1
|
Scicchitano D, Foresto L, Laczny CC, Cinti N, Vitagliano R, Halder R, Morri G, Turroni S, D'Amico F, Palladino G, Fiori J, Wilmes P, Rampelli S, Candela M. A 15-day pilot biodiversity intervention with horses in a farm system leads to gut microbiome rewilding in 10 urban Italian children. One Health 2024; 19:100902. [PMID: 39399231 PMCID: PMC11470462 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 09/20/2024] [Accepted: 09/22/2024] [Indexed: 10/15/2024] Open
Abstract
To provide some glimpses on the possibility of shaping the human gut microbiome (GM) through probiotic exchange with natural ecosystems, here we explored the impact of 15 days of daily interaction with horses on the GM of 10 urban-living Italian children. Specifically, the children were in close contact with the horses in an "educational farm", where they spent almost 10 h/day interacting with the animals. The children's GM was assessed before and after the horse interaction using metabarcoding sequencing and shotgun metagenomics, along with the horses' skin, oral and fecal microbiomes. Targeted metabolomic analysis for GM-produced beneficial metabolites (i.e., short-chain fatty acids) in the children's feces was also performed. Interaction with horses facilitated the acquisition of health-related traits in the children's GM, such as increased diversity, enhanced butyrate production and an increase in several health-promoting species considered to be next-generation probiotics. Among these, the butyrate producers Facecalibacterium prausnitzii and F. duncaniae and a species belonging to the order Christensenellales. Interaction with horses was also associated with increased proportions of Eggerthella lenta, Gordonibacter pamelae and G. urolithinfaciens, GM components known to play a role in the bioconversion of dietary plant polyphenols into beneficial metabolites. Notably, no increase in potentially harmful traits, including toxin genes, was observed. Overall, our pilot study provides some insights on the existence of possible health-promoting exchanges between children and horses microbiomes. It lays the groundwork for an implemented and more systematic enrollment effort to explore the full complexity of human GM rewilding through exchange with natural ecosystems, aligning with the One Health approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Scicchitano
- Unit of Microbiome Science and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Fano Marine Center, The Inter-Institute Center for Research on Marine Biodiversity, Resources and Biotechnologies, 61032 Fano, Italy
| | - Lucia Foresto
- Unit of Microbiome Science and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Fano Marine Center, The Inter-Institute Center for Research on Marine Biodiversity, Resources and Biotechnologies, 61032 Fano, Italy
| | - Cédric C. Laczny
- Systems Ecology Group, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Nicoló Cinti
- Unit of Microbiome Science and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Fano Marine Center, The Inter-Institute Center for Research on Marine Biodiversity, Resources and Biotechnologies, 61032 Fano, Italy
| | - Rosalba Vitagliano
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Rashi Halder
- Systems Ecology Group, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Gaja Morri
- Psy D., Psychotherapist, Psychoanalyst, via M. Serenari, 7, 40033 Casalecchio di Reno, Bologna, Italy
| | - Silvia Turroni
- Unit of Microbiome Science and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Federica D'Amico
- Unit of Microbiome Science and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgia Palladino
- Unit of Microbiome Science and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Fano Marine Center, The Inter-Institute Center for Research on Marine Biodiversity, Resources and Biotechnologies, 61032 Fano, Italy
| | - Jessica Fiori
- Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna (IRCCS), Laboratory of Proteomics Metabolomics and Bioanalitical Chemistry, 40124 Bologna, Italy
| | - Paul Wilmes
- Systems Ecology Group, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Simone Rampelli
- Unit of Microbiome Science and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Fano Marine Center, The Inter-Institute Center for Research on Marine Biodiversity, Resources and Biotechnologies, 61032 Fano, Italy
| | - Marco Candela
- Unit of Microbiome Science and Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Fano Marine Center, The Inter-Institute Center for Research on Marine Biodiversity, Resources and Biotechnologies, 61032 Fano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Grönroos M, Jumpponen A, Roslund MI, Nurminen N, Oikarinen S, Parajuli A, Laitinen OH, Cinek O, Kramna L, Rajaniemi J, Hyöty H, Puhakka R, Sinkkonen A. Using patterns of shared taxa to infer bacterial dispersal in human living environment in urban and rural areas. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024:e0090324. [PMID: 39230286 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00903-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Contact with environmental microbial communities primes the human immune system. Factors determining the distribution of microorganisms, such as dispersal, are thus important for human health. Here, we used the relative number of bacteria shared between environmental and human samples as a measure of bacterial dispersal and studied these associations with living environment and lifestyles. We analyzed amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) of the V4 region of 16S rDNA gene from 347 samples of doormat dust as well as samples of saliva, skin swabs, and feces from 53 elderly people in urban and rural areas in Finland at three timepoints. We first enumerated the ASVs shared between doormat and one of the human sample types (i.e., saliva, skin swab, or feces) of each individual subject and calculated the shared ASVs as a proportion of all ASVs in the given sample type of that individual. We observed that the patterns for the proportions of shared ASVs differed among seasons and human sample type. In skin samples, there was a negative association between the proportion of shared ASVs and the coverage of built environment (a proxy for degree of urbanization), whereas in saliva data, this association was positive. We discuss these findings in the context of differing species pools in urban and rural environments. IMPORTANCE Understanding how environmental microorganisms reach and interact with humans is a key question when aiming to increase human contacts with natural microbiota. Few methods are suitable for studying microbial dispersal at relatively large spatial scales. Thus, we tested an indirect method and studied patterns of bacterial taxa that are shared between humans and their living environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Grönroos
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Lahti, Finland
| | - A Jumpponen
- Division of Biology and Ecological Genomics Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - M I Roslund
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland
| | - N Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - S Oikarinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - A Parajuli
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Lahti, Finland
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - O H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - O Cinek
- Department of Medical Microbiology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - L Kramna
- Department of Medical Microbiology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - J Rajaniemi
- Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - H Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland
| | - R Puhakka
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Lahti, Finland
| | - A Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Roslund MI, Nurminen N, Oikarinen S, Puhakka R, Grönroos M, Puustinen L, Kummola L, Parajuli A, Cinek O, Laitinen OH, Hyöty H, Sinkkonen A. Skin exposure to soil microbiota elicits changes in cell-mediated immunity to pneumococcal vaccine. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18573. [PMID: 39127736 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-68235-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
A resilient immune system is characterized by its capacity to respond appropriately to challenges, such as infections, and it is crucial in vaccine response. Here we report a paired randomized intervention-control trial in which we evaluated the effect of microbially rich soil on immune resilience and pneumococcal vaccine response. Twenty-five age and sex matched pairs of volunteers were randomized to intervention and control groups. The intervention group rubbed hands three times a day in microbially rich soil until participants received a pneumococcal vaccine on day 14. Vaccine response, skin and gut bacteriome and blood cytokine levels were analyzed on days 0, 14 and 35. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were stimulated with vaccine components and autoclaved soil for cytokine production. Commensal bacterial community shifted only in the intervention group during the 14-day intervention period. When PBMCs collected on day 14 before the vaccination were stimulated with the vaccine components, IFN-y production increased in the intervention but not in the control group. On day 35, vaccination induced a robust antibody response in both groups. In parallel, gut bacterial community was associated with TGF-β plasma levels and TGF-β decrease in plasma was lower in the intervention group. The results indicate that exposure to microbially rich soil can modulate the cell-mediated immunity to components in pneumococcal vaccine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marja I Roslund
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Luke, Viikki and Turku, Finland
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - Riikka Puhakka
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland
| | - Mira Grönroos
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland
| | - Leena Puustinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - Laura Kummola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - Anirudra Parajuli
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Ondřej Cinek
- Department of Medical Microbiology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5, 150 06, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Olli H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Luke, Viikki and Turku, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Saarenpää M, Roslund MI, Nurminen N, Puhakka R, Kummola L, Laitinen OH, Hyöty H, Sinkkonen A. Urban indoor gardening enhances immune regulation and diversifies skin microbiota - A placebo-controlled double-blinded intervention study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 187:108705. [PMID: 38688234 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
According to the hygiene and biodiversity hypotheses, frequent exposure to environmental microbiota, especially through soil contact, diversifies commensal microbiota, enhances immune modulation, and ultimately lowers the risk of immune-mediated diseases. Here we test the underlying assumption of the hygiene and biodiversity hypotheses by instructing volunteers to grow edible plants indoors during the winter season when natural exposure to environmental microbiota is low. The one-month randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind trial consisted of two treatments: participants received either microbially diverse growing medium or visually similar but microbially poor growing medium. Skin microbiota and a panel of seven immune markers were analyzed in the beginning of the trial and after one month. The diversity of five bacterial phyla (Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia) and one class (Bacteroidia) increased on the skin of participants in the intervention group while no changes were observed in the placebo group. The number of nodes and edges in the co-occurrence networks of the skin bacteria increased on average three times more in the intervention group than in the placebo group. The plasma levels of the immunomodulatory cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10) increased in the intervention group when compared with the placebo group. A similar trend was observed in the interleukin 17A (IL-17A) levels and in the IL-10:IL-17A ratios. Participants in both groups reported high satisfaction and adherence to the trial. The current study provides evidence in support of the core assumption of the hygiene and biodiversity hypotheses of immune-mediated diseases. Indoor urban gardening offers a meaningful and convenient approach for increasing year-round exposure to environmental microbiota, paving the way for other prophylactic practices that might help prevent immune-mediated diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mika Saarenpää
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland; Natural Resources Institute Finland, Turku and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Marja I Roslund
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Turku and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Riikka Puhakka
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland.
