Ability of Lactobacillus kefiri LKF01 (DSM32079) to colonize the intestinal environment and modify the gut microbiota composition of healthy individuals

A study on the relationship between gut microbiota and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Objective

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a pregnancy-specific liver disease associated with a high incidence of complications in the mid and late stages of gestation. This study investigates differences in the composition of intestinal flora among pregnant women diagnosed with ICP, employing Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology.

Methods

This case-control study obtained patient data from the hospital information system (HIS) and the laboratory information system (LIS). Fecal samples were collected from 25 pregnant women who did not undergo intestinal preparation before delivery between December 2020 and March 2021. Whole-genome analysis was performed. PCR was used to amplify the 16S rRNA V3-V4 variable region, which was then sequenced. Alpha and beta diversity were computed, and the maternal intestinal flora's abundance and composition characteristics were analyzed. Differences in intestinal flora between the two sample groups were examined.

Results

Bacteroides and Proteobacteria exhibited positive correlations with TBIL and IBIL. Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Erysipeiotrichi showed positive correlations with TBIL, IBIL, and DBIL, while Lactobacillus, Delftia, and Odoribacter demonstrated positive correlations with ALT.

Conclusion

The ICP group displayed significantly higher levels of total bile acid and ALT compared to the control group. The intestinal flora composition comprised four primary phyla: Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria. ICP patients exhibited a lower relative abundance of intestinal flora across different levels of community composition when compared to the control group. Specific correlations between certain intestinal flora and clinical liver parameters were identified.

Dietary Supplementation with Lysozyme-Cinnamaldehyde Conjugates Enhances Feed Conversion Efficiency by Improving Intestinal Health and Modulating the Gut Microbiota in Weaned Piglets Infected with Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of lysozyme-cinnamaldehyde conjugates (LC) as a potential alternative to antibiotics in treating piglets infected with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). The results demonstrated that piglets fed with the LC diet exhibited lower rectal temperature and fecal scores at 9 h, 24 h, and 48 h post-ETEC challenge. Furthermore, LC supplementation led to significant improvements in the mechanical and immune barriers of the jejunum and ileum, as indicated by an increased villi-height-to-crypt-depth ratio (VCR) and the expression of tight junction proteins, mucin, and β-defensins. Furthermore, the LC diet lowered the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β in the plasma. Further analyses showed that the LC diet downregulated genes (specifically TLR4 and MyD88) linked to the TLRs/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in the small intestine. Additionally, 16SrDNA sequencing data revealed that LC supplementation increased the α diversity of intestinal microorganisms and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus. In summary, the LC-supplemented diet effectively mitigated the adverse effects of E. coli K88, including intestinal barrier damage and inflammation. Furthermore, it improved the structure of the intestinal flora, ultimately contributing to better growth performance in piglets.

Effect of Lactobacillus kefiri, in Conjunction with PENS T6 and a Hypocaloric Diet, on Weight Loss, Hypertension and Laboratory Glycemic and Lipid Profile

The pathogenesis of obesity has been linked to alterations in gut microorganisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus kefiri, together with PENS T6 and a hypocaloric diet, on weight loss, hypertension and laboratory glycemic and lipid profile. A prospective non-randomized study was conducted involving adult patients with a body mass index (BMI) > 30 kg/m2. Patients were divided into two groups: those undergoing PENS-T6 and hypocaloric diet (PENS-Diet Group) and those undergoing the same PENS-T6 scheme and hypocaloric diet, but additionally receiving probiotics including Lactobacillus kefiri (PENS-Diet + L. kefiri Group). Weight loss was assessed at the end of the treatment, and analytical glycemic and lipid profile, and microbiological analysis of feces were performed before and after treatment. The addition of Lactobacillus kefiri to PENS T6 and a low-calorie diet, increases weight loss and further improves the glycemic and lipid profile. L. kefiri also causes a further improvement in obesity-associated dysbiosis, mainly by increasing the muconutritive (Akkermansia muciniphila) and regulatory (Bifidobacterium spp.) microbiome, and the Phylum Bacteroidetes (Prevotella spp.) and decreasing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio.

