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Alenezi T, Fu Y, Alrubaye B, Alanazi T, Almansour A, Wang H, Sun X. Potent Bile Acid Microbial Metabolites Modulate Clostridium perfringens Virulence. Pathogens 2023; 12:1202. [PMID: 37887718 PMCID: PMC10610205 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12101202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens is a versatile pathogen, inducing diseases in the skin, intestine (such as chicken necrotic enteritis (NE)), and other organs. The classical sign of NE is the foul smell gas in the ballooned small intestine. We hypothesized that deoxycholic acid (DCA) reduced NE by inhibiting C. perfringens virulence signaling pathways. To evaluate the hypothesis, C. perfringens strains CP1 and wild-type (WT) HN13 and its mutants were cultured with different bile acids, including DCA and isoallolithocholic acid (isoalloLCA). Growth, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) production, and virulence gene expression were measured. Notably, isoalloLCA was more potent in reducing growth, H2S production, and virulence gene expression in CP1 and WT HN13 compared to DCA, while other bile acids were less potent compared to DCA. Interestingly, there was a slightly different impact between DCA and isoalloLCA on the growth, H2S production, and virulence gene expression in the three HN13 mutants, suggesting possibly different signaling pathways modulated by the two bile acids. In conclusion, DCA and isoalloLCA reduced C. perfringens virulence by transcriptionally modulating the pathogen signaling pathways. The findings could be used to design new strategies to prevent and treat C. perfringens-induced diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahrir Alenezi
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (T.A.); (Y.F.); (B.A.); (T.A.); (A.A.); (H.W.)
- Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
- College of Medical Applied Sciences, The Northern Border University, Arar 91431, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ying Fu
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (T.A.); (Y.F.); (B.A.); (T.A.); (A.A.); (H.W.)
| | - Bilal Alrubaye
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (T.A.); (Y.F.); (B.A.); (T.A.); (A.A.); (H.W.)
| | - Thamer Alanazi
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (T.A.); (Y.F.); (B.A.); (T.A.); (A.A.); (H.W.)
- Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Ayidh Almansour
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (T.A.); (Y.F.); (B.A.); (T.A.); (A.A.); (H.W.)
- Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Hong Wang
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (T.A.); (Y.F.); (B.A.); (T.A.); (A.A.); (H.W.)
- Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Xiaolun Sun
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (T.A.); (Y.F.); (B.A.); (T.A.); (A.A.); (H.W.)
- Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
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Stummer N, Feichtinger RG, Weghuber D, Kofler B, Schneider AM. Role of Hydrogen Sulfide in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1570. [PMID: 37627565 PMCID: PMC10452036 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12081570] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), originally known as toxic gas, has now attracted attention as one of the gasotransmitters involved in many reactions in the human body. H2S has been assumed to play a role in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases, of which the exact pathogenesis remains unknown. One of them is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic intestinal disease subclassified as Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Any change in the amount of H2S seems to be linked to inflammation in this illness. These changes can be brought about by alterations in the microbiota, in the endogenous metabolism of H2S and in the diet. As both too little and too much H2S drive inflammation, a balanced level is needed for intestinal health. The aim of this review is to summarize the available literature published until June 2023 in order to provide an overview of the current knowledge of the connection between H2S and IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Stummer
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (N.S.); (R.G.F.); (D.W.); (B.K.)
| | - René G. Feichtinger
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (N.S.); (R.G.F.); (D.W.); (B.K.)
| | - Daniel Weghuber
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (N.S.); (R.G.F.); (D.W.); (B.K.)
| | - Barbara Kofler
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (N.S.); (R.G.F.); (D.W.); (B.K.)
- Research Program for Receptor Biochemistry and Tumor Metabolism, Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | - Anna M. Schneider
- Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (N.S.); (R.G.F.); (D.W.); (B.K.)
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3
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Versatile Triad Alliance: Bile Acid, Taurine and Microbiota. Cells 2022; 11:cells11152337. [PMID: 35954180 PMCID: PMC9367564 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Taurine is the most abundant free amino acid in the body, and is mainly derived from the diet, but can also be produced endogenously from cysteine. It plays multiple essential roles in the body, including development, energy production, osmoregulation, prevention of oxidative stress, and inflammation. Taurine is also crucial as a molecule used to conjugate bile acids (BAs). In the gastrointestinal tract, BAs deconjugation by enteric bacteria results in high levels of unconjugated BAs and free taurine. Depending on conjugation status and other bacterial modifications, BAs constitute a pool of related but highly diverse molecules, each with different properties concerning solubility and toxicity, capacity to activate or inhibit receptors of BAs, and direct and indirect impact on microbiota and the host, whereas free taurine has a largely protective impact on the host, serves as a source of energy for microbiota, regulates bacterial colonization and defends from pathogens. Several remarkable examples of the interaction between taurine and gut microbiota have recently been described. This review will introduce the necessary background information and lay out the latest discoveries in the interaction of the co-reliant triad of BAs, taurine, and microbiota.