| | - Laura Kummola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Olli H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Turku and Helsinki, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sun X, Tian S, Yan S, Sun W, Miao J, Yue Y, Han S, Huang S, Xu N, Diao J, Zhou Z, Zhu W. Bifidobacterium mediate gut microbiota-remedied intestinal barrier damage caused by cyproconazole in zebrafish (Danio rerio). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169556. [PMID: 38135070 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The widespread use of cyproconazole (CPZ) enhances food security but may pose potential risks to non-target organisms. Therefore, we applied Multi-omics techniques to reveal the response of the intestinal barrier to CPZ exposure and explore whether the Bifidobacterium intervention experiment can repair the damage. First, we found that exposure to CPZ at environmentally relevant concentrations led to intestinal injury phenotype, significantly down-regulated intestinal protein gene expression, and up-regulated pro-inflammatory gene expression, further causing intestinal dysbacteriosis and metabolic disorders. In particular, by combining analysis of gut microbiota and metabolites, we noticed acetate, a key metabolite, which decreased sharply after exposure to high concentration of CPZ. Expectedly, after supplementing with Bifidobacterium (a core bacterium that produces acetate), we noticed that the acetate content was quickly restored. Further, we also verified that the increase in acetate content after Bifidobacterium supplementation at least partially promoted IL-22 secretion, which in turn stimulated the secretion of β-defensins (zfbd-1, zfbd-2, zfbd-3), thereby repairing the intestinal damage. In conclusion, our work confirms the potential of Bifidobacterium to improve intestinal damage and metabolic dysbiosis caused by CPZ exposure. It provides directional recommendations for the application of probiotics to repair the toxicological risk of pesticide exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxuan Sun
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Sinuo Tian
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Sen Yan
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jiyan Miao
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yifan Yue
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shihang Han
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shiran Huang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ning Xu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jinling Diao
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhou
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wentao Zhu
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Sessitsch A, Wakelin S, Schloter M, Maguin E, Cernava T, Champomier-Verges MC, Charles TC, Cotter PD, Ferrocino I, Kriaa A, Lebre P, Cowan D, Lange L, Kiran S, Markiewicz L, Meisner A, Olivares M, Sarand I, Schelkle B, Selvin J, Smidt H, van Overbeek L, Berg G, Cocolin L, Sanz Y, Fernandes WL, Liu SJ, Ryan M, Singh B, Kostic T. Microbiome Interconnectedness throughout Environments with Major Consequences for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2023; 87:e0021222. [PMID: 37367231 PMCID: PMC10521359 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00212-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbiomes have highly important roles for ecosystem functioning and carry out key functions that support planetary health, including nutrient cycling, climate regulation, and water filtration. Microbiomes are also intimately associated with complex multicellular organisms such as humans, other animals, plants, and insects and perform crucial roles for the health of their hosts. Although we are starting to understand that microbiomes in different systems are interconnected, there is still a poor understanding of microbiome transfer and connectivity. In this review we show how microbiomes are connected within and transferred between different habitats and discuss the functional consequences of these connections. Microbiome transfer occurs between and within abiotic (e.g., air, soil, and water) and biotic environments, and can either be mediated through different vectors (e.g., insects or food) or direct interactions. Such transfer processes may also include the transmission of pathogens or antibiotic resistance genes. However, here, we highlight the fact that microbiome transmission can have positive effects on planetary and human health, where transmitted microorganisms potentially providing novel functions may be important for the adaptation of ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Emmanuelle Maguin
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Tomislav Cernava
- University of Southampton, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Paul D. Cotter
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, APC Microbiome Ireland and VistaMilk, Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Aicha Kriaa
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Pedro Lebre
- University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Don Cowan
- University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lene Lange
- LL-BioEconomy, Valby, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Lidia Markiewicz
- Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Immunology and Food Microbiology, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Annelein Meisner
- Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marta Olivares
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Excellence Center Severo Ochoa – Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Inga Sarand
- Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | | | | | - Hauke Smidt
- Wageningen University and Research, Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Leo van Overbeek
- Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Yolanda Sanz
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Excellence Center Severo Ochoa – Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | | | - S. J. Liu
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology, Beijing, China
| | - Matthew Ryan
- Genetic Resources Collection, CABI, Egham, United Kingdom
| | - Brajesh Singh
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tanja Kostic
- AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Tulln, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kummola L, González-Rodríguez MI, Marnila P, Nurminen N, Salomaa T, Hiihtola L, Mäkelä I, Laitinen OH, Hyöty H, Sinkkonen A, Junttila IS. Comparison of the effect of autoclaved and non-autoclaved live soil exposure on the mouse immune system : Effect of soil exposure on immune system. BMC Immunol 2023; 24:29. [PMID: 37689649 PMCID: PMC10492337 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-023-00565-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND . Lack of exposure to the natural microbial diversity of the environment has been linked to dysregulation of the immune system and numerous noncommunicable diseases, such as allergies and autoimmune disorders. Our previous studies suggest that contact with soil material, rich in naturally occurring microbes, could have a beneficial immunoregulatory impact on the immune system in mice and humans. However, differences in the immunomodulatory properties of autoclaved, sterile soil material and non-autoclaved, live soil material have not been compared earlier. RESULTS . In this study, we exposed C57BL/6 mice to autoclaved and live soil powders that had the same rich microbiota before autoclaving. We studied the effect of the soil powders on the mouse immune system by analyzing different immune cell populations, gene expression in the gut, mesenteric lymph nodes and lung, and serum cytokines. Both autoclaved and live soil exposure were associated with changes in the immune system. The exposure to autoclaved soil resulted in higher levels of Rorγt, Inos and Foxp3 expression in the colon. The exposure to live soil was associated with elevated IFN-γ concentration in the serum. In the mesenteric lymph node, exposure to live soil reduced Gata3 and Foxp3 expression, increased the percentage of CD8 + T cells and the expression of activation marker CD80 in XCR1+SIRPα- migratory conventional dendritic cell 1 subset. CONCLUSIONS . Our results indicate that exposure to the live and autoclaved soil powders is not toxic for mice. Exposure to live soil powder slightly skews the immune system towards type 1 direction which might be beneficial for inhibiting type 2-related inflammation. Further studies are warranted to quantify the impact of this exposure in experimental type 2 inflammation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Kummola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
| | | | - Pertti Marnila
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
| | - Tanja Salomaa
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Arvo-Building, Rm F326, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, Tampere, 33520, Finland
| | - Lotta Hiihtola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Arvo-Building, Rm F326, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, Tampere, 33520, Finland
| | - Iida Mäkelä
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Olli H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Ilkka S Junttila
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland.
- Fimlab Laboratories, Arvo-Building, Rm F326, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, Tampere, 33520, Finland.
- Northern Finland Laboratory Centre (NordLab), Oulu, 90220, Finland.
