Intestinal Microecological Balance Research Articles

Preliminary study on the potential impact of probiotic combination therapy on Helicobacter pylori infection in children using 16S gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics approach.

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential mechanism of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) eradication by probiotic therapy through 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology and untargeted metabolomics. Twenty four Hp-infected children were recruited from the Shanxi Bethune Hospital, and 24 healthy children were recruited as a blank control group. Group A: fecal samples from 24 healthy children. Group B: fecal samples of 24 children with Hp infection. Group B1 (n = 15): fecal samples of group B treated with probiotic therapy for 2 weeks. Group B2 (n = 19): fecal samples of group B treated with probiotic therapy for 4 weeks. The above fecal samples were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology and untargeted metabolomics. There was no significant difference in alpha diversity and beta diversity among the four groups, but many bacteria with statistical difference were found in each group at the bacterial genus level and phylum level. LEfSe results showed that in group B, Porphyromonadaceae, Shigella and other microorganisms related to intestinal microecological dysbiosis were enriched. And in group B2, abundant characteristic microorganisms were found, namely Bacillales and Prevotella. KEGG metabolic pathway enrichment analysis showed that groups B1 and B2 were involved in 10 metabolic pathways potentially related to probiotic treatment: purine metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, alanine, aspartic acid and glutamate metabolism, glyoxylic acid and dicarboxylic acid metabolism, unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, fatty acid extension, fatty acid degradation, pyrimidine metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis. Probiotic therapy can inhibit Hp to some extent and can relieve gastrointestinal symptoms, making it a preferred therapy for children with Hp infection and functional abdominal pain. Hp infection can reduce the diversity of intestinal microbes, resulting in the disturbance of intestinal microbiota and changes in the relative abundance of microbiota in children, while probiotic therapy can restore the diversity of intestinal microbes and intestinal microecological balance.

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.

The Impact of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation on the Intestinal Microecology of Patients with Colorectal Cancer

This study investigated the impact of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the intestinal microecology of patients with colorectal cancer. The intestinal microbiota structure of patients with colorectal cancer often undergoes significant changes, which are closely related to the occurrence and development of the disease. As a novel therapeutic approach, FMT aims to rebuild intestinal microecological balance and thereby improve clinical symptoms and prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer. This study found that FMT can effectively alter the intestinal microbiota structure of patients with colorectal cancer, increase microbial diversity, reduce intestinal inflammation, and potentially enhance the patient s immune function. However, FMT still faces challenges in clinical application, such as donor selection, ethical issues, and the stability of transplantation effects. Future research needs to further explore optimization strategies for FMT to fully realize its potential in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Comprehensive evaluation of Dragon's Blood in combination with borneol in ameliorating ischemic/reperfusion brain injury using RNA sequencing, metabolomics, and 16S rRNA sequencing.

Ischemia/reperfusion (IR) can induce deleterious responses such as apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress; however, there are currently no efficient therapeutics to treat IR brain injury. Dragon's blood (DB) plays a significant role in treating ischemic stroke in China. Borneol (B) is an upper ushering drug that guides drugs to the target organs, including the brain. Therefore, we hypothesized that the combination of DB and B (DB + B) would provide cooperative therapeutic benefits for IR brain injury. To confirm this, we first investigated the protective effect of DB + B in an IR brain injury rat model using the modified neurological severity score (mNSS), infarction size measure, HE staining, and laser speckle contrast imaging. Then, we comprehensively evaluated the mechanism of DB + B in ameliorating IR brain injury based on RNA sequencing, serum untargeted metabolomics, and 16S rRNA sequencing. We have confirmed that DB + B enhanced the efficacy of the ischemic stroke treatment compared to DB or B alone for the first time. Our study provisionally confirms that the mechanism by which DB + B prevents IR brain injury is related to the maintenance of intestinal microecological balance and regulation of metabolic dysfunction, thereby suppressing inflammation and regulating immunity. DB + B may effectively regulate intestinal flora including o_Pseudomonadales, s_Bacteroides_caecimuris, o_unidentified_Bacilli, f-Pseudomonadaceae, and g-Pseudomonas, mainly regulate serum metabolites including improve the protective benefit of IR brain injury lysoPCs and lysoPEs, thus inhibiting TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB and IL-17 signing pathway to reduce inflammatory reactions. hat this mechanism is associated with the maintenance of intestinal flora balance and the regulation of metabolic dysfunction, thereby suppressing inflammation and regulating immunity. This provides scientific support for the clinical translation of DB + B in the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke and establishes a basis for further investigation of its therapeutic mechanism.

