Neonatal events, such as androgenization and postnatal overfeeding, modify the response to ghrelin

Gut Microbiome and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Interplay of Associated Microbial-Metabolite Pathways and Therapeutic Strategies

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted disease with an intricate etiology affecting reproductive-aged women. Despite attempts to unravel the pathophysiology, the molecular mechanism of PCOS remains unknown. There are no effective or suitable therapeutic strategies available to ameliorate PCOS; however, the symptoms can be managed. In recent years, a strong association has been found between the gut microbiome and PCOS, leading to the formulation of novel ideas on the genesis and pathological processes of PCOS. Further, gut microbiome dysbiosis involving microbial metabolites may trigger PCOS symptoms via many mechanistic pathways including those associated with carbohydrates, short-chain fatty acids, lipopolysaccharides, bile acids, and gut-brain axis. We present the mechanistic pathways of PCOS-related microbial metabolites and therapeutic opportunities available to treat PCOS, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota therapy. In addition, the current review highlights the emerging treatment strategies available to alleviate the symptoms of PCOS.

Interplay of Gut Microbiota in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Role of Gut Microbiota, Mechanistic Pathways and Potential Treatment Strategies

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) comprises a set of symptoms that pose significant risk factors for various diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Effective and safe methods to treat all the pathological symptoms of PCOS are not available. The gut microbiota has been shown to play an essential role in PCOS incidence and progression. Many dietary plants, prebiotics, and probiotics have been reported to ameliorate PCOS. Gut microbiota shows its effects in PCOS via a number of mechanistic pathways including maintenance of homeostasis, regulation of lipid and blood glucose levels. The effect of gut microbiota on PCOS has been widely reported in animal models but there are only a few reports of human studies. Increasing the diversity of gut microbiota, and up-regulating PCOS ameliorating gut microbiota are some of the ways through which prebiotics, probiotics, and polyphenols work. We present a comprehensive review on polyphenols from natural origin, probiotics, and fecal microbiota therapy that may be used to treat PCOS by modifying the gut microbiota.

Communication in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and role of immunomodulatory nutraceuticals in their management

Conveyance of pathogens between organisms causes communicable diseases. On the other hand, a non-communicable disease (NCD) was always thought to have no causative transmissible infective agents. Today, this clear distinction is increasingly getting blurred and NCDs are found to be associated with some transmissible components. The human microbiota carries a congregation of microbes, the majority and the most widely studied being bacteria in the gut. The adult human gut harbors ginormous inhabitant microbes, and the microbiome accommodates 150-fold more genes than the host genome. Microbial communities share a mutually beneficial relationship with the host, especially with respect to host physiology including digestion, immune responses, and metabolism. This review delineates the connection between environmental factors such as infections leading to gut dysbiosis and NCDs and explores the evidence regarding possible causal link between them. We also discuss the evidence regarding the value of appropriate therapeutic immunomodulatory nutritional interventions to reduce the development of such diseases. We behold such immunomodulatory effects have the potential to influence in various NCDs and restore homeostasis. We believe that the beginning of the era of microbiota-oriented personalized treatment modalities is not far away.

Optimization of a MALDI-Imaging protocol for studying adipose tissue-associated disorders

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is increasingly recognized for its potential in the discovery of novel biomarkers directly from tissue sections. However, there are no MALDI IMS studies as yet on the adipose tissue, a lipid-enriched tissue that plays a pivotal role in the development of obesity-associated disorders. Herein, we aimed at developing an optimized method for analyzing adipose tissue lipid composition under both physiological and pathological conditions by MALDI IMS. Our studies showed an exacerbated lipid delocalization from adipose tissue sections when conventional strategies were applied. However, our optimized method using conductive-tape sampling and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) as a matrix, preserved the anatomical organization and minimized lipid diffusion from sample sections. This method enabled the identification of a total of 625 down-regulated and 328 up-regulated m/z values in the adipose tissue from a rat model of extreme obesity as compared to lean animals. Combination of MALDI IMS and liquid chromatography (LC)-MS/MS data identified 44 differentially expressed lipid species between lean and obese animals, including phospholipids and sphingomyelins. Among the lipids identified, SM(d18:0_18:2), PE(P-16:0_20:0), and PC(O-16:0_16:1) showed a differential spatial distribution in the adipose tissue of lean vs. obese animals. In sum, our method provides a valuable new tool for research on adipose tissue that may pave the way for the identification of novel biomarkers of obesity and metabolic disease.

Exploration of the Relationship Between Gut Microbiota and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): a Review

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine and metabolic syndrome (MS) with a complex etiology, and its pathogenesis is not yet clear. In recent years, the correlation between gut microbiota (GM) and metabolic disease has become a hot topic in research, leading to a number of new ideas about the etiology and pathological mechanisms of PCOS. The literature shows that GM can cause insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism, chronic inflammation and metabolic syndrome (obesity, diabetes) and may contribute to the development of PCOS by influencing energy absorption, the pathways of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), lipopolysaccharides, choline and bile acids, intestinal permeability and the brain-gut axis. As part of the treatment of PCOS, fecal microbiota transplantation, supplementation with prebiotics and traditional Chinese medicine can be used to regulate GM and treat disorders. This article reviews possible mechanisms and treatment options for PCOS, based on methods which target the GM, and offers new ideas for the treatment of PCOS.

Updating gender differences in the control of homeostatic and hedonic food intake: Implications for binge eating disorder

In an obesity pandemic context, eating disorders (ED) have arisen as serious illnesses associated with severe disturbances and has a clear gender dependent bias. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of the oestrogen role in the homeostatic and hedonic control of food intake. We draw attention to the role of oestrogens in the various reward processes and their possible implication in the development of ED, a condition much more common in women. In here, we have summarized the most relevant studies conducted in animal models over the last few years. In particular, we want to emphasize on the importance of continuing thorough investigations in female animal models. We believe that understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate gender differences in food intake may provide new potential targets for ED treatment.

Sequential Exposure to Obesogenic Factors in Females Rats: From Physiological Changes to Lipid Metabolism in Liver and Mesenteric Adipose Tissue

During their lifetime, females are subjected to different nutritional and hormonal factors that could increase the risk of obesity and associated comorbidities. From early postnatal periods until the postmenopausal phase, exposure to over nutrition, high-energy diet and oestrogen deficiency, are considered as significant obesity risk factors in women. In this study, we assessed how key transitional life events and exposure to different nutrition influence energy homeostasis in a rat model. Specifically, we assessed the sequential exposure to postnatal over nutrition, high-fat diet (HFD) after weaning, followed later by ovariectomy (OVX; as a model of menopause). Each obesity risk factor increased significantly body weight (BW) and adiposity, with additive effects after sequential exposure. Increased energy intake in both HFD and/or OVX groups, and decreased locomotor activity and energy expenditure after OVX can explain these metabolic changes. Our study also documents decreased lipogenic pathway in mesenteric adipose tissue after HFD and/or OVX, independent of previous postnatal programming, yet only HFD evoked this effect in liver. In addition, we report an increase in the expression of the hepatic PEPCK depending on previous metabolic status. Overall, our results identify the impact of different risk factors, which will help in understanding the development of obesity in females.