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Lobel L, Cao YG, Fenn K, Glickman JN, Garrett WS. Diet posttranslationally modifies the mouse gut microbial proteome to modulate renal function. Science 2020; 369:1518-1524. [PMID: 32943527 PMCID: PMC8178816 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb3763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Associations between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the gut microbiota have been postulated, yet questions remain about the underlying mechanisms. In humans, dietary protein increases gut bacterial production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), indole, and indoxyl sulfate. The latter are uremic toxins, and H2S has diverse physiological functions, some of which are mediated by posttranslational modification. In a mouse model of CKD, we found that a high sulfur amino acid-containing diet resulted in posttranslationally modified microbial tryptophanase activity. This reduced uremic toxin-producing activity and ameliorated progression to CKD in the mice. Thus, diet can tune microbiota function to support healthy host physiology through posttranslational modification without altering microbial community composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lior Lobel
- Departments of Immunology and Infectious Diseases and Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Y Grace Cao
- Departments of Immunology and Infectious Diseases and Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kathrin Fenn
- Departments of Immunology and Infectious Diseases and Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jonathan N Glickman
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Wendy S Garrett
- Departments of Immunology and Infectious Diseases and Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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5
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Grasa L, Abecia L, Peña-Cearra A, Robles S, Layunta E, Latorre E, Mesonero JE, Forcén R. TLR2 and TLR4 interact with sulfide system in the modulation of mouse colonic motility. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2019; 31:e13648. [PMID: 31119834 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.13648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND H2 S is a neuromodulator that may inhibit intestinal motility. H2 S production in colon is yielded by cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) enzymes and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize intestinal microbiota. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of TLR2 and TLR4 on the endogenous and SRB-mediated synthesis of H2 S and its consequences on the colonic motility of mouse. METHODS Muscle contractility studies were performed in colon from WT, Tlr2-/- , and Tlr4-/- mice. The mRNA levels of TLR2, TLR4, CBS, CSE, and SRB were measured by real-time PCR. Free sulfide levels in colon and feces were determined by colorimetric assays. RESULTS NaHS and GYY4137, donors of H2 S, reduced the contractility of colon. Aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA), inhibitor of CBS, and D-L propargylglycine (PAG), inhibitor of CSE, increased the contractility of colon. In vivo treatment with NaHS or GYY4137 inhibited the spontaneous contractions and upregulated TLR2 expression. The in vivo activation of TLR4 with lipopolysaccharide increased the contractile response to PAG, mRNA levels of CSE, and the free sulfide levels of H2 S in colon. In Tlr2-/- and Tlr4-/- mice, the contractions induced by AOAA and PAG and mRNA levels of CBS and CSE were lower with respect to WT mice. Deficiency of TLR2 or TLR4 provokes alterations in free sulfide levels and SRB of colon. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES Our study demonstrates interaction between TLR2 and TLR4 and the sulfide system in the regulation of colonic motility and contributes to the pathophysiology knowledge of intestinal motility disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Grasa
- Departamento de Farmacología y Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain.,Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón -IA2- (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Ainize Peña-Cearra
- CIC bioGUNE, Spain.,University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Sofia Robles
- Departamento de Farmacología y Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Elena Layunta
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Univesity of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Eva Latorre
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - José Emilio Mesonero
- Departamento de Farmacología y Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain.,Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón -IA2- (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Raquel Forcén
- Departamento de Farmacología y Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
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Dietary Factors in Sulfur Metabolism and Pathogenesis of Ulcerative Colitis. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11040931. [PMID: 31027194 PMCID: PMC6521024 DOI: 10.3390/nu11040931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The biogeography of inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC) suggests a proximal to distal concentration gradient of a toxin. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has long been considered one such toxin candidate, and dietary sulfur along with the abundance of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) were considered the primary determinants of H2S production and clinical course of UC. The metabolic milieu in the lumen of the colon, however, is the result of a multitude of factors beyond dietary sulfur intake and SRB abundance. Here we present an updated formulation of the H2S toxin hypothesis for UC pathogenesis, which strives to incorporate the interdependency of diet composition and the metabolic activity of the entire colon microbial community. Specifically, we suggest that the increasing severity of inflammation along the proximal-to-distal axis in UC is due to the dilution of beneficial factors, concentration of toxic factors, and changing detoxification capacity of the host, all of which are intimately linked to the nutrient flow from the diet.
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7
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Lewis JD, Abreu MT. Diet as a Trigger or Therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Gastroenterology 2017; 152:398-414.e6. [PMID: 27793606 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2016.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 229] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Revised: 10/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The most common question asked by patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is, "Doctor, what should I eat?" Findings from epidemiology studies have indicated that diets high in animal fat and low in fruits and vegetables are the most common pattern associated with an increased risk of IBD. Low levels of vitamin D also appear to be a risk factor for IBD. In murine models, diets high in fat, especially saturated animal fats, also increase inflammation, whereas supplementation with omega 3 long-chain fatty acids protect against intestinal inflammation. Unfortunately, omega 3 supplements have not been shown to decrease the risk of relapse in patients with Crohn's disease. Dietary intervention studies have shown that enteral therapy, with defined formula diets, helps children with Crohn's disease and reduces inflammation and dysbiosis. Although fiber supplements have not been shown definitively to benefit patients with IBD, soluble fiber is the best way to generate short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, which has anti-inflammatory effects. Addition of vitamin D and curcumin has been shown to increase the efficacy of IBD therapy. There is compelling evidence from animal models that emulsifiers in processed foods increase risk for IBD. We discuss current knowledge about popular diets, including the specific carbohydrate diet and diet low in fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols. We present findings from clinical and basic science studies to help gastroenterologists navigate diet as it relates to the management of IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Lewis
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Maria T Abreu
- Crohn's and Colitis Center, Department of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
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Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent causes of cancer death worldwide and is associated with adoption of a diet high in animal protein and saturated fat. Saturated fat induces increased bile secretion into the intestine. Increased bile secretion selects for populations of gut microbes capable of altering the bile acid pool, generating tumor-promoting secondary bile acids such as deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid. Epidemiological evidence suggests CRC is associated with increased levels of DCA in serum, bile, and stool. Mechanisms by which secondary bile acids promote CRC are explored. Furthermore, in humans bile acid conjugation can vary by diet. Vegetarian diets favor glycine conjugation while diets high in animal protein favor taurine conjugation. Metabolism of taurine conjugated bile acids by gut microbes generates hydrogen sulfide, a genotoxic compound. Thus, taurocholic acid has the potential to stimulate intestinal bacteria capable of converting taurine and cholic acid to hydrogen sulfide and deoxycholic acid, a genotoxin and tumor-promoter, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M. Ridlon
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genome Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA,Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA,Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Patricia G. Wolf
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genome Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA,Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA,Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA,Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - H. Rex Gaskins
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genome Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA,Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA,Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA,Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA,University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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Singh SB, Lin HC. Hydrogen Sulfide in Physiology and Diseases of the Digestive Tract. Microorganisms 2015; 3:866-89. [PMID: 27682122 PMCID: PMC5023273 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms3040866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Revised: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a Janus-faced molecule. On one hand, several toxic functions have been attributed to H2S and exposure to high levels of this gas is extremely hazardous to health. On the other hand, H2S delivery based clinical therapies are being developed to combat inflammation, visceral pain, oxidative stress related tissue injury, thrombosis and cancer. Since its discovery, H2S has been found to have pleiotropic effects on physiology and health. H2S is a gasotransmitter that exerts its effect on different systems, such as gastrointestinal, neuronal, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and hepatic systems. In the gastrointestinal tract, in addition to H2S production by mammalian cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), H2S is also generated by the metabolic activity of resident gut microbes, mainly by colonic Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria (SRB) via a dissimilatory sulfate reduction (DSR) pathway. In the gut, H2S regulates functions such as inflammation, ischemia/ reperfusion injury and motility. H2S derived from gut microbes has been found to be associated with gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome. This underscores the importance of gut microbes and their production of H2S on host physiology and pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudha B Singh
- Section of Gastroenterology, Medicine Service, New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA.
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Henry C Lin
- Section of Gastroenterology, Medicine Service, New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM 87108, USA.
