Prebiotic therapy is a promising approach for managing periodontitis due to its potential benefits in modulating the microbiome and the immune response. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the prebiotic (PREB) polydextrose (PDX) on the development of experimental periodontitis (EP) in rats. A total of 44 male adult rats (Rattus norvegicus, albinus, Wistar) were randomly allocated into groups (n=11) C (control), PREB, EP, and EP/PREB. The PREB and EP/PREB groups received 2g of PDX/day in the drinking water for 44 days. The EP and EP/PREB groups received cotton ligatures around mandibular first molars (M1) for 14 days. Microtomographic, histopathological, and immunohistochemical analyses of periodontal and intestinal tissues were performed. Data were analyzed statistically (p<0.05). The EP/PREB group showed less alveolar bone destruction than the EP group. The EP/PREB group exhibited higher expressions of IL-10 and a lower number of TRAP (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase)-positive cells than the EP group in periodontal tissues. The EP/PREB group had increased villus heights in the duodenum and ileum, increased crypt depths in the duodenum, and higher expressions of occludin in all intestinal portions, claudin-1 in the jejunum, IL-10 in the duodenum, and lower expressions of IL-1β in the jejunum compared with the EP group. Polydextrose exerted a protective effect against alveolar bone resorption and favorably modulated both local and systemic immune-inflammatory response in rats with experimental periodontitis. Prebiotic therapy has emerged as a promising approach for treating periodontitis, an immunoinflammatory disease associated with a dysbiotic biofilm that leads to the loss of the supporting structures of the teeth. This is because prebiotics can positively influence the balance of bacteria in the body and the immune system's response. However, current understanding of its potential effects and mechanisms of action remains limited in periodontal therapy. The effects of the prebiotic polydextrose (PDX) on periodontal tissues remain unknown. The results of the present study show that the prebiotic PDX can minimize alveolar bone loss and improve bone microarchitecture through modulation of the immune-inflammatory response in both intestinal and periodontal tissues of rats with experimental periodontitis. Our findings suggest that the prebiotic PDX may represent a beneficial adjunctive strategy for managing periodontitis.