Exploring potential polysaccharide utilization loci involved in the degradation of typical marine seaweed polysaccharides by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.

Research on the mechanism of marine polysaccharide utilization by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron has drawn substantial attention in recent years. Derived from marine algae, the marine algae polysaccharides could serve as prebiotics to facilitate intestinal microecological balance and alleviate colonic diseases. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, considered the most efficient degrader of polysaccharides, relates to its capacity to degrade an extensive spectrum of complex polysaccharides. Polysaccharide utilization loci (PULs), a specialized organization of a collection of genes-encoded enzymes engaged in the breakdown and utilization of polysaccharides, make it possible for Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron to metabolize various polysaccharides. However, there is still a paucity of comprehensive studies on the procedure of polysaccharide degradation by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. In the current study, the degradation of four kinds of marine algae polysaccharides, including sodium alginate, fucoidan, laminarin, and Pyropia haitanensis polysaccharides, and the underlying mechanism by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron G4 were investigated. Pure culture of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron G4 in a substrate supplemented with these polysaccharides were performed. The change of OD600, total carbohydrate contents, and molecular weight during this fermentation were determined. Genomic sequencing and bioinformatic analysis were further performed to elucidate the mechanisms involved. Specifically, Gene Ontology (GO) annotation, Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) annotation, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment were utilized to identify potential target genes and pathways. Underlying target genes and pathways were recognized by employing bioinformatic analysis. Several PULs were found that are anticipated to participate in the breakdown of these four polysaccharides. These findings may help to understand the interactions between these marine seaweed polysaccharides and gut microorganisms. The elucidation of polysaccharide degradation mechanisms by Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron provides valuable insights into the utilization of marine polysaccharides as prebiotics and their potential impact on gut health. Further studies are warranted to explore the specific roles of individual PULs and their contributions to polysaccharide metabolism in the gut microbiota.

Modulating cecal microbiome and in silico amino acid metabolism of sanguinarine-based isoquinoline alkaloids supplements in natural heat stress broiler

Broilers reared under tropical conditions are exposed to Heat Stress (HS) yielding adverseness in production. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of plant-derived sanguinarine-based Isoquinoline alkaloids (IQ) on integrating performance of growth with the cecal microbiome and functional metabolism profiles of amino acid metabolism for either precision nutrition or productivity promotion using nutrition strategies with intestinal microecological balance in broilers of 14-and 35-day of age under HS conditions. IQ significantly improved performance, body weight, average daily weight gain, feed intake, and mortality. IQ significantly modulated the cecum microbiome (14- and 35-dayo of age) by enriching microbiome diversity with increase in Bacteriodetes and Cyanobacteria, but decrease in Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. It was found on 14-day of age that abundances of Turicibactor sanguinis, Lactobacillus salivarious, Lactobacillus sacidophilus, and Akkermansia municiphila in the cecum of boiler fed with IQ60 were higher than in that of the control group. While abundances of Enteroccucus cecorum, Enteroccuus villorum, Escherichia fergusonii, and Helicobacter pullorum were lower in broiler fed with IQs demonstrating the potential to suppress Antimicrobial-Resistant (AMR) reservoirs in the cecum. IQs significantly increased amino acid metabolism namely, l-arginine degradation VII and l-tryptophan degradation I, l-tryptophan degradation VI on day 14, and l-alanine degradation VII, l-tryptophan biosynthesis, l-methionine biosynthesis I, l-methionine salvage cycle, and l-threonine degradation II on day 35 (Kruskal-Wallis p-value < 0.05) in which positively correlated with BW and FI but negative correlation with FCR (Pearson correlation, P < 0.05). It is the first finding that IQs potentially modulated the crosstalk between host and microbiota via the microbiome-gut-brain axis for gut homeostasis by improving Turicibacter sanguini, that promoted serotonin biosynthesis from colonic Enterochromaffin Cells (EC) in modulating Gastro-Intestinal tract (GI) motility. It can be concluded that IQ exhibited the potential to modulate cecal microbiota to improve functional amino acid pathways supporting growth performance in stress broilers. The phenotypic activity related to genotype prediction under in silico model of functional microbiome systems with multi-Omics methods relating with microbiome community is worthwhile to be further investigated leading to discovering potential phytogenic compounds for precision feed additives in stress broilers.

