Increased Gut Microbiota Diversity Research Articles

Pioneering gut health improvements in piglets with phytogenic feed additives

This research investigates the effects of phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) on the growth performance, gut microbial community, and microbial metabolic functions in weaned piglets via a combined 16S rRNA gene amplicon and shotgun metagenomics approach. A controlled trial was conducted using 200 pigs to highlight the significant influence of PFAs on gut microbiota dynamics. Notably, the treatment group revealed an increased gut microbiota diversity, as measured with the Shannon and Simpson indices. The increase in diversity is accompanied by an increase in beneficial bacterial taxa, such as Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, and Prevotella, and a decline in potential pathogens like Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Campylobacter. Shotgun sequencing at the species level confirmed these findings. This modification in microbial profile was coupled with an altered profile of microbial metabolic pathways, suggesting a reconfiguration of microbial function under PFA influence. Significant shifts in overall microbial community structure by week 8 demonstrate PFA treatment’s temporal impact. Histomorphological examination unveiled improved gut structure in PFA-treated piglets. The results of this study indicate that the use of PFAs as dietary supplements can be an effective strategy, augmenting gut microbiota diversity, reshaping microbial function, enhancing gut structure, and optimising intestinal health of weaned piglets providing valuable implications for swine production.Key points• PFAs significantly diversify the gut microbiota in weaned piglets, aiding balance.• Changes in gut structure due to PFAs indicate improved resistance to weaning stress.• PFAs show potential to ease weaning stress, offering a substitute for antibiotics in piglet diets.

Dietary intake of micronized avian eggshell membrane in aged mice reduces circulating inflammatory markers, increases microbiota diversity, and attenuates skeletal muscle aging.

Avian eggshell membrane (ESM) is a complex extracellular matrix comprising collagens, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and hyaluronic acid. We have previously demonstrated that ESM possesses anti-inflammatory properties in vitro and regulates wound healing processes in vivo. The present study aimed to investigate if oral intake of micronized ESM could attenuate skeletal muscle aging associated with beneficial alterations in gut microbiota profile and reduced inflammation. Elderly male C57BL/6 mice were fed an AIN93G diet supplemented with 0, 0.1, 1, or 8% ESM. Young mice were used as reference. The digestibility of ESM was investigated using the static in vitro digestion model INFOGEST for older people and adults, and the gut microbiota profile was analyzed in mice. In addition, we performed a small-scale pre-clinical human study with healthy home-dwelling elderly (>70 years) who received capsules with a placebo or 500 mg ESM every day for 4 weeks and studied the effect on circulating inflammatory markers. Intake of ESM in elderly mice impacted and attenuated several well-known hallmarks of aging, such as a reduction in the number of skeletal muscle fibers, the appearance of centronucleated fibers, a decrease in type IIa/IIx fiber type proportion, reduced gene expression of satellite cell markers Sdc3 and Pax7 and increased gene expression of the muscle atrophy marker Fbxo32. Similarly, a transition toward the phenotypic characteristics of young mice was observed for several proteins involved in cellular processes and metabolism. The digestibility of ESM was poor, especially for the elderly condition. Furthermore, our experiments showed that mice fed with 8% ESM had increased gut microbiota diversity and altered microbiota composition compared with the other groups. ESM in the diet also lowered the expression of the inflammation marker TNFA in mice and in vitro in THP-1 macrophages. In the human study, intake of ESM capsules significantly reduced the inflammatory marker CRP. Altogether, our results suggest that ESM, a natural extracellular biomaterial, may be attractive as a nutraceutical candidate with a possible effect on skeletal muscle aging possibly through its immunomodulating effect or gut microbiota.

Oral lactoferrin administration does not impact the diversity or composition of the infant gut microbiota in a Peruvian cohort.