- Research Unit of Biomedicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, 90570, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wei N, Wang S, Li X, Pan R, Yi W, Song J, Liu L, Liu J, Yuan J, Song R, Cheng J, Su H. The association between greenery type and gut microbiome in schizophrenia: did all greenspaces play the equivalent role? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:100006-100017. [PMID: 37624502 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29419-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, attention has been focused on the benefit of greenspace on mental health, and it is suggested this link may vary with the type of greenspace. More and more studies have emphasized the influence of the gut microbiome on schizophrenia (SCZ). However, the effects of greenspaces on the gut microbiota in SCZ and the effect of different types of greenspaces on the gut microbiota remain unclear. We aim to examine if there were variations in the effects of various greenspace types on the gut microbiome in SCZ. Besides, we sink to explore important taxonomic compositions associated with different greenspace types. We recruited 243 objects with schizophrenia from Anhui Mental Health Center and collected fecal samples for 16Sr RNA gene sequencing. Three types of greenery coverage were calculated with different circular buffers (800, 1500, and 3000 m) corresponding to individual addresses. The association between greenspace and microbiome composition was analyzed with permutational analysis of variance (PERMANOVA). We conducted the linear regression to capture specific gut microbiome taxa associated with greenery coverage. Tree coverage was consistently associated with microbial composition in both 1500 m (R2 = 0.007, P = 0.030) and 3000 m (R2 = 0.007, P = 0.039). In contrast, there was no association with grass cover in any of the buffer zones. In the regression analysis, higher tree coverage was significantly correlated with the relative abundance of several taxa. Among them, tree coverage was positively associated with increased Bifidobacterium longum (β = 1.069, P = 0.004), which was the dominant composition in the gut microbiota. The relationship between greenspace and gut microbiome in SCZ differed by the type of greenspace. Besides, "tree coverage" may present a dominant effect on the important taxonomic composition. Our findings might provide instructive evidence for the design of urban greenspace to optimize health and well-being in SCZ as well as the whole people.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ning Wei
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Shusi Wang
- Hefei Stomatological Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Xuanxuan Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Rubing Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Weizhuo Yi
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jian Song
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jintao Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jiajun Yuan
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Rong Song
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jian Cheng
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Hong Su
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Major Autoimmune Disease, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lahdenperä M, Galante L, Gonzales-Inca C, Vahtera J, Pentti J, Rautava S, Käyhkö N, Yonemitsu C, Gupta J, Bode L, Lagström H. Residential green environments are associated with human milk oligosaccharide diversity and composition. Sci Rep 2023; 13:216. [PMID: 36604578 PMCID: PMC9816313 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-27317-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased exposure to greener environments has been suggested to lead to health benefits in children, but the associated mechanisms in early life, particularly via biological mediators such as altered maternal milk composition, remain largely unexplored. We investigated the associations between properties of the mother's residential green environment, measured as (1) greenness (Normalized Difference Vegetation index, NDVI), (2) Vegetation Cover Diversity (VCDI) and (3) Naturalness Index (NI), and human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), known for their immune- and microbiota-related health effects on the infant (N = 795 mothers). We show that HMO diversity increases and concentrations of several individual HMOs and HMO groups change with increased VCDI and NI in residential green environments. This suggests that variation in residential green environments may influence the infant via maternal milk through modified HMO composition. The results emphasize the mediating role of breastfeeding between the residential green environments and health in early life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mirkka Lahdenperä
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. .,Department of Public Health, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. .,Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
| | - Laura Galante
- grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland ,grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Department of Public Health, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland ,grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland ,grid.4827.90000 0001 0658 8800School of Health and Social Care, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP UK
| | - Carlos Gonzales-Inca
- grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Department of Geography and Geology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jussi Vahtera
- grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Department of Public Health, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland ,grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Jaana Pentti
- grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Department of Public Health, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland ,grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland ,grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Clinicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Samuli Rautava
- grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Department of Pediatrics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland ,grid.7737.40000 0004 0410 2071Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Niina Käyhkö
- grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Department of Geography and Geology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Chloe Yonemitsu
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics and Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Julia Gupta
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics and Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Lars Bode
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics and Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Hanna Lagström
- grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Department of Public Health, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland ,grid.1374.10000 0001 2097 1371Centre for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
COVID-19: Reducing the risk via diet and lifestyle. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2023; 21:1-16. [PMID: 36333177 PMCID: PMC9550279 DOI: 10.1016/j.joim.2022.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
This review shows that relatively simple changes to diet and lifestyle can significantly, and rapidly, reduce the risks associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in terms of infection risk, severity of disease, and even disease-related mortality. A wide range of interventions including regular exercise, adequate sleep, plant-based diets, maintenance of healthy weight, dietary supplementation, and time in nature have each been shown to have beneficial effects for supporting more positive health outcomes with COVID-19, in addition to promoting better overall health. This paper brings together literature from these areas and presents the argument that non-pharmaceutical approaches should not be overlooked in our response to COVID-19. It is noted that, in several cases, interventions discussed result in risk reductions equivalent to, or even greater than, those associated with currently available vaccines. Where the balance of evidence suggests benefits, and the risk is minimal to none, it is suggested that communicating the power of individual actions to the public becomes morally imperative. Further, many lives could be saved, and many harms from the vaccine mandates avoided, if we were willing to embrace this lifestyle-centred approach in our efforts to deal with COVID-19.
Collapse
|
11
|
Mhuireach GÁ, Fahimipour AK, Vandegrift R, Muscarella ME, Hickey R, Bateman AC, Van Den Wymelenberg KG, Bohannan BJM. Temporary establishment of bacteria from indoor plant leaves and soil on human skin. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME 2022; 17:61. [PMID: 36572917 PMCID: PMC9793532 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-022-00457-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plants are found in a large percentage of indoor environments, yet the potential for bacteria associated with indoor plant leaves and soil to colonize human skin remains unclear. We report results of experiments in a controlled climate chamber to characterize bacterial communities inhabiting the substrates and leaves of five indoor plant species, and quantify microbial transfer dynamics and residence times on human skin following simulated touch contact events. Controlled bacterial propagule transfer events with soil and leaf donors were applied to the arms of human occupants and repeatedly measured over a 24-h period using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. RESULTS Substrate samples had greater biomass and alpha diversity compared to leaves and baseline skin bacterial communities, as well as dissimilar taxonomic compositions. Despite these differences in donor community diversity and biomass, we observed repeatable patterns in the dynamics of transfer events. Recipient human skin bacterial communities increased in alpha diversity and became more similar to donor communities, an effect which, for soil contact only, persisted for at least 24 h. Washing with soap and water effectively returned communities to their pre-perturbed state, although some abundant soil taxa resisted removal through washing. CONCLUSIONS This study represents an initial characterization of bacterial relationships between humans and indoor plants, which represent a potentially valuable element of biodiversity in the built environment. Although environmental microbiota are unlikely to permanently colonize skin following a single contact event, repeated or continuous exposures to indoor biodiversity may be increasingly relevant for the functioning and diversity of the human microbiome as urbanization continues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gwynne Á Mhuireach
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
| | - Ashkaan K Fahimipour
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Roo Vandegrift
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
- United States Department of Agriculture, APHIS, PPQ, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mario E Muscarella
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Roxana Hickey
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Ashley C Bateman
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wang S, Cui J, Jiang S, Zheng C, Zhao J, Zhang H, Zhai Q. Early life gut microbiota: Consequences for health and opportunities for prevention. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2022; 64:5793-5817. [PMID: 36537331 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2158451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The gut microbiota influences many aspects of the host, including immune system maturation, nutrient absorption and metabolism, and protection from pathogens. Increasing evidences from cohort and animal studies indicate that changes in the gut microbiota early in life increases the risk of developing specific diseases early and later in life. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to identify specific disease prevention or therapeutic solutions targeting the gut microbiota, especially during infancy, which is the window of the human gut microbiota establishment process. In this review, we provide an overview of current knowledge concerning the relationship between disturbances in the gut microbiota early in life and health consequences later in life (e.g., necrotizing enterocolitis, celiac disease, asthma, allergies, autism spectrum disorders, overweight/obesity, diabetes and growth retardation), with a focus on changes in the gut microbiota prior to disease onset. In addition, we summarize and discuss potential microbiota-based interventions early in life (e.g., diet adjustments, probiotics, prebiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, environmental changes) to promote health or prevent the development of specific diseases. This knowledge should aid the understanding of early life microbiology and inform the development of prediction and prevention measures for short- and long-term health disorders based on the gut microbiota.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shumin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jingjing Cui
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Shilong Jiang
- Nutrition and Metabolism Research Division, Innovation Center, Heilongjiang Feihe Dairy Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
- PKUHSC-China Feihe Joint Research Institute of Nutrition and Healthy Lifespan Development, Beijing, China
| | - Chengdong Zheng