Management of sarcopenia by nutritional and lifestyle interventions is a challenge. The aim is to assess the effectiveness of a phenolic-rich extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), alone or combined with a prebiotic (PREB) (fructooligosaccharides and inulin), to improve skeletal muscle mass and function in home-dwelling older adults (60-80 years) with at least one sarcopenia parameter altered. A 12-week randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled, three-arm clinical trial was conducted. Intervention groups were as follows: (1) refined olive oil (ROO; 30 mL/day; 90-mg caffeic acid) + maltodextrin placebo (7.5 g/day); (2) EVOO (30 mL/day; 296-300-mg caffeic acid) + maltodextrin placebo (7.5 g/day); or (3) EVOO + prebiotic (EVOO + PREB; 30 mL/day + 7.5 g/day). Everyone followed co-created dietary and physical activity recommendations. A 12-week follow-up after intervention cessation was assessed. Thirty-eight participants (69.6 ± 4.1 years; 31 women) with probable sarcopenia were assigned to ROO (n = 13), EVOO (n = 14) or EVOO + PREB (n = 11) intervention groups. At the end-of-intervention, assessed by ultrasound, EVOO + PREB compared to EVOO significantly increased muscle thickness of the quadriceps in females, mean (95% CI) (0.230 cm [0.008; 0.45], p = 0.044), cross-sectional area of the rectus femoris in all populations (0.827 cm2 [0.16; 1.5], p = 0.017) and females (0.569 cm2 [-1.0; -0.08], p = 0.024), and rectus femoris muscle thickness in all population (0.195 cm [0.04; 0.35] p = 0.015) and females (0.179 cm [0.05; 0.31] p = 0.009). Also, EVOO + PREB compared to ROO increased the cross-sectional area of the rectus femoris (0.579 cm2 [0.07; 1.1], p = 0.026) and rectus femoris muscle thickness (0.133 cm [0.00; 0.27], p = 0.050) in females. At 12-week follow-up, EVOO and EVOO + PREB, compared to ROO, significantly increased skeletal muscle mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass in all populations assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Also, EVOO, compared to ROO, significantly increased skeletal muscle mass index and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index. In addition, at 12-week follow-up, EVOO, compared to ROO, improved the overall quality of life score in females. Consuming phenolic-rich EVOO, alone or combined with prebiotics, improved muscle mass assessed by ultrasound at the end-of-intervention and by BIA at 12-week follow-up. Further studies are needed to confirm these promising results. Registration number: NCT05485402; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05485402; registration date: 03/08/2022.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with prebiotic (fructooligosaccharide) and probiotic (Lactobacillus rhamnosus NCDC 298) on broiler chickens' growth performance and gut health.A total of 216 Ven Cobb 400 day old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary groups: basal diet (control), antibiotic at 500 g/ton feed (AGP), prebiotic (PRE), and probiotic (PRO) @ 1 mL/day/bird in drinking water.Body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratios were monitored weekly for 42 days.Blood biochemistry and immune response were assessed at specific time points.Carcass traits, gut microbiome, and gut morphology were examined at the end of the trial.The results showed that probiotic and prebiotic supplementation significantly increased final body weight and average daily gain compared to the control group.The probiotic group also had an improved feed conversion ratio.Feed intake, carcass traits, blood biochemistry, and antibody titers for infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) were not affected by the treatments.Total E. coli counts were lower in the probiotic and prebiotic groups, while total Salmonella counts were lower and Lactobacillus counts were higher in the probiotic group.Crypt depth in the duodenum was lower in the probiotic group, while the villi height to crypt depth ratio was higher.In conclusion, probiotic and prebiotic supplementation could be a promising alternative to antimicrobials in broiler production.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of prebiotics and probiotics on colorectal cancer (CRC) progression in an AOM/DSS-induced mouse model. In AOM/DSS-induced mouse model, treatment groups received either S. herbacea as a prebiotic (PRE) or in combination with Lactobacillus plantarum as a probiotic (PRO). PCNA, Ki-67, β-catenin, c-Myc, and Nrf2 were evaluated using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The impact on polyp formation and progression was assessed by categorizing polyps according to their size. Both PRE and PRO treatments resulted in a significant reduction in large polyp formation when compared to AOM/DSS induced control group. IHC analyses demonstrated reduced biomarker expression for cell proliferation in PRE and PRO groups, specifically showing decreased staining for PCNA, Ki-67, β-catenin, and c-Myc, indicating downregulation of Wnt signaling and suppressed cell proliferation. Reduced Nrf2 expression highlights the impact of treatments interfering with cancer cell defenses. Notably, there were no significant differences in the outcomes between PRE and PRO groups, suggesting that prebiotics show anticancer effects. The study suggests that S. herbacea, a prebiotic, effectively suppresses CRC progression, with limited additional benefits from combining with probiotics. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of prebiotics in CRC.

Diet affects peripheral blood flow and the control mechanisms for microcirculation. Our objective was to determine the extent to which the five main control mechanisms of cutaneous microcirculation i.e., cardiac, respiratory, myogenic, neurogenic, and metabolic factors are affected by poor diet and prebiotic intake, and the associated changes in gut microbiome. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, 6-8 weeks old, were randomly allocated to four groups (n=7 each): Group 1 – Regular-diet (CON), Group 2 – Cafeteria-diet (CAF), Group 3 - Regular-diet with inulin prebiotic (PRE), and Group 4 – Cafeteria-diet with prebiotic (PRE-CAF). Groups 1 and 3 received standard rat chow with macronutrient content (kcal) of 75.9% carbohydrates, 14.1% protein and 10% fat. Groups 2 and 4 had access to 200 ml of commercial soft drink; they also received standard chow plus a CAF diet consisting of white-bread, canned-sausages, and cookies with macronutrient content (kcal) of 38% carbohydrates, 14% protein and 48% fat. Groups 3 and 4 were given a 10 % (w/w) inulin prebiotic dissolved in the water or drink. Food, water and soft drink were available ad libitum and supplied daily for six months. Faecal samples were collected from rats during experimental weeks 0 to13. The composition of gut microbiome was determined using 16S rRNA analysis. At the end of six months, Laser-Doppler Flowmetry was recorded from the palmar surface of the forepaw while maintaining the rat’s body temperature at 35–37oC with a heating blanket. Perfusion analysis was used to estimate the microvascular blood flow within the selected region of interest. The spectral composition of flowmotion was analysed with Continuous Wavelet Transform using the Morlet mother wavelet. We used the following published frequency bands for rats for the spectral analysis for the control of microvascular flowmotion: cardiac (2-5 Hz), respiratory (0.7-2 Hz), myogenic (0.2–0.7 Hz), neurogenic (0.08–0.2 Hz), and metabolic control (0.01–0.08 Hz). Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS using ANOVA and post-hoc analyses; p &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The mean (±SEM) weights (g) of the rats after six months were: CON (537±44), PRE (510±54), CAF (640±43) and PRE-CAF (608±73); there was significant increase in weight of the CAF group compared to the CON, and of the PRE-CAF group compared to the PRE group. Skin perfusion was significantly lower in the CAF group compared to the CON group or the PRE-CAF group. Compared to the CON group, the CAF group had significant decreases in all the wavelet bands. Additionally, there were significant decreases in the myogenic, neurogenic and metabolic bands in the CAF group compared to the PRE-CAF group. There were no significant differences between the CON and PRE groups in the perfusion or any of the wavelet parameters. Analysis of the microbiome showed Allobaculum spp., Bifidobacterium spp. and Coriobacteriaceae UCG-02 were significantly more abundant in the prebiotic groups. Funding provided by UWI, Trinidad This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Prebiotic Consumption Alters Microbiota but Not Biological Markers of Stress and Inflammation or Mental Health Symptoms in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Controlled, Crossover Trial