Changes in the gut microbiota composition of healthy young volunteers after administration of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRa05: A placebo-controlled study

The gut microbiota promotes gastrointestinal health in humans; however, the effect of probiotics on the gut microbiota of healthy adults has not been documented clearly. This placebo-controlled study was conducted to assess the effect of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRa05 supplementation on the gut microbiota of healthy adults. The subjects (N = 100) were randomized 1:1 to receive (1) maltodextrin (placebo, CTL group) and (2) maltodextrin + strain LRa05 (1 × 1010 colony-forming units/day, LRa05 group). The duration of the intervention was 4 weeks, and changes in the gut microbiota from before to after the intervention were investigated using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. In terms of alpha diversity, no significant difference in the composition of the gut microbiota was found between the LRa05 and CTL groups. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis showed that the relative abundance of Lacticaseibacillus significantly increased after supplementation with LRa05. Furthermore, a decreasing trend in the abundance of Sellimonas and a significant decrease in the salmonella infection pathway were observed in the LRa05 group compared with the CTL group. These findings indicate the potential of LRa05 to colonize the human gut and reduce the abundance of harmful bacteria in the microbiota.

Employing pigs to decipher the host genetic effect on gut microbiome: advantages, challenges, and perspectives

The gut microbiota is a complex and diverse ecosystem comprised of trillions of microbes and plays an essential role in host's immunity, metabolism, and even behaviors. Environmental and host factors drive the huge variations in the gut microbiome among individuals. Here, we summarize accumulated evidences about host genetic effect on the gut microbial compositions with emphases on the correlation between host genetic kinship and the similarity of microbial compositions, heritability estimates of microbial taxa, and identification of genomic variants associated with the gut microbiome in pigs as well as in humans. A proportion of bacterial taxa have been reported to be heritable, and numerous variants associated with the diversity of the gut microbiota or specific taxa have been identified in both humans and pigs. LCT and ABO gene have been replicated in multiple studies, and its mechanism have been elucidated clearly. We also discuss the main advantages and challenges using pigs as experimental animals in exploring host genetic effect on the gut microbial composition and provided our insights on the perspectives in this area.

Food-Grade Bacteria Combat Pathogens by Blocking AHL-Mediated Quorum Sensing and Biofilm Formation

Disrupting bacterial quorum sensing (QS) signaling is a promising strategy to combat pathogenic biofilms without the development of antibiotic resistance. Here, we report that food-associated bacteria can interfere with the biofilm formation of a Gram-negative pathogenic bacterium by targeting its AHL (acyl-homoserine lactone) QS system. This was demonstrated by screening metabolic end-products of different lactobacilli and propionibacteria using Gram-negative and biofilm-forming Chromobacterium violaceum as the QS reporter and our anti-QS microscale screening platform with necessary modifications. The method was optimized in terms of the inoculation technique and the concentrations of D-glucose and L-tryptophan, two key factors controlling the synthesis of violacein, a purple pigment indicating the activation of the QS system in C. violaceum. These improvements resulted in ca. 16-times higher violacein yields and enabled revealing anti-QS effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lentilactobacillus kefiri, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Propionibacterium freudenreichii, including new cheese-associated strains. Our findings also suggest that acetate and propionate excreted by these species are the main factors that interrupt the QS-mediated signaling and subsequent biofilm growth without affecting the cell viability of the C. violaceum reporter. Thus, the present study reports a revised anti-QS screening method to accurately define new bacteria with an ability to combat pathogens in a safe and sustainable way.

Assessment of the microbiological origin of blowing defects in Grana Padano Protected Designation of Origin cheese

Recognized worldwide for its history, flavor, and high nutritional quality, Grana Padano (GP) is one of the most traditional Italian raw-milk, hard-cooked, long-ripened cheese. Throughout GP manufacturing, some well-known and undesired bacterial species, such as clostridia, can proliferate and lead to spoilage defects that mischaracterize the final product; however, little is known about the development of late-blowing defects in hard cheese samples without clostridia. Therefore, in this study we aimed to use metataxonomic analysis to identify bacterial taxa associated with the development of late-blowing defect in GP samples. Furthermore, the presence of several heterofermentative lactobacilli species in defective zones were verified by primer-specific PCR assay. Considering α- and β-diversity analyses, no statistically significant differences were detected between cheese samples with and without blowing defect. Following taxonomic assignment, Lactobacillus and Streptococcus were the dominant genera, whereas clostridia-related taxa were not detected in any of the 20 analyzed samples. Using EdgeR, the genera Propionibacterium and Acinetobacter were found to be prevalently more abundant in samples categorized as having "big regular holes." In samples with "small regular holes," multiplex PCR amplification revealed differences in terms of Lactobacillus population composition, mainly obligate homofermentative lactobacilli, between defective and non-defective zones of the same cheese wheel. This study demonstrated that GP samples with blowing defects not caused by clostridial development share similar biodiversity indices with GP collected from control zones, but an imbalance of obligate homofermentative lactobacilli was noticed between samples, which requires further analysis to better comprehend the exact mechanism involved in this process.