- Nutrition and Metabolism Research Division, Innovation Center, Heilongjiang Feihe Dairy Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
- PKUHSC-China Feihe Joint Research Institute of Nutrition and Healthy Lifespan Development, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
- Department of Child Health Care, Wuxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qixiao Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Yang Y, Lu Y, Jiang B. Population-weighted exposure to green spaces tied to lower COVID-19 mortality rates: A nationwide dose-response study in the USA. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158333. [PMID: 36041607 PMCID: PMC9420198 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a huge loss of human life globally. However, few studies investigated the link between exposure to green space and risk of COVID-19 mortality rate, while also distinguishing the effects of various types of green space, considering the spatial distribution of human population and green space, and identifying the optimal buffer distances of nearby green space. It is critical and pressing to fill these significant knowledge gaps to protect and promote billions of people's health and life across the world. This study adopted a negative binomial generalized linear mixed-effects model to examine the association between the ratios of various types of green space, population-weighted exposure to those various types of green space, and COVID-19 mortality rates across 3025 counties in the USA, adjusted for sociodemographic, pre-existing chronic disease, policy and regulation, behavioral, and environmental factors. The findings show that greater exposure to forest was associated with lower COVID-19 mortality rates, while developed open space had mixed associations with COVID-19 mortality rates. Forest outside park had the largest effect size across all buffer distances, followed by forest inside park. The optimal exposure buffer distance was 1 km for forest outside park, with per one-unit of increase in exposure associated with a 9.9 % decrease in COVID-19 mortality rates (95 % confidence interval (CI): 6.9 %-12.8 %). The optimal exposure buffer distance of forest inside park was 400 m, with per one-unit of increase in exposure associated with a 4.7 % decrease in mortality rates (95 % CI: 2.4 %-6.9 %). The results suggest that greater exposure to green spaces, especially to nearby forests, may mitigate the risk of COVID-19 mortality. Although findings of an ecological study cannot be directly used to guide medical interventions, this study may pave a critical new way for future research and practice across multiple disciplines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuwen Yang
- Urban Environments and Human Health Lab, HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR; Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Bin Jiang
- Urban Environments and Human Health Lab, HKUrbanLabs, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR; Division of Landscape Architecture, Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Winnicki MH, Dunn RR, Winther-Jensen M, Jess T, Allin KH, Bruun HH. Does childhood exposure to biodiverse greenspace reduce the risk of developing asthma? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 850:157853. [PMID: 35940273 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of inflammatory diseases is increasing in populations throughout the industrialized world. An increasing proportion of human populations grow up and live in urban areas, probably with reduced exposure to biodiversity, including diverse soil biotas. Decreased exposure to microorganisms from natural environments, in particular in early childhood, has been hypothesized to hamper development of the human immune system and lead to increasing risks of inflammatory diseases, such as asthma. We investigated 40,249 Danish individuals born 1995-2015. Percentage greenspace was assessed in a 2 km buffer around home addresses of individuals. The Danish Biodiversity Map, charting occurrence density of red-listed animals, plants and macrofungi, was used as a proxy for multi-taxon biodiversity. For asthma defined broadly, we found no evidence of decreasing risk of developing asthma with higher levels of biodiversity, while greenspace exposure was associated with higher risk of asthma. In contrast, exposure to total and biodiverse greenspace was associated with reduced risk of developing severe asthma. Exposure to farmland, which in Denmark is heavily industrialized cropland, also showed association with elevated risk of developing asthma, even at relatively low agricultural landcover. In the subset of children growing up in highly urbanized settings, we found high exposures to urban greenspace to be associated with reduced risk of developing asthma. Our results lend limited support to the hypothesis that childhood exposure to biodiverse environments reduces the risk of acquiring inflammatory diseases later in life. However, access to urban greenspace, such as parks, which typically harbour low levels of biodiversity, seems to reduce asthma risk, potentially through exposure to common soil microbiota. Our results suggest that effects of biodiversity exposure on human health is set by a balance between ecosystem services and disservices and that biodiversity conservation is best motivated with other arguments than reduction of risks from inflammatory diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Holm Winnicki
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Section for Data, Biostatistics and Pharmacoepidemiology, Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Bispebjerg Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Robert R Dunn
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Matilde Winther-Jensen
- Section for Data, Biostatistics and Pharmacoepidemiology, Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Bispebjerg Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tine Jess
- Center for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15A, 2450 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Aalborg University Hospital, 9100 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Kristine Højgaard Allin
- Center for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15A, 2450 Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Aalborg University Hospital, 9100 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Hans Henrik Bruun
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
da Luz Moreira A, de Campos Lobato LF, de Lima Moreira JP, Luiz RR, Elia C, Fiocchi C, de Souza HSP. Geosocial Features and Loss of Biodiversity Underlie Variable Rates of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Large Developing Country: A Population-Based Study. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2022; 28:1696-1708. [PMID: 35089325 DOI: 10.1093/ibd/izab346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in developing countries may uncover etiopathogenic factors. We investigated IBD prevalence in Brazil by investigating its geographic, spatial, and temporal distribution, and attempted to identify factors associated with its recent increase. METHODS A drug prescription database was queried longitudinally to identify patients and verify population distribution and density, race, urbanicity, sanitation, and Human Development Index. Prevalence was calculated using the number of IBD patients and the population estimated during the same decade. Data were matched to indices using linear regression analyses. RESULTS We identified 162 894 IBD patients, 59% with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 41% with Crohn's disease (CD). The overall prevalence of IBD was 80 per 100 000, with 46 per 100 000 for UC and 36 per 100 000 for CD. Estimated rates adjusted to total population showed that IBD more than triplicated from 2008 to 2017. The distribution of IBD demonstrated a South-to-North gradient that generally followed population apportionment. However, marked regional differences and disease clusters were identified that did not fit with conventionally accepted IBD epidemiological associations, revealing that the rise of IBD was variable. In some areas, loss of biodiversity was associated with high IBD prevalence. CONCLUSIONS When distribution is considered in the context of IBD prevalence, marked regional differences become evident. Despite a background of Westernization, hotspots of IBD are recognized that are not explained by population density, urbanicity, sanitation, or other indices but apparently are explained by biodiversity loss. Thus, the rise of IBD in developing countries is not uniform, but rather is one that varies depending on yet unexplored factors like geoecological conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andre da Luz Moreira
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, NYU Langone Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Ronir Raggio Luiz
- Institute of Collective Health Studies, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Celeste Elia
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Claudio Fiocchi
- Department of Immunity & Inflammation, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Heitor Siffert Pereira de Souza
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Roslund MI, Parajuli A, Hui N, Puhakka R, Grönroos M, Soininen L, Nurminen N, Oikarinen S, Cinek O, Kramná L, Schroderus AM, Laitinen OH, Kinnunen T, Hyöty H, Sinkkonen A. A Placebo-controlled double-blinded test of the biodiversity hypothesis of immune-mediated diseases: Environmental microbial diversity elicits changes in cytokines and increase in T regulatory cells in young children. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 242:113900. [PMID: 35930838 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND According to the biodiversity hypothesis of immune-mediated diseases, lack of microbiological diversity in the everyday living environment is a core reason for dysregulation of immune tolerance and - eventually - the epidemic of immune-mediated diseases in western urban populations. Despite years of intense research, the hypothesis was never tested in a double-blinded and placebo-controlled intervention trial. OBJECTIVE We aimed to perform the first placebo-controlled double-blinded test that investigates the effect of biodiversity on immune tolerance. METHODS In the intervention group, children aged 3-5 years were exposed to playground sand enriched with microbially diverse soil, or in the placebo group, visually similar, but microbially poor sand colored with peat (13 participants per treatment group). Children played twice a day for 20 min in the sandbox for 14 days. Sand, skin and gut bacterial, and blood samples were taken at baseline and after 14 days. Bacterial changes were followed for 28 days. Sand, skin and gut metagenome was determined by high throughput sequencing of bacterial 16 S rRNA gene. Cytokines were measured from plasma and the frequency of blood regulatory T cells was defined as a percentage of total CD3 +CD4 + T cells. RESULTS Bacterial richness (P < 0.001) and diversity (P < 0.05) were higher in the intervention than placebo sand. Skin bacterial community, including Gammaproteobacteria, shifted only in the intervention treatment to resemble the bacterial community in the enriched sand (P < 0.01). Mean change in plasma interleukin-10 (IL-10) concentration and IL-10 to IL-17A ratio supported immunoregulation in the intervention treatment compared to the placebo treatment (P = 0.02). IL-10 levels (P = 0.001) and IL-10 to IL-17A ratio (P = 0.02) were associated with Gammaproteobacterial community on the skin. The change in Treg frequencies was associated with the relative abundance of skin Thermoactinomycetaceae 1 (P = 0.002) and unclassified Alphaproteobacteria (P < 0.001). After 28 days, skin bacterial community still differed in the intervention treatment compared to baseline (P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS This is the first double-blinded placebo-controlled study to show that daily exposure to microbial biodiversity is associated with immune modulation in humans. The findings support the biodiversity hypothesis of immune-mediated diseases. We conclude that environmental microbiota may contribute to child health, and that adding microbiological diversity to everyday living environment may support immunoregulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marja I Roslund
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Helsinki and Turku, Finland; Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Anirudra Parajuli
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Nan Hui
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Riikka Puhakka
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Mira Grönroos
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Laura Soininen
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Ondřej Cinek
- Department of Pediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Kramná
- Department of Pediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna-Mari Schroderus