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Verbeke KA, Boobis AR, Chiodini A, Edwards CA, Franck A, Kleerebezem M, Nauta A, Raes J, van Tol EAF, Tuohy KM. Towards microbial fermentation metabolites as markers for health benefits of prebiotics. Nutr Res Rev 2015; 28:42-66. [PMID: 26156216 PMCID: PMC4501371 DOI: 10.1017/s0954422415000037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 203] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Available evidence on the bioactive, nutritional and putative detrimental properties of gut microbial metabolites has been evaluated to support a more integrated view of how prebiotics might affect host health throughout life. The present literature inventory targeted evidence for the physiological and nutritional effects of metabolites, for example, SCFA, the potential toxicity of other metabolites and attempted to determine normal concentration ranges. Furthermore, the biological relevance of more holistic approaches like faecal water toxicity assays and metabolomics and the limitations of faecal measurements were addressed. Existing literature indicates that protein fermentation metabolites (phenol, p-cresol, indole, ammonia), typically considered as potentially harmful, occur at concentration ranges in the colon such that no toxic effects are expected either locally or following systemic absorption. The endproducts of saccharolytic fermentation, SCFA, may have effects on colonic health, host physiology, immunity, lipid and protein metabolism and appetite control. However, measuring SCFA concentrations in faeces is insufficient to assess the dynamic processes of their nutrikinetics. Existing literature on the usefulness of faecal water toxicity measures as indicators of cancer risk seems limited. In conclusion, at present there is insufficient evidence to use changes in faecal bacterial metabolite concentrations as markers of prebiotic effectiveness. Integration of results from metabolomics and metagenomics holds promise for understanding the health implications of prebiotic microbiome modulation but adequate tools for data integration and interpretation are currently lacking. Similarly, studies measuring metabolite fluxes in different body compartments to provide a more accurate picture of their nutrikinetics are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin A. Verbeke
- Translational Research in Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alan R. Boobis
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Alessandro Chiodini
- Formerly ILSI Europe, Box 6, Avenue Emmanuel Mounier 83, BE-1200, Brussels, Belgium; now European Commission, Research Executive Agency (REA) Unit B2, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christine A. Edwards
- Human Nutrition School of Medicine, College of MVLS, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland
| | | | - Michiel Kleerebezem
- Host Microbe Interactomics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Arjen Nauta
- FrieslandCampina, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Raes
- Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven; VIB, Leuven; DBIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Kieran M. Tuohy
- Nutrition and Nutrigenomics, Research and Innovation Centre-Fondazione Edmund Mach, Trento, Italy
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11
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Kabil O, Motl N, Banerjee R. H2S and its role in redox signaling. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2014; 1844:1355-66. [PMID: 24418393 PMCID: PMC4048824 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2014.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 163] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2013] [Revised: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has emerged as an important gaseous signaling molecule that is produced endogenously by enzymes in the sulfur metabolic network. H2S exerts its effects on multiple physiological processes important under both normal and pathological conditions. These functions include neuromodulation, regulation of blood pressure and cardiac function, inflammation, cellular energetics and apoptosis. Despite the recognition of its biological importance and its beneficial effects, the mechanism of H2S action and the regulation of its tissue levels remain unclear in part owing to its chemical and physical properties that render handling and analysis challenging. Furthermore, the multitude of potential H2S effects has made it difficult to dissect its signaling mechanism and to identify specific targets. In this review, we focus on H2S metabolism and provide an overview of the recent literature that sheds some light on its mechanism of action in cellular redox signaling in health and disease. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Thiol-Based Redox Processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Kabil
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0600, USA
| | - Nicole Motl
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0600, USA
| | - Ruma Banerjee
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0600, USA.
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12
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Gerasimidis K, Bertz M, Hanske L, Junick J, Biskou O, Aguilera M, Garrick V, Russell RK, Blaut M, McGrogan P, Edwards CA. Decline in presumptively protective gut bacterial species and metabolites are paradoxically associated with disease improvement in pediatric Crohn's disease during enteral nutrition. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2014; 20:861-71. [PMID: 24651582 DOI: 10.1097/mib.0000000000000023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The gut microbiota is implicated in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD). Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is a successful treatment, but its mode of action remains unknown. This study assessed serial changes in the fecal microbiota milieu during EEN. METHODS Five fecal samples were collected from CD children: 4 during EEN (start, 15, 30, end EEN approximately 60 days) and the fifth on habitual diet. Two samples were collected from healthy control subjects. Fecal pH, bacterial metabolites, global microbial diversity abundance, composition stability, and quantitative changes of total and 7 major bacterial groups previously implicated in CD were measured. RESULTS Overall, 68 samples were from 15 CD children and 40 from 21 control subjects. Fecal pH and total sulfide increased and butyric acid decreased during EEN (all P < 0.05). Global bacterial diversity abundance decreased (P < 0.05); a higher degree of microbiota composition stability was seen in control subjects than in CD children during EEN (at P ≤ 0.008). Faecalibacterium prausnitzii spp concentration significantly decreased after 30 days on EEN (P < 0.05). In patients who responded to EEN, the magnitude of the observed changes was greater and the concentration of Bacteroides/Prevotella group decreased (P < 0.05). All these changes reverted to pretreatment levels on free diet, and EEN microbiota diversity increased when the children returned to their free diet. CONCLUSIONS EEN impacts on gut microbiota composition and changes fecal metabolic activity. It is difficult to infer a causative association between such changes and disease improvement, but the results do challenge the current perception of a protective role for F. prausnitzii in CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Gerasimidis
- *Human Nutrition, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom; †Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, National Health Service Scotland, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow, United Kingdom; ‡Department of Gastrointestinal Microbiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee, Nuthetal, Germany; and §Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus Universitario de Cartuja, Granada, Spain
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Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE The current literature regarding the effects of the gaseous signal molecule hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the gastrointestinal system is reviewed. Bacterial, host and pharmaceutical-derived H2S are all considered and presented according to the physiological or pathophysiological effects of the gaseous signal molecule. These subjects include the toxicology of intestinal H2S with emphasis on bacterial-derived H2S, especially from sulfate-reducing bacteria, the role of endogenous and exogenous H2S in intestinal inflammation, and the roles of H2S in gastrointestinal motility, secretion and nociception. RECENT ADVANCES While its pro- and anti-inflammatory, smooth muscle relaxant, prosecretory, and pro- and antinociceptive actions continue to remain the major effects of H2S in this system; recent findings have expanded the potential molecular targets for H2S in the gastrointestinal tract. CRITICAL ISSUES Numerous discrepancies remain in the literature, and definitive molecular targets in this system have not been supported by the use of competitive antagonism. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Future work will hopefully resolve discrepancies in the literature and identify molecular targets and mechanisms of action for H2S. It is clear from the current literature that the long-appreciated relationship between H2S and the gastrointestinal tract continues to be strong as we endeavor to unravel its mysteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Linden