Potentiality of Food-Isolated Lentilactobacillus kefiri Strains as Probiotics: State-of-Art and Perspectives

Lentilactobacillus kefiri is one of the main lactic acid bacteria species in kefir and it was also isolated from other fermented foods. Numerous strains have been isolated and characterized regarding its potential as probiotics for the development of novel functional foods. To our knowledge this is the first review focused on highlighting safety aspects and health beneficial effects reported for L. kefiri strains. Several L. kefiri strains lack of transmissible antibiotic resistance genes, are tolerant to the harsh conditions of the gastrointestinal environment, and could resist different preservation procedures. Moreover, many of the isolated strains have shown antimicrobial activity against pathogens and their toxins, exhibited immunomodulatory activity as well as induced some beneficial effects at metabolic level. Regarding all the scientific evidence, certain L. kefiri strains emerge as excellent candidates to be applied to the development of both food supplements and new fermented foods with health-promoting properties. However, the availability of genomic information is still very limited, so much more work must be done in order to explore the potentiality of L. kefiri as a probiotic and a source of bioactive metabolites.

The Effects of Chinese Medicine QRD, Antibiotics, and Probiotics on Therapy and Gut Microbiota in Septic Rats

Sepsis is a common and often treacherous medical emergency with a high mortality and long-term complications in survivors. Though antibiotic therapy can reduce death rate of sepsis significantly, it impairs gut microbiota (GM), which play imperative roles in human health. In this study, we compared the therapeutic effects of antibiotics, probiotics, and Chinese medicine QRD on the survival rates of septic model and observed the GM characteristics of experimental rats via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The 72 h survival rates of septic rat demonstrated the significant therapeutic effects in the three groups treated with antibiotics (AT), Chinses medicine QRD (QT), and probiotics (PT), which were elevated from the survival rate of 26.67% for the sepsis control group (ST) to 100.0% for AT, 88.24% for QT, and 58.33% for PT. The original characteristics of GM identified in the sham operation controls (SC) were relatively similar to those in PT and QT; nevertheless, the AT rats were shown dramatically decreased in the GM diversity. In addition, the septic rats in AT were revealed the higher abundances of Escherichia Shigella, Proteus, Morganella, Enterococcus, and Lysinibacillus, but the lower those of Parabacteroides, Alistipes, Desulfovibrio, Bacteroides, Helicobacter, Mucispirillum, Oscillibacter, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminiclostridium 9, when compared to the PT and QT rats. By contrast, the GM of PT and QT rats shared similar diversity and structure. Our findings indicated that QRD increased the survival rates without impairment of the GM characteristics, which provides novel insights into the role of Chinese medicine in therapy and long-term recovery of sepsis.

Quantitative Detection of Bifidobacterium longum Strains in Feces Using Strain-Specific Primers

We adopted a bioinformatics-based technique to identify strain-specific markers, which were then used to quantify the abundances of three distinct B. longum sup. longum strains in fecal samples of humans and mice. A pangenome analysis of 205 B. longum sup. longum genomes revealed the accumulation of considerable strain-specific genes within this species; specifically, 28.7% of the total identified genes were strain-specific. We identified 32, 14, and 49 genes specific to B. longum sup. longum RG4-1, B. longum sup. longum M1-20-R01-3, and B. longum sup. longum FGSZY6M4, respectively. After performing an in silico validation of these strain-specific markers using a nucleotide BLAST against both the B. longum sup. longum genome database and an NR/NT database, RG4-1_01874 (1331 bp), M1-20-R01-3_00324 (1745 bp), and FGSZY6M4_01477 (1691 bp) were chosen as target genes for strain-specific quantification. The specificities of the qPCR primers were validated against 47 non-target microorganisms and fecal baseline microbiota to ensure that they produced no PCR amplification products. The performance of the qPCR primer-based analysis was further assessed using fecal samples. After oral administration, the target B. longum strains appeared to efficiently colonize both the human and mouse guts, with average population levels of >108 CFU/g feces. The bioinformatics pipeline proposed here can be applied to the quantification of various bacterial species.

Kefir and Its Biological Activities

Kefir is a fermented beverage with renowned probiotics that coexist in symbiotic association with other microorganisms in kefir grains. This beverage consumption is associated with a wide array of nutraceutical benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, and anti-hypercholesterolemic effects. Moreover, kefir can be adapted into different substrates which allow the production of new functional beverages to provide product diversification. Being safe and inexpensive, there is an immense global interest in kefir’s nutritional potential. Due to their promising benefits, kefir and kefir-like products have a great prospect for commercialization. This manuscript reviews the therapeutic aspects of kefir to date, and potential applications of kefir products in the health and food industries, along with the limitations. The literature reviewed here demonstrates that there is a growing demand for kefir as a functional food owing to a number of health-promoting properties.