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Olli H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Tuure Kinnunen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Eastern Finland Laboratory Centre (ISLAB), Kuopio, Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland; Fimlab Laboratories, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Helsinki and Turku, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Paddock KJ, Finke DL, Kim KS, Sappington TW, Hibbard BE. Patterns of Microbiome Composition Vary Across Spatial Scales in a Specialist Insect. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:898744. [PMID: 35722352 PMCID: PMC9201478 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.898744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities associated with animals vary based on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Of many possible determinants affecting microbiome composition, host phylogeny, host diet, and local environment are the most important. How these factors interact across spatial scales is not well understood. Here, we seek to identify the main influences on microbiome composition in a specialist insect, the western corn rootworm (WCR; Diabrotica virgifera virgifera), by analyzing the bacterial communities of adults collected from their obligate host plant, corn (Zea mays), across several geographic locations and comparing the patterns in communities to its congeneric species, the northern corn rootworm (NCR; Diabrotica barberi). We found that bacterial communities of WCR and NCR shared a portion of their bacterial communities even when collected from disparate locations. However, within each species, the location of collection significantly influenced the composition of their microbiome. Correlations of geographic distance between sites with WCR bacterial community composition revealed different patterns at different spatial scales. Community similarity decreased with increased geographic distance at smaller spatial scales (~25 km between the nearest sites). At broad spatial scales (>200 km), community composition was not correlated with distances between sites, but instead reflected the historical invasion path of WCR across the United States. These results suggest bacterial communities are structured directly by dispersal dynamics at small, regional spatial scales, while landscape-level genetic or environmental differences may drive community composition across broad spatial scales in this specialist insect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J Paddock
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Deborah L Finke
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Kyung Seok Kim
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Thomas W Sappington
- USDA-ARS, Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Bruce E Hibbard
- USDA-ARS, Plant Genetics Research Unit, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Pausan MR, Blohs M, Mahnert A, Moissl-Eichinger C. The sanitary indoor environment-a potential source for intact human-associated anaerobes. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2022; 8:44. [PMID: 35650275 PMCID: PMC9160270 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-022-00305-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A healthy human microbiome relies on the interaction with and exchange of microbes that takes place between the human body and its environment. People in high-income countries spend most of their time indoors and for this reason, the built environment (BE) might represent a potent source of commensal microbes. Anaerobic microbes are of particular interest, as researchers have not yet sufficiently clarified how the human microbiome acquires oxygen-sensitive microbes. We sampled the bathrooms in ten households and used propidium monoazide (PMA) to assess the viability of the collected prokaryotes. We compared the microbiome profiles based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and confirmed our results by genetic and cultivation-based analyses. Quantitative and qualitative analysis revealed that most of the microbial taxa in the BE samples are human-associated. Less than 25% of the prokaryotic signatures originate from intact cells, indicating that aerobic and stress resistant taxa display an apparent survival advantage. However, we also confirmed the presence of intact, strictly anaerobic taxa on bathroom floors, including methanogenic archaea. As methanogens are regarded as highly sensitive to aerobic conditions, oxygen-tolerance experiments were performed with human-associated isolates to validate their survival. These results show that human-associated methanogens can survive oxic conditions for at least 6 h. We collected strong evidence that supports the hypothesis that obligate anaerobic taxa can survive in the BE for a limited amount of time. This suggests that the BE serves as a potential source of anaerobic human commensals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manuela-Raluca Pausan
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Steigerwald Arzneimittelwerk GmbH, Bayer Consumer Health, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Marcus Blohs
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Alexander Mahnert
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Christine Moissl-Eichinger
- Diagnostic and Research Institute of Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Wu K, Guo B, Guo Y, Han M, Xu H, Luo R, Hong Z, Zhang B, Dong K, Wu J, Zhang N, Chen G, Li S, Zuo H, Pei X, Zhao X. Association between residential greenness and gut microbiota in Chinese adults. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 163:107216. [PMID: 35366558 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A growing body of studies have reported the health benefits of greenness. However, less is known about the potential beneficial effects of residential greenness on gut microbiota, which is essential to human health. In this study, we aim to examine the association between residential greenness and gut microbiota in a population-based cohort study. METHODS We included 1758 participants based on the China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) study and collected their stool samples for 16S sequencing to derive gut microbiota data. Residential greenness was estimated using the satellite-based data on enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and the normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) in circular buffers of 250 m, 500 m, and 1000 m. The relationships between residential greenness levels and the composition of gut microbiota, measured by standardized α-diversity and taxonomic composition, were assessed using linear regression and Spearman correlation weighted by generalized propensity scores. RESULTS Higher greenness levels were significantly positively associated with standardized α-diversity. Per interquartile range (IQR) increase of EVI and NDVI in the circular buffer of 250 m were associated with the increments of 0.995(95% confidence interval (CI): 0.212-1.778) and 0.653(95% CI: 0.160-1.146) in the standardized Shannon index. For the taxonomic composition of gut microbiota, higher greenness levels were significantly correlated with 29 types of microbial taxonomic composition. NDVI in the circular buffer of 250 m was associated with increased Firmicutes (r = 0.102, adjusted p value = 0.004), which was the dominant composition in the gut microbiota. CONCLUSIONS Increased amounts of residential greenness may support healthy gut microbiota by benignly altering their composition. These findings suggested that green spaces should be designed to support diverse gut microbiota and ultimately optimize health benefits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kunpeng Wu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bing Guo
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuming Guo
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mingming Han
- Chengdu Center for Disease Control &Prevention, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huan Xu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruocheng Luo
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zehui Hong
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Baochao Zhang
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ke Dong
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jialong Wu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ning Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Gongbo Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shanshan Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Haojiang Zuo
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Xiaofang Pei
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Xing Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, West China School of Public Health / West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Soininen L, Roslund MI, Nurminen N, Puhakka R, Laitinen OH, Hyöty H, Sinkkonen A. Indoor green wall affects health-associated commensal skin microbiota and enhances immune regulation: a randomized trial among urban office workers. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6518. [PMID: 35444249 PMCID: PMC9021224 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10432-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization reduces microbiological abundance and diversity, which has been associated with immune mediated diseases. Urban greening may be used as a prophylactic method to restore microbiological diversity in cities and among urbanites. This study evaluated the impact of air-circulating green walls on bacterial abundance and diversity on human skin, and on immune responses determined by blood cytokine measurements. Human subjects working in offices in two Finnish cities (Lahti and Tampere) participated in a two-week intervention, where green walls were installed in the rooms of the experimental group. Control group worked without green walls. Skin and blood samples were collected before (Day0), during (Day14) and two weeks after (Day28) the intervention. The relative abundance of genus Lactobacillus and the Shannon diversity of phylum Proteobacteria and class Gammaproteobacteria increased in the experimental group. Proteobacterial diversity was connected to the lower proinflammatory cytokine IL-17A level among participants in Lahti. In addition, the change in TGF-β1 levels was opposite between the experimental and control group. As skin Lactobacillus and the diversity of Proteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria are considered advantageous for skin health, air-circulating green walls may induce beneficial changes in a human microbiome. The immunomodulatory potential of air-circulating green walls deserves further research attention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Soininen
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland
| | - M I Roslund
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland.,Natural Resources Institute Finland, Horticulture Technologies, Turku and Helsinki, Finland
| | - N Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - R Puhakka
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140, Lahti, Finland
| | - O H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - H Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - A Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Horticulture Technologies, Turku and Helsinki, Finland.
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
González‐Rodríguez MI, Nurminen N, Kummola L, Laitinen OH, Oikarinen S, Parajuli A, Salomaa T, Mäkelä I, Roslund MI, Sinkkonen A, Hyöty H, Junttila IS. Effect of inactivated nature‐derived microbial composition on mouse immune system. Immun Inflamm Dis 2022; 10:e579. [PMID: 34873877 PMCID: PMC8926502 DOI: 10.1002/iid3.579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The hygiene hypothesis suggests that decrease in early life infections due to increased societal‐level hygiene standards subjects one to allergic and autoimmune diseases. In this report, we have studied the effect of sterilized forest soil and plant‐based material on mouse immune system and gut microbiome. Methods Inbred C57Bl/6 mice maintained in normal sterile environment were subjected to autoclaved forest soil‐derived powder in their bedding for 1 h a day for 3 weeks. Immune response was measured by immune cell flow cytometry, serum cytokine enzyme‐linked immunoassay (ELISA) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. Furthermore, the mouse gut microbiome was analyzed by sequencing. Results When compared to control mice, mice treated with soil‐derived powder had decreased level of pro‐inflammatory cytokines namely interleukin (IL)−17F and IL‐21 in the serum. Furthermore, splenocytes from mice treated with soil‐derived powder expressed less IL‐1b, IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐13, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) upon cell activation. Gut microbiome appeared to be stabilized by the treatment. Conclusions These results provide insights on the effect of biodiversity on murine immune system in sterile environment. Subjecting mice to soil‐based plant and microbe structures appears to elicit immune response that could be beneficial, for example, in type 2 inflammation‐related diseases, that is, allergic diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
| | - Laura Kummola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
- Department of Clinical Microbiology Fimlab Laboratories Finland
| | - Olli H. Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
| | - Anirudra Parajuli
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet Center for infectious medicine (CIM) Huddinge Sweden
| | - Tanja Salomaa
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
| | - Iida Mäkelä
- Department of Garden Technologies, Horticulture Technologies Natural Resources Institute Finland Finland
| | - Marja I. Roslund
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Department of Garden Technologies, Horticulture Technologies Natural Resources Institute Finland Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
- Department of Clinical Microbiology Fimlab Laboratories Finland
| | - Ilkka S. Junttila
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
- Department of Clinical Microbiology Fimlab Laboratories Finland