- Enteric NeuroScience Program, Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine , Rochester, Minnesota
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14
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Christophersen CT, Petersen A, Licht TR, Conlon MA. Xylo-oligosaccharides and inulin affect genotoxicity and bacterial populations differently in a human colonic simulator challenged with soy protein. Nutrients 2013; 5:3740-56. [PMID: 24064573 PMCID: PMC3798932 DOI: 10.3390/nu5093740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Revised: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
High dietary intakes of some protein sources, including soy protein, can increase colonic DNA damage in animals, whereas some carbohydrates attenuate this. We investigated whether inulin and xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) could be protective against DNA strand breaks by adding them to a human colonic simulator consisting of a proximal vessel (PV) (pH 5.5) and a distal vessel (DV) (pH 6.8) inoculated with human faeces and media containing soy protein. Genotoxicity of the liquid phase and microbial population changes in the vessels were measured. Soy protein (3%) was fermented with 1% low amylose cornstarch for 10 day followed by soy protein with 1% XOS or 1% inulin for 10 day. Inulin did not alter genotoxicity but XOS significantly reduced PV genotoxicity and increased DV genotoxicity. Inulin and XOS significantly increased butyrate concentration in the DV but not PV. Numbers of the key butyrate-producing bacterium Faecalibacterium prausnitzii were significantly increased in the PV and DV by inulin but significantly decreased by XOS in both vessels. Other bacteria examined were also significantly impacted by the carbohydrate treatments or by the vessel (i.e., pH). There was a significant overall inverse correlation between levels of damage induced by the ferments and levels of sulphate-reducing bacteria, Bacteroides fragilis, and acetate. In conclusion, dietary XOS can potentially modulate the genotoxicity of the colonic environment and specific bacterial groups and short chain fatty acids may mediate this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claus T. Christophersen
- Preventative Health National Research Flagship, CSIRO Animal, Food and Health Sciences, PO Box 10041, Adelaide BC SA 5000, Australia; E-Mail:
| | - Anne Petersen
- National Food Institute, Division of Microbiology and Risk Assessment, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, Søborg 2860, Denmark; E-Mails: (A.P.); (T.R.L.)
| | - Tine R. Licht
- National Food Institute, Division of Microbiology and Risk Assessment, Technical University of Denmark, Mørkhøj Bygade 19, Søborg 2860, Denmark; E-Mails: (A.P.); (T.R.L.)
| | - Michael A. Conlon
- Preventative Health National Research Flagship, CSIRO Animal, Food and Health Sciences, PO Box 10041, Adelaide BC SA 5000, Australia; E-Mail:
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +61-8-8303-8909; Fax: +61-8-8303-8899
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15
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De Preter V, Arijs I, Windey K, Vanhove W, Vermeire S, Schuit F, Rutgeerts P, Verbeke K. Decreased mucosal sulfide detoxification is related to an impaired butyrate oxidation in ulcerative colitis. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2012; 18:2371-80. [PMID: 22434643 DOI: 10.1002/ibd.22949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2012] [Accepted: 02/21/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Defective detoxification of sulfides leads to damage to the mucosa and may play a role in the etiology of ulcerative colitis (UC). The colonic mucosal thiosulfate sulfurtransferase (TST) enzyme removes H(2) S by conversion to the less toxic thiocyanate. In this study we measured colonic mucosal TST enzyme activity and gene expression in UC and controls. In addition, the influence of sulfides on butyrate oxidation was evaluated. METHODS Colonic mucosal biopsies were collected from 92 UC patients and 24 controls. TST activity was measured spectrophotometrically. To assess gene expression, total RNA from biopsies was used for quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In 20 UC patients, gene expression was reassessed after their first treatment with infliximab. To evaluate the effect of sulfides on butyrate oxidation, biopsies were incubated with 1.5 mM NaHS. RESULTS TST enzyme activity and gene expression were significantly decreased in UC patients vs. controls (P < 0.001). UC patients, classified into disease activity subgroups, showed a significantly decreased TST activity and gene expression in the subgroups as compared to healthy subjects (P < 0.05 for all). In 20 patients, gene expression was reassessed after their first infliximab therapy. In responders to infliximab, a significant increase in TST gene expression was observed. However, TST mRNA levels did not return to control values after therapy in the responders. In controls, but not in UC, sulfide significantly decreased butyrate oxidation. CONCLUSIONS We found an impaired detoxification mechanism of sulfide at TST protein and RNA level in UC. Inflammation was clearly associated with the observed TST deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky De Preter
- Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID) and Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), University Hospital Gasthuisberg, KULeuven, Leuven, Belgium
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16
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Carbonero F, Benefiel AC, Alizadeh-Ghamsari AH, Gaskins HR. Microbial pathways in colonic sulfur metabolism and links with health and disease. Front Physiol 2012; 3:448. [PMID: 23226130 PMCID: PMC3508456 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2012.00448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 335] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2012] [Accepted: 11/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sulfur is both crucial to life and a potential threat to health. While colonic sulfur metabolism mediated by eukaryotic cells is relatively well studied, much less is known about sulfur metabolism within gastrointestinal microbes. Sulfated compounds in the colon are either of inorganic (e.g., sulfates, sulfites) or organic (e.g., dietary amino acids and host mucins) origin. The most extensively studied of the microbes involved in colonic sulfur metabolism are the sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), which are common colonic inhabitants. Many other microbial pathways are likely to shape colonic sulfur metabolism as well as the composition and availability of sulfated compounds, and these interactions need to be examined in more detail. Hydrogen sulfide is the sulfur derivative that has attracted the most attention in the context of colonic health, and the extent to which it is detrimental or beneficial remains in debate. Several lines of evidence point to SRB or exogenous hydrogen sulfide as potential players in the etiology of intestinal disorders, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) and colorectal cancer in particular. Generation of hydrogen sulfide via pathways other than dissimilatory sulfate reduction may be as, or more, important than those involving the SRB. We suggest here that a novel axis of research is to assess the effects of hydrogen sulfide in shaping colonic microbiome structure. Clearly, in-depth characterization of the microbial pathways involved in colonic sulfur metabolism is necessary for a better understanding of its contribution to colonic disorders and development of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franck Carbonero
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana, IL, USA
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17
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Abstract
Colonic gases are among the most tangible features of digestion, yet physicians are typically unable to offer long-term relief from clinical complaints of excessive gas. Studies characterizing colonic gases have linked changes in volume or composition with bowel disorders and shown hydrogen gas (H(2)), methane, hydrogen sulphide, and carbon dioxide to be by-products of the interplay between H(2)-producing fermentative bacteria and H(2) consumers (reductive acetogens, methanogenic archaea and sulphate-reducing bacteria [SRB]). Clinically, H(2) and methane measured in breath can indicate lactose and glucose intolerance, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and IBS. Methane levels are increased in patients with constipation or IBS. Hydrogen sulphide is a by-product of H(2) metabolism by SRB, which are ubiquitous in the colonic mucosa. Although higher hydrogen sulphide and SRB levels have been detected in patients with IBD, and to a lesser extent in colorectal cancer, this colonic gas might have beneficial effects. Moreover, H(2) has been shown to have antioxidant properties and, in the healthy colon, physiological H(2) concentrations might protect the mucosa from oxidative insults, whereas an impaired H(2) economy might facilitate inflammation or carcinogenesis. Therefore, standardized breath gas measurements combined with ever-improving molecular methodologies could provide novel strategies to prevent, diagnose or manage numerous colonic disorders.