Effects of Black Quinoa Polysaccharides on Obesity and Intestinal Flora Dysbiosis in T2DM Mice

To explore the mechanism of the hypoglycemic effect of BQP in type 2 diabetic mice induced by the combination of high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ). Treatment with BQP significantly ameliorated blood glucose and lipid levels and improved oxidative stress levels and liver injury levels. The results of the intestinal flora study showed that the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in cecum contents of BQP group mice was significantly higher than those of the diabetic mice. BQP treatment improved microbial disorders in feces, altered the diversity of intestinal flora, reduced the Bacteroidota to Firmicutes (B/F) ratio in diabetic mice, and increased the abundance of Dubosiella, Akkermansia, Faecalibaculum, and Allobaculum. Spearman correlation analysis showed that changes in intestinal microorganisms were closely related to biochemical parameters. The function’s prediction of gut microbiota indicated that the microbial compositions involving chemoheterotrophy, aerobic chemoheterotrophy, Gram-negative, potential pathogenicity, and sulfur cycle were changed. Conclusion. Intake of BQP can effectively regulate the blood glucose level of diabetic mice through improving glucose and lipid metabolism, and its mechanism may be related to the improvement of obesity and intestinal microecological balance.

Preparation and characterisation of baicalin magnesium and its protective effect in ulcerative colitis via gut microbiota-bile acid axis modulation

BackgroundScutellaria baicalensis Georgi is a well-known herb in traditional Chinese medicine that is frequently prescribed for various gastrointestinal conditions, including ulcerative colitis (UC). Its primary active constituent, baicalin, has poorly water solubility that reduces its efficacy. PurposeTo enhance the aqueous solubility of baicalin by optimising its extraction process. We compared the modulatory effects of isolated water-soluble baicalin and water-insoluble baicalin on UC, and delved deeper into the potential mechanisms of water-soluble baicalin. MethodsWe successfully extracted a more hydrophilic baicalin directly from an aqueous S. baicalensis Georgi extract through the process of recrystallisation following alcoholic precipitation of the aqueous extract obtained from S. baicalensis Georgi, eliminating the need for acid additives. This specific form of baicalin was conclusively identified by UV, IR, atomic absorption spectroscopy, elemental analysis, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and ESI-HRMS. We subsequently compared the regulatory effects of baicalin on UC before and after optimisation, employing 16S rDNA sequencing, bile acid-targeted metabolomics, and transcriptome analysis to elucidate the potential mechanism of water-soluble baicalin; and the key genes and proteins implicated in this mechanism were verified through RT-PCR and western blotting. ResultsA new form of baicalin present in the aqueous solution of S. baicalensis Georgi was isolated, and its structural characterisation showed that it was bound to magnesium ions (baicalin magnesium) and exhibited favorable water solubility. Baicalin magnesium offers enhanced therapeutic benefits over baicalin for UC treatment, which alleviated the inflammatory response and oxidative stress levels while improving intestinal mucosal damage. Further investigation of the mechanism revealed that baicalin magnesium could effectively regulate bile acid metabolism and maintain intestinal microecological balance in UC mice, and suppress the activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α signalling pathways, thereby playing a therapeutic role. ConclusionsBaicalin magnesium has good water solubility, which solves the bottleneck problem of water insolubility in the practical applications of baicalin. Moreover, baicalin magnesium exhibits therapeutic potential for UC significantly better than baicalin.