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Roslund MI, Puhakka R, Nurminen N, Oikarinen S, Siter N, Grönroos M, Cinek O, Kramná L, Jumpponen A, Laitinen OH, Rajaniemi J, Hyöty H, Sinkkonen A. Long-term biodiversity intervention shapes health-associated commensal microbiota among urban day-care children. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 157:106811. [PMID: 34403882 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In modern urban environments children have a high incidence of inflammatory disorders, including allergies, asthma, and type1 diabetes. The underlying cause of these disorders, according to the biodiversity hypothesis, is an imbalance in immune regulation caused by a weak interaction with environmental microbes. In this 2-year study, we analyzed bacterial community shifts in the soil surface in day-care centers and commensal bacteria inhabiting the mouth, skin, and gut of children. We compared two different day-care environments: standard urban day-care centers and intervention day-care centers. Yards in the latter were amended with biodiverse forest floor vegetation and sod at the beginning of the study. RESULTS Intervention caused a long-standing increase in the relative abundance of nonpathogenic environmental mycobacteria in the surface soils. Treatment-specific shifts became evident in the community composition of Gammaproteobacteria, Negativicutes, and Bacilli, which jointly accounted for almost 40 and 50% of the taxa on the intervention day-care children's skin and in saliva, respectively. In the year-one skin swabs, richness of Alpha-, Beta-, and Gammaproteobacteria was higher, and the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria, including Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Streptococcus sp., and Veillonella sp., was lower among children in intervention day-care centers compared with children in standard day-care centers. In the gut, the relative abundance of Clostridium sensu stricto decreased, particularly among the intervention children. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that a 2-year biodiversity intervention shapes human commensal microbiota, including taxa that have been associated with immune regulation. Results indicate that intervention enriched commensal microbiota and suppressed the potentially pathogenic bacteria on the skin. We recommend future studies that expand intervention strategies to immune response and eventually the incidence of immune-mediated diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marja I Roslund
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Riikka Puhakka
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Nathan Siter
- Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University, Korkeakoulunkatu 5, FI-33720 Tampere, Finland
| | - Mira Grönroos
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Ondřej Cinek
- Department of Pediatrics, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Kramná
- Department of Pediatrics, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ari Jumpponen
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan KS66506, KS, United States of America
| | - Olli H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Juho Rajaniemi
- Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University, Korkeakoulunkatu 5, FI-33720 Tampere, Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Turku, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Haahtela T, Alenius H, Lehtimäki J, Sinkkonen A, Fyhrquist N, Hyöty H, Ruokolainen L, Mäkelä MJ. Immunological resilience and biodiversity for prevention of allergic diseases and asthma. Allergy 2021; 76:3613-3626. [PMID: 33959980 DOI: 10.1111/all.14895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Increase of allergic conditions has occurred at the same pace with the Great Acceleration, which stands for the rapid growth rate of human activities upon earth from 1950s. Changes of environment and lifestyle along with escalating urbanization are acknowledged as the main underlying causes. Secondary (tertiary) prevention for better disease control has advanced considerably with innovations for oral immunotherapy and effective treatment of inflammation with corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and biological medications. Patients are less disabled than before. However, primary prevention has remained a dilemma. Factors predicting allergy and asthma risk have proven complex: Risk factors increase the risk, while protective factors counteract them. Interaction of human body with environmental biodiversity with micro-organisms and biogenic compounds as well as the central role of epigenetic adaptation in immune homeostasis have given new insight. Allergic diseases are good indicators of the twisted relation to environment. In various non-communicable diseases, the protective mode of the immune system indicates low-grade inflammation without apparent cause. Giving microbes, pro- and prebiotics, has shown some promise in prevention and treatment. The real-world public health programme in Finland (2008-2018) emphasized nature relatedness and protective factors for immunological resilience, instead of avoidance. The nationwide action mitigated the allergy burden, but in the lack of controls, primary preventive effect remains to be proven. The first results of controlled biodiversity interventions are promising. In the fast urbanizing world, new approaches are called for allergy prevention, which also has a major cost saving potential.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tari Haahtela
- Skin and Allergy Hospital Helsinki University HospitalUniversity of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Harri Alenius
- Institute of Environmental Medicine Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology Medicum University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | | | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Horticulture Technologies Turku Finland
| | - Nanna Fyhrquist
- Institute of Environmental Medicine Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
- Department of Bacteriology and Immunology Medicum University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology Tampere University Tampere Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories Pirkanmaa Hospital District Tampere Finland
| | - Lasse Ruokolainen
- Lasse Ruokolainen Department of Biosciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Mika J. Mäkelä
- Skin and Allergy Hospital Helsinki University HospitalUniversity of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Prescott SL. A world of inflammation: the need for ecological solutions that co-benefit people, place and planet. Vet Dermatol 2021; 32:539-e149. [PMID: 34415086 DOI: 10.1111/vde.13013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The ecology of the early environment - including microbial diversity, nutrition, nature, social interactions and the totality of exposures in the wider "exposome" - have life-long implications for all aspects of health and resilience. In particular, the emergence of "microbiome science" provides new evidence for vital relationships between biodiversity and health at every level. New perspectives of ecological interdependence connect personal and planetary health; the human health crisis cannot be separated from the social, political and economic "ecosystems" otherwise driving dysbiosis (from its etymological root, "life in distress") at every level. Adverse changes in macroscale ecology - of food systems, lifestyle behaviours, socioeconomic disadvantage and environmental degradation - all impact the microbial systems sitting at the foundations of all ecosystems. In particular, changes in the function and composition of the human-associated microbiome have been implicated in the mounting global burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), exacerbating inflammation and metabolic dysregulation through multiple pathways across the lifespan. This "dysbiotic drift" (adverse shifts in ecology at all scales) underscores the need for ecological approaches aimed at restoring symbiosis, balance and mutualism. While there is promise with supplement-based strategies (e.g. probiotics, prebiotics), it is essential to focus on upstream factors implicated in dysbiosis, including the health of wider environments, lifestyle, nature relatedness, and the social policies and practices which can facilitate or inhibit dysbiotic drift. This also calls for ambitious integrative approaches which not only define these interconnections, but also capitalize on them to create novel, collaborative and mutualistic solutions to our vast interdependent global challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan L Prescott
- The ORIGINS Project, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children's Hospital, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia.,InVIVO Planetary Health of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), West New York, NJ, 10704, USA.,The NOVA Institute, 1407 Fleet Street, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Center for Integrative Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wu AC, Dahlin A, Wang AL. The Role of Environmental Risk Factors on the Development of Childhood Allergic Rhinitis. CHILDREN 2021; 8:children8080708. [PMID: 34438599 PMCID: PMC8391414 DOI: 10.3390/children8080708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Environmental factors play an important role in the development and exacerbation of allergic rhinitis (AR) in childhood. Indoor air pollution, such as house dust mites and secondhand smoke, can significantly increase the onset of AR, while pet dander may affect the exacerbation of AR symptoms in children. Furthermore, traffic related air pollution and pollen are outdoor air pollutants that can affect immune competency and airway responsiveness, increasing the risk of AR in children. Climate change has increased AR in children, as growth patterns of allergenic species have changed, resulting in longer pollen seasons. More extreme and frequent weather events also contribute to the deterioration of indoor air quality due to climate change. Additionally, viruses provoke respiratory tract infections, worsening the symptoms of AR, while viral infections alter the immune system. Although viruses and pollution influence development and exacerbation of AR, a variety of treatment and prevention options are available for AR patients. The protective influence of vegetation (greenness) is heavily associated with air pollution mitigation, relieving AR exacerbations, while the use of air filters can reduce allergic triggers. Oral antihistamines and intranasal corticosteroids are common pharmacotherapy for AR symptoms. In this review, we discuss the environmental risk factors for AR and summarize treatment strategies for preventing and managing AR in children.
Collapse
|
26
|
Dzhambov AM, Lercher P, Rüdisser J, Browning MHEM, Markevych I. Allergic symptoms in association with naturalness, greenness, and greyness: A cross-sectional study in schoolchildren in the Alps. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 198:110456. [PMID: 33188758 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Greenness may protect from or contribute to allergy risk by influencing air pollution and human-microbe interactions. However, existing research on the issue is heterogeneous and produced conflicting results. Less in known about the effects of greyness. This study investigated the association between different characteristics of residential and school environment and allergic symptoms in schoolchildren. METHODS The present cross-sectional survey was undertaken in 2004/2005 among 1251 schoolchildren (8-12 years old) in several alpine valleys in Austria and Italy. Children's mothers completed a questionnaire that asked about allergic symptoms (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire), sociodemographic information, lifestyle, perinatal data, and housing conditions. We constructed four aggregate outcome variables: current asthma symptoms, ever asthma symptoms, ever allergic rhinitis (AR) symptoms, and ever eczema symptoms. We employed well-known greenness and greyness exposure indicators (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, tree canopy cover, agricultural cover, imperviousness cover, and industrial cover), as well as an alternative naturalness index (Distance to Nature, D2N). Adjusted logistic regressions were used to explore associations between each exposure-outcome pair. Air pollution (NO2), traffic noise and time spent outdoors were tested as potential mediators in causal mediation analysis. RESULTS Decrease in naturalness in a 500-m buffer around the home was associated with higher prevalence of AR symptoms. Associations with asthma symptoms were in the same direction but marginally significant. Residential NDVI and tree cover were marginally associated with lower prevalence of asthma and AR symptoms. Having a domestic garden was associated with lower prevalence of asthma symptoms. School greenness in a 100-m buffer was associated with lower prevalence of AR symptoms. Residential greyness was associated with higher prevalence of AR and asthma symptoms. We observed stronger associations for greenness and greyness in non-movers and in children without a family history of allergies. Mediation by NO2 and time spent outdoors was present in some of the exposure-outcome pairs. CONCLUSIONS Schoolchildren residing in places with lower naturalness and higher greyness may be more likely to have allergic rhinitis and possibly asthma. Considering more comprehensive indicators than greenness and greyness and conducting research in children without a family history of allergic diseases may be key to better understanding who can profit from natural landscapes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angel M Dzhambov
- Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Institute for Highway Engineering and Transport Planning, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria.