Lactoferrin is a protein from breast milk involved in early-life microbiome assembly. It is believed to promote the growth of lactic acid-producing bacteria and inhibit pathogens by limiting iron availability and enabling an acidic environment in the gut. Previous reports suggest that oral administration of lactoferrin in neonates promotes the increase of gut microbiota diversity and the enrichment of beneficial microbes. However, its effect on infant gut microbiota over time has yet to be thoroughly studied to fully understand its potential as a prebiotic. Using 16s rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we analyzed the gut microbiota composition of 60 toddlers at 12-18 months of age from Lima, Peru, who received daily oral administration of lactoferrin or placebo for 6 months since enrollment. Samples were analyzed at 0, 2, and 4 months after beginning treatment. Our results show that lactoferrin treatment does not increase gut microbiota diversity over time nor affect its bacterial composition compared to the placebo group.IMPORTANCEPrevious studies have suggested that oral lactoferrin enhances diversity in the gut microbiota in infants while inhibiting the growth of opportunistic pathogens. However, the effect of lactoferrin on infant gut microbiota over time has yet to be thoroughly studied. Our study suggests that lactoferrin oral treatment in infants aged 12-18 months does not affect gut microbiome diversity and composition over time. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the effect of lactoferrin on infant gut microbiome composition over time and helps elucidate its impact on infant health and its therapeutic potential.

Tuning Expectations to Reality: Don’t Expect Increased Gut Microbiota Diversity with Dietary Fiber

Dietary approaches, particularly those including fiber supplementation, can be used to promote health benefits by shaping gut microbial communities. Whereas community diversity measures, such as richness and evenness, are often used in microbial ecology to make sense of these complex and vast microbial ecosystems, it is less clear how these concepts apply when dietary fiber supplementation is given. In this perspective, we summarize and demonstrate how factors including experimental approach, number of bacteria sharing a dietary fiber, and initial relative abundances of bacteria that use a fiber can significantly affect diversity outcomes in fiber fermentation studies. We also show that a reduction in alpha diversity is possible, and perhaps expected, for most approaches that use fermentable fibers to beneficially shape the gut microbial community while still achieving health-related improvements.

Bifidobacterium longum CCFM1077 Attenuates Hyperlipidemia by Modulating the Gut Microbiota Composition and Fecal Metabolites: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

An increasing number of studies have indicated that gut microbiota and its metabolites are crucial in the development of hyperlipidemia. Bifidobacterium longum (B. longum) CCFM1077 has been shown to have lipid-lowering effects in animals. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of B. longum CCFM1077 in lowering the lipid levels in patients with hyperlipidemia and investigate the effect of this bacterium on serum lipid abnormalities, gut microbiota, and fecal metabolites in these patients. This study was a six-week, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial. Subjects with hyperlipidemia (N = 62) were randomly assigned to receive placebo (N = 31) or B. longum CCFM1077 (1 × 1010 colony-forming units (CFUs) per day; N = 31). Serum lipid levels including total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total triglyceride (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were examined at the baseline and interventional endpoints. Changes in the gut microbiota composition and diversity were measured based on 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing of the V3–V4 region at the end of the intervention period. Non-targeted metabolomics of the feces was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-Q-Exactive Orbitrap/mass spectrometer. Oral administration of B. longum CCFM1077 for six weeks significantly decreased the serum levels of TC (p < 0.01) and LDL-C (p < 0.01) in patients with hyperlipidemia. B. longum CCFM1077 treatment markedly increased gut microbiota diversity and the relative abundance of anti-obesity-related genera, including Lactobacillus, Butyricicoccus, Bifidobacterium, and Blautia, whereas it decreased the relative abundance of obesity-related genera, including Alistipes, Megamonas, and Catenibacterium. Additionally, some key metabolites (bile acids (BAs), biotin, and caffeine) and their corresponding metabolic pathways (primary BA biosynthesis, and taurine and hypotaurine, biotin, purine, and caffeine metabolisms) were enriched by B. longum CCFM1077, and thus it may lower lipid levels. B. longum CCFM1077 is a probiotic strain with the potential to lower serum TC and LDL-C levels patients with hyperlipidemia. The underlying mechanism may be related to the increased abundance of anti-obesity-related genera and fecal metabolites. These findings provide a foundation for future clinical applications of lipid-lowering probiotics in managing individuals with hyperlipidemia.

