Bacteroidota and Lachnospiraceae integration into the gut microbiome at key time points in early life are linked to infant neurodevelopment

Morin alleviates DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice via inhibition of inflammation and modulation of intestinal microbiota

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory condition with recurrent and challenging symptoms. Effective treatments are lacking, making UC management a critical research area. Morin (MO), a flavonoid from the Moraceae family, shows potential as an anti-UC agent, but its mechanisms are not fully understood. Using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mouse model, we employed network pharmacology to predict MO's therapeutic effects. Assessments included changes in body weight, disease activity index (DAI), and colon length. Immunofluorescence, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and PAS staining evaluated colon damage. ELISA and western blot analyzed inflammatory factors, tight junction (TJ)-associated proteins (Claudin-3, Occludin, ZO-1), and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK)/ Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathways. 16S rRNA sequencing assessed gut microbiota diversity, confirmed by MO's modulation via Fecal Microbial Transplantation (FMT). Early MO intervention reduced UC severity by improving weight, DAI scores, and colon length, increasing goblet cells, enhancing barrier function, and inhibiting MAPK/NF-κB pathways. MO enriched gut microbiota, favoring beneficial bacteria like Muribaculaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae while reducing harmful Erysipelotrichaceae and Muribaculaceae. This study highlights MO's potential in UC management through inflammation control, mucosal integrity maintenance, and gut flora modulation.

Tetracycline-induced gut community dysbiosis and Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus infection synergistically negatively affect honeybees

Antibiotics are frequently employed to control bacterial diseases in honeybees, but their broad-spectrum action can disrupt the delicate balance of the gut microbiome, leading to dysbiosis. This imbalance in the gut microbiota of honeybees adversely affects their physiological health and weakens their resistance to pathogens, including viruses that significantly threaten honeybee health. In this study, we investigated whether tetracycline-induced gut microbiome dysbiosis promotes the replication of Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), a key virus associated with colony losses and whether IAPV infection exacerbates gut microbiome dysbiosis. Our results demonstrated that tetracycline-induced gut microbiome dysbiosis increases the susceptibility of honeybees to IAPV infection. The viral titer in worker bees with antibiotic-induced gut microbiome dysbiosis prior to IAPV inoculation was significantly higher than in those merely inoculated with IAPV. Furthermore, we observed a synergistic effect between tetracycline and IAPV on the disruption of the honeybee gut microbiome balance. The progression of IAPV replication could, in turn, exacerbate antibiotic-induced gut microbiome dysbiosis in honeybees. Our research provides novel insights into the role of the gut microbiota in host-virus interactions, emphasizing the complex interplay between antibiotic use, gut microbiome health, and viral susceptibility in honeybees. We highlight the crucial role of a balanced gut microbiota in honey bees for their immune response against pathogens and emphasize the importance of careful, safe antibiotic use in beekeeping to protect these beneficial microbes.

Pesticide butachlor exposure perturbs gut microbial homeostasis

Agricultural production relies heavily on the use of pesticides, which may accumulate in soil and water, posing a significant threat to the global ecological environment and biological health. Butachlor is a commonly used herbicide and environmental pollutant, which has been linked to liver and kidney damage, as well as neurological abnormalities. However, the potential impact of butachlor exposure on the gut microbiota remains understudied. Thus, our aim was to investigate the potential negative effects of butachlor exposure on host health and gut microbiota. Our results demonstrated that butachlor exposure significantly reduced the host antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by decreased levels of T-AOC, SOD, and GSH-Px, and increased levels of MDA. Serum biochemical analysis also revealed a significant increase in AST and ALT levels during butachlor exposure. Microbial analysis showed that butachlor exposure significantly reduced the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota. Furthermore, butachlor exposure also significantly altered the gut microbial composition. In conclusion, our findings indicate that butachlor exposure can have detrimental health effects, including dysregulation of antioxidant enzymes, abnormalities in transaminases, and hepatointestinal damage. Furthermore, it disrupts the gut microbial homeostasis by altering microbial composition and reducing diversity and abundance. In the context of the increasingly serious use of pesticides, this study will help provide impetus for standardizing the application of pesticides and reducing environmental pollution.

Microbial Composition of Extracted Dental Alveoli in Dogs with Advanced Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and destroys the bone supporting the teeth. The aim of the study was to investigate the microbiota using traditional microbiology plating and metagenomic sequencing of extracted tooth alveoli in dogs with severe periodontitis. Isolation of culturable microorganisms was performed as part of bacteriological testing to provide bacteriological diagnosis to veterinary surgeons. Metagenomic sequencing was performed using shotgun sequencing on the Illumina HiSeq system platform. The most prevalent species at sites of periodontal infection detected by metagenomic sequencing were Porphyromonas gulae, Prevotella spp., Tannerella forsythia, Porphyromonas crevioricanis, Porphyromonas cangingivalis, and Bacteroides heparinolyticus. Pasteurella, Streptococcus, and Neisseria were the most frequently isolated culturable bacteria from infected sites detected by traditional microbiologic methods. Metagenomic data revealed that these three genera accounted for only 1.6% of all microbiota at the sites of infection. Antimicrobial resistance patterns of the isolated bacteria included resistance to ampicillin, doxycycline, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, colistin, cefotaxime, and chloramphenicol. Antimicrobial-resistant genes detected using shotgun sequencing also showed resistance to aminoglycosides and macrolides. Dogs with periodontal infections carry bacteria that can cause bite infections in humans as well as multi-resistant isolates. Therefore, treatment and prophylaxis or periodontal disease of dogs is important from a One Health perspective.

Maternal gestational diabetes mellitus associates with altered gut microbiome composition and head circumference abnormalities in male offspring

The impact of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on maternal or infant microbiome trajectory remains poorly understood. Utilizing large-scale longitudinal fecal samples from 264 mother-baby dyads, we present the gut microbiome trajectory of the mothers throughout pregnancy and infants during the first year of life. GDM mothers had a distinct microbiome diversity and composition during the gestation period. GDM leaves fingerprints on the infant's gut microbiome, which are confounded by delivery mode. Further, Clostridium species positively correlate with a larger head circumference at month 12 in male offspring but not females. The gut microbiome of GDM mothers with male fetuses displays depleted gut-brain modules, including acetate synthesis I and degradation and glutamate synthesis II. The gut microbiome of female infants of GDM mothers has higher histamine degradation and dopamine degradation. Together, our integrative analysis indicates that GDM affects maternal and infant gut composition, which is associated with sexually dimorphic infant head growth.

16S rDNA Sequencing for Bacterial Identification in Preterm Infants with Suspected Early-Onset Neonatal Sepsis

BACKGROUND

The high prevalence of suspected early-onset neonatal sepsis among preterm infants leads to immediate antibiotic administration upon admission. Notably, most blood cultures for suspected early-onset neonatal sepsis do not yield a causative pathogen. This study aimed to assess polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the variable region V4 of the 16S ribosomal gene (16S rDNA) and Sanger sequencing for bacterial identification in preterm infants with suspected early-onset neonatal sepsis.

METHODS

Therefore, this prospective study was conducted. Preterm infants with suspected early-onset neonatal sepsis were included in this study. The three groups were formed based on the risk of infection and clinical sepsis. Blood samples were collected upon admission to the neonatal unit for culture and molecular analysis. PCR amplification and subsequent Sanger sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rDNA were performed.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight patients were included in this study. Blood cultures were negative in 100% of the patients. Amplification and sequencing of the V4 region identified bacterial genera in 19 patients across distinct groups. The predominant taxonomically identified genus was Pseudomonas.