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18
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Wallace JL, Ferraz JGP, Muscara MN. Hydrogen sulfide: an endogenous mediator of resolution of inflammation and injury. Antioxid Redox Signal 2012; 17:58-67. [PMID: 22017247 PMCID: PMC3342563 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2011.4351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Hydrogen sulfide is emerging as an important mediator of many aspects of inflammation, and perhaps most importantly as a factor promoting the resolution of inflammation and repair of injury. RECENT ADVANCES In the gastrointestinal tract, H(2)S has been shown to promote healing of ulcers and the resolution of mucosal inflammation. On the other hand, suppression of endogenous H(2)S synthesis impairs mucosal defense and leads to increased granulocyte infiltration. H(2)S has been exploited in the design of more effective and safe anti-inflammatory drugs. CRITICAL ISSUES Enteric bacteria can be a significant source of H(2)S, which could affect mucosal integrity; indeed, luminal H(2)S can serve as an alternative to oxygen as a metabolic substrate for mitochondrial respiration in epithelial cells. Enterocytes and colonocytes thereby represent a "metabolic barrier" to the diffusion of bacteria-derived H(2)S into the subepithelial space. A compromise of this barrier could result in modulation of mucosal function and integrity by bacterial H(2)S. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Improvements in methods for measurement of H(2)S and development of more selective inhibitors are crucial for gaining a better understanding of the pathophysiological importance of this mediator. Results from animal studies suggest that H(2)S-releasing agents are promising therapeutic agents for many indications, but these compounds need to be assessed in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Wallace
- Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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19
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Nakamura N, Lin HC, McSweeney CS, Mackie RI, Gaskins HR. Mechanisms of microbial hydrogen disposal in the human colon and implications for health and disease. Annu Rev Food Sci Technol 2012; 1:363-95. [PMID: 22129341 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.food.102308.124101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the human gastrointestinal tract, dietary components, including fiber, that reach the colon are fermented principally to short-chain fatty acids, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. Microbial disposal of the hydrogen generated during anaerobic fermentation in the human colon is critical to optimal functioning of this ecosystem. However, our understanding of microbial hydrogenotrophy is fragmented and, at least as it occurs in the colon, is mostly theoretical in nature. Thorough investigation and integration of knowledge on the diversity of hydrogenotrophic microbes, their metabolic variation and activities as a functional group, as well as the nature of their interactions with fermentative bacteria, are necessary to understand hydrogen metabolism in the human colon. Here, we review the limited data available on the three major groups of H(2)-consuming microorganisms found in the human colon [methanogens, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), and acetogens] as well as evidence that end products of their metabolism have an important impact on colonic health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Nakamura
- Department of Animal Sciences and Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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20
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Blachier F, Davila AM, Mimoun S, Benetti PH, Atanasiu C, Andriamihaja M, Benamouzig R, Bouillaud F, Tomé D. Luminal sulfide and large intestine mucosa: friend or foe? Amino Acids 2009; 39:335-47. [PMID: 20020161 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-009-0445-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2009] [Accepted: 12/02/2009] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is present in the lumen of the human large intestine at millimolar concentrations. However, the concentration of free (unbound) sulfide is in the micromolar range due to a large capacity of fecal components to bind the sulfide. H(2)S can be produced by the intestinal microbiota from alimentary and endogenous sulfur-containing compounds including amino acids. At excessive concentration, H(2)S is known to severely inhibit cytochrome c oxidase, the terminal oxidase of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, and thus mitochondrial oxygen (O(2)) consumption. However, the concept that sulfide is simply a metabolic troublemaker toward colonic epithelial cells has been challenged by the discovery that micromolar concentration of H(2)S is able to increase the cell respiration and to energize mitochondria allowing these cells to detoxify and to recover energy from luminal sulfide. The main product of H(2)S metabolism by the colonic mucosa is thiosulfate. The enzymatic activities involved in sulfide oxidation by the colonic epithelial cells appear to be sulfide quinone oxidoreductase considered as the first and rate-limiting step followed presumably by the action of sulfur dioxygenase and rhodanese. From clinical studies with human volunteers and experimental works with rodents, it appears that H(2)S can exert mostly pro- but also anti-inflammatory effects on the colonic mucosa. From the available data, it is tempting to propose that imbalance between the luminal concentration of free sulfide and the capacity of colonic epithelial cells to metabolize this compound will result in an impairment of the colonic epithelial cell O(2) consumption with consequences on the process of mucosal inflammation. In addition, endogenously produced sulfide is emerging as a prosecretory neuromodulator and as a relaxant agent toward the intestinal contractibility. Lastly, sulfide has been recently described as an agent involved in nociception in the large intestine although, depending on the experimental design, both pro- and anti-nociceptive effects have been reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Blachier
- INRA, AgroParisTech, CRNH IdF, UMR 914 Nutrition Physiology and Ingestive Behavior, Paris, France.