Effects of diets with different amino acid release characteristics on the gut microbiota and barrier function of weaned pigs

BackgroundThe absorption and utilization of proteins by animals is affected by the amino acid (AA) release characteristics of their diets. In the present study, we aimed to determine the effects of diets with various amino acid release characteristics on the intestinal barrier function and diversity of gut microbiota of weaned pigs.ResultsForty-eight pigs (7.45 ± 0.58 kg) were fed with diets having different amino acid release characteristics during a period of 28 days. We used a 2 × 3 full-factor (two protein levels and three protein sources with differing amino acid release characteristics) experimental design, with normal (standard terminal ileal digestibility of 17.5%) or low (standard terminal ileal digestibility of 14.9%) protein levels as the first factor. Casein (CAS), corn gluten meal (CGM) and a MIX diet were used as protein sources. Due to the more balanced release of amino acids, the diamine oxidase (DAO) concentrations in the CAS and MIX groups were significantly lower than those in the CGM group (P < 0.05); Reducing the dietary protein content from 17.5% to 14.9% had no significant effects on the levels of serum DAO or D-lactic acid. By contrast, it increased the microbial diversity (chao1 and ACE values) and the number of Lactobacillus in the jejunum (P < 0.05). The CAS-containing diet and the MIX diet resulted in significantly higher microbial diversity (Simpson and Shannon) than the CGM-containing diet in the jejunum.ConclusionThe balanced release of amino acids in CAS and MIX diets maintained intestinal barrier function and increased gut microbiota diversity. These findings could potentially provide a scientific reference for the rational preparation of piglet feed.

THE EFFECT OF PSYLLIUM FIBER AND CHOKEBERRY FIBRE ADDITION ON THE QUALITY OF PROBIOTIC FERMENTED MILK

Background. Fiber from fruit, vegetables and other sources of fiber can increase gut microbiota diversity and show anti-inflammatory activity. The use of fiber in the manufacture of probiotic fermented milk has excellent potential, as it can offer several benefits for both consumers and producers. In addition to its well-known physiological benefits, dietary fiber may reduce the risk of diseases of civilization. Consumers expect that current foods are health-promoting. Consumer awareness is increasing through an expanding variety of products and advertising campaigns favoring health-promoting foods, a trend that food manufacturers are also taking advantage of. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of psyllium fiber and chokeberry fiber addition in combination with probiotic cultures Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12 and Lacticaseibacillus casei 431 on the quality of fermented milk. To investigate the effect of fiber on fermented milk quality, acidity, texture properties, syneresis and colorcolor were measured, moreover, an organoleptic evaluation and microbiological analysis were performed. Results and conclusion. Natural additives such as chokeberry fiber and psyllium fiber can be used in the production of milk fermented by Bifidobacterium BB-12 and L.casei. Psyllium fiber can be recommended for its syneresis-reducing properties. Whereas chokeberry fiber, due to its high polyphenol content, can be used as a natural colorcolorant and taste-enhancing additive. Adding fiber as chokeberry or psyllium positively stimulated the growth and survival of Bifidobacterium BB-12 and L. casei bacteria during storage. The hardness of the milk gel fermented by Bifidobacterium BB-12 or L. casei was significantly improved by adding psyllium fiber, increasing it by as much as about 2.5 N, and this trend was also maintained after 28 days of storage. Studies on using various fibers in fermented milk production should be continued to determine their health-promoting and technological potential.

Sea buckthorn pulp and seed oils ameliorate lipid metabolism disorders and modulate gut microbiota in C57BL/6J mice on high-fat diet.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD), along with the complications of obesity and dyslipidemia, are worldwide lipid metabolism disorders. Recent evidence showed that NAFLD could be ameliorated by diet and lifestyles by attenuating gut microbiota dysbiosis via the gut-liver axis. Sea buckthorn oils, including sea buckthorn pulp oil (SBPO) and sea buckthorn seed oil (SBSO), were investigated in this study for their beneficial effects on gut-liver axis in C57BL/6J mice on a high-fat diet. Sixty of male C57BL/6J mice were assigned into five groups, fed with low-fat diet containing soybean oil (SO), high-fat diet comprising lard oil (LO), peanut oil (PO), SBSO or SBPO, respectively, for 12 weeks. Serum and hepatic biochemical analysis, liver and perirenal fat histological analysis, and fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing were conducted to reflect the influence of five diets on gut-liver axis. Dietary SBPO reduced visceral fat accumulation, adipose cell size, serum and hepatic triglyceride, LDL-C levels, and hepatic cell damage score; increased gut microbiota diversity with a higher abundance of Lactobacillus, Roseburia, and Oscillibacter compared with PO. SBSO showed equal or weaker effects compared to SBPO. This study demonstrates that dietary SBPO has the potential to ameliorate NAFLD and related metabolic disorders, like obesity and dyslipidemia, by modulating gut microbiota.