CONCLUSIONS

Amplifying the 16S rDNA variable region through PCR and subsequent Sanger sequencing in preterm neonates with suspected early-onset neonatal sepsis can enhance the identification of microbial species that cause infection, especially in negative cultures.

A digital twin of the infant microbiome to predict neurodevelopmental deficits

Despite the recognized gut-brain axis link, natural variations in microbial profiles between patients hinder definition of normal abundance ranges, confounding the impact of dysbiosis on infant neurodevelopment. We infer a digital twin of the infant microbiome, forecasting ecosystem trajectories from a few initial observations. Using 16S ribosomal RNA profiles from 88 preterm infants (398 fecal samples and 32,942 abundance estimates for 91 microbial classes), the model (Q-net) predicts abundance dynamics with R2 = 0.69. Contrasting the fit to Q-nets of typical versus suboptimal development, we can reliably estimate individual deficit risk (Mδ) and identify infants achieving poor future head circumference growth with ≈76% area under the receiver operator characteristic curve, 95% ± 1.8% positive predictive value at 98% specificity at 30 weeks postmenstrual age. We find that early transplantation might mitigate risk for ≈45.2% of the cohort, with potentially negative effects from incorrect supplementation. Q-nets are generative artificial intelligence models for ecosystem dynamics, with broad potential applications.

Comprehensive analysis of the microbiome in Apis cerana honey highlights honey as a potential source for the isolation of beneficial bacterial strains

Background

Honey is a nutritious food made by bees from nectar and sweet deposits of flowering plants and has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for wound healing and other bacterial infections due to its antibacterial properties. Honey contains a diverse community of bacteria, especially probiotic bacteria, that greatly affect the health of bees and their consumers. Therefore, understanding the microorganisms in honey can help to ensure the quality of honey and lead to the identification of potential probiotic bacteria.

Methods

Herein, the bacteria community in honey produced by Apis cerana was investigated by applying the next-generation sequencing (NGS) method for the V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. In addition, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the honey sample were also isolated and screened for in vitro antimicrobial activity.

Results

The results showed that the microbiota of A. cerana honey consisted of two major bacterial phyla, Firmicutes (50%; Clostridia, 48.2%) and Proteobacteria (49%; Gammaproteobacteria, 47.7%). Among the 67 identified bacterial genera, the three most predominant genera were beneficial obligate anaerobic bacteria, Lachnospiraceae (48.14%), followed by Gilliamella (26.80%), and Enterobacter (10.16%). Remarkably, among the identified LAB, Lactobacillus kunkeei was found to be the most abundant species. Interestingly, the isolated L. kunkeei strains exhibited antimicrobial activity against some pathogenic bacteria in honeybees, including Klebsiella spp., Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. This underscores the potential candidacy of L. kunkeei for developing probiotics for medical use. Taken together, our results provided new insights into the microbiota community in the A. cerana honey in Hanoi, Vietnam, highlighting evidence that honey can be an unexplored source for isolating bacterial strains with potential probiotic applications in honeybees and humans.

Associations between gut microbiota and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Gut microbiota are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants; however, the precise causal relationship remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to comprehensively study the relationship between gut microbiota and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants and identify specific causal bacteria that may be associated with the occurrence and development of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. The genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) of the MiBioGen biogroup was used as the exposure data. The GWAS of six common adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature infants from the FinnGen consortium R9 was used as the outcome data. Genetic variations, namely, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) below the locus-wide significance level (1 × 10-5) and genome-wide statistical significance threshold (5 × 10-8) were selected as instrumental variables (IVs). MR studies use inverse variance weighting (IVW) as the main method. To supplement this, we also applied three additional MR methods: MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode. In addition, the Cochrane's Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO), and leave-one-out methods were used for sensitivity analysis. Our study shows a causal relationship between specific gut microbiota and neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. These findings provide new insights into the mechanism by which gut microbiota may mediate adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants.

Effects of dietary chitosan oligosaccharide on the growth, intestinal microbiota and immunity of juvenile red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus)

This study aimed to evaluate the potential benefits of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) on red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) and explore its underlying mechanisms. The crayfish were randomly divided into six groups, and the diets were supplemented with COS at levels of 0 (C0), 0.2 (C1), 0.4 (C2), 0.6 (C3), 0.8 (C4), and 1 (C5) g kg-1. Treatment with COS significantly improved the growth performance of the crayfish with a higher weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) in the C2 group compared to the C0 group. Additionally, the content of crude protein in the crayfish muscles in the C1 group was significantly higher than that of the C0 group. Regarding non-specific immunity, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and alkaline phosphatase (AKP), and the levels of expression of the genes related to immunity (SOD; anti-lipopolysaccharide factor [ALF]; thioredoxin1 [Trx1]; C-type lysozyme, [C-LZM]; and GSH-Px) in the hepatopancreas and hemolymph increased significantly (P < 0.05) after supplementation with 0.4 g kg-1 of COS, while the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) decreased (P < 0.05). The survival rate of C. quadricarinatus increased (P < 0.05) in the C2, C3, C4, and C5 groups after the challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila. This study found that COS has the potential to modulate the composition of the intestinal microbiota and significantly reduce the abundance of species of the phylum Proteobacteria and the genera Aeromonas and Vibrio in the gut of C. quadricarinatus, while the abundance of bacteria in the phylum Firmicutes and the genus Candidatus_Hepatoplasma improved significantly. This study suggests that the inclusion of COS in the diet of C. quadricarinatus can enhance growth, boost immunity, and increase resistance to infection with A. hydrophila, especially when supplemented at 0.4-0.8 g kg-1.

Enhanced Antioxidative Capacity Transfer between Sow and Fetus via the Gut-Placenta Axis with Dietary Selenium Yeast and Glycerol Monolaurate Supplementation during Pregnancy

This study aims to investigate the impact of dietary supplementation with selenium yeast (SeY) and glycerol monolaurate (GML) on the transfer of antioxidative capacity between the mother and fetus during pregnancy and its underlying mechanisms. A total of 160 sows with similar body weight and parity of 3-6 parity sows were randomly and uniformly allocated to four groups (n = 40) as follows: CON group, SeY group, GML group, and SG (SeY + GML) group. Animal feeding started from the 85th day of gestation and continued to the day of delivery. The supplementation of SeY and GML resulted in increased placental weight and reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels in sow plasma, placental tissues, and piglet plasma. Furthermore, the redox balance and inflammatory markers exhibited significant improvements in the plasma of sows fed with either SeY or GML, as well as in their offspring. Moreover, the addition of SeY and GML activated the Nrf2 signaling pathway, while downregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory genes and proteins associated with inflammatory pathways (MAPK and NF-κB). Vascular angiogenesis and nutrient transportation (amino acids, fatty acids, and glucose) were upregulated, whereas apoptosis signaling pathways within the placenta were downregulated with the supplementation of SeY and GML. The integrity of the intestinal and placental barriers significantly improved, as indicated by the increased expression of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1, along with reduced levels of DLA and DAO with dietary treatment. Moreover, supplementation of SeY and GML increased the abundance of Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Clostridium_sensus_stricto_1, and Bacteroidota, while decreasing levels of gut microbiota metabolites LPS and trimethylamine N-oxide. Correlation analysis demonstrated a significant negative relationship between plasma LPS levels and placental weight, oxidative stress, and inflammation. In summary, dietary supplementation of SeY and GML enhanced the transfer of antioxidative capacity between maternal-fetal during pregnancy via gut-placenta axis through modulating sow microbiota composition.