This study aimed to produce a new Brazilian Coalho buffalo cheese with 45% cow milk and potential functional through inulin and Lactobacillus plantarum addition. The Four treatments were made: the control (CTL) without functional ingredients, prebiotic (PRE) with Inulin, probiotic (PRO) with L. plantarum, and symbiotic (SYM) with both Inulin and L. plantarum. The starter culture (Lactococcus spp.) and L. plantarum viability and pH were analyzed during cheese ripening (0, 4, 8, and 10 days). While moisture, fat, and fat in the dry matter parameters were evaluated after ten days of storage ripening. During the ripening, the Lactococcus spp. growth was significant in the first eight days. The starter culture stabilized in counts above 7.1 log UFC.g-1. In the same period, L. plantarum was no growth ( 10) neither in PRO nor SYM treatments. The higher Lactococcus spp. counts (up to 10.6 Log UFC.g-1) in PRE and PRO cheeses leads to the most intense pH decrease (5.4) during the ripening. All treatments pointed to a moisture content between 38.09% to 40.49% and classified as Brazilian Coalho cheeses. The PRE had a higher FDM content (42.66%), while the lowest values were from SYM (35.53%). Thus, inulin addition does not negatively affect parameters tested, indicating a good fiber source for prebiotic semi-cooked and semi-hard cheeses. The L. plantarum viability was compromised during the process. Future studies about temperature adaptation, previous activation of strains or even encapsulation techniques associated with starter function should be evaluated to draw the best inoculation strategies for this probiotic for Coalho buffalo cheese.

Atopic dermatitis mostly starts with children in early life. Besides the aetiological factors, like environmental, dietary or medical exposures, gut-skin axis microbiome studies have an impact to investigate and to understand the relation between the gut microbiome and changes to the skin microbiom as well as resulting skin diseases like atopic dermatitis. Infants start forming their microbiome in early life and some studies suggest that this phase has a crucial role in AD development. Balanced bacterial composition is important to maintain healthy skin as the gut microbiome dysbiosis may result in dramatic shifting in the skin microbiome that gives better chance for some bacteria, such as staphylococcus aureus, to prevail which has been reported to contribute to AD development. Among several factors, immunological activity has a strong relation to microbiome, changed composition and AD development. Supplements of prebiotic and probiotic could be a positive treatment approach. More studies regarding the gut-skin axis microbiome in general and diseases associated with microbiome, such as AD, are needed.

Protective effect of inulin on thermally treated acerola juice: in vitro bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds

Pectinase or pectinolytic enzyme is a complex enzyme with different catalytic units including polygalacturonase, pectin esterase and pectin lyase to degrade pectin polymers into different end products. The pectinase with degrading capability of pectin can be utilized in various industrial applications, such as clarification of fruits and vegetable juices, degumming of plant bast fibers, textile industries for removing non-cellulosic impurities, papermaking industries, wine clarification, coffee and tea fermentation, wastewater treatment, as well as, it is also used for the isolation of protoplasm in plant science research. Pectin derived oligosaccharides (POS) produced by pectinase are considered as prebiotic molecules. However, the low operational stability in harsh industrial conditions confines the utilization of pectinase in industrial processes. Immobilization is the technique, which not only enhanced the stability of pectinase, but also, made the enzyme reusable for continuous industrial processes. The current review shares information about the pectinase and how the immobilization technology can enhance the industrial application of pectinase. Furthermore, various supports such as sodium alginate, agar-agar, polyacrylamide, aminated silica gel, nanocomposite microspheres, silica coated chitosan, nylon-6, porous glass etc. have been tested for the immobilization of pectinase through different methods, including entrapment, binding to a support and enzyme crosslinking. HIGHLIGHTS • Pectinase is a complex enzyme with different catalytic units including polygalacturonase, pectin esterase and pectin lyase. • Pectinase immobilization enhanced the stability of pectinase and made the enzyme reusable for continuous industrial processes. • Entrapment, binding to a support and enzyme crosslinking are the common methods used for the immobilization of pectinase.