Research progress on the mechanism of probiotics regulating cow milk allergy in early childhood and its application in hypoallergenic infant formula.

Some infants and young children suffer from cow's milk allergy (CMA), and have always mainly used hypoallergenic infant formula as a substitute for breast milk, but some of these formulas can still cause allergic reactions. In recent years, it has been found that probiotic nutritional interventions can regulate CMA in children. Scientific and reasonable application of probiotics to hypoallergenic infant formula is the key research direction in the future. This paper discusses the mechanism and clinical symptoms of CMA in children. This review critically ex- amines the issue of how probiotics use intestinal flora as the main vector to combine with the immune system to exert physiological functions to intervene CMA in children, with a particular focus on four mechanisms: promoting the early establishment of intestinal microecological balance, regulating the body's immunity and alleviating allergic response, enhancing the intestinal mucosal barrier function, and destroying allergen epitopes. Additionally, it overviews the development process of hypoallergenic infant formula and the research progress of probiotics in hypoallergenic infant formula. The article also offers suggestions and outlines potential future research directions and ideas in this field.

Metabolic changes before and after weaning in Dezhou donkey foals in relation to gut microbiota.

Weaning is undoubtedly one of the most crucial stages in the growth and development of all mammalian animals, including donkey foals. Weaning is a dynamic and coordinated process of the body, which is closely associated with the health, nutrition, and metabolism of the host. Many studies have shown that the intestinal microbiota and serum metabolites of mammals exhibit different changes during lactation, weaning, and postweaning. However, the alterations in serum metabolites in donkey foals before and postweaning and the correlation between serum metabolites and intestinal microbiota are largely unknown. This study is based on the fecal 16S rRNA and serum metabolomes of Dezhou donkey foals. In total, 10 samples (fecal and serum) were collected during the following three stages: before weaning (F.M.1), during weaning (F.M.3), and postweaning (F.M.6). To study the alterations in intestinal microflora, serum metabolites, and their correlation before and postweaning. We found that with the growth and weaning progress of donkey foals, the intestinal microbiota of donkey foals underwent obvious changes, and the diversity of fecal bacteria increased (Chao1 and Shannon indexes). The main intestinal microbial flora of donkey foals include Bacteroides and Firmicutes. We found many microbiota that are associated with immunity and digestion in the postweaning group, such as Verrucomicrobiales, Clostridia, Oscillospiraceae, Akkermansia, and Rikenellaceae, which can be considered microbial markers for the transition from liquid milk to solid pellet feed. Clostridia and Oscillospiraceae can produce organic acids, including butyric acid and acetic acid, which are crucial for regulating the intestinal microecological balance of donkeys. Furthermore, the metabolome showed that the serum metabolites enriched before and postweaning were mainly related to arachidonic acid metabolism and riboflavin metabolism. Riboflavin was associated with the development of the small intestine and affected the absorption of the small intestine. We also found that the changes in the gut microbiome of the foals were significantly correlated with changes in serum metabolites, including lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC; 12,0) and positively correlated with Lachnoclostridium and Roseburia. To summarize, this study provides theoretical data for the changes in the intestinal microbiome and serum metabolism during the entire weaning period of donkey foals.

Research Progress for Probiotics Regulating Intestinal Flora to Improve Functional Dyspepsia: A Review.