The human gut microbiome and aging

The composition of the human gut microbiome has been observed to change over the course of an individual's life. From birth, it is shaped by mode of delivery, diet, environmental exposures, geographic location, exposures to medications, and by aging itself. Here, we present a narrative review of the gut microbiome across the lifespan with a focus on its impacts on aging and age-related diseases in humans. We will describe how it is shaped, and features of the gut microbiome that have been associated with diseases at different phases of life and how this can adversely affect healthy aging. Across the lifespan, and especially in old age, a diverse microbiome that includes organisms suspected to produce anti-inflammatory metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, has been reported to be associated with healthy aging. These findings have been remarkably consistent across geographic regions of the world suggesting that they could be universal features of healthy aging across all cultures and genetic backgrounds. Exactly how these features of the microbiome affect biologic processes associated with aging thus promoting healthy aging will be crucial to targeting the gut microbiome for interventions that will support health and longevity.

Treatment of preterm brain injury via gut-microbiota-metabolite-brain axis

BACKGROUND

Brain injury in preterm infants potentially disrupts critical structural and functional connective networks in the brain. It is a major cause of neurological sequelae and developmental deficits in preterm infants. Interesting findings suggest that the gut microbiota (GM) and their metabolites contribute to the programming of the central nervous system (CNS) during developmental stages and may exert structural and functional effects throughout the lifespan.

AIM

To summarize the existing knowledge of the potential mechanisms related to immune, endocrine, neural, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) mediated by GM and its metabolites in neural development and function.

METHODS

We review the recent literature and included 150 articles to summarize the mechanisms through which GM and their metabolites work on the nervous system. Potential health benefits and challenges of relevant treatments are also discussed.

RESULTS

This review discusses the direct and indirect ways through which the GM may act on the nervous system. Treatment of preterm brain injury with GM or related derivatives, including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, dietary interventions, and fecal transplants are also included.

CONCLUSION

This review summarizes mechanisms underlying microbiota-gut-brain axis and novel therapeutic opportunities for neurological sequelae in preterm infants. Optimizing the initial colonization and microbiota development in preterm infants may represent a novel therapy to promote brain development and reduce long-term sequelae.

Dietary Nucleotides Promote Neonatal Rat Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis Development by Affecting Gut Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Function

A variety of active factors in milk and foods have been proven to serve as microbial nutrients that regulate the formation of early gut microbiota (GM), thereby ensuring the healthy development of infants. This study demonstrated that dietary nucleotides (NTs), one of the main nitrogen-containing substances in human milk, promoted the neurodevelopment of neonatal rats and the expression of Sox2, Dcx, Tuj1, and NeuN in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, but had no significant regulatory effects in the striatum. 16s rRNA sequencing and metabolomics of the colon contents of neonatal rats at different developmental stages showed that the early intake of NTs promoted an increase in the abundance of beneficial microorganisms related to neurodevelopment, digestion, and gut absorption, such as g_Romboutsia and g_Akkermansia. Changes in the ability of the GM to regulate folate synthesis, riboflavin metabolism, and other processes were also observed. Further analysis revealed significant correlations between the level of characteristic metabolites, namely, trans-3-indoleacrylic acid, urocanic acid, inosine, and adenosine, in the gut with neurodevelopment and characteristic GM components. These findings suggest that NTs in milk may affect neurodevelopment and maturation in early life by regulating the GM composition-gut-brain axis.

Intestinal Microbiota Is a Key Target for Load Swimming to Improve Anxiety Behavior and Muscle Strength in Shank 3-/- Rats

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social disorder and stereotypical behavior, and its incidence rate is increasing yearly. It is considered that acritical period for the prognosis of young children with ASD exists, thus early treatment is crucial. Swimming, due to its comforting effect, is often used to induce enthusiasm in young children for completing activities and has a good effect in the treatment of ASD, but the effective path of swimming has yet to be reported. The intestinal microbiota of ASD patients and animal models has been reported to be different from that of healthy controls, and these changes may affect the brain environment. Therefore, whether the intestinal microbiota is involved in the treatment of ASD by early swimming is our concern. In this study, we used 8-day old Shank3 gene knockout rats with 8 weeks of early load swimming training and conducted behavioral, small intestine morphology, and intestinal content sequencing after training. The results showed that early load swimming significantly reduced the stereotyped and anxious behaviors of Shank3-/- rats, increased their muscle strength, increased the length of intestinal villi and the width of the muscular layer after Shank3 knockout, and affected the abundance of intestinal microorganisms. The abundances with statistical significance were Lactobacillus, Lachnospiraceae, and Alloprevotella. To further confirm the role of intestinal microorganisms in it, we designed a 14-day intestinal stool transplantation experiment. Fecal microbiota transplantation demonstrated that load swimming can significantly reduce the anxiety behavior of Shank3 rats, increase their muscle strength, change the structure of the small intestine, and affect the abundance of intestinal contents. The abundance of Epsilonbateraeota, Prevotella, and Bacteroides significantly changed after transplantation. Our findings confirm the possibility of early load swimming therapy for individuals with ASD and explain that the intestinal microbiota is a key pathway for early exercise therapy for patients with ASD.

Acute chlorothalonil exposure had the potential to influence the intestinal barrier function and micro-environment in mice

The intestinal barrier maintains intestinal homeostasis and metabolism and protects against harmful pollutants. Some environmental pollutants seriously affect intestinal barrier function. However, it remains unclear whether or how chlorothalonil (CTL) impacts the intestinal barrier function in animals. Herein, 6-week-old male mice were acutely exposed to different CTL concentrations (100 and 300 mg/kg BW) via intragastric administration once a day for 7 days. Histopathological examination revealed obvious inflammation in the mice' colon and ileum. Most notably, CTL exposure increased the intestinal permeability, particularly in the CTL-300 group. CTL exposure reduced the secretion of colonic epithelial mucus and changed the transcription levels of genes bound up with ion transport and ileal antimicrobial peptide (AMP) secretion, indicating intestinal chemical barrier damage. The results of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay and Ki67 staining revealed abnormal apoptosis and increased intestinal epithelial cell proliferation, suggesting that CTL exposure led to cytotoxicity and inflammation. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that CTL exposure altered the intestinal microbiota composition and reduced its diversity and richness in the colon contents. Thus, acute CTL exposure affected the different intestinal barrier- and gut microenvironment-related endpoints in mice.