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21
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Tangerman A. Measurement and biological significance of the volatile sulfur compounds hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol and dimethyl sulfide in various biological matrices. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2009; 877:3366-77. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2009.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2009] [Revised: 05/10/2009] [Accepted: 05/17/2009] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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22
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Wallace JL, Vong L, McKnight W, Dicay M, Martin GR. Endogenous and exogenous hydrogen sulfide promotes resolution of colitis in rats. Gastroenterology 2009; 137:569-78, 578.e1. [PMID: 19375422 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2009.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 229] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2008] [Revised: 02/24/2009] [Accepted: 04/09/2009] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is an endogenous gaseous mediator of mucosal defense with antiinflammatory effects that promote ulcer healing. The effects of H(2)S during the pathogenesis of colitis have not been established. We analyzed the contribution of H(2)S to inflammation and ulceration of the colon in a rat model of colitis. METHODS Colitis was induced by intracolonic administration of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. The ability of the colon to synthesize H(2)S was studied over the course of the resolution of the colitis. Expression of 2 enzymes involved in the synthesis of H(2)S and the effects of inhibitors of these enzymes were examined. We also examined the effects of H(2)S donors on the resolution of colitis. RESULTS The capacity for the colon to produce H(2)S increased markedly over the first days after induction of colitis and then declined toward control levels as the colitis was resolved. Inhibition of colonic H(2)S synthesis markedly exacerbated the colitis, resulting in significant mortality. Inhibition of H(2)S synthesis in healthy rats resulted in inflammation and mucosal injury in the small intestine and colon along with down-regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 messenger RNA expression and prostaglandin synthesis. Intracolonic administration of H(2)S donors significantly reduced the severity of colitis and reduced colonic expression of messenger RNA for the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha. CONCLUSIONS In rats, H(2)S modulates physiological inflammation and contributes to the resolution of colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Wallace
- Inflammation Research Network, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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23
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Li L, Hsu A, Moore PK. Actions and interactions of nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide in the cardiovascular system and in inflammation--a tale of three gases! Pharmacol Ther 2009; 123:386-400. [PMID: 19486912 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2009.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 234] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2009] [Accepted: 05/15/2009] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulphide (H(2)S) together make up a family of biologically active gases (the so-called 'gaseous triumvirate') with an increasingly well defined range of physiological effects plus roles to play in a number of disease states. Over the years, most researchers have concentrated their attention on understanding the part played by a single gas in one or more body systems. It is becoming more clear that all three gases are synthesised naturally in the body, often by the same cells within the same organs, and that all three gases exert essentially similar biological effects albeit via different mechanisms. Within the cardiovascular system, for example, all are vasodilators, promote angiogenesis and vascular remodelling and are protective towards tissue damage in for example, ischaemia-reperfusion injury in the heart. Similarly, all exhibit complex effects in inflammation with both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects recognised. It seems likely that cell function is controlled not by the activity of single gases working in isolation but by the concerted activity of all three of these gases working together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Li
- Pharmaceutical Science Division, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150 Stamford Street, London SE19NH, UK
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24
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Hamer HM, Jonkers D, Venema K, Vanhoutvin S, Troost FJ, Brummer RJ. Review article: the role of butyrate on colonic function. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2008; 27:104-19. [PMID: 17973645 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2007.03562.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1697] [Impact Index Per Article: 106.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid, is a main end-product of intestinal microbial fermentation of mainly dietary fibre. Butyrate is an important energy source for intestinal epithelial cells and plays a role in the maintenance of colonic homeostasis. AIM To provide an overview on the present knowledge of the bioactivity of butyrate, emphasizing effects and possible mechanisms of action in relation to human colonic function. METHODS A PubMed search was performed to select relevant publications using the search terms: 'butyrate, short-chain fatty acid, fibre, colon, inflammation, carcinogenesis, barrier, oxidative stress, permeability and satiety'. RESULTS Butyrate exerts potent effects on a variety of colonic mucosal functions such as inhibition of inflammation and carcinogenesis, reinforcing various components of the colonic defence barrier and decreasing oxidative stress. In addition, butyrate may promote satiety. Two important mechanisms include the inhibition of nuclear factor kappa B activation and histone deacetylation. However, the observed effects of butyrate largely depend on concentrations and models used and human data are still limited. CONCLUSION Although most studies point towards beneficial effects of butyrate, more human in vivo studies are needed to contribute to our current understanding of butyrate-mediated effects on colonic function in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- H M Hamer
- TI Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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25
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Blachier F, Mariotti F, Huneau JF, Tomé D. Effects of amino acid-derived luminal metabolites on the colonic epithelium and physiopathological consequences. Amino Acids 2006; 33:547-62. [PMID: 17146590 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-006-0477-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 296] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2006] [Accepted: 11/09/2006] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Depending on the amount of alimentary proteins, between 6 and 18 g nitrogenous material per day enter the large intestine lumen through the ileocaecal junction. This material is used as substrates by the flora resulting eventually in the presence of a complex mixture of metabolites including ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, short and branched-chain fatty acids, amines; phenolic, indolic and N-nitroso compounds. The beneficial versus deleterious effects of these compounds on the colonic epithelium depend on parameters such as their luminal concentrations, the duration of the colonic stasis, the detoxication capacity of epithelial cells in response to increase of metabolite concentrations, the cellular metabolic utilization of these metabolites as well as their effects on colonocyte intermediary and oxidative metabolism. Furthermore, the effects of metabolites on electrolyte movements through the colonic epithelium must as well be taken into consideration for such an evaluation. The situation is further complicated by the fact that other non-nitrogenous compounds are believed to interfere with these various phenomenons. Finally, the pathological consequences of the presence of excessive concentrations of these compounds are related to the short- and, most important, long-term effects of these compounds on the rapid colonic epithelium renewing and homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Blachier
- Unité Mixte de Recherche de Physiologie de la Nutrition et du Comportement Alimentaire, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon, Paris, France.
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26
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Abstract
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) produced by commensal sulfate-reducing bacteria, which are often members of normal colonic microbiota, represents an environmental insult to the intestinal epithelium potentially contributing to chronic intestinal disorders that are dependent on gene-environment interactions. For example, epidemiologic studies reveal either persistent sulfate-reducing bacteria colonization or H2S in the gut or feces of patients suffering from ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer. However, a mechanistic model that explains the connection between H2S and ulcerative colitis or colorectal cancer development has not been completely formulated. In this study, we examined the chronic cytotoxicity of sulfide using a microplate assay and genotoxicity using the single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE; comet assay) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and HT29-Cl.16E cells. Sulfide showed chronic cytotoxicity in CHO cells with a %C1/2 of 368.57 micromol/L. Sulfide was not genotoxic in the standard SCGE assay. However, in a modified SCGE assay in which DNA repair was inhibited, a marked genotoxic effect was observed. A sulfide concentration as low as 250 micromol/L (similar to that found in human colon) caused significant genomic DNA damage. The HT29-Cl.16E colonocyte cell line also exhibited increased genomic DNA damage as a function of Na2S concentration when DNA repair was inhibited, although these cells were less sensitive to sulfide than CHO cells. These data indicate that given a predisposing genetic background that compromises DNA repair, H2S may lead to genomic instability or the cumulative mutations found in adenomatous polyps leading to colorectal cancer.