Alterations of the Human Gut Microbiota in Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy

Background and Aims

Women with severe intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) are at higher risks of fetal complications and without effective treatments. Changes in gut microbiota in pregnancy were found to be related to the altered intestinal bile acid composition, so we aimed to explore the alterations of microbiota in the gut of ICP patients.

Methods

A total of 90 women were recruited, including 45 ICP patients and 45 healthy controls. The gut microbiota communities of ICP group were compared to control group through 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. The results were then confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and generalized linear model (GLM). Furthermore, we analyzed the relationships between microbiota and the severity of ICP.

Results

A total of seven genera and nine taxa with differential abundances between the ICP patients and the controls were identified. All of the seven genera were verified through real-time PCR, and three key genera Parabacteroides, Flavonifractor, and Megamonas were confirmed by using the GLM model. Further analysis found that the genera Escherichia_Shigella, Olsenella, and Turicibacter were enriched in the severe ICP group, the microbial gene function related to biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and propanoate metabolism were also increased in them.

Conclusions

Overall, our study was the first in Asia to demonstrate an association between gut microbiota and ICP. Our findings would contribute to a better understanding of the occurrence of ICP.

Lactobacillus Kefiri LKF01 (Kefibios®) for Prevention of Diarrhoea in Cancer Patients Treated with Chemotherapy: A Prospective Study

Diarrhoea is one of the main side effects that cancer patients face. The literature showsthat the incidence of chemotherapy (CT)-induced diarrhoea (grade 3–4) in treated patients is in the range of 10–20%, particularly after 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) bolus or some combination therapies of irinotecan and fluoropyrimidines. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of Lactobacillus kefiri LKF01 (Kefibios^®) in the prevention or treatment of CT-related diarrhoea in the cancer population. We conducted a prospective observational study. Patients enrolled were adults treated for at least four months with 5-FU-based CT. Kefibios^® was administered to patients every day. The primary outcome was the evaluation of the incidence of grade 3–4 CT-induced diarrhoea. We included 76 patients in the final analysis. A 6.6% incidence of high-grade diarrhoea was found in the evaluated population (4.7% of patients treated with 5-FU-based therapy and 8.5% of patients treated with capecitabine-based CT). The overall incidence of high-grade diarrhoea observed was higher in the 1st and 2nd cycles (3.9%), with a subsequent sharp reduction from the 3rd cycle (1.3%) and negativisation from the 5th cycle. Lactobacillus kefiri LKF01 (Kefibios^®) is safe and effective in preventing severe diarrhoea in cancer patients receiving 5-FU or capecitabine-based treatment.

Thermosonication as an alternative method for processing, extending the shelf life, and conserving the quality of pulque: A non-dairy Mexican fermented beverage

The aim of this study was to evaluate thermosonication as an alternative method for the pasteurization of pulque in order to improve its shelf life and retain its quality parameters. Thermosonication was carried out at 50 °C using amplitudes of 75% (for 6 and for 9 min), 85% (for 4 and for 6 min), and 95% (for 3 and for 5 min). These were the optimal conditions found for processing pulque by thermosonication. Physicochemical (acidity, color, alcohol content, and sensory analysis) and microbiological (lactic acid bacteria and yeasts) parameters were determined during 30 days for storage at 4 ± 1 °C. Conventional pasteurization (63 °C, 30 min) and raw pulque were used as controls. According to the results, the shelf life of pulque was extended up to 24 days storage at 4 °C. After this time, the quality of beverage decreased, due that the microbial load increases. Thermosonication treatments at 75% and 85% showed a higher content of LAB (6.58-6.77 log CFU/mL) and yeasts (7.08-7.27 log CFU/mL) than conventional pasteurization (3.64 log CFU/mL of LAB and 3.97 log CFU/mL of yeasts) at 24 days of storage. Raw pulque demonstrated up to 7.77 log CFU/mL of yeasts and 7.51 log CFU/mL of LAB. Pulque processed by thermosonication exhibited greater lightness, sensory acceptance, a maximal acidity of 0.83 g/lactic acid, and an alcohol content of 4.48-4.95% v/v. The thermosonication process preserves sensory and physicochemical properties better than conventional pasteurization. Lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus kefiri, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus hilgardii and yeasts such as Saccharomyces cereviasiae were identified in thermosonicated pulque.

Fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei Zhang and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis V9 alleviated constipation symptoms through regulation of intestinal microbiota, inflammation, and metabolic pathways

Studies suggest that probiotics and fermented milk can improve defecation in constipated patients. However, the mechanism of fermented milk containing probiotics on constipation remains poorly understood. Volunteers with chronic constipation symptoms were recruited and given 200 g/d of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei Zhang and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis V9 (PFM) for 4 wk. Clinical symptoms, cytokines, metagenomics, and metabolomics were evaluated in constipated participants before and after PFM intervention. After PFM intervention, we observed significant improvement of constipation symptoms. In the serum samples, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 increased and the proinflammatory cytokine C-reactive protein and lipopolysaccharides decreased. Metagenomics results showed that the increase of B. animalis was correlated with an increase in defecation frequency. Fatty acid biosynthesis and bile acid biosynthesis in stool samples as well as carnitine shuttle, vitamin E metabolism, and ascorbate and aldarate metabolism were identified as significantly altered metabolic pathways. Acylcarnitine, located on the carnitine shuttle pathway, had a significantly positive correlation with defecation frequency. It was speculated that PFM may contribute to alleviating constipation symptoms through 3 potential mechanisms: fine-tuning gastrointestinal microbiota, fighting inflammation, and regulating metabolic pathways.

Effect of regulating gut microbiota using probiotics on functional changes in the brain: protocol for a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

There is a growing number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that focus on functional changes in the brain detected by functional MRI (fMRI) and gut microbiota composition changes after using probiotics.However, the effect of probiotics on functional changes in the brain through gut microbiota remains controversial in existing RCTs. Furthermore, to our knowledge, there is no systematic review to evaluate the effect of probiotics on functional changes in the brain through gut microbiota. Therefore, we aim to summarise literatures evaluating the potential association between probiotics, gut microbiota and functional changes in the brain to elucidate whether probiotics influence gut microbiota and affect functional changes in the brain through gut microbiota.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, VIP Databases (the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database), SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE (The National Library of Medicine), EMBASE (Excerpt Medica Database), Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and ClinicalTrials.gov will be searched until July 2019. The Grey Literature in Europe (OpenSIGLE) database and Google search engine will also be used. The reference lists of each included study will be reviewed to determine whether there are any further relevant studies. RCTs using probiotics compared with a placebo/control will be included. We will use risk of bias assessment and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system to assess the quality of evidence. The results of the systematic review will be synthesised narratively in the domains of the three primary outcome measures: (1) Increased/decreased activity in brain regions or altered functional connectivity (FC) of brain detected by fMRI and their association with changes in behaviour, gastrointestinal/emotional symptoms after using probiotics. (2) Changes in composition and diversity of the gut microbiota and their association with changes in behaviour, gastrointestinal/emotional symptoms after using probiotics. (3) Increased/decreased activity in brain regions or altered FC of brain detected by fMRI and the changes in composition or diversity of the gut microbiota after administration of probiotics.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication. As no private and confidential patient data will be included in the reporting, there are no ethical considerations associated with this protocol.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019145114.

Microbiota and Lifestyle: A Special Focus on Diet

It is widely known that a good balance and healthy function for bacteria groups in the colon are necessary to maintain homeostasis and preserve health. However, the lack of consensus on what defines a healthy gut microbiota and the multitude of factors that influence human gut microbiota composition complicate the development of appropriate dietary recommendations for our gut microbiota. Furthermore, the varied response to the intake of probiotics and prebiotics observed in healthy adults suggests the existence of potential inter- and intra-individual factors, which might account for gut microbiota changes to a greater extent than diet. The changing dietary habits worldwide involving consumption of processed foods containing artificial ingredients, such as sweeteners; the coincident rise in emotional disorders; and the worsening of other lifestyle habits, such as smoking habits, drug consumption, and sleep, can together contribute to gut dysbiosis and health impairment, as well as the development of chronic diseases. This review summarizes the current literature on the effects of specific dietary ingredients (probiotics, prebiotics, alcohol, refined sugars and sweeteners, fats) in the gut microbiota of healthy adults and the potential inter- and intra-individual factors involved, as well as the influence of other potential lifestyle factors that are dramatically increasing nowadays.