The social microbiome: gut microbiome diversity and abundance are negatively associated with sociality in a wild mammal

The gut microbiome has a well-documented relationship with host fitness. Greater microbial diversity and abundance of specific microbes have been associated with improved fitness outcomes. Intestinal microbes also may be associated with patterns of social behaviour. However, these associations have been largely studied in captive animal models; we know less about microbiome composition as a potential driver of individual social behaviour and position in the wild. We used linear mixed models to quantify the relationship between fecal microbial composition, diversity and social network traits in a wild population of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer). We focused our analyses on microbes previously linked to sociability and neurobehavioural alterations in captive rodents, primates and humans. Using 5 years of data, we found microbial diversity (Shannon-Wiener and Faith's phylogenetic diversity) has a modest yet statistically significant negative relationship with the number of social interactions an individual engaged in. We also found a negative relationship between Streptococcus spp. relative abundance and two social network measures (clustering coefficient and embeddedness) that quantify an individual's position relative to others in their social group. These findings highlight a potentially consequential relationship between microbial composition and social behaviour in a wild social mammal.

Dissecting the Association between Gut Microbiota and Brain Structure Change Rate: A Two-Sample Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study

The connection between the gut microbiota and brain structure changes is still unclear. We conducted a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to examine the bidirectional causality between the gut microbiota (211 taxa, including 131 genera, 35 families, 20 orders, 16 classes and 9 phyla; N = 18,340 individuals) and age-independent/dependent longitudinal changes in brain structure across the lifespan (N = 15,640 individuals aged 4~99 years). We identified causal associations between the gut microbiota and age-independent/dependent longitudinal changes in brain structure, such as family Peptostreptococcaceae with age-independent longitudinal changes of cortical gray matter (GM) volume and genus Faecalibacterium with age-independent average cortical thickness and cortical GM volume. Taking age-independent longitudinal changes in brain structure across the lifespan as exposures, there were causal relationships between the surface area and genus Lachnospiraceae. Our findings may serve as fundamentals for further research on the genetic mechanisms and biological treatment of complex traits and diseases associated with the gut microbiota and the brain structure change rate.

Effects of nano-selenium on cecum microbial community and metabolomics in chickens challenged with Ochratoxin A

Introduction

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a widely distributed mycotoxin. Nano-selenium (Nano-Se) is an emerging form of selenium known for its superior bioavailability, remarkable catalytic efficiency, and robust adsorbing capacity. Despite these characteristics, its impact on the microbial community and metabolomics in the cecum of chickens exposed to OTA has been infrequently investigated. This research examined the microbiota and metabolomic alterations linked to OTA in chickens, with or without Nano-Se present.

Methods

A cohort of 80 healthy chickens at the age of 1 day was randomly distributed into four groups of equal numbers, namely the Se cohort (1 mg/kg Nano-Se), the OTA cohort (50 μg/kg OTA), the OTA-Se cohort (50 μg/kg OTA + 1 mg/kg Nano-Se), and the control group. Each chicken group's caecal microbiome and metabolome were characterized using 16S rRNA sequencing and Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses.

Results and discussion

Our results showed that the on day 21, the final body weight was significantly reduced in response to OTA treatments (p < 0.05), the average daily gain in the OTA group was found to be inferior to the other groups (p < 0.01). In addition, Nano-Se supplementation could reduce the jejunum and liver pathological injuries caused by OTA exposure. The 16S rRNA sequencing suggest that Nano-Se supplementation in OTA-exposed chickens mitigated gut microbiota imbalances by promoting beneficial microbiota and suppressing detrimental bacteria. Moreover, untargeted metabolomics revealed a significant difference in caecal metabolites by Nano-Se pretreatment. Collectively, the dataset outcomes highlighted that Nano-Se augmentation regulates intestinal microbiota and associated metabolite profiles, thus influencing critical metabolic pathways, and points to a possible food-additive product.

Role of the gut-microbiota-metabolite-brain axis in the pathogenesis of preterm brain injury

Brain injury, a common complication in preterm infants, includes the destruction of the key structural and functional connections of the brain and causes neurodevelopmental disorders; it has high morbidity and mortality rates. The exact mechanism underlying brain injury in preterm infants is unclear. Intestinal flora plays a vital role in brain development and the maturation of the immune system in infants; however, detailed understanding of the gut microbiota-metabolite-brain axis in preterm infants is lacking. In this review, we summarise the key mechanisms by which the intestinal microbiota contribute to neurodevelopment and brain injury in preterm infants, with special emphasis on the influence of microorganisms and their metabolites on the regulation of neurocognitive development and neurodevelopmental risks related to preterm birth, infection and neonatal necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). This review provides support for the development and application of novel therapeutic strategies, including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and faecal bacteria transplantation targeting at brain injury in preterm infants.

An insight into the temporal dynamics in the gut microbiome, metabolite signaling, immune response, and barrier function in suckling and weaned piglets under production conditions

Little information is available on age- and creep-feeding-related microbial and immune development in neonatal piglets. Therefore, we explored age- and gut-site-specific alterations in the microbiome, metabolites, histo-morphology, and expression of genes for microbial signaling, as well as immune and barrier function in suckling and newly weaned piglets that were receiving sow milk only or were additionally offered creep feed from day of life (DoL) 10. The experiment was conducted in two replicate batches. Creep feed intake was estimated at the litter level. Piglets were weaned on day 28 of life. Gastric and cecal digesta and jejunal and cecal tissue were collected on DoL 7, 14, 21, 28, 31, and 35 for microbial and metabolite composition, histomorphology, and gene expression. In total, results for 10 piglets (n = 5/sex) per dietary group (sow milk only versus additional creep feed) were obtained for each DoL. The creep feed intake was low at the beginning and only increased in the fourth week of life. Piglets that were fed creep feed had less lactate and acetate in gastric digesta on DoL 28 compared to piglets fed sow milk only (p < 0.05). Age mainly influenced the gastric and cecal bacteriome and cecal mycobiome composition during the suckling phase, whereas the effect of creep feeding was small. Weaning largely altered the microbial communities. For instance, it reduced gastric Lactobacillaceae and cecal Bacteroidaceae abundances and lowered lactate and short-chain fatty acid concentrations on DoL 31 (p < 0.05). Jejunal and cecal expression of genes related to microbial and metabolite signaling, and innate immunity showed age-related patterns that were highest on DoL 7 and declined until DoL 35 (p < 0.05). Weaning impaired barrier function and enhanced antimicrobial secretion by lowering the expression of tight junction proteins and stimulating goblet cell recruitment in the jejunum and cecum (p < 0.05). Results indicated that age-dependent alterations, programmed genetically and by the continuously changing gut microbiome, had a strong impact on the expression of genes for gut barrier function, integrity, innate immunity, and SCFA signaling, whereas creep feeding had little influence on the microbial and host response dynamics at the investigated gut sites.

The contribution of maternal oral, vaginal, and gut microbiota to the developing offspring gut

There is limited understanding of how the microbiota colonizing various maternal tissues contribute to the development of the neonatal gut microbiota (GM). To determine the contribution of various maternal microbiotic sites to the offspring microbiota in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract (GIT) during early life, litters of mice were sacrificed at 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 21 days of age, and fecal and ileal samples were collected. Dams were euthanized alongside their pups, and oral, vaginal, ileal, and fecal samples were collected. This was done in parallel using mice with either a low-richness or high-richness microbiota to assess the consistency of findings across multiple microbial compositions. Samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The compositional similarity between pup and dam samples were used to determine the contribution of each maternal source to the composition of the neonate fecal and ileal samples at each timepoint. As expected, similarity between neonate and maternal feces increased significantly over time. During earlier time-points however, the offspring fecal and ileal microbiotas were closer in composition to the maternal oral microbiota than other maternal sites. Prominent taxa contributed by the maternal oral microbiota to the neonate GM were supplier-dependent and included Lactobacillus spp., Streptococcus spp., and a member of the Pasteurellaceae family. These findings align with the microbial taxa reported in infant microbiotas, highlighting the translatability of mouse models in this regard, as well as the dynamic nature of the GM during early life.