Helminths and Bacterial Microbiota: The Interactions of Two of Humans' "Old Friends".

Humans have coexisted with helminths and bacteria for the entire existence of our species. Nowadays, helminth infections affect more than 1.9 billion people worldwide, especially in underdeveloped regions that lack optimal sanitary conditions. In addition, commensal microorganisms inhabit several compartments of humans, including the gastrointestinal tract, constituting what we know as the microbiota. Helminths and bacterial microbiota can interact in various ways. In this review, the interactions between helminths and commensal bacteria are analyzed in both animal models and humans. In developing countries, the gut microbiota exhibits high diversity, which could be linked to the high burden of helminthiasis in these areas. In fact, several studies show that helminth infections are associated with an increased gut microbiota diversity and changes in its composition. Interestingly, these changes can modify the risk for some diseases, such as asthma, colitis, viral infections, and metabolic conditions. Besides, the microbiota is necessary for the establishment of some helminth infections and can also influence the evolution of these diseases. Specific bacterial taxa can contribute to the resistance or susceptibility to certain helminths. The mechanisms underlying helminth-microbiota interactions are not completely understood. More research is necessary to address this and other unmet needs, especially considering that available studies are heterogeneous and sometimes yield conflicting results.

Dietary supplementation with low and high polymerization inulin ameliorates adipose tissue inflammation via the TLR4/NF-κB pathway mediated by gut microbiota disturbance in obese dogs

Inflammation induced by gut microbiota disorder plays an important role in promoting obesity. Inulin has beneficial effects on gut microflora and metabolic endotoxaemia. However, the chain length of inulin determines its different physiological effects. This study aimed to investigate the effect of low polymerization inulin (LPI) and high polymerization inulin (HPI) on inflammation in dogs with obesity induced by a high-fat diet and its potential mechanism. HPI, relative to LPI, significantly reduced the concentrations of LPS, IL-6 and TNF-α in serum and downregulated both the mRNA and protein expression of TLR4, NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-6 in adipose tissue. HPI and LPI intervention reduced adipose tissue fatty accumulation, which improved obesity. Supplementation with LPI and HPI increased gut microbiota diversity and altered specific bacterial populations at both the phylum and genus levels. The relative abundances of Prevotella, Fusobacterium and Enterobacter, which were positively correlated with the serum concentrations of LPS, IL-6 and TNF-α, were reduced. Our results demonstrate that both LPI and HPI can be used as an effective strategy for reducing inflammation and regulating gut microbiota, which can ameliorate obesity in dogs. Moreover, HPI exerts more positive regulation of the inflammatory response and gut microbiota dysfunction than LPI.

Huangshan Maofeng Green Tea Extracts Prevent Obesity-Associated Metabolic Disorders by Maintaining Homeostasis of Gut Microbiota and Hepatic Lipid Classes in Leptin Receptor Knockout Rats.

Huangshan Maofeng green tea (HMGT) is one of the most well-known green teas consumed for a thousand years in China. Research has demonstrated that consumption of green tea effectively improves metabolic disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms of obesity prevention are still not well understood. This study investigated the preventive effect and mechanism of long-term intervention of Huangshan Maofeng green tea water extract (HTE) on obesity-associated metabolic disorders in leptin receptor knockout (Lepr−/−) rats by using gut microbiota and hepatic lipidomics data. The Lepr−/− rats were administered with 700 mg/kg HTE for 24 weeks. Our results showed that HTE supplementation remarkably reduced excessive fat accumulation, as well as ameliorated hyperlipidemia and hepatic steatosis in Lepr−/− rats. In addition, HTE increased gut microbiota diversity and restored the relative abundance of the microbiota responsible for producing short chain fatty acids, including Ruminococcaceae, Faecalibaculum, Veillonellaceae, etc. Hepatic lipidomics analysis found that HTE significantly recovered glycerolipid and glycerophospholipid classes in the liver of Lepr−/− rats. Furthermore, nineteen lipid species, mainly from phosphatidylcholines (PCs), phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), and triglycerides (TGs), were significantly restored increases, while nine lipid species from TGs and diglycerides (DGs) were remarkably recovered decreases by HTE in the liver of Lepr−/− rats. Our results indicated that prevention of obesity complication by HTE may be possible through maintaining homeostasis of gut microbiota and certain hepatic lipid classes.