Influence of Lactobacillus kefiri on Intestinal Microbiota and Fecal IgA Content of Healthy Dogs

The increasing incidence of gastrointestinal tract pathologies in dogs and the worrisome topic of antibiotic resistance have raised the need to look for new therapeutic frontiers. Of these, the use of probiotics represents a potential therapeutic alternative. Lactobacillus kefiri (Lk) is a species of Lactobacillus isolated from kefir. Previous studies have demonstrated that its administration in mice downregulates the expression of proinflammatory mediators and increases anti-inflammatory molecules in the gut immune system. It also regulates intestinal homeostasis, incrementing immunoglobulin A (IgA) secretion. Since Lk has never been studied as a single probiotic in dogs, the aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of Lk in dogs, and its effect on IgA secretion and on intestinal microbiota composition. Ten healthy dogs without a history of gastrointestinal diseases were included. The dogs received Lk at a dose of 10⁷ live microorganisms orally, once daily for 30 days. The fecal samples were tested before administration, in the middle, at the end, and 30 days after discontinuation. The IgA secretion concentration and the microbiota composition were evaluated on the fecal samples. The results in this study suggested that Lk did not influence the concentration of IgA, nor significant changes of the intestinal microbiota were observed during and after the treatment. Therefore, additional studies are needed to investigate if a higher daily dosage of Lk can influence the intestinal homeostasis of dogs.

Effect of administering kefir on the changes in fecal microbiota and symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Kefir is a kind of fermented probiotic dairy product. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of kefir consumption on the fecal microflora and symptoms of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Kefir was serially diluted and inoculated into de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe agar and incubated at 37°C for 48 to 72 h under anaerobic conditions. This was a single-center, prospective, open-label randomized controlled trial. Forty-five patients with IBD were classified into two groups: 25 for treatment and 20 for control. A 400 mL/day kefir was administered to the patients for 4 weeks day and night. Their stool Lactobacillus, Lactobacillus kefiri, content was quantitated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction before and after consumption. Abdominal pain, bloating, stool frequency, stool consistency, and feeling good scores were recorded in diaries daily by the patients.

RESULTS

A 5×107 CFU/mL count of lactic acid bacteria colony forming units was found in a kefir sample as the total average count. Lactobacillus bacterial load of feces of all subjects in the treatment group was between 104 and 109 CFU/g, and the first and last measurements were statistically significant (p=0.001 in ulcerative colitis and p=0.005 in Crohn's disease (CD)). The L. kefiri bacterial load in the stool of 17 subjects was measured as between 104 and 106 CFU/g. For patients with CD, there was a significant decrease in erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, whereas hemoglobin increased, and for the last 2 weeks, bloating scores were significantly reduced (p=0.012), and feeling good scores increased (p=0.032).

CONCLUSION

According to our data, kefir consumption may modulate gut microbiota, and regular consumption of kefir may improve the patient's quality of life in the short term.

The impact of raw fermented milk products on perceived health and mood among Dutch adults

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate health conditions prior to and at least two months after the start of consuming raw fermented milk (RFM) products.

Design/methodology/approach

One-Item health score, 1-item immunity score, immune status (ISQ), mood, bowel and skin conditions were rated for the period prior and post switching to RFM products. A linear mixed model was used to evaluate the post to prior RFM health and mood scores, taking into account gender, location of living and health group. Data from 390 participants (mean age of 54 years old) were included for the analysis, of which 277 (45 per cent) were allocated to the poor health group. Participants were allocated to the poor health group if they reported being immune depressed or suffering from a chronic disease prior to RFM; otherwise, they were allocated to the normal health group.

Findings

The highest intake of RFM was from RF kefir. Post RFM, people consumed around 1 glass (200 ml) of RF kefir per day. After switching to RFM, significant improvements on health and mood scores were reported. The strongest improvements after switching to RFM consumption were seen in subjects from the poor health group. With the exception of skin score, all measured health items significantly improved (p < 0.001). Health, immunity, bowel and mood scores increased with around 20 per cent in the poor health group and around 8 per cent in the normal health group. Women had more health complaints prior to RFM and had stronger health improvement post RFM compared to men. Bowel and mood scores were overall lower in women than in men. Living location had no significant impact on RFM-related health changes. This consumer survey suggests that positive health and mood changes are associated with the consumption of RFM products.

Originality/value

The consumption of RFM products improved the self-reported health status of adults. Immune-depressed people or people suffering from a chronic disease prior to RFM reported the strongest impact on their health, immunity, bowel and mood scores post switching RFM consumption compared to people with a normal health.