The Influence of Protein Secretomes of Enterococcus durans on ex vivo Human Gut Microbiome

The gut microbiome plays a critical role to all animals and humans health. Methods based on ex vivo cultures are time and cost-effective solutions for rapid evaluation of probiotic effects on microbiomes. In this study, we assessed whether the protein secretome from the potential probiotic Enterococcus durans LAB18S grown on fructoligosaccharides (FOS) and galactoligosaccharides (GOS) had specific effects on ex vivo cultured intestinal microbiome obtained from a healthy individual. Metaproteomics was used to evaluate changes in microbial communities of the human intestinal microbiome. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed 654 differentially abundant proteins from the metaproteome samples, showing that gut microbial protein expression varied on the presence of different E. durans secretomes. Increased amount of Bacteroidetes phylum was observed in treatments with secretomes from E. durans cultures on FOS, GOS and albumin, resulting in a decrease of the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio. The most functionally abundant bacterial taxa were Roseburia, Bacteroides, Alistipes and Faecalibacterium. The results suggest that the secretome of E. durans may have favorable effects on the intestinal microbial composition, stimulating growth and different protein expression of beneficial bacteria. These findings suggest that proteins secreted by E. durans growing on FOS and GOS have different effects on the modulation of gut microbiota functional activities during cultivation.

Early-life gut microbiota and neurodevelopment in preterm infants: a narrative review

Infants born preterm are at a high risk of both gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis and neurodevelopmental impairment. While the link between early dysbiosis and short-term clinical outcomes is well established, the relationship with long-term infant health has only recently gained interest. Notably, there is a significant overlap in the developmental windows of GM and the nervous system in early life. The connection between GM and neurodevelopment was first described in animal models, but over the last decade a growing body of research has also identified GM features as one of the potential mediators for human neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of the developing GM in early life and its prospective relationship with neurodevelopment, with a focus on preterm infants. Animal models have provided evidence for emerging pathways linking early-life GM with brain development. Furthermore, a relationship between both dynamic patterns and static features of the GM during preterm infants' early life and brain maturation, as well as neurodevelopmental outcomes in early childhood, was documented. Future human studies in larger cohorts, integrated with studies on animal models, may provide additional evidence and help to identify predictive biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for healthy neurodevelopment in preterm infants.

Informatics for your Gut: at the Interface of Nutrition, the Microbiome, and Technology

BACKGROUND

A significant portion of individuals in the United States and worldwide experience diseases related to or driven by diet. As research surrounding user-centered design and the microbiome grows, movement of the spectrum of translational science from bench to bedside for improvement of human health through nutrition becomes more accessible. In this literature survey, we examined recent literature examining informatics research at the interface of nutrition and the microbiome.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this survey was to synthesize recent literature describing how technology is being applied to understand health at the interface of nutrition and the microbiome focusing on the perspective of the consumer.

METHODS

A survey of the literature published between January 1, 2021 and October 10, 2022 was performed using the PubMed database and resulting literature was evaluated against inclusion and exclusion criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 139 papers were retrieved and evaluated against inclusion and exclusion criteria. After evaluation, 45 papers were reviewed in depth revealing four major themes: (1) microbiome and diet, (2) usability,(3) reproducibility and rigor, and (4) precision medicine and precision nutrition.

CONCLUSIONS

A review of the relationships between current literature on technology, nutrition and the microbiome, and self-management of dietary patterns was performed. Major themes that emerged from this survey revealed exciting new horizons for consumer management of diet and disease, as well as progress towards elucidating the relationship between diet, the microbiome, and health outcomes. The survey revealed continuing interest in the study of diet-related disease and the microbiome and acknowledgement of needs for data re-use, sharing, and unbiased and rigorous measurement of the microbiome. The literature also showed trends toward enhancing the usability of digital interventions to support consumer health and home management, and consensus building around how precision medicine and precision nutrition may be applied in the future to improve human health outcomes and prevent diet-related disease.

Exploring the alteration of gut microbiota and brain function in gender-specific Parkinson's disease based on metagenomic sequencing

Background

The role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in Parkinson's disease (PD) has received increasing attention. Although gender differences are known to an essential role in the epidemiology and clinical course of PD, there are no studies on the sex specificity of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in the development and progression of PD.

Methods

Fresh fecal samples from 24 PD patients (13 males, 11 females) were collected for metagenomic sequencing. The composition and function of the gut microbiota were analyzed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Gender-dependent differences in brain ALFF values and their correlation with microbiota were further analyzed.

Results

The relative abundance of Propionivibrio, Thermosediminibacter, and Flavobacteriaceae_noname was increased in male PD patients. LEfse analysis showed that Verrucomicrobial, Akkermansiaceae, and Akkermansia were dominant in the males. In female patients, the relative abundance of Propionicicella was decreased and Escherichia, Escherichia_coli, and Lachnospiraceae were predominant. The expression of the sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis pathways was increased in male PD patients and was statistically different from females. Compared to the Male PD patients, female patients showed decreased ALFF values in the left inferior parietal regions, and the relative abundance of Propionivibrio was positively correlated with the regional ALFF values.

Conclusion

Our study provides novel clinical evidence of the gender-specific relationship between gut microbiota alterations and brain function in PD patients, highlighting the critical role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in gender differences in PD.

Association of Gut Lachnospiraceae and Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria

(1) Background: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) has been linked to the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. Furthermore, various studies have highlighted the anti-inflammatory properties of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), whose production is primarily regulated by the gut microbiota. However, only a few studies have investigated the role of major SCFA producers, such as Lachnospiraceae, in skin inflammatory diseases. (2) Goal: This study aimed to compare the abundance of Lachnospiraceae between CSU patients and healthy controls (HCs). (3) Material and methods: In this case-control study, 16S rRNA sequencing was performed to compare the composition of the gut microbiome between 22 CSU patients and 23 HCs. (4) Results: Beta-diversity revealed significant clustering (p < 0.05) between the CSU patients and HCs. Alpha diversity in the CSU group was significantly decreased according to the Evenness index (p < 0.05). The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) identified the significant depletion of the Lachnospiraceae family in CSU patients. (5) Conclusion: Our study revealed the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in CSU patients, including decreased levels of Lachnospiraceae members, responsible for SCFA production, suggesting that SCFAs may contribute to immune dysfunction in the pathogenesis of CSU. We speculate that the modulation of SCFAs could serve as a prospective additional option in CSU treatment.