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder. The pathophysiology remains poorly understood; however, alterations in the small intestinal microbiome have been observed. Current treatments for FD with drugs are limited, and there are certain safety problems. A class of active probiotic bacteria can control gastrointestinal homeostasis, nutritional digestion and absorption, and the energy balance when taken in certain dosages. Probiotics play many roles in maintaining intestinal microecological balance, improving the intestinal barrier function, and regulating the immune response. The presence and composition of intestinal microorganisms play a vital role in the onset and progression of FD and serve as a critical factor for both regulation and potential intervention regarding the management of this condition. Thus, there are potential advantages to alleviating FD by regulating the intestinal flora using probiotics, targeting intestinal microorganisms. This review summarizes the research progress of probiotics regarding improving FD by regulating intestinal flora and provides a reference basis for probiotics to improve FD.

Exposure to triphenyltin impairs gut integrity, disturbs gut microbiota, and alters fecal metabolites

Triphenyltin is an environmental contaminant widely used in antifouling paints and can cause toxicity in various organs in living organisms. However, its effects on intestinal function and the microbiome of the gut remain unknown. The objective of this study was to explore the intestinal toxicity of triphenyltin in mice by orally administering 0, 1.875, 3.75, and 7.5 mg/Kg to adult male mice for 8 weeks. Results showed that triphenyltin caused ileum tissue damage, induced oxidative stress, upregulated inflammation-related gene expression and increased serum tumor-necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels in mice. Triphenyltin impaired ileum barrier function by downregulating Muc2, ZO-1, Occludin and their protein levels at 3.75 and 7.5 mg/Kg. TPT exposure led to partial inflammation and decreased mucin mRNA expression in the colon. Triphenyltin altered intestinal micro-ecological balance and fecal metabolome in mice. In conclusion, triphenyltin alters the mouse gut microbiota and fecal metabolome.

Application of Dominant Gut Microbiota Promises to Replace Fecal Microbiota Transplantation as a New Treatment for Alzheimer's Disease.

Several studies have confirmed that the pathophysiological progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is closely related to changes in the intestinal microbiota; thus, modifying the intestinal microbiota has emerged as a new way to treat AD. Effective interventions for gut microbiota include the application of probiotics and other measures such as fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). However, the application of probiotics ignores that the intestine is a complete microecosystem with competition among microorganisms. FMT also has issues when applied to patient treatment. In a previous study, we found that eight species of bacteria that are isolated with high frequency in the normal intestinal microbiota (i.e., intestinal dominant microbiota) have biological activities consistent with the effects of FMT. In this article, we confirmed that the treatment of intestinal dominant microbiota significantly restored intestinal microbiota abundance and composition to normal levels in APP/PS1 mice; downregulated brain tissue pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) and β-site APP cleavage enzyme 1 (BACE1) expression levels; and reduced the area of Aβ plaque deposition in the brain hippocampus. Our study provides a new therapeutic concept for the treatment of AD, adjusting the intestinal microecological balance through dominant intestinal microbiota may be an alternative to FMT.

Metagenomic analysis reveals the relationship between intestinal protozoan parasites and the intestinal microecological balance in calves