Liuwei Dihuang Decoction Alleviates Cognitive Dysfunction in Mice With D-Galactose-Induced Aging by Regulating Lipid Metabolism and Oxidative Stress via the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis.

BackgroundAging is an important cause of cognitive dysfunction. Liuwei Dihuang decoction (LW), a commonly applied Chinese medicine formula, is widely used for the treatment of aging-related diseases in China. Previously, LW was confirmed to be effective in prolonging life span and reducing oxidative stress in aged mice. Unfortunately, the underlying mechanism of LW remains unclear. The aim of this study was to interpret the mechanism by which LW alleviates cognitive dysfunction related to aging from the perspective of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.MethodAll C57BL/6 mice (n = 60) were randomly divided into five groups: the control, model, vitamin E (positive control group), low-dose LW and high-dose LW groups (n = 12 in each group). Except for those in the control group, D-galactose was subcutaneously injected into mice in the other groups to induce the aging model. The antiaging effect of LW was evaluated by the water maze test, electron microscopy, 16S rRNA sequencing, combined LC–MS and GC–MS metabolomics, and ELISA.ResultsLiuwei Dihuang decoction ameliorated cognitive dysfunction and hippocampal synaptic ultrastructure damage in aging mice. Moreover, LW decreased Proteobacteria abundance and increased gut microbiota diversity in aging mice. Metabolomic analysis showed that LW treatment was associated with the significantly differential abundance of 14 metabolites, which were mainly enriched in apelin signaling, sphingolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid and other metabolic pathways. Additionally, LW affected lipid metabolism and oxidative stress in aging mice. Finally, we also found that LW-regulated microbial species such as Proteobacteria and Fibrobacterota had potential relationships with lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and hippocampal metabolites.ConclusionIn brief, LW improved cognitive function in aging mice by regulating lipid metabolism and oxidative stress through restoration of the homeostasis of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Growth, Health, and Gut Microbiota of Female Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei Broodstock Fed Different Phospholipid Sources.

Phospholipids have an important antioxidant effect on animals. The effects of different dietary phospholipid sources on the growth, antioxidant activity, immunity, and gut microbiota of female broodstock of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei were investigated. Four isoproteic and isolipid semi-purified diets containing 4% soybean lecithin (SL), egg yolk lecithin (EL), or krill oil (KO) and a control diet without phospholipid supplementation were fed to female broodstock of L. vannamei (34.7 ± 4.2 g) for 28 days. The growth performance, antioxidative capacity, and innate immunity of the female broodstock fed phospholipid supplemented diets were improved regardless of sources compared with the control shrimp. The effects on growth and antioxidant capacity in female shrimp fed the KO diet were highest. The innate immunity of female shrimp fed the EL and KO diets were significantly higher than shrimp fed the SL diet. Dietary phospholipid supplementation increased gut microbiota diversity and richness, and the Chao1 and ACE values in the KO group were significantly higher than in the control group. The richness of Proteobacteria, Photobacterium, and Vibrio decreased, whereas the richness of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes increased in the shrimp fed the KO diet compared with the shrimp fed the SL and EL diets. The interactions of gut microbiota in shrimp fed the KO diet were the most complex, and the positive interaction was the largest among all the treatments. The functional genes of gut microbiota in shrimp fed the KO diet were significantly enriched in lipid metabolism and terpenoid/polyketide metabolism pathways. Spearman correlation analysis showed that Fusibacter had significantly positive correlations with antioxidant activity (total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase), immune enzyme activity (phenoloxidase and lysozyme), and immune gene expression (C-type lectin 3, Caspase-1). All findings suggest that dietary phospholipids supplementation can improve the growth and health status of female L. vananmei broodstock. Krill oil is more beneficial in improving the antioxidant capacity and innate immunity than other dietary phospholipid sources. Furthermore, krill oil can help establish the intestinal immune barrier by increasing the richness of Fusibacter and promote the growth of female shrimp. Fusibacter may be involved in iron metabolism to improve the antioxidant capacity of female shrimp.