Association of Gut Lachnospiraceae and Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria

(1) Background: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) has been linked to the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. Furthermore, various studies have highlighted the anti-inflammatory properties of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), whose production is primarily regulated by the gut microbiota. However, only a few studies have investigated the role of major SCFA producers, such as Lachnospiraceae, in skin inflammatory diseases. (2) Goal: This study aimed to compare the abundance of Lachnospiraceae between CSU patients and healthy controls (HCs). (3) Material and methods: In this case–control study, 16S rRNA sequencing was performed to compare the composition of the gut microbiome between 22 CSU patients and 23 HCs. (4) Results: Beta-diversity revealed significant clustering (p < 0.05) between the CSU patients and HCs. Alpha diversity in the CSU group was significantly decreased according to the Evenness index (p < 0.05). The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) identified the significant depletion of the Lachnospiraceae family in CSU patients. (5) Conclusion: Our study revealed the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in CSU patients, including decreased levels of Lachnospiraceae members, responsible for SCFA production, suggesting that SCFAs may contribute to immune dysfunction in the pathogenesis of CSU. We speculate that the modulation of SCFAs could serve as a prospective additional option in CSU treatment.

Gut Microbiome-Brain Axis as an Explanation for the Risk of Poor Neurodevelopment Outcome in Preterm Infants with Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is characterized by an inflammation of intestinal tissue that primarily affects premature infants. It is the most common and devastating gastrointestinal morbidity of prematurity, but beyond intestinal morbidity, this condition has also been associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delays that persist beyond infancy. Prematurity, enteral feeding, bacterial colonization, and prolonged exposure to antibiotics are all risk factors that predispose preterm infants to NEC. Interestingly, these factors are all also associated with the gut microbiome. However, whether or not there is a connection between the microbiome and the risk of neurodevelopmental delays in infants after NEC is still an emerging area of research. Furthermore, how microbes in the gut could impact a distant organ such as the brain is also poorly understood. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of NEC and the role of the gut microbiome-brain axis in neurodevelopmental outcomes after NEC. Understanding the potential role of the microbiome in neurodevelopmental outcomes is important as the microbiome is modifiable and thus offers the hope of improved therapeutic options. We highlight the progress and limitations in this field. Insights into the gut microbiome-brain axis may offer potential therapeutic approaches to improve the long-term outcomes of premature infants.

Molecular structure, IgE binding capacity and gut microbiota of ovalbumin conjugated to fructose and galactose:A comparative study

Ovalbumin (OVA) was modified by fructose (Fru) and galactose (Gal) to study the structure, IgG/IgE binding capacity and effects on human intestinal microbiota of the conjugated products. Compared with OVA-Fru, OVA-Gal has a lower IgG/IgE binding capacity. The reduction of OVA is not only associated with the glycation of R84, K92, K206, K263, K322 and R381 in the linear epitopes, but also with conformational epitope changes, manifested as secondary and tertiary structural changes caused by Gal glycation. In addition, OVA-Gal could alter the structure and abundance of gut microbiota at phylum, family, and genus levels and restore the abundance of bacteria associated with allergenicity, such as Barnesiella, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, and Collinsela, thereby reducing allergic reactions. These results indicate that OVA-Gal glycation can reduce the IgE binding capacity of OVA and change the structure of human intestinal microbiota. Therefore, Gal glycation may be a potential method to reduce protein allergenicity.

A cold-water extracted polysaccharide-protein complex from Grifola frondosa exhibited anti-tumor activity via TLR4-NF-κB signaling activation and gut microbiota modification in H22 tumor-bearing mice

Grifola frondosa polysaccharide-protein complex (G. frondosa PPC) is a polymer which consists of polysaccharides and proteins/peptides linked by covalent bonds. In our previous ex vivo research, it has been demonstrated that a cold-water extracted G. frondosa PPC has stronger antitumor activity than a G. frondosa PPC extracted from boiling water. The main purpose of the current study was to further evaluate the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma and gut microbiota regulation effects of two PPCs isolated from G. frondosa at 4 °C (GFG-4) and 100 °C (GFG-100) in vivo. The results exhibited that GFG-4 remarkably upregulated the expression of related proteins in TLR4-NF-κB and apoptosis pathway, thereby inhibiting the development of H22 tumors. Additionally, GFG-4 increased the abundance of norank_f__Muribaculaceae and Bacillus and reduced the abundance of Lactobacillus. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) analysis suggested that GFG-4 promoted SCFAs production, particularly butyric acid. Conclusively, the present experiments revealed GFG-4 has the potential of anti-hepatocellular carcinoma growth via activating TLR4-NF-κB pathway and regulating gut microbiota. Therefore, G. frondosa PPCs could be considered as safe and effective natural ingredient for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study also provides a theoretical foundation for the regulation of gut microbiota by G. frondosa PPCs.

The Impact of Early Life Experiences and Gut Microbiota on Neurobehavioral Development in Preterm Infants: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of early life experiences and gut microbiota on neurobehavioral development in preterm infants during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization.

METHODS

Preterm infants were followed from NICU admission until their 28th postnatal day or until discharge. Daily stool samples, painful/stressful experiences, feeding patterns, and other clinical and demographic data were collected. Gut microbiota was profiled using 16S rRNA sequencing, and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were selected to predict the neurobehaviors. The neurobehavioral development was assessed by the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) at 36 to 38 weeks of post-menstrual age (PMA). Fifty-five infants who had NNNS measurements were included in the sparse log-contrast regression analysis.

RESULTS

Preterm infants who experienced a high level of pain/stress during the NICU hospitalization had higher NNNS stress/abstinence scores. Eight operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified to be associated with NNNS subscales after controlling demographic and clinical features, feeding patterns, and painful/stressful experiences. These OTUs and taxa belonging to seven genera, i.e., Enterobacteriaceae_unclassified, Escherichia-Shigella, Incertae_Sedis, Veillonella, Enterococcus, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, and Streptococcus with five belonging to Firmicutes and two belonging to Proteobacteria phylum. The enriched abundance of Enterobacteriaceae_unclassified (OTU17) and Streptococcus (OTU28) were consistently associated with less optimal neurobehavioral outcomes. The other six OTUs were also associated with infant neurobehavioral responses depending on days at NICU stay.

CONCLUSIONS

This study explored the dynamic impact of specific OTUs on neurobehavioral development in preterm infants after controlling for early life experiences, i.e., acute and chronic pain/stress and feeding in the NICU. The gut microbiota and acute pain/stressful experiences dynamically impact the neurobehavioral development in preterm infants during their NICU hospitalization.

Untangling the effect of solids content on thermal-alkali pre-treatment and anaerobic digestion of sludge

Total solids (TS) content is critical for thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion (AD) performance, but its role in thermal-alkaline pre-treatment (TAP) is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the key role of TS content in TAP and AD of waste activated sludge. The results showed that the optimum TS content of TAP (at 90 °C for 1 h, pH = 10) was 8 %. Sludge disintegration and methane production increased from 19.7 ± 2.2 % to 34.3 ± 2.9 % and from 167.4 ± 4.2 to 246.0 ± 6.2 mL/g volatile solids, respectively, when TS content were increased from 2 % to 8 %. A high TS content will likely promote sludge disintegration since it will reduce heat loss and improve heating efficiency. Additionally, increasing TS content from 2 % to 10 % minimized the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species by 30.4 ± 0.7 % and increased cell viability by 11.5 ± 2.6 %. In contrast, excessive TS content (i.e., ≥10 %) deteriorated the fluidity of sludge, which prevents it from disintegration. Once TS reached 10 %, the accumulation of ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acids reached 812.7 ± 27.4 and 1932.0 ± 5.3 mg/L, respectively, which reduced the activity of acidulase and coenzyme F420 and shifted the archaeal community from acetylotrophic to hydrogenotrophic methanogens. This article provides new insights into the TS content in TAP and AD technology.