Fermented product of rice with Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens induces anti-aging effects and heat stress tolerance in nematodes via DAF-16

Rice kefiran is superior in functionality, has high concentration of mucilaginous polysaccharide, and low lipid content, compared to conventional kefiran. However, reports on its physiological functionality, especially studies on life expectancy and aging, in model organisms are rare. In this study, nematodes were used as model organisms that were fed rice kefiran, along with Escherichia coli OP50, as a result of which, the lifespan of nematodes was extended and age-related retardation of mobility was suppressed. It also increased the heat stress resistance in nematodes. Experiments using daf-16 deletion mutant revealed that rice kefiran functions via DAF-16. Thus, this study revealed the longevity, anti-aging and heat stress tolerance effects of rice kefiran in nematodes.

Supplementation of triple viable probiotics combined with dietary intervention is associated with gut microbial improvement in humans on a high-fat diet

Numerous animal studies have demonstrated that oral probiotics may have a beneficial role in preventing obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and even colorectal cancer, which are all associated with a high-fat diet (HFD). However, the underlying beneficial effects of combined probiotic and dietary intervention on the gut microbiota of 'non-patient' individuals previously on an HFD have yet to be fully elucidated. In the present study, fecal samples were obtained from 36 volunteers on a high-fat diet and after dietary intervention for 4 months, and 16S rDNA sequencing was applied to identify how probiotics and dietary intervention had altered the composition of the microbiota. The results demonstrated that probiotics treatment and dietary intervention in combination raised the diversity of lumen microbes compared with their individual applications. A markedly separated distribution (β-diversity) was observed, confirming the difference in gut microbiota composition among the treatment groups. Bacterial taxonomic analysis demonstrated that the relative abundance of 30 species was altered among the groups following dietary intervention and/or probiotic supplementation. The majority of the species that exhibited a population increase belonged to two butyrate-producing families, Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae, whereas the species with reduced populations mainly belonged to the Bacteroidaceae family. Collectively, these results suggest that combined probiotic and dietary intervention is able to improve the gut microbiota composition of human subjects on an HFD.

Dietary multi-enzyme complex improves In Vitro nutrient digestibility and hind gut microbial fermentation of pigs

This study was conducted in two stages to investigate the potential of multi-enzyme supplementation on the nutrient digestibility, growth performance, and gut microbial composition of pigs. In stage 1, effects of multi-enzyme complex (xylanase, α-amylase, β-glucanase, and protease) supplementation on the ileal and total tract dry matter (DM) digestibility of feed-stuffs were investigated with in vitro two-stage and three-stage enzyme incubation methods. A wide range of feed ingredients, namely, corn meal, wheat meal, soybean meal, fish meal, Oriental herbal extract, Italian rye-grass (IRG) and peanut hull were used as substrates. Supplementation of the multi-enzyme complex increased (P < 0.05) the digestibility of the Oriental herbal extract and corn meal. In stage 2, in vivo animal studies were performed to further investigate the effects of the dietary multi-enzyme complex on the nutrient utilization, growth performance, and fecal microbial composition of pigs. A total of 36 weaned pigs were fed corn- and soybean meal-based diets without (control) and with the multi-enzyme complex (treatment) for 6 weeks. Fecal samples were collected from 12 pigs to analyze the microbial communities by using DNA sequencing and bioinformatics tools. Multi-enzyme supplementation had no effect on apparent digestibility of nutrients and growth performance of pigs compared to control. Taxonomic analysis of the fecal samples indicated that the bacteria in both control and treatment samples predominantly belonged to Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. In addition, the proportion of the phylum Firmicutes was slightly higher in the treatment group. At the genus level, the abundance of Treponema and Barnesiella increased in the treatment group; whereas the numbers ofthe genera including Prevotella, Butyricicoccus, Ruminococcus and Succinivibrio decreased in the treatment group. These results suggest that multi-enzyme supplementation with basal diets have the potential to improve nutrient digestibility and modify microbial communities in the hind-gut of pigs.

Study of gastrointestinal tract viability and motility via modulation of serotonin in a zebrafish model by probiotics

Investigated gastrointestinal tract viability and effect of potential probiotics on intestinal motility and the synthesis of serotonin in a zebrafish model.

Semen hoveniae extract ameliorates alcohol-induced chronic liver damage in rats via modulation of the abnormalities of gut-liver axis

BACKGROUND

Hovenia dulcis Thunb. is considered as a traditional herbal medicine that has been used in the treatment for ethanol-induced liver disease for centuries. Recently, substantial studies demonstrated that Semen hoveniae extract (SHE) not only suppressed the hepatic steatosis caused by chronic ethanol exposure, but also inhibited lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory responses. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanisms largely remained elusive.

