Microbiota In Men Research Articles

Establishment of a non-Westernized gut microbiota in men who have sex with men is associated with sexual practices

The human gut microbiota is influenced by various factors, including health status and environmental conditions, yet considerable inter-individual differences remain unexplained. Previous studies identified that the gut microbiota of men who have sex with men (MSM) is distinct from that of non-MSM. Here, we reveal through species-level microbiota analysis using shotgun metagenomics that the gut microbiota of many MSM with Western origin resembles gut microbial communities of non-Westernized populations. Specifically, MSM gut microbiomes are frequently dominated by members of the Prevotellaceae family, including co-colonization of species from the Segatella copri complex and unknown Prevotellaceae members. Questionnaire-based analysis exploring inter-individual differences in MSM links specific sexual practices to microbiota composition. Moreover, machine learning identifies microbial features associated with sexual activities in MSM. Together, this study shows associations of sexual activities with gut microbiome alterations in MSM, which may have a large impact on population-based microbiota studies.

The Urinary Tract Microbiome in Male Genitourinary Diseases: Focusing on Benign Prostate Hyperplasia and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

The human body is sterile during gestation; however, but during and after birth, the entire body surface becomes host to an enormous variety of microorganisms. Urine in the urinary tract was once considered sterile based on the lack of cultured microorganisms. Many recent studies have revealed evidence of microorganisms in human urine in the absence of clinical infection. Sequencing methods and analytical techniques are rapidly evolving to improve the ability to detect bacterial DNA and living bacteria and to understand the microbiota of the urinary tract. In women, fascinating evidence associates urinary tract microbiota with lower urinary tract symptoms. However, in men, the relevance of urinary tract microbiota in low urinary tract symptoms and prostate disease has not been established. In this review, we highlight a recent study that increases our ability to understand the urinary tract microbiota in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Human microbiome and prostate cancer development: current insights into the prevention and treatment.

The huge communities of microorganisms that symbiotically colonize humans are recognized as significant players in health and disease. The human microbiome may influence prostate cancer development. To date, several studies have focused on the effect of prostate infections as well as the composition of the human microbiome in relation to prostate cancer risk. Current studies suggest that the microbiota of men with prostate cancer significantly differs from that of healthy men, demonstrating that certain bacteria could be associated with cancer development as well as altered responses to treatment. In healthy individuals, the microbiome plays a crucial role in the maintenance of homeostasis of body metabolism. Dysbiosis may contribute to the emergence of health problems, including malignancy through affecting systemic immune responses and creating systemic inflammation, and changing serum hormone levels. In this review, we discuss recent data about how the microbes colonizing different parts of the human body including urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, oral cavity, and skin might affect the risk of developing prostate cancer. Furthermore, we discuss strategies to target the microbiome for risk assessment, prevention, and treatment of prostate cancer.

Does exercise impact gut microbiota composition in men receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer? A single-blinded, two-armed, randomised controlled trial

IntroductionA potential link exists between prostate cancer (PCa) disease and treatment and increased inflammatory levels from gut dysbiosis. This study aims to examine if exercise favourably alters gut microbiota in...

2408 Genital microbiomes of women with recurrent bacterial vaginosis and their regular male sexual partner

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Epidemiologic data suggest that BV is sexually transmitted with male partners colonized or infected with the responsible organism(s). The objective of this study was to compare the genital microbiota of women with recurrent BV and their regular male sexual partner using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative PCR targeting BV-candidate bacteria (Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, BVAB1-3, Sneathia, Leptotrichia, and Megasphaera type I). METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Women with recurrent BV (≥3 prior episodes, including a current episode) and their regular male partner participating in a BV treatment trial and providing genital specimens (women: vaginal; men: urethral, coronal sulcus, urine) at enrollment were included. Male specimens for each participant were pooled. 250 bp 16S rRNA V4 region PCR amplicons were sequenced and analyzed using the QIIME pipeline. Taxonomy was assigned using the RDP Classifier against a modified Greengenes database with additional vaginal taxonomies added. An average relative abundance cutoff of 0.5% was used for analysis. qPCR was also performed for specific BV-candidate bacteria. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to investigate associations between all genital bacteria in addition to BV-candidate bacteria between partnerships. To determine positive associations between partnerships, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: In total, 45 partnerships were included. Mean partnership age was 31.3 (SD=7.9), 91.1% partnerships were African-American. The majority of partnerships (70.0%) reported condomless sex during the past 3 months. Regarding 16S data, 37 genital bacteria had an average relative abundance of ≥0.5%. The average Spearman correlation across all 45 partnerships was 0.28 (SD=0.27) (median=0.27, minimum=−0.21, maximum=0.84). Overall, a positive association of all genital bacteria existed across the partnerships (p<0.0001). However, regarding specific BV-candidate bacteria, Spearman correlation tests for G. vaginalis, A. vaginae, Prevotella bivia, Megasphaera type I, BVAB1, and BVAB2 were nonsignificant. In contrast, Sneathia spp. were positively correlated between partnerships (r=0.37, p=0.01). With regards to qPCR results, RNA Cq analyses provided significant evidence for a linear association between male and females for only A. vaginae (r=0.52, p=0.006). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: In monogamous heterosexual couples in which the female has BV, the vaginal microbiota of women and the penile/urine microbiota of men were significantly correlated, particularly with regards to Sneathia spp. and A. vaginae, supporting the hypothesis that BV-associated bacteria are exchanged during sex.

