Lactobacillus reuteri A9 and Lactobacillus mucosae A13 isolated from Chinese superlongevity people modulate lipid metabolism in a hypercholesterolemia rat model

Exploring Therapeutic Advances: A Comprehensive Review of Intestinal Microbiota Modulators

The gut microbiota establishes a mutually beneficial relationship with the host starting from birth, impacting diverse metabolic and immunological processes. Dysbiosis, characterized by an imbalance of microorganisms, is linked to numerous medical conditions, including gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmune disorders. This imbalance promotes the proliferation of toxin-producing bacteria, disrupts the host's equilibrium, and initiates inflammation