| | - Peter Lercher
- Institute for Highway Engineering and Transport Planning, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Matthew H E M Browning
- Department of Parks , Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, USA
| | - Iana Markevych
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Saarenpää M, Roslund MI, Puhakka R, Grönroos M, Parajuli A, Hui N, Nurminen N, Laitinen OH, Hyöty H, Cinek O, Sinkkonen A. Do Rural Second Homes Shape Commensal Microbiota of Urban Dwellers? A Pilot Study among Urban Elderly in Finland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18073742. [PMID: 33918486 PMCID: PMC8038225 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18073742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
According to the hygiene and biodiversity hypotheses, increased hygiene levels and reduced contact with biodiversity can partially explain the high prevalence of immune-mediated diseases in developed countries. A disturbed commensal microbiota, especially in the gut, has been linked to multiple immune-mediated diseases. Previous studies imply that gut microbiota composition is associated with the everyday living environment and can be modified by increasing direct physical exposure to biodiverse materials. In this pilot study, the effects of rural-second-home tourism were investigated on the gut microbiota for the first time. Rural-second-home tourism, a popular form of outdoor recreation in Northern Europe, North America, and Russia, has the potential to alter the human microbiota by increasing exposure to nature and environmental microbes. The hypotheses were that the use of rural second homes is associated with differences in the gut microbiota and that the microbiota related to health benefits are more diverse or common among the rural-second-home users. Based on 16S rRNA Illumina MiSeq sequencing of stool samples from 10 urban elderly having access and 15 lacking access to a rural second home, the first hypothesis was supported: the use of rural second homes was found to be associated with lower gut microbiota diversity and RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway levels. The second hypothesis was not supported: health-related microbiota were not more diverse or common among the second-home users. The current study encourages further research on the possible health outcomes or causes of the observed microbiological differences. Activities and diet during second-home visits, standard of equipment, surrounding environment, and length of the visits are all postulated to play a role in determining the effects of rural-second-home tourism on the gut microbiota.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mika Saarenpää
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland; (M.S.); (M.I.R.); (R.P.); (M.G.); (A.P.); (N.H.)
| | - Marja I. Roslund
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland; (M.S.); (M.I.R.); (R.P.); (M.G.); (A.P.); (N.H.)
| | - Riikka Puhakka
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland; (M.S.); (M.I.R.); (R.P.); (M.G.); (A.P.); (N.H.)
| | - Mira Grönroos
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland; (M.S.); (M.I.R.); (R.P.); (M.G.); (A.P.); (N.H.)
| | - Anirudra Parajuli
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland; (M.S.); (M.I.R.); (R.P.); (M.G.); (A.P.); (N.H.)
- Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nan Hui
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland; (M.S.); (M.I.R.); (R.P.); (M.G.); (A.P.); (N.H.)
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD. Minhang District, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (N.N.); (O.H.L.); (H.H.)
| | - Olli H. Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (N.N.); (O.H.L.); (H.H.)
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (N.N.); (O.H.L.); (H.H.)
| | - Ondrej Cinek
- Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, 150 06 Prague 5, Czech Republic;
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland; (M.S.); (M.I.R.); (R.P.); (M.G.); (A.P.); (N.H.)
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4 A, 20520 Turku, Finland
- Correspondence:
| | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Kõiv V, Tenson T. Gluten-degrading bacteria: availability and applications. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:3045-3059. [PMID: 33837830 PMCID: PMC8053163 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11263-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Gluten is a mixture of storage proteins in wheat and occurs in smaller amounts in other cereal grains. It provides favorable structure to bakery products but unfortunately causes disease conditions with increasing prevalence. In the human gastrointestinal tract, gluten is cleaved into proline and gluten rich peptides that are not degraded further. These peptides trigger immune responses that might lead to celiac disease, wheat allergy, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. The main treatment option is a gluten-free diet. Alternatively, using enzymes or microorganisms with gluten-degrading properties might alleviate the disease. These components can be used during food production or could be introduced into the digestive tract as food supplements. In addition, natural food from the environment is known to enrich the microbial communities in gut and natural environmental microbial communities have high potential to degrade gluten. It remains to be investigated if food and environment-induced changes in the gut microbiome could contribute to the triggering of gluten-related diseases. KEY POINTS: • Wheat proteins, gluten, are incompletely digested in human digestive tract leading to gluten intolerance. • The only efficient treatment of gluten intolerance is life-long gluten-free diet. • Environmental bacteria acquired together with food could be source of gluten-degrading bacteria detoxifying undigested gluten peptides.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Viia Kõiv
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Tanel Tenson
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Ruuskanen MO, Sommeria-Klein G, Havulinna AS, Niiranen TJ, Lahti L. Modelling spatial patterns in host-associated microbial communities. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:2374-2388. [PMID: 33734553 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Microbial communities exhibit spatial structure at different scales, due to constant interactions with their environment and dispersal limitation. While this spatial structure is often considered in studies focusing on free-living environmental communities, it has received less attention in the context of host-associated microbial communities or microbiota. The wider adoption of methods accounting for spatial variation in these communities will help to address open questions in basic microbial ecology as well as realize the full potential of microbiome-aided medicine. Here, we first overview known factors affecting the composition of microbiota across diverse host types and at different scales, with a focus on the human gut as one of the most actively studied microbiota. We outline a number of topical open questions in the field related to spatial variation and patterns. We then review the existing methodology for the spatial modelling of microbiota. We suggest that methodology from related fields, such as systems biology and macro-organismal ecology, could be adapted to obtain more accurate models of spatial structure. We further posit that methodological developments in the spatial modelling and analysis of microbiota could in turn broadly benefit theoretical and applied ecology and contribute to the development of novel industrial and clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matti O Ruuskanen
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Aki S Havulinna
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.,Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, FIMM-HiLIFE, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teemu J Niiranen
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.,Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Leo Lahti
- Department of Computing, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Habitat Elevation Shapes Microbial Community Composition and Alter the Metabolic Functions in Wild Sable ( Martes zibellina) Guts. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030865. [PMID: 33803658 PMCID: PMC8002971 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, wild sable (Carnivora Mustelidae Martes zibellina) habitats, which are often natural forests, have been squeezed by anthropogenic disturbances such as clear-cutting, tilling and grazing. Sables tend to live in sloped areas with relatively harsh conditions. Here, we determine effects of environmental factors on wild sable gut microbial communities between high and low altitude habitats using Illumina Miseq sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes. Our results showed that despite wild sable gut microbial community diversity being resilient to many environmental factors, community composition was sensitive to altitude. Wild sable gut microbial communities were dominated by Firmicutes (relative abundance 38.23%), followed by Actinobacteria (30.29%), and Proteobacteria (28.15%). Altitude was negatively correlated with the abundance of Firmicutes, suggesting sable likely consume more vegetarian food in lower habitats where plant diversity, temperature and vegetation coverage were greater. In addition, our functional genes prediction and qPCR results demonstrated that energy/fat processing microorganisms and functional genes are enriched with increasing altitude, which likely enhanced metabolic functions and supported wild sables to survive in elevated habitats. Overall, our results improve the knowledge of the ecological impact of habitat change, providing insights into wild animal protection at the mountain area with hash climate conditions.