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Lewis S, Brazier J, Beard D, Nazem N, Proctor D. Effects of metronidazole and oligofructose on faecal concentrations of sulphate-reducing bacteria and their activity in human volunteers. Scand J Gastroenterol 2005; 40:1296-303. [PMID: 16334439 DOI: 10.1080/00365520510023585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) have been implicated in the aetiology of ulcerative colitis. Sulphide produced from reduction of sulphate by SRB is highly toxic to colonocytes and can impair their metabolic function. The aim of this study was to investigate the modulation of the colonic bacterial flora using metronidazole and the prebiotic oligofructose on the concentration and activity of SRB. MATERIAL AND METHODS Healthy volunteers were randomly allocated to take metronidazole (5 days), oligofructose (12 days) or both metronidazole (5 days) and oligofructose (12 days). At days 0, 5, 12 and 19, stool samples were cultured, and their pH measured; concentrations of sulphate, hydrogen sulphide, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were measured and the sulphate reduction rates (SRRs) determined. RESULTS In SRB-positive volunteers (n=16) faecal SRB concentrations fell with metronidazole (95% CI, 2.19, 3.36 p<0.0001) even when combined with oligofructose (95% CI 2.32, 4.01 p<0.0001). Faecal anaerobe concentrations fell with metronidazole and bifidobacterial concentrations rose with oligofructose irrespective of SRB status. Faecal SRRs fell with metronidazole irrespective of the presence of faecal SRB (95% CI 29.0, 56.1 p<0.0001). No changes in faecal sulphate concentrations were seen. Faecal hydrogen sulphide concentrations fell with oligofructose in SRB-positive volunteers (95% CI 0.14, 0.53 p=0.002). Faecal SCFA concentrations fell with metronidazole (-103.7, -19.6, p=0.007) and rose with oligofructose (9.9, 83.1 p=0.016). CONCLUSIONS The study shows that metronidazole, but not oligofructose, reduced the concentration and activity of faecal SRB. This reduction had no impact on faecal concentrations of sulphate and hydrogen sulphide, suggesting that other methods of hydrogen sulphide production are more important. Oligofructose causes a reduction in faecal hydrogen sulphide, and an increase in SCFA concentrations may thus have a therapeutic role in patients with ulcerative colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Lewis
- Department of Gastroenterology, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, Devon PL6 8DH, UK.
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Ohge H, Furne JK, Springfield J, Rothenberger DA, Madoff RD, Levitt MD. Association between fecal hydrogen sulfide production and pouchitis. Dis Colon Rectum 2005; 48:469-75. [PMID: 15747080 DOI: 10.1007/s10350-004-0820-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The beneficial effect of antibiotics in pouchitis suggests that an unidentified fecal bacterial product causes this condition. A candidate compound is hydrogen sulfide, a highly toxic gas produced by certain fecal bacteria, which causes tissue injury in experimental models. We investigated hydrogen sulfide release and sulfate-reducing bacterial counts in pouch contents to determine whether hydrogen sulfide production correlates with pouchitis. METHODS During incubation at 37 degrees C, the production of hydrogen sulfide, methylmercaptan, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen were studied using fresh fecal specimens obtained from 50 patients with ileoanal pouches constructed after total proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis (n = 45) or for familial adenomatous polyposis (n = 5). Patients with ulcerative colitis were divided into five groups: a) no history of pouchitis (pouch for at least 2 years; n = 8); b) past episode(s) of pouchitis but no active disease for the previous year (n = 9); c) pouchitis in the past year but presently inactive (n = 9); d) ongoing antibiotic treatment (metronidazole or ciprofloxacin) for pouchitis (n = 11); e) currently suffering from pouchitis (n = 8). RESULTS Release of hydrogen sulfide when pouchitis was active (6.06 +/- 1.03 micromol g(-1) 4 h(-1)) or had occurred in the past year (4.71 +/- 0.41 pmol g(-1) 4 h(-1)) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than when pouchitis had never occurred (1.71 +/- 0.43 micromol g(-1) 4 h(-1)) or had been inactive in the past year (2.62 +/- 0.49 micromol g(-1) 4 h(-1)). Antibiotic therapy was associated with very low hydrogen sulfide release (0.68 +/- 0.29 micromol g(-1) 4 h(-1)). Pouch contents from familial adenomatous polyposis patients produced significantly less hydrogen sulfide (0.75 +/- 0.09 micromol g(-1) 4 h(-1)) than did any group of nonantibiotic-treated ulcerative colitis patients. Sulfate-reducing bacterial counts in active pouchitis (9.5 +/- 0.5 log10/g) were significantly higher than in those who never experienced pouchitis (7.38 +/- 0.32 log10/g), and these counts fell dramatically with antibiotic treatment. No statistically significant differences in carbon dioxide and hydrogen were observed among the groups not receiving antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS Pouch contents of patients with ongoing pouchitis or an episode within the previous year released significantly more hydrogen sulfide than did the contents of patients who never had an attack of pouchitis and those with longstanding inactive disease. The response to therapy with metronidazole or ciprofloxacin was associated with marked reductions in hydrogen sulfide release and sulfate-reducing bacteria. These results provide a rationale for additional studies to determine whether the high sulfide production is a cause or effect of pouchitis. The lower hydrogen sulfide production by pouch contents of familial adenomatous polyposis vs. patients with ulcerative colitis suggests a fundamental difference in gut sulfide metabolism that could have implications for the etiology of ulcerative colitis as well as the pouchitis of patients with ulcerative colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Ohge
- Minneapolis Veterans Administration Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
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Ohge H, Furne JK, Springfield J, Sueda T, Madoff RD, Levitt MD. The effect of antibiotics and bismuth on fecal hydrogen sulfide and sulfate-reducing bacteria in the rat. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2003; 228:137-42. [PMID: 14612249 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1097(03)00748-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Colonic bacteria produce the highly toxic thiol, hydrogen sulfide. Despite speculation that this compound induces colonic mucosal injury, there is little information concerning manipulations that might reduce its production. We studied the effect of antibiotics and bismuth on the production of hydrogen sulfide in rats. Baseline fecal samples were analyzed for hydrogen sulfide concentration and release rate during incubation and numbers of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Groups of six rats received daily doses of ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, or sulfasalazine for one week, and feces were reanalyzed. Bismuth subnitrate was then added to the antibiotic regimens. While sulfide production and sulfate-reducing bacteria were resistant to treatment with ciprofloxacin or metronidazole, bismuth acted synergistically with ciprofloxacin to inhibit sulfate-reducing bacteria growth and to reduce sulfide production. Combination antibiotic-bismuth therapy could provide insights into the importance of sulfide and sulfate-reducing bacteria in both human and animal models of colitis and have clinical utility in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant enteric pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Ohge
- Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, 393 Dunlap Street North, St. Paul, MN 55104, USA.