BackgroundA close connection between a protozoan parasite and the balance of the other gut microbes of the host has been demonstrated. The calves may be naturally co-infected with many parasites, and the co-effects of parasites on other intestinal microbes of calves remain unclear. This study aims to preliminarily reveal the relationship between intestinal parasites and other intestinal microbes in calves.MethodsFecal samples were collected from four calves with bloody diarrhea, four calves with watery diarrhea, and seven normal calves, and the microbial flora of the samples were analyzed by whole-genome sequencing. Protozoal parasites were detected in the metagenome sequences and identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).ResultsCryptosporidium, Eimeria, Giardia, Blastocystis, and Entamoeba were detected by metagenomic analysis, and the identified species were Giardia duodenalis assemblage E, Cryptosporidium bovis, Cryptosporidium ryanae, Eimeria bovis, Eimeria subspherica, Entamoeba bovis, and Blastocystis ST2 and ST10. Metagenomic analysis showed that the intestinal microbes of calves with diarrhea were disordered, especially in calves with bloody diarrhea. Furthermore, different parasites show distinct relationships with the intestinal microecology. Cryptosporidium, Eimeria, and Giardia were negatively correlated with various intestinal bacteria but positively correlated with some fungi. However, Blastocystis and Entamoeba were positively associated with other gut microbes. Twenty-seven biomarkers not only were significantly enriched in bloody diarrhea, watery diarrhea, and normal calves but were also associated with Eimeria, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia. Only Eimeria showed a distinct relationship with seven genera of bacteria, which were significantly enriched in the healthy calves. All 18 genera of fungi were positively correlated with Cryptosporidium, Eimeria, and Giardia, which were also significantly enriched in calves with bloody diarrhea. Functional genes related to parasites and diseases were found mainly in fungi.ConclusionsThis study revealed the relationship between intestinal protozoan parasites and the other calf gut microbiome. Different intestinal protozoan parasites have diametrically opposite effects on other gut microecology, which not only affects bacteria in the gut, but also is significantly related to fungi and archaea.Graphical

Effect of acupuncture combined with infantile tuina on intestinal flora in children with tic disorders

To observe the effect of acupuncture combined with infantile tuina on intestinal flora and its efficacy in children with tic disorders (TD), and to explore its mechanism.A total of 15 children with TD were recruited as an observation group and 10 healthy children as a healthy control group. Regulating spleen and stomach acupuncture combined with infantile tuina were received in the observation group. First, acupuncture was applied to Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Guanyuan (CV 4), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), etc., and then abdominal massage and other tuina techniques were applied, once a day, 6 times a week, 2 weeks as a course of treatment, a total of 2 courses of treatment were required. No intervention was given in the healthy control group. In the observation group, Yale global tic severity scale (YGTSS) score and TCM syndrome score were compared before treatment and after 1 and 2 courses of treatment. 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used to detect the intestinal flora in the healthy control group and before and after treatment in the observation group.After 1 and 2 courses of treatment, the scores of YGTSS and TCM syndrome in the observation group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the number of operational taxonomic units (OTU) and indexes of Chao1, Sobs, Ace and Shannon were decreased in the observation group before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with before treatment, the number of OTU and indexes of Chao1, Sobs, Ace and Shannon were increased in the observation group after treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the relative abundance of Firmicutes in the observation group before treatment was decreased (P<0.001), while the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Bacteroides and Erysipelatoclostridium was increased (P<0.001, P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes in the observation group was decreased (P<0.001) after treatment, while the relative abundance of Actinobacteria, Bifidobacterium and Atopobium was increased (P<0.05, P<0.01).Acupuncture combined with infantile tuina based on the principle of regulating spleen and stomach could effectively improve TD symptoms in children, which may be related to regulating the diversity of intestinal flora, increasing beneficial bacteria, maintaining intestinal microecological balance, and playing a role in improving neurological disorders.目的：观察针刺联合小儿推拿治疗抽动障碍（TD）患儿的疗效及对肠道菌群的影响，探讨其作用机制。方法：招募15例TD患儿作为观察组，10例健康儿童作为健康对照组。观察组接受调和脾胃针刺联合小儿推拿治疗，先于中脘、天枢、关元、合谷、足三里等穴针刺，再予摩腹等推拿手法，均每日1次，每周6次，2周为一疗程，共治疗2个疗程。健康对照组不予任何干预。治疗前及治疗1、2个疗程后，比较观察组耶鲁综合抽动严重程度量表（YGTSS）、中医证候评分。采用16S rRNA测序技术检测健康对照组及治疗前后观察组肠道菌群。结果：治疗1、2个疗程后，观察组YGTSS、中医证候评分较治疗前降低（P<0.01，P<0.05）。观察组治疗前较健康对照组操作分类单元（OTU）数量减少，Chao1、Sobs、Ace、Shannon指数降低（P<0.05，P<0.01）；与治疗前比较，观察组治疗后OTU数量增加，Chao1、Sobs、Ace、Shannon指数升高（P<0.01，P<0.05）。与健康对照组比较，观察组治疗前厚壁菌门相对丰度降低（P<0.001），拟杆菌门、拟杆菌属、多枝梭菌属相对丰度升高（P<0.001，P<0.05）。与治疗前比较，观察组治疗后拟杆菌门相对丰度降低（P<0.001），放线菌门、双歧杆菌属、阿托波菌属相对丰度升高（P<0.05，P<0.01）。结论：以调和脾胃为治则的针刺联合小儿推拿治疗可有效改善儿童TD症状，其机制可能为通过调节肠道菌群多样性，增加有益菌，维持肠道微生态平衡，发挥改善神经精神障碍作用。.