Collapse
|
31
|
Vari HK, Roslund MI, Oikarinen S, Nurminen N, Puhakka R, Parajuli A, Grönroos M, Siter N, Laitinen OH, Hyöty H, Rajaniemi J, Rantalainen AL, Sinkkonen A. Associations between land cover categories, gaseous PAH levels in ambient air and endocrine signaling predicted from gut bacterial metagenome of the elderly. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 265:128965. [PMID: 33248729 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
There is evidence that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and human gut microbiota are associated with the modulation of endocrine signaling pathways. Independently, studies have found associations between air pollution, land cover and commensal microbiota. We are the first to estimate the interaction between land cover categories associated with air pollution or purification, PAH levels and endocrine signaling predicted from gut metagenome among urban and rural populations. The study participants were elderly people (65-79 years); 30 lived in rural and 32 in urban areas. Semi-Permeable Membrane devices were utilized to measure air PAH concentrations as they simulate the process of bioconcentration in the fatty tissues. Land cover categories were estimated using CORINE database and geographic information system. Functional orthologues for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) pathway in endocrine system were analyzed from gut bacterial metagenome with Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes. High coverage of broad-leaved and mixed forests around the homes were associated with decreased PAH levels in ambient air, while gut functional orthologues for PPAR pathway increased along with these forest types. The difference between urban and rural PAH concentrations was not notable. However, some rural measurements were higher than the urban average, which was due to the use of heavy equipment on active farms. The provision of air purification by forests might be an important determining factor in the context of endocrine disruption potential of PAHs. Particularly broad-leaved forests around homes may reduce PAH levels in ambient air and balance pollution-induced disturbances within commensal gut microbiota.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heli K Vari
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, Lahti, Finland
| | - Marja I Roslund
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, Lahti, Finland
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Arvo Ylpönkatu 34, Tampere, Finland
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Arvo Ylpönkatu 34, Tampere, Finland
| | - Riikka Puhakka
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, Lahti, Finland
| | - Anirudra Parajuli
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, Lahti, Finland
| | - Mira Grönroos
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, Lahti, Finland
| | - Nathan Siter
- Tampere University, Faculty of Built Environment, Korkeakoulunkatu 5, Tampere, Finland
| | - Olli H Laitinen
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Arvo Ylpönkatu 34, Tampere, Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Arvo Ylpönkatu 34, Tampere, Finland
| | - Juho Rajaniemi
- Tampere University, Faculty of Built Environment, Korkeakoulunkatu 5, Tampere, Finland
| | - Anna-Lea Rantalainen
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, Lahti, Finland
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Horticulture Technologies, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4, Turku, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Coman V, Vodnar DC. Gut microbiota and old age: Modulating factors and interventions for healthy longevity. Exp Gerontol 2020; 141:111095. [PMID: 32979504 PMCID: PMC7510636 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2020.111095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Our gut microbiota is a complex and dynamic ecosystem with a paramount role in shaping our metabolic and immunological functions. Recent research suggests that aging may negatively affect the composition, diversity, and function of our microbiota mainly due to alterations in diet and immunologic reactivity (i.e. immunosenescence), and increased incidence of certain diseases and, therefore, increased exposure to certain medication (e.g. antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors). In turn, this aging-related gut dysbiosis may contribute to the initiation and/or progress of other metabolic diseases, and consequently, to a decrease in healthy longevity. On the positive side, promising therapeutic interventions, such as diet supplementation with prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics, or fecal microbiota transplantation, aimed to counteract these aging-related deleterious consequences, could improve our health, and extend our healthy lifespan. In this context, the current review aims to assess the latest progress in identifying the key elements affecting the gut microbiota of the older adults and their mechanism of action, and the effectiveness of the therapeutic interventions aimed at restoring the diversity and healthy functions of the gut microbiota in older individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vasile Coman
- Institute of Life Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăştur 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Dan Cristian Vodnar
- Institute of Life Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăştur 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Roslund MI, Puhakka R, Grönroos M, Nurminen N, Oikarinen S, Gazali AM, Cinek O, Kramná L, Siter N, Vari HK, Soininen L, Parajuli A, Rajaniemi J, Kinnunen T, Laitinen OH, Hyöty H, Sinkkonen A. Biodiversity intervention enhances immune regulation and health-associated commensal microbiota among daycare children. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaba2578. [PMID: 33055153 PMCID: PMC7556828 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba2578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
As the incidence of immune-mediated diseases has increased rapidly in developed societies, there is an unmet need for novel prophylactic practices to fight against these maladies. This study is the first human intervention trial in which urban environmental biodiversity was manipulated to examine its effects on the commensal microbiome and immunoregulation in children. We analyzed changes in the skin and gut microbiota and blood immune markers of children during a 28-day biodiversity intervention. Children in standard urban and nature-oriented daycare centers were analyzed for comparison. The intervention diversified both the environmental and skin Gammaproteobacterial communities, which, in turn, were associated with increases in plasma TGF-β1 levels and the proportion of regulatory T cells. The plasma IL-10:IL-17A ratio increased among intervention children during the trial. Our findings suggest that biodiversity intervention enhances immunoregulatory pathways and provide an incentive for future prophylactic approaches to reduce the risk of immune-mediated diseases in urban societies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marja I Roslund
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Riikka Puhakka
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Mira Grönroos
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Sami Oikarinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Ahmad M Gazali
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Ondřej Cinek
- Department of Pediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Kramná
- Department of Pediatrics, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Motol, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5, 150 06 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Nathan Siter
- Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University, Korkeakoulunkatu 5, FI-33720 Tampere, Finland
| | - Heli K Vari
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Laura Soininen
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Anirudra Parajuli
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Juho Rajaniemi
- Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University, Korkeakoulunkatu 5, FI-33720 Tampere, Finland
| | - Tuure Kinnunen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Eastern Finland Laboratory Centre (ISLAB), Kuopio, Finland
| | - Olli H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, FI-33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland.
- Natural Resources Institute Finland Luke, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4A, 20520 Turku, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Aerts R, Dujardin S, Nemery B, Van Nieuwenhuyse A, Van Orshoven J, Aerts JM, Somers B, Hendrickx M, Bruffaerts N, Bauwelinck M, Casas L, Demoury C, Plusquin M, Nawrot TS. Residential green space and medication sales for childhood asthma: A longitudinal ecological study in Belgium. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 189:109914. [PMID: 32980008 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Living in green environments has been associated with various health benefits, but the evidence for positive effects on respiratory health in children is ambiguous. OBJECTIVE To investigate if residential exposure to different types of green space is associated with childhood asthma prevalence in Belgium. METHODS Asthma prevalence was estimated from sales data of reimbursed medication for obstructive airway disease (OAD) prescribed to children between 2010 and 2014, aggregated at census tract level (n = 1872) by sex and age group (6-12 and 13-18 years). Generalized log-linear mixed effects models with repeated measures were used to estimate effects of relative covers of forest, grassland and garden in the census tract of the residence on OAD medication sales. Models were adjusted for air pollution (PM10), housing quality and administrative region. RESULTS Consistent associations between OAD medication sales and relative covers of grassland and garden were observed (unadjusted parameter estimates per IQR increase of relative cover, range across four strata: grassland, β = 0.15-0.17; garden, β = 0.13-0.17). The associations remained significant after adjusting for housing quality and chronic air pollution (adjusted parameter estimates per IQR increase of relative cover, range across four strata: grassland, β = 0.10-0.14; garden, β = 0.07-0.09). There was no association between OAD medication sales and forest cover. CONCLUSIONS Based on aggregated data, we found that living in close proximity to areas with high grass cover (grasslands, but also residential gardens) may negatively impact child respiratory health. Potential allergic and non-allergic mechanisms that underlie this association include elevated exposure to grass pollen and fungi and reduced exposure to environmental biodiversity. Reducing the dominance of grass in public and private green space might be beneficial to reduce the childhood asthma burden and may simultaneously improve the ecological value of urban green space.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raf Aerts
- Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium; Division Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Kasteelpark Arenberg 31-2435, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium; Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Celestijnenlaan 200E-2411, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Environmental Sciences, University of Hasselt, Agoralaan D, BE-3590, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium; Mycology and Aerobiology, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Sebastien Dujardin
- Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Celestijnenlaan 200E-2411, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Geography, Institute of Life Earth and Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Benoit Nemery
- Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Herestraat 49-706, BE-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - An Van Nieuwenhuyse
- Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium; Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Herestraat 49-706, BE-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jos Van Orshoven
- Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Celestijnenlaan 200E-2411, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean-Marie Aerts
- Division Animal and Human Health Engineering, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ben Somers
- Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Celestijnenlaan 200E-2411, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marijke Hendrickx
- Mycology and Aerobiology, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Bruffaerts
- Mycology and Aerobiology, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mariska Bauwelinck
- Interface Demography, Department of Sociology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 5, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lidia Casas
- Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Herestraat 49-706, BE-3000, Leuven, Belgium; Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1-R.232, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Claire Demoury
- Risk and Health Impact Assessment, Sciensano (Belgian Institute of Health), Juliette Wytsmanstraat 14, BE-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michelle Plusquin
- Center for Environmental Sciences, University of Hasselt, Agoralaan D, BE-3590, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Center for Environmental Sciences, University of Hasselt, Agoralaan D, BE-3590, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Belgium; Center for Environment and Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Leuven, Herestraat 49-706, BE-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Pitkänen K, Lehtimäki J, Puhakka R. How do Rural Second Homes Affect Human Health and Well-being? Review of Potential Impacts. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E6748. [PMID: 32947975 PMCID: PMC7559770 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Contact with nature is associated with numerous psychological, physiological and social health and well-being benefits. Outdoor recreation, such as rural second home tourism, provides extensive exposure to the natural environment, but research around health impacts of this exposure is scattered. We review current research on health and well-being impacts of nature and discuss how the characteristics of rural second home environments and their use and users can affect these potential impacts in Finland. We discover four key issues affecting the impacts. First, health and well-being impacts depend on the users; urban people can especially benefit from rural second homes, while child development and the performance of elderly people can also be supported by contact with nature at second homes. Second, the regularity, length and season of second home visits influence the potential to receive benefits as they have an impact on the intensity of nature exposure. Third, the type and quality of second home environment affect contact with nature, such as exposure to health-supporting environmental microbes. Fourth, practices, motives and meanings modify activities and attachment and crucially affect both physical and mental well-being. We conclude that rural second homes have extensive potential to provide nature-related health and well-being benefits and further research is needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kati Pitkänen
- Environmental Policy Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, PO Box 111, FIN-80101 Joensuu, Finland;
| | - Jenni Lehtimäki
- Environmental Policy Centre, Finnish Environment Institute, Latokartanonkaari 11, FIN-00790 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Riikka Puhakka
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FIN-15140 Lahti, Finland
| |
Collapse
|