This is the template Python script that can be used to replicate the results in the paper "An ecological framework for the analysis of prebiotic chemical reaction networks". Please refer to the script for more details.

Antibiotics in early life disrupt microbiota and increase obesity risk. Dietary agents such as prebiotics may reduce obesity risk. The authors examine how antibiotics administered with/without prebiotic oligofructose, alter metabolic and microbial outcomes in pregnant rats and their offspring. Pregnant rats are randomized to: 1) Control, 2) Antibiotic (ABT), 3) Prebiotic (PRE), 4) Antibiotic+Prebiotic (ABT+PRE) during the 3rd week of pregnancy and lactation. Offspring were fed a high fat/high sucrose (HFS) diet from 9-17 weeks of age to unmask obesity risk. ABT dams had higher body weight, body fat and leptin during lactation than all other groups. Prebiotics attenuate these outcomes and increase cecal Bifidobacterium. ABT offspring have higher body weight, fat mass, and liver triglycerides after HFS diet, with a stronger phenotype in males; prebiotics attenuate these. At weaning, male ABT offspring have lower Lactobacillus while PRE and ABT+PRE offspring had higher Bifidobacterium and Collinsella. Fecal microbiota transfer of adult offspring cecal matter could not reliably transfer the obese ABT phenotype. Antibiotic use during pregnancy/lactation increases adiposity and impairs post-partum weight loss in dams. Co-administering prebiotics with antibiotics in rat dams prevented obesity risk in offspring and is associated with altered gut microbiota.

Concise Commentary: Prebiotic, Probiotic, Whatever—It’s All Good for IBS-C

Stevia is a natural low-calorie sweetener that is growing in popularity in food and beverage products. Despite its widespread use, little is understood of its impact on the gut microbiota, an important environmental factor that can mediate metabolism and subsequent obesity and disease risk. Furthermore, given previous reports of dysbiosis with some artificial low-calorie sweeteners, we wanted to understand whether prebiotic consumption could rescue potential stevia-mediated changes in gut microbiota. Three-week old male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomized to consume: (1) Water (CTR); (2) Rebaudioside A (STV); (3) prebiotic (PRE); (4) Rebaudioside A + prebiotic (SP) (n = 8/group) for 9 weeks. Rebaudioside was added to drinking water and prebiotic oligofructose-enriched inulin added to control diet (10%). Body weight and feces were collected weekly and food and fluid intake biweekly. Oral glucose and insulin tolerance tests, gut permeability tests, dual X-ray absorptiometry, and tissue harvest were performed at age 12 weeks. Rebaudioside A consumption alone did not alter weight gain or glucose tolerance compared to CTR. Rebaudioside A did, however, alter gut microbiota composition and reduce nucleus accumbens tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter mRNA levels compared to CTR. Prebiotic animals, alone or with Rebaudioside A, had reduced fat mass, food intake, and gut permeability and cecal SCFA concentration. Adding Rebaudioside A did not interfere with the benefits of the prebiotic except for a significant reduction in cecal weight. Long-term low-dose Rebaudioside A consumption had little effect on glucose metabolism and weight gain; however, its impact on gut microbial taxa should be further examined in populations exhibiting dysbiosis such as obesity.

Quantum chemical simulations have matured enough to describe real systems with an accuracy that competes with experiments. Several existing quantum chemical studies supporting exoplanetary science are described, and the potential impacts of improved models associated with scientific goals of missions are addressed.

Prebiotic Link between RNA and DNA

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of prebiotic, probiotic and synbiotic supplementation on liver histopathology and TLR-4, NFκB and TNF-α gene expression involved in the inflammatory cascade and pathogenesis of experimental nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Design/methodology/approach Wistar male adult rats (n = 40) were submitted to hypercholesterolemic conditions (60 days). On Day 30 of hypercholesterolemic conditions, rats were subdivided in five groups: negative control (NC), positive control (PC), prebiotic (PRE), probiotic (PRO) and synbiotic (SYN). All rats were sacrificed on Day 60. Liver tissue was used to verify histopathological changes and gene expression. Gene expression of TLR-4, TNF-α and NFκB was evaluated in liver tissue using RT-qPCR. Findings Histopathological analysis: PC showed more changes than NC, and PRE and SYN showed fewer alterations than PC. Gene expression analysis: PRE showed higher TLR-4, and NFκB and TNF-α compared to PC. Also, PRE showed higher TLR-4 when compared to PRO and SYN. SYN group revealed higher TLR-4 and NFκB expressions compared to PC. PRO group also showed higher NFκB expression compared to PC. Originality/value NAFLD is a significant health concern, and it found that prebiotic, probiotic and synbiotic supplementation could have positive effects as a nonpharmacological approach to control this disease.