Effect of acupuncture combined with infantile tuina on intestinal flora in children with tic disorders

To observe the effect of acupuncture combined with infantile tuina on intestinal flora and its efficacy in children with tic disorders (TD), and to explore its mechanism. A total of 15 children with TD were recruited as an observation group and 10 healthy children as a healthy control group. Regulating spleen and stomach acupuncture combined with infantile tuina were received in the observation group. First, acupuncture was applied to Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Guanyuan (CV 4), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), etc., and then abdominal massage and other tuina techniques were applied, once a day, 6 times a week, 2 weeks as a course of treatment, a total of 2 courses of treatment were required. No intervention was given in the healthy control group. In the observation group, Yale global tic severity scale (YGTSS) score and TCM syndrome score were compared before treatment and after 1 and 2 courses of treatment. 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used to detect the intestinal flora in the healthy control group and before and after treatment in the observation group. After 1 and 2 courses of treatment, the scores of YGTSS and TCM syndrome in the observation group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the number of operational taxonomic units (OTU) and indexes of Chao1, Sobs, Ace and Shannon were decreased in the observation group before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with before treatment, the number of OTU and indexes of Chao1, Sobs, Ace and Shannon were increased in the observation group after treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the relative abundance of Firmicutes in the observation group before treatment was decreased (P<0.001), while the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Bacteroides and Erysipelatoclostridium was increased (P<0.001, P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes in the observation group was decreased (P<0.001) after treatment, while the relative abundance of Actinobacteria, Bifidobacterium and Atopobium was increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Acupuncture combined with infantile tuina based on the principle of regulating spleen and stomach could effectively improve TD symptoms in children, which may be related to regulating the diversity of intestinal flora, increasing beneficial bacteria, maintaining intestinal microecological balance, and playing a role in improving neurological disorders.

Alleviation of DSS-induced colitis in mice by a new-isolated Lactobacillus acidophilus C4.

Probiotic is adjuvant therapy for traditional drug treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). In the present study, Lactobacillus acidophilus C4 with high acid and bile salt resistance has been isolated and screened, and the beneficial effect of L. acidophilus C4 on Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice has been evaluated. Our data showed that oral administration of L. acidophilus C4 remarkably alleviated colitis symptoms in mice and minimized colon tissue damage. To elucidate the underlying mechanism, we have investigated the levels of inflammatory cytokines and intestinal tight junction (TJ) related proteins (occludin and ZO-1) in colon tissue, as well as the intestinal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces. Compared to the DSS group, the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in L. acidophilus C4 group were reduced, while the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) were found to be elevated. In addition, proteins linked to TJ were elevated after L. acidophilus C4 intervention. Further study revealed that L. acidophilus C4 reversed the decrease in intestinal microbiota diversity caused by colitis and promoted the levels of SCFAs. This study demonstrate that L. acidophilus C4 effectively alleviated DSS-induced colitis in mice by repairing the mucosal barrier and maintaining the intestinal microecological balance. L. acidophilus C4 could be of great potential for colitis therapy.