AIM

To determine the hepatoprotective effects of SHE on ethanol-triggered liver damage and further elucidate its potential mechanisms.

METHODS

In the present study, the Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with the Lieber-DeCarli diet containing alcohol or isocaloric maltose dextrin as control diet with or without SHE (300 and 600 mg/kg/d bw) for 8 weeks. The levels of serum biomarkers (ALT, AST and LDH) and LPS were detected by biochemical assay kits and endotoxin detection LAL kit, respectively. The histopathological changes of liver and intestinal tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and Transmission electron microscope (TEM). The expressions of CD14, TLR4, MyD88, NF-κB, Iκ-B, P-Iκ-B and TNF-α in liver, and ZO-1 and occludin in intestine were determined by western blot. The faecal microbial composition was determined by16S rRNA Gene Sequencing Analysis.

RESULTS

Biochemical and histopathological analysis revealed that SHE significantly alleviated the lipid deposition and inflammation response in liver induced by ethanol. SHE remarkably inhibited the TLR4 pathway and its downstream inflammatory mediators, and up-regulated the expressions of ZO-1 and occludin in the intestine. The further investigations suggested SHE dramatically reversed ethanol-induced alterations in the intestinal microbial flora and decreased the generation of gut-derived endotoxin.

CONCLUSION

In summary, SHE probably modulated abnormalities of gut-liver axis and inhibited TLR4-associated inflammatory mediators activation to exert its hepatoprotective properties. These findings suggested that SHE as a traditional therapeutic options which may play an essential role in protecting against the chronic ethanol-triggered liver injury.

Interactions among yeast and probiotic bacteria enhance probiotic properties and metabolism offering augmented protection to Artemia franciscana against Vibrio anguillarum

The interactions of the probiotics Bacillus subtilis, Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus plantarum with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were examined in terms of probiotic and biochemical characteristics. Yeast supernatant had a positive effect on the aggregation biofilm formation capacity and hydrophobicity of probiotics, and resulted in increased lactic acid levels, reduced pH values as well as lower RS and FAN levels of probiotics. The effect of probiotics supernatants on yeast was more complex but best results were obtained in the yeast: probiotic CFS ratio of 1:2 for B. subtilis and of 2:1 for the other probiotics. The observed effects depended on the volume ratio of the cell free supernatant to the culture it was applied on. Best results were obtained by the volume ratio probiotic: yeast of (2:1) for B. subtilis and of (1:2) probiotic: yeast for L. plantarum and L. lactis. These ratios were used for further evaluation in vitro against V. anguillarum, resulting in reduced survival and attachment properties of the pathogen. Moreover, the administration of the corresponding combination of bacteria and yeast to Artemia nauplii greatly improved their survival following a challenge with the pathogen. Our results demonstrate that yeast enhances the protective effect of probiotics in a strain specific manner.

Differences of lung microbiome in patients with clinically stable and exacerbated bronchiectasis

Background

Molecular-based diagnostic techniques can compensate for the inherent limitations of culture-based microbiology and provide a more comprehensive description of an entire community of bacteria at a particular anatomical site. Using culture-independent DNA-based molecular techniques, the aim of the present study was to characterize, differentiate, and compare the composition of lower airway bacterial microbiome between clinically stable and acutely infected patients with bronchiectasis experiencing exacerbation.

Methods

Patients with clinically stable bronchiectasis and those experiencing acutely exacerbated bronchiectasis were recruited. All patients underwent bronchoscopy. Paired sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples were collected for microbiological tests. Molecular analysis was performed for BAL samples using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing.

Results

The mean age of the 14 recruited patients was 60 years (range 42 to 78 years), and nine (64%) were female. Using quantitative culture and 16S rRNA sequencing, the common organisms identified from 14 BAL samples were Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Moraxella catarrhalis, and Prevotella. Molecular techniques revealed Prevotella and Veillonella as potentially pathogenic anaerobic species. 16S rRNA gene sequencing yielded similar relative abundances and distributions of taxa in the stable and exacerbated bronchiectasis groups. Alpha diversity with richness, Simpson’s and Shannon indices, and beta diversity using principal coordinate analysis revealed no significant differences in lung microbiome between patients with clinically stable and exacerbated bronchiectasis.

Conclusion

Culture-based microbiological and molecular-based techniques did not reveal significant differences in the lung microbiome of patients who were clinically stable and those experiencing exacerbated bronchiectasis. Patient-specific microbial communities were dominated by one or several genera, regardless of clinical status. DNA sequencing could identify potentially pathogenic organisms unable to be identified using microbiological methods.