The impact of early life experiences and gut microbiota on neurobehavioral development among preterm infants: A longitudinal cohort study

Objectives

To investigate the impact of early life experiences and gut microbiota on neurobehavioral development among preterm infants during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization.

Methods

Preterm infants were followed from the NICU admission until their 28 th postnatal day or until discharge. Daily stool samples, painful/stressful experiences, feeding patterns, and other clinical and demographic data were collected. Gut microbiota was profiled using 16S rRNA sequencing, and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were selected to predict the neurobehaviors. The neurobehavioral development was assessed by the Neonatal Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) at 36 to 38 weeks of post-menstrual age (PMA). Fifty-five infants who had NNNS measurements were included in the sparse log-contrast regression analysis.

Results

Preterm infants who experienced high level of pain/stress during the NICU hospitalization that were associated with higher NNNS stress/abstinence scores. Eight operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified to be associated with of NNNS subscales after controlling demographic and clinical features, feeding patterns, and painful/stressful experiences. These OTUs, taxa belong to seven genera including Enterobacteriaceae_unclassified, Escherichia-Shigella, Incertae_Sedis, Veillonella, Enterococcus, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 , and Streptococcus with five belonging to Firmicutes and two belonging to Proteobacteria phylum. The enriched abundance of Enterobacteriaceae_unclassified (OTU17) and Streptococcus (OTU28) were consistently associated with less optimal neurobehavioral outcomes. The other six OTUs were also associated with infant neurobehavioral responses depending on days at NICU stay.

Conclusions

This study explored the dynamic impact of specific OTUs on neurobehavioral development among preterm infants after controlling for early life experiences, i.e., acute and chronic pain/stress, and feeding in the NICU.

Dynamic network modeling of gut microbiota during Alzheimer's disease progression in mice

The intimate association between the gut microbiota (GM) and the central nervous system points to potential intervention strategies for neurological diseases. Nevertheless, there is currently no theoretical framework for selecting the window period and target bacteria for GM interventions owing to the complexity of the gut microecosystem. In this study, we constructed a complex network-based modeling approach to evaluate the topological features of the GM and infer the window period and bacterial candidates for GM interventions. We used Alzheimer's disease (AD) as an example and traced the GM dynamic changes in AD and wild-type mice at one, two, three, six, and nine months of age. The results revealed alterations of the topological features of the GM from a scale-free network into a random network during AD progression, indicating severe GM disequilibrium at the late stage of AD. Through stability and vulnerability assessments of the GM networks, we identified the third month after birth as the optimal window period for GM interventions in AD mice. Further computational simulations and robustness evaluations determined that the hub bacteria were potential candidates for GM interventions. Moreover, our GM functional analysis suggested that Lachnospiraceae UCG-001 - the hub and enriched bacterium in AD mice - was the keystone bacterium for GM interventions owing to its contributions to quinolinic acid synthesis. In conclusion, this study established a complex network-based modeling approach as a practical strategy for disease interventions from the perspective of the gut microecosystem.

Metabolite profiling of human-originated Lachnospiraceae at the strain level

The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract harbors diverse microbes, and the family Lachnospiraceae is one of the most abundant and widely occurring bacterial groups in the human GI tract. Beneficial and adverse effects of the Lachnospiraceae on host health were reported, but the diversities at species/strain levels as well as their metabolites of Lachnospiraceae have been, so far, not well documented. In the present study, we report on the collection of 77 human-originated Lachnospiraceae species (please refer hLchsp, https://hgmb.nmdc.cn/subject/lachnospiraceae) and the in vitro metabolite profiles of 110 Lachnospiraceae strains (https://hgmb.nmdc.cn/subject/lachnospiraceae/metabolites). The Lachnospiraceae strains in hLchsp produced 242 metabolites of 17 categories. The larger categories were alcohols (89), ketones (35), pyrazines (29), short (C2-C5), and long (C > 5) chain acids (31), phenols (14), aldehydes (14), and other 30 compounds. Among them, 22 metabolites were aromatic compounds. The well-known beneficial gut microbial metabolite, butyric acid, was generally produced by many Lachnospiraceae strains, and Agathobacter rectalis strain Lach-101 and Coprococcus comes strain NSJ-173 were the top 2 butyric acid producers, as 331.5 and 310.9 mg/L of butyric acids were produced in vitro, respectively. Further analysis of the publicly available cohort-based volatile-metabolomic data sets of human feces revealed that over 30% of the prevailing volatile metabolites were covered by Lachnospiraceae metabolites identified in this study. This study provides Lachnospiraceae strain resources together with their metabolic profiles for future studies on host-microbe interactions and developments of novel probiotics or biotherapies.

Response of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Related Microorganisms to Arsenic during Vermicomposting of Cow Dung

Antibiotic resistance pollution in livestock manure is a persistent issue that has drawn public attention. Vermicomposting is an ecofriendly biological process that can render livestock manure harmless and resourceful. However, little is known about the impact of vermicomposting on antibiotic resistance in livestock manure under stress caused by potentially toxic arsenic levels. Herein, lab-scale vermicomposting was performed to comprehensively evaluate the shift in antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and related microorganisms in fresh earthworm casts as well as vermicompost product health (i.e., nutrient availability and enzyme activity) when they were fed on arsenic-contaminated cow manure. The results showed that the earthworms' interaction with cow dung led to a significant reduction in ARG concentrations, especially for tetracycline ARGs (tet-ARGs), β-lactam ARGs (bla-ARGs), and quinolone ARGs (qnr-ARGs). However, arsenic significantly enhanced ARG accumulation in earthworm casts in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, vermicomposting increased the percentage of Bacteroidota in the converted products. Furthermore, arsenic exposure at low concentrations promoted the proliferation of Proteobacteria, whereas high concentrations had little effect on Proteobacteria. Our study provides valuable insight into the changes in the antibiotic resistome and related microorganisms during vermicomposting of arsenic-amended cow manure, and it is crucial to explain the environmental impact of earthworms and improve our understanding of the reciprocal benefits of soil invertebrates.

Genetically proxied gut microbiota, gut metabolites with risk of epilepsy and the subtypes: A bi-directional Mendelian randomization study

Background

An increasing number of observational studies have revealed an association among the gut microbiota, gut metabolites, and epilepsy. However, this association is easily influenced by confounders such as diet, and the causality of this association remains obscure.

Methods

Aiming to explore the causal relationship and ascertain specific gut microbe taxa for epilepsy, we conducted a bi-directional Mendelian randomization (MR) study based on the genome-wide association study (GWAS) data of epilepsy from the International League Against Epilepsy, with the gut microbiota GWAS results from MiBioGen, and summary-level GWAS data of gut microbiota-dependent metabolites trimethylamine N-oxide and its predecessors.

Results

Nine phyla, 15 classes, 19 orders, 30 families, and 96 genera were analyzed. A suggestive association of host-genetic-driven increase in family Veillonellaceae with a higher risk of childhood absence epilepsy (odds ratio [OR]: 1.033, confidential interval [CI]: 1.015–1.051, P_IVW = 0.0003), class Melainabacteria with a lower risk of generalized epilepsy with tonic-clonic seizures (OR = 0.986, CI = 0.979–0.994, P_IVW = 0.0002), class Betaproteobacteria (OR = 0.958, CI = 0.937–0.979, P_IVW = 0.0001), and order Burkholderiales (OR = 0.960, CI = 0.937–0.984, P_IVW = 0.0010) with a lower risk of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy were identified after multiple-testing correction. Our sensitivity analysis revealed no evidence of pleiotropy, reverse causality, weak instrument bias, or heterogeneity.