The effects of trans-resveratrol on insulin resistance, inflammation, and microbiota in men with the metabolic syndrome: a pilot randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a pathological condition comprised of abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. It has become a major threat globally, resulting in rapidly increasing rates of diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. The polyphenol resveratrol (RES) is believed to improve glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance by activating sirtuin, which acetylates and coactivates downstream targets and affects glucose and lipid homeostasis in the liver, insulin secretion in the pancreas, and glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. We studied the effects of RES on insulin resistance, glucose homeostasis, and concomitant effects on adipose tissue metabolism and fecal microbiota in insulin-resistant subjects with the MetS. A total of 28 obese men with the MetS were studied during a 35-day stay in the Rockefeller University Hospital metabolic unit. Subjects were randomized to receive RES 1 g orally twice daily or placebo while kept weight stable and consuming a western-style diet. At baseline, and after 30 days of RES or placebo administration, subjects underwent testing that included a euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamp, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (GTT), resting energy expenditure, daily blood pressure monitoring, abdominal adipose tissue biopsy, and fecal and blood collections. RES induced no changes in insulin resistance but reduced the 120-min time point and the area under the curve for glucose concentration in the 2-h GTT. In post-hoc analysis, Caucasian subjects showed a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis after GTT, whereas non-Caucasians showed no similar effects. Levels of fasting plasma RES and its primary metabolite dihydroresveratrol were variable and did not explain the racial differences in glucose homeostasis. RES administration to Caucasian subjects leads to an increase in several taxa including Akkermansia muciniphila. RES 2 g administered orally to obese men with MetS and insulin resistance marginally altered glucose homeostasis. However, in a small group of Caucasians, insulin resistance and glucose homeostasis improved. No concomitant changes in adipose tissue metabolism occurred, but fecal microbiota showed RES-induced changes. The MetS increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. A major component of the syndrome is insulin resistance, resulting in systemic inflammation and hyperinsulinemia. The primary treatment consists of lifestyle changes, improved diet, and increased physical activity. This is often unsuccessful. In this study, RES was well tolerated. In Caucasian men, it significantly improved insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis. Similar results were found in studies that consisted exclusively of Caucasian men. However, RES presents a novel addition to the current treatment of the MetS and its sequelae.

P2.024 Evaluation of the Genital Microbiota in Men and Women Using an Automated System For Analysis of Microscopy Images of Wet and Stained Smears

BackgroundIn Russia, microscopy of the genital microbiota in both women and men are performed at laboratory, not at physician’s office. Microscopy is a simple and cheap method, which, together with...

A randomised crossover study investigating the effects of galacto-oligosaccharides on the faecal microbiota in men and women over 50 years of age

Faecal microbial changes associated with ageing include reduced bifidobacteria numbers. These changes coincide with an increased risk of disease development. Prebiotics have been observed to increase bifidobacteria numbers within humans. The present study aimed to determine if prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) could benefit a population of men and women of 50 years and above, through modulation of faecal microbiota, fermentation characteristics and faecal water genotoxicity. A total of thirty-seven volunteers completed this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. The treatments - juice containing 4 g GOS and placebo - were consumed twice daily for 3 weeks, preceded by 3-week washout periods. To study the effect of GOS on different large bowel regions, three-stage continuous culture systems were conducted in parallel using faecal inocula from three volunteers. Faecal samples were microbially enumerated by quantitative PCR. In vivo, following GOS intervention, bifidobacteria were significantly more compared to post-placebo (P = 0·02). Accordingly, GOS supplementation had a bifidogenic effect in all in vitro system vessels. Furthermore, in vessel 1 (similar to the proximal colon), GOS fermentation led to more lactobacilli and increased butyrate. No changes in faecal water genotoxicity were observed. To conclude, GOS supplementation significantly increased bifidobacteria numbers in vivo and in vitro. Increased butyrate production and elevated bifidobacteria numbers may constitute beneficial modulation of the gut microbiota in a maturing population.

31] Biosurfactants produced by Lactobacillus

Lactobacillus bacterial species have been shown to be important in the maintenance of a healthy gastrointestinal microbiota in men and women and to help protect against urogenital infections in women. The critical components of importance in antagonizing pathogenic bacteria include an ability of the lactobacilli to adhere to surfaces, inhibit attachment and growth of the pathogens, resist spermicidal killing, and coaggregate with other members of the microbiota to produce a balanced microbial niche. Strains of lactobacilli were found to produce a biosurfactants collectively termed surlactin, characterized by the ability to reduce liquid surface tension, as measured by the axisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA) and by the ability to inhibit the adhesion of enterococci and other uropathogens to polymer surfaces. The intriguing part about the surlactin is its potential importance in helping to regulate the microbiota of the urogenital tract, making it potentially a critical factor in health maintenance of a balanced microbiota. This chapter describes the methods used to identify biosurfactants. Expected results and clinical relevance has also been discussed.