Probiotic Effects of Bacillus subtilis on Growth Performance and Intestinal Microecological Balance of Growing-to-Finishing Pigs

The present study investigated the growth performance, immune status, gut morphology, and gut microflora modulation in growing-to-finishing pigs (n = 72; 24 pigs/group) after dietary supplementation with Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis; two groups (experiment 1 (E1) and experiment 2 (E2): 63 and 98 days, respectively) and control (Ct, basal diet). The results revealed that both 1–98 d and 1–63 d groups significantly improved growth performance, including an increase in midtest body weight (MBW) P = 0.0114 , final body weight (FBW) P &lt; 0.0001 , and average daily gain (ADG) P &lt; 0.0001 and a decrease in the ratio of feed to gain (F/G) P &lt; 0.0001 . There was an increase in serum IgG and SOD levels after supplementation with B. subtilis P = 0.0074 . Furthermore, B. subtilis potentiated the integrity of intestinal morphology (villus height (VH) P &lt; 0.0001 and villus height/crypt depth (VH/CD) P = 0.0009 ) in growing-to-finishing pigs. The LEfSe analysis identified 11 and 13 biomarkers in the fecal samples of the 1–63 d group and 1–98 d, respectively. The gut microflora alterations of growth-finishing pigs suggested that dietary B. subtilis could promote gut health by altering the relative abundances of different bacterial communities. A correlation analysis showed that B. subtilis could regulate the functional network of the intestine microflora and their interactions with its host. Taken together, dietary B. subtilis supplementation had a positive influence on the growth performance, gut health, and the composition of gut microorganisms, suggesting that B. subtilis can be used as a functional probiotic candidate for application in the production of growing-to-finishing pigs. Practical Applications. The addition of probiotics in the diet can modulate intestinal health, improve the digestibility of nutrients, and thus, help improve the nutrient utilization and production performance of pigs. It is one of the ideal substitutes for antibiotics. This study will help us understand the function of B. subtilis in the regulation of pig intestinal health, so as to provide scientific basis for the rational use of probiotics in the future pig industry.

Effects of Compound Probiotics on Cecal Microbiota and Metabolome of Swine.

Complex probiotics are made from various single probiotics mixed in scientific formula. The long-term intake of different probiotics is beneficial to maintain the intestinal microecological balance, inhibiting harmful pathogenic flora and facilitating organism health. Based on the limited research on intestinal flora and related metabolites after the long-term intake of the probiotic complex, in this study, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics were used to further investigate the effects of the probiotic complex on the intestinal flora and metabolome of pigs. The results demonstrated that the content of flora in the intestinal tract or metabolites of pigs varied greatly and was related to cellular metabolic pathways after the long-term feeding of complex probiotics. This study provides a valuable theoretical basis for farmers to raise pigs scientifically and healthily.

Plant polysaccharides utilized by gut microbiota: New players in ameliorating cognitive impairment.

Considerable evidence indicates the important role of gut microbiota in human health. Through the interaction with the host and diet, it secretes a myriad of metabolites to modulate biological processes essential for health. Cognitive impairment is a common feature of psychiatric and neurological disorders, which may seriously damage the quality of patients' life. Studies have found that cognitive impairment has a close relationship with gut microbiota, and plant polysaccharides intervention to maintain intestinal micro-ecological balance has a great impact on ameliorating cognitive impairment. This review introduced the interaction between gut microbiota and plant polysaccharides, and focused on signaling pathogenesis of gut microbiota in cognitive impairment. The effect of plant polysaccharides intervention on regulation of gut microbiota was also discussed, so as to provide a promising strategy for ameliorating cognitive impairment.