Effect of Jiangan-Jiangzhi Pill on Gut Microbiota and Chronic Inflammatory Response in Rats with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease with high rates of occurrence. Research has found that NAFLD patients experience varying degrees of intestinal flora imbalance. There is evidence that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) positively regulates imbalances in the gut microbiota caused by liver diseases. Jiangan-Jiangzhi pill (JGJZ) is a common Chinese remedy that can treat NAFLD clinically. This article investigates how JGJZ affects NAFLD and assesses related changes in the intestinal flora. We established a NAFLD rat model by feeding them a high-fat diet (HFD) and gave different interventions. After twelve weeks, the results revealed that JGJZ decreased the total cholesterol, triglyceride, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase in the serum of NAFLD rats. Histopathological staining demonstrated that JGJZ relieved cellular fat accumulation in the liver. Inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) were down-regulated. Analysis of 16S rRNA demonstrated that JGJZ changed the community compositional structure of gut microbiota, characterized by a decrease in the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio, and increased gut microbiota diversity and the abundance of dominant groups. Accordingly, our study illustrated that JGJZ exerted a better effect in treating HFD-induced NAFLD, which may be closely related to ameliorating gut microbiota dysbiosis.

Chlorogenic Acid Ameliorates High-Fat and High-Fructose Diet-Induced Cognitive Impairment via Mediating the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) displays cognition-improving properties, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, CGA supplementation (150 mg/kg body weight) for 14 weeks significantly prevented obesity and insulin resistance, cognitive-behavioral disturbances, and synaptic dysfunction induced by a high-fat and high-fructose diet (HFFD). Moreover, CGA supplementation enhanced the expression of genes enriched in the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway and reduced inflammatory factor expressions. Furthermore, CGA treatment increased gut microbiota diversity and the level of bacterial genera producing SCFAs. CGA also decreased the concentration of energy metabolism substrates, while it increased phosphorylcholine. Finally, we observed a significant correlation among synaptic transmission genes, gut microbiota, and neurotransmission in the CGA supplementation group by targeted multiomics analysis. Together, our results supported that the alteration of gut microbiota and metabolite composition is the underlying mechanism of CGA improving cognitive function. CGA is also a promising intervention strategy to prevent HFFD-induced cognitive impairment.

The underlying rationality of Chinese medicine herb pair Coptis chinensis and Dolomiaea souliei: From the perspective of metabolomics and intestinal function

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThe combination of Coptis chinensis (RC) and Dolomiaea souliei (VR) has long been used as a classic herb pair for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Materials and methodsIn this study, the rationality of evidence-based RC and VR combination was explored from the perspective of metabolism, gut microbiota and gastrointestinal function. ResultsAfter 5 weeks treatment, VR extracts (700 mg/kg) and RC alkaloids (800 mg/kg) showed no toxic effect on mice. However, RC administration significantly decreased the body weight of mice. Gastric emptying, gastrointestinal motility function and the absorption of FITC dextran were retarded in the mice of RC group, taking RC along with low dose VR (RC-VRL) and high dose VR (RC-VRH) reversed the impaired gastrointestinal function caused by RC. RC administration significantly increased villus height/crypt depth value. Notably, VR administration increased the number of crypts in mice ileum and reduced villus height/crypt depth value in VR and RC combination group. RC treatment significantly increased the expression of occludin compared to NC group; RC-VRL treatment reversed this tendency. While, VR administration increased ZO1 expression by 99.4% compared to NC mice. As for gut microbiota, RC gavage decreased the gut microbiota diversity, but gut microbiota in VR group was similar to NC group, and VR and RC combination increased gut microbiota diversity. RC administration obviously increased the proportion of Akkermansia muciniphila, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Parabacteroides distasonis, and Escherichia coli, compared to NC mice. VR treatment increased the richness of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Parabacteroides distasonis. RC-VRL and RC-VRH treatment dose-dependently increased the richness of Rikenellaceae RC9, Lactobacillus, and decreased the abundance of Psychrobacter, Bacteroides and Ruminococcus in mice. Serum metabolomic analysis revealed that RC gavage significantly down regulated 76 metabolites and up regulated 31 metabolites. VR treatment significantly down regulated 30 metabolites and up regulated 12 metabolites. Weight loss caused by RC may attribute to the elevated methylxanthine level in mice. The potential adverse effects caused by high dose RC intake may partially alleviate by high serum contents of adenosine, inosine and urolithin A resulted from VR coadministration. ConclusionVR may alleviate RC caused “fluid retention” via normalizing gastrointestinal function, gut microbiota and modulating the perturbed metabolism.