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Levitt MD, Springfield J, Furne J, Koenig T, Suarez FL. Physiology of sulfide in the rat colon: use of bismuth to assess colonic sulfide production. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2002; 92:1655-60. [PMID: 11896034 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00907.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Colonic bacteria produce hydrogen sulfide, a toxic compound postulated to play a pathogenetic role in ulcerative colitis. Colonic sulfide exposure has previously been assessed via measurements of fecal sulfide concentration. However, we found that <1% of fecal sulfide of rats was free, the remainder being bound in soluble and insoluble complexes. Thus fecal sulfide concentrations may reflect sulfide binding capacity rather than the toxic potential of feces. We utilized bismuth subnitrate to quantitate intracolonic sulfide release based on observations that bismuth 1) avidly binds sulfide; 2) quantitatively releases bound sulfide when acidified; and 3) does not influence fecal sulfide production by fecal homogenates. Rats ingesting bismuth subnitrate excreted 350 +/- 18 micromol/day of fecal sulfide compared with 9 +/- 1 micromol/day in control rats. Thus the colon normally absorbs approximately 340 micromol of sulfide daily, a quantity that would produce local and systemic injury if not efficiently detoxified by the colonic mucosa. Studies utilizing bismuth should help to clarify the factors influencing sulfide production in the human colon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Levitt
- Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417, USA.
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Furne J, Springfield J, Koenig T, DeMaster E, Levitt MD. Oxidation of hydrogen sulfide and methanethiol to thiosulfate by rat tissues: a specialized function of the colonic mucosa. Biochem Pharmacol 2001; 62:255-9. [PMID: 11389886 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-2952(01)00657-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Colonic bacteria release large quantities of the highly toxic thiols hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) and methanethiol (CH(3)SH). These gases rapidly permeate the colonic mucosa, and tissue damage would be expected if the mucosa could not detoxify these compounds rapidly. We previously showed that rat cecal mucosa metabolizes these thiols via conversion to thiosulfate. The purpose of the present study in rats was to determine if this conversion of thiols to thiosulfate is (a) a generalized function of many tissues, or (b) a specialized function of the colonic mucosa. The tissues studied were mucosa from the cecum, right colon, mid-colon, ileum, and stomach; liver; muscle; erythrocytes; and plasma. The metabolic rate was determined by incubating homogenates of the various tissues with H(2)(35)S and CH(3)(35)SH and measuring the rate of incorporation of (35)S into thiosulfate and sulfate. The detoxification activity of H(2)S (expressed as nmol/mg per min) that resulted in thiosulfate production was at least eight times greater for cecal and right colonic mucosa than for the non-colonic tissues. Thiosulfate production from CH(3)SH was at least five times more rapid for cecal and right colonic mucosa than for the non-colonic tissues. We conclude that colonic mucosa possesses a specialized detoxification system that allows this tissue to rapidly metabolize H(2)S and CH(3)SH to thiosulfate. Presumably, this highly developed system protects the colon from what otherwise might be injurious concentrations of H(2)S and CH(3)SH. Defects in this detoxification pathway possibly could play a role in the pathogenesis of various forms of colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Furne
- Research Service, Minneapolis VA Medical Center, 1 Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA
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Fume JK, Springfield J, Koenig T, Suarez F, Levitt MD. Measurement of fecal sulfide using gas chromatography and a sulfur chemiluminescence detector. JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY. B, BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES AND APPLICATIONS 2001; 754:253-8. [PMID: 11318422 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-4347(00)00589-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We describe a simple technique to measure sulfide in fecal homogenates (or any other liquid milieu), which involves acidification followed by the G.C. measurement of H2S in a gas space equilibrated with a small quantity of homogenate. An internal standard of Zn35S added to the homogenate permits correction for incomplete recovery of H2S in the gas space. The use of a sulfur chemiluminescence detector, which specifically and sensitively responds to sulfur-containing compounds, greatly facilitates this measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
- J K Fume
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Medical Centre, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA
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Giffard CJ, Collins SB, Stoodley NC, Butterwick RF, Batt RM. Administration of charcoal, Yucca schidigera, and zinc acetate to reduce malodorous flatulence in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001; 218:892-6. [PMID: 11294313 DOI: 10.2460/javma.2001.218.892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether feeding activated charcoal, Yucca schidigera, and zinc acetate would ameliorate the frequency and odor characteristics of flatulence in dogs. DESIGN In vitro screening of active agents followed by a randomized controlled trial. ANIMALS 8 adult dogs. PROCEDURE A fecal fermentation system was used to assess the effects of activated charcoal, Yucca schidigera, and zinc acetate alone and in combination on total gas production and production of hydrogen sulfide, the primary determinant of flatus malodor in dogs. All 3 agents were subsequently incorporated into edible treats that were fed 30 minutes after the dogs ate their daily rations, and the number, frequency, and odor characteristics of flatulence were measured for 5 hours, using a device that sampled rectal gases and monitored hydrogen sulfide concentrations. RESULT Total gas production and number and frequency of flatulence episodes were unaffected by any of the agents. Production of hydrogen sulfide in vitro was significantly reduced by charcoal, Yucca schidigera, and zinc acetate by 71, 38, and 58%, respectively, and was reduced by 86% by the combination of the 3 agents. Consumption of the 3 agents was associated with a significant decrease (86%) in the percentage of flatulence episodes with bad or unbearable odor and a proportional increase in the percentage of episodes of no or only slightly noticeable odor. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggest that activated charcoal, Yucca schidigera, and zinc acetate reduce malodor of flatus in dogs by altering the production or availability of hydrogen sulfide in the large intestine.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Giffard
- Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, UK
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Florin T, Khalil D, Lenarczyck A, Moody S, Cowley D. Re: Levine et al. Fecal hydrogen sulfide production in ulcerative colitis. Am J Gastroenterol 1998; 93:2638. [PMID: 9860461 DOI: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.1998.02638.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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