directions for the prevention, clinical diagnosis and treatment of AA.

Paeonol alleviates ulcerative colitis in mice by increasing short-chain fatty acids derived from Clostridium butyricum

BackgroundIncreasing evidence suggests that repairing the damaged intestinal epithelial barrier and restoring its function is the key to solving the problem of prolonged ulcerative colitis. Previous studies have shown that paeonol (pae) can alleviate colitis by down-regulating inflammatory pathways. In addition, pae also has a certain effect on regulating intestinal flora. However, it remains unclear whether pae can play a role in repairing the intestinal barrier and whether there is a relationship between the therapeutic effect and the gut microbiota. PurposesThe aim of this study is to investigate the effect of pae on intestinal barrier repair in UC mice and how the gut microbiota plays a part in it. Study Design and MethodsThe therapeutic effect of pae was evaluated in a 3% DSS-induced UC mouse model. The role of pae in repairing the intestinal barrier was evaluated by detecting colonic cupped cells by Alcian blue staining, the expression of colonic epithelial tight junction protein by immunofluorescence and western blot, and the proportion of IL-22+ILC3 cells in the lamina propria lymphocytes by flow cytometry. Subsequently, 16S rRNA sequencing was used to observe the changes in intestinal flora, GC-MS was used to detect the level of SCFAs, and qPCR was used to identify the abundance of Clostridium butyricum in the intestine to evaluate the effect of pae on the gut microbiota. The antibiotic-mediated depletion of the gut flora was then used to verify that pae depends on C. butyricum to play a healing role. Finally, non-targeted metabolomics was employed to investigate the potential pathways of pae regulating C. butyricum. ResultsPae could improve intestinal microecological imbalance and promote the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Most importantly, we identified C. butyricum as a key bacterium responsible for the intestinal barrier repair effect of pae in UC mice. Eradication of intestinal flora by antibiotics abolished the repair of the intestinal barrier and the promotion of SCFAs production by pae, while C. butyricum colonization could restore the therapeutic effects of pae in UC mice, which further confirmed that C. butyricum was indeed the “driver bacterium” of pae in UC treatment. Untargeted metabolomics showed that pae regulated some amino acid metabolism and 2-Oxocarboxylic acid metabolism in C. butyricum. ConclusionsOur study showed that the restoration of the impaired intestinal barrier by pae to alleviate colitis is associated with increased C. butyricum and SCFAs production, which may be a promising strategy for the treatment of UC.

Effect of Artificial Liver Support Systems on Gut Microbiota in Patients with HBV-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure.

Hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) is a rare and severe form of end-stage liver disease with high mortality; gut microbes are strongly associated with the development of this severe liver disease but the exact association is unclear. Artificial liver support systems (ALSS) are clinically important in prolonging the waiting time for liver transplantation and in aiding drug therapy to achieve remission. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ALSS on the abundance and diversity of microorganisms in the gut of HBV-ACLF patients. In this study, 109 stool samples were collected from patients with hepatitis B virus-associated acute chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) for 16S rRNA sequencing. Among them, 44 samples were from patients treated with ALSS therapy as an adjunct to standard medical treatment (SMT) and 65 were from patients receiving SMT only. Analysis of the sequencing results suggested that there were significant differences in the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota between the with-ALSS and without-ALSS groups (p < 0.05). The operational taxonomic units and Shannon indexes indicated that the diversity and abundance of the gut microbiome, while decreasing after the first ALSS treatment, gradually increased after an increase in the number of ALSS therapies. The overall proportion of HBV-ACLF patients with coinfection was 27.59%; the coinfection can reduce the abundance of the Bacteroidetes phylum in the microbiome significantly whereas Proteobacteria were highly enriched. After ALSS therapy, HBV-ACLF patients had a decrease in potentially harmful bacteria, an increase in potentially beneficial bacteria, an increase in the diversity of the intestinal microbiota, and the intestinal microecological disorders were corrected to a certain extent. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin (TBIL) levels, as well as the international normalized ratio (INR), showed a decreasing trend whereas plasminogen activity (PTA) increased and the condition of patients with HBV-ACLF progressed in a favorable direction. In addition, the abundance of Blautia and Coprococcus was negatively correlated with TBIL and INR, positively correlated with PTA, and positively correlated with disease recovery. Our study shows that ALSS can alter the composition of the gut microbiota and have an ameliorating effect on the gut microecological imbalance in HBV-ACLF patients. It is worth mentioning that Blautia and Coprococcus may have great potential as biomarkers.

Root exudates influence rhizosphere fungi and thereby synergistically regulate Panax ginseng yield and quality.

Root exudates contain a complex array of primary and specialized metabolites that play important roles in plant growth due to their stimulatory and inhibitory activities that can select for specific microbes. In this study, we investigated the effects of different root exudate concentrations on the growth of ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey), ginsenoside levels, and soil fungal community composition and diversity. The results showed that low root exudate concentrations in the soil promoted ginseng rhizome biomass and ginsenoside levels (Rg1, Re, Rf, Rg2, Rb1, Ro, Rc, Rb2, Rb3, and Rd) in rhizomes. However, the rhizome biomass and ginsenoside levels gradually decreased with further increases in the root exudate concentration. ITS sequencing showed that low root exudate concentrations in the soil hardly altered the rhizosphere fungal community structure. High root exudate concentrations altered the structure, involving microecological imbalance, with reduced abundances of potentially beneficial fungi (such as Mortierella) and increased abundances of potentially pathogenic fungi (such as Fusarium). Correlation analysis showed that rhizome biomass and ginsenoside levels were significantly positively correlated with the abundances of potentially beneficial fungi, while the opposite was true for potentially pathogenic fungi. Overall, low root exudate concentrations promote the growth and development of ginseng; high root exudate concentrations lead to an imbalance in the rhizosphere fungal community of ginseng and reduce the plant's adaptability. This may be an important factor in the reduced ginseng yield and quality and soil sickness when ginseng is grown continuously.