Anti-fatigue effects of fermented soybean protein peptides in mice.

Bioactive protein hydrolysates and peptides are believed to help counteract and ameliorate physical fatigue. Fermented soybean protein peptides (FSPPs) were prepared by protease hydrolysis and microbial fermentation. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-fatigue properties of FSPPs. The forced swimming time in the FSPP group was 35.78% longer than the control group, the oxygen-resistant survival time of the FSPP group was significantly prolonged and the prolongation rate was 31.00%. In addition, FSPPs decreased the lactic acid (LD), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatine kinase (CK) concentration by 27.47%, 25.93% and 21.70%, respectively, after treatment, while increasing the levels of liver glycogen and muscle glycogen by 93.35% and 67.31%, respectively. FSPPs can significantly increase gut microbiota diversity and regulate the species richness of gut microbiota. The results of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting showed that FSPPs activate p-AMPK/PGC1-α and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways. These results indicate that treatment with FSPPs induces anti-fatigue effects, which may be due to the mediating muscle protein synthesis and participation in skeletal muscle hypertrophy, providing energy for muscle cells. FSPPs may have potential applications in the food industry as functional material additives. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Higher mucosal type II immunity is associated with increased gut microbiota diversity in BALB/c mice after Trichinella spiralis infection

Understanding the interaction between the gut microbiota and Trichinella spiralis is of interest for the early diagnosis and development of therapeutics for trichinellosis and to reveal the potential role of microbiota in the mechanism of immunomodulation of this tissue-dwelling helminth. In this study, we utilized 16S rRNA gene sequencing to monitor the dynamics of the microbes in BALB/c mice challenged with T. spiralis. Flow cytometry and ELISA were used to analyze cytokines at the same time. Histopathological analysis of the duodenum was also conducted. We found that microbial perturbations occurred during infection. The abundance of the Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, Ruminococcus 1 and Lactococcus decreased. However, the abundance of proinflammatory Parabacteroides increased over time after infection. T. spiralis infection also tended to inhibit IFN-γ production, and promote IL-4 and IL-10 levels. In total, T. spiralis disrupts gut homeostasis and impairs the development of the intestinal ecosystem. Defining the bacterial populations affected by T. spiralis infection might help identify microbial markers for diagnosis of the disease, and the populations could also be further exploited as a novel option to treat T. spiralis infection.

A probiotic has differential effects on allergic airway inflammation in A/J and C57BL/6 mice and is correlated with the gut microbiome

The phenotypes of allergic airway diseases are influenced by the interplay between host genetics and the gut microbiota, which may be modulated by probiotics. We investigated the probiotic effects on allergic inflammation in A/J and C57BL/6 mice. C57BL/6 mice had increased gut microbiota diversity compared to A/J mice at baseline. Acetate producer probiotics differentially modulated and altered the genus abundance of specific bacteria, such as Akkermansia and Allistipes, in mouse strains. We induced airway inflammation followed by probiotic treatment and found that only A/J mice exhibited decreased inflammation, and the beneficial effects of probiotics in A/J mice were partially due to acetate production. To understand the relevance of microbial composition colonization in the development of allergic diseases, we implanted female C57BL/6 mice with A/J embryos to naturally modulate the microbial composition of A/J mice, which increased gut microbiota diversity and reduced eosinophilic inflammation in A/J. These data demonstrate the central importance of microbiota to allergic phenotype severity.3HgJewfMcf3oVqbgvbkYNZVideo

Romantic Relationship Dissolution, Microbiota, and Fibers.

Microbiota inhabit nearly every part of our body with the gut microbiota representing the greatest density and absolute abundance. The gut-microbiota-brain axis facilitates bidirectional communication between gut microbiota and the brain. For instance, romantic relationship not only brings joy, it is also associated with increased gut microbiota diversity and health benefits whereas reduced microbiota diversity is related to obesity, cardiac disease, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory disorders. Research has shown that dietary fibers may increase microbiota diversity and exert antidepressant effect. Among a plethora of life stressors, romantic relationship dissolution is a relatively common and painful experience that people encounter from time to time. Depressed mood, social isolation and poor intake are all associated with romantic relationship dissolution. In this article, it is hypothesized that romantic relationship dissolution is accompanied by decreased gut microbiota diversity which could be corrected with the ingestion of dietary fibers with an additional antidepressant benefit.