New Therapeutic Agents to Treat Obesity and Its Related Disorders: Prebiotic, Probiotic and Synbiotic Supplementation

Tizenhat éve születtek meg a szakemberek, az ipar és a fogyasztók számára a FAO/WHO által készített ajánlások és irányelvek a pre- és probiotikumokról (Pineiro és Ben Embarek, 2006). Mindemellett a fejlett országokban egyre nagyobb társadalmi hangsúlyt kap a tudatos táplálkozás, az egészségmegőrzés és a betegségmegelőzés. Továbbá a 1831/2003/EK európai parlamenti és tanácsi rendeletben a Tudományos Operatív Bizottság betiltotta az antibiotikumok hozamfokozó céllal történő felhasználását a takarmányokban. A döntés hatására rohamos fejlődésnek indult az antibiotikum kiváltására szolgáló, egészségmegőrző, betegség megelőző hatással bíró készítmények kutatása az élelmiszer- és takarmányiparban egyaránt. A prebiotikus és probiotikus fogalommal való visszaélés elkerülésének érdekében pontos szabályozásra van szükség a termékek leírására vonatkozóan. Az (EU) 258/97/EK európai parlamenti és tanácsi rendeletben jelenik meg első alkalommal az új élelmiszer és az új élelmiszer-összetevő fogalma. Ez a rendelet az, amely első ízben foglalkozik a mikroorganizmusok, mint élelmiszeralkotók élelmiszerláncba kerülésével. A pre- és probiotikumok a szervezetre gyakorolt jótékony hatásuknak köszönhetően jelen vannak az élelmiszer- és takarmányiparban egyaránt, így a két terület szabályozása sok esetben összeolvad. Erre jó példa a 178/2002/EK európai parlamenti és tanácsi rendelet, amely egyaránt rendelkezik az élelmiszerellátásról, takarmányozásról, ezek biztonsági feltételeiről valamint humán és állategészségügyi aspektusokról. Az élelmiszerbiztonság a világ minden országában fontos tényező. Minden ország rendelkezik olyan hatósággal, amelynek feladata az ide vonatkozó szabályok megteremtése, betartatása, felülvizsgálata. Az EU-ban az EFSA által hozott rendeletek, az USA-ban a GRAS minősítés, Japánban a FOSHU kategóriára vonatkozó rendelkezések, míg Kanadában az élelmiszereket érintő biztonsági értékelési rendszer. Az International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) pedig egy olyan nemzetközi tudományos társaság, amely segít a pre- és probiotikumok használatára vonatkozó tudományos szakvélemények megalkotásában. Jelen áttekintés segít bepillantást nyerni az EU és más országok élelmiszer- és takarmányjogi szabályozásának rendszerébe és azok kialakulásába.

To evaluate the effect of the prebiotic (PREB) mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) on the progression of the experimental periodontitis (EP) and intestinal morphology in rats. Forty rats were randomly allocated into groups (n=10): C (control), PREB, EP and EP-PREB. Groups PREB and EP-PREB received MOS incorporated into the feed daily. After 30days, groups EP and EP-PREB received a cotton ligature around their mandibular first molars, kept for 14days. Morphometrical, histomorphometrical, microcomputed tomography, gene expression analyses and immunohistochemistry were performed. Data were statistically analysed (p<0.05). Group EP-PREB showed less interproximal bone loss, area without bone in the furcation and bone porosity, and greater bone mineral density than group EP (p<0.05). It was also observed a significant decrease in IL-10 and IFN-γ gene expression, besides a decrease in TNF-α and IL-1β and an increase in TGF-β immunolabeling score for group EP-PREB. Group EP-PREB also presented villous height and crept depth values similar to group C, while group EP presented reduced values (p<0.05). It can be concluded that the oral administration of MOS promotes a protective effect against alveolar bone loss caused by EP in rats, modifying histologic and immune-inflammatory parameters, in addition to protecting the intestine.