Conclusion

This is the first MR analysis to explore the potential causal relationship among the gut microbiota, metabolites, and epilepsy. Four gut microbiota features (two class levels, one order level, and one family level) were identified as potential interventional targets for patients with childhood absence epilepsy, generalized epilepsy with tonic-clonic seizures, and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Previous associations in numerous observational studies may had been interfered by confounders. More rigorous studies were needed to ascertain the relationship among the gut microbiota, metabolites, and epilepsy.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis BSNK-5-Fermented Soymilk on the Gut Microbiota by In Vitro Fecal Fermentation

The gut microbiota of soymilk intervention is beneficial to maintaining human health. Bacillus subtilis fermented soymilk has brought much interest, due to its richness of thrombolytic nattokinase and the strain of potential probiotic properties. In this study, soymilk was fermented by B. subtilis BSNK-5, and the BSNK-5-fermented soymilk (SMF) on the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and the regulation of fecal microbiota was initially evaluated by in vitro fecal fermentation. SMF supplementation obviously increased the levels of SCFAs from 32.23 mM to 49.10 mM, especially acetic acid, propionic acid, and isobutyric acid. Additionally, SMF changed the composition and microbial diversity of gut microbiota. After 24 h of anaerobic incubation in vitro, SMF decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidota ratio favoring weight loss, increased Lachnospiraceae_UCG-004 and the other beneficial bacteria producing SCFAs, as well as suppressing pathogenic Streptococcus genus. These results revealed the potential use of BSNK-5-fermented soymilk as a potential candidate to promote gut health.

Maternal gut microbiota mediate intergenerational effects of high-fat diet on descendant social behavior

Dysbiosis of the maternal gut microbiome during pregnancy is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. We previously showed that maternal high-fat diet (MHFD) in mice induces gut dysbiosis, social dysfunction, and underlying synaptic plasticity deficits in male offspring (F₁). Here, we reason that, if HFD-mediated changes in maternal gut microbiota drive offspring social deficits, then MHFD-induced dysbiosis in F₁ female MHFD offspring would likewise impair F₂ social behavior. Metataxonomic sequencing reveals reduced microbial richness among female F₁ MHFD offspring. Despite recovery of microbial richness among MHFD-descendant F₂ mice, they display social dysfunction. Post-weaning Limosilactobacillus reuteri treatment increases the abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing taxa and rescues MHFD-descendant F₂ social deficits. L. reuteri exerts a sexually dimorphic impact on gut microbiota configuration, increasing discriminant taxa between female cohorts. Collectively, these results show multigenerational impacts of HFD-induced dysbiosis in the maternal lineage and highlight the potential of maternal microbiome-targeted interventions for neurodevelopmental disorders.

Sodium alginate and galactooligosaccharides ameliorate metabolic disorders and alter the composition of the gut microbiota in mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity

We aimed to investigate the effects of sodium alginate (SA) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) on the metabolism and gut microbiota of high-fat diet (HFD)-fed obese mice. GOS and SA delayed high-fat diet-induced obesity, reduced the epididymal fat and liver indices, and improved the circulating lipid profile. Low- and high-dose GOS reduced weight gain by 48.8 % and 35.3 %, and low- and high-dose SA reduced it by 37.7 % and 34.4 %, respectively. GOS and SA reduced blood glucose concentration, probably by increasing the expression of glucose transporter 4. GOS and SA increased the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and occludin), reduced the D-lactic acid (D-LA) and lipopolysaccharide concentrations, and reduced the expression of toll-like receptors, consistent with improved intestinal barrier function. GOS and SA also increased the abundance of Bacteroidota, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus; and reduced that of Patescibacteria in the gut. The abundance of Parabacteroides positively correlated with the circulating low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration; that of Lactobacillus negatively correlated with LDL-C, D-LA, and tumor necrosis factor-α concentration; and that of Bifidobacterium positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration, according to Spearman correlation analysis. In conclusion, SA and GOS ameliorate obesity and the associated metabolic disorders in mice, and also modulate their gut microbial composition.

Synergy of Dietary Quercetin and Vitamin E Improves Cecal Microbiota and Its Metabolite Profile in Aged Breeder Hens

In the present study, the synergistic effects of quercetin (Q) and vitamin E (E) on cecal microbiota composition and function, as well as the microbial metabolic profile in aged breeder hens were investigated. A total of 400 (65 weeks old) Tianfu breeder hens were randomly allotted to four experimental groups (four replicates per group). The birds were fed diets containing quercetin at 0.4 g/kg, vitamin E (0.2 g/kg), quercetin and vitamin E (QE; 0.4 g/kg and 0.2 g/kg), and a basal diet for a period of 10 wks. After the 10 week experimental period, the cecal contents of 8 aged breeder hens per group were sampled aseptically and subjected to high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomic analysis. The results showed that the relative abundances of phyla Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteriota were the most prominent among all the dietary groups. Compared to the control group, the relative abundance of the families Bifidobacteriaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Tannerellaceae, Mathonobacteriaceae, Barnesiellaceae, and Prevotellaceae were enriched in the QE group; and Bacteroidaceae, Desulfovibrionaceae, Peptotostretococcaceae, and Fusobacteriaceae were enriched in the Q group, whereas those of Lactobacillaceae, Veillonellaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Akkermansiaceae, and Rikenellaceae were enriched in the E group compared to the control group. Untargeted metabolomics analyses revealed that Q, E, and QE modified the abundance of several metabolites in prominent pathways including ubiquinone and other terpenoid-quinone biosynthesis, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, insulin secretion, pancreatic secretion, nicotine addiction, and metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450. Furthermore, key cecal microbiota, significantly correlated with important metabolites, for example, (S)-equol positively correlated with Alistipes and Chlamydia in E_vs_C, and negatively correlated with Olsenella, Paraprevotella, and Mucispirillum but, a contrary trend was observed with Parabacteroides in QE_vs_C. This study establishes that the synergy of quercetin and vitamin E alters the cecal microbial composition and metabolite profile in aged breeder hens, which lays a foundation for chicken improvement programs.

Human milk: From complex tailored nutrition to bioactive impact on child cognition and behavior

Human milk is a highly complex liquid food tailor-made to match an infant's needs. Beyond documented positive effects of breastfeeding on infant and maternal health, there is increasing evidence that milk constituents also impact child neurodevelopment. Non-nutrient milk bioactives would contribute to the (long-term) development of child cognition and behavior, a process termed 'Lactocrine Programming'. In this review we discuss the current state of the field on human milk composition and its links with child cognitive and behavioral development. To promote state-of-the-art methodologies and designs that facilitate data pooling and meta-analytic endeavors, we present detailed recommendations and best practices for future studies. Finally, we determine important scientific gaps that need to be filled to advance the field, and discuss innovative directions for future research. Unveiling the mechanisms underlying the links between human milk and child cognition and behavior will deepen our understanding of the broad functions of this complex liquid food, as well as provide necessary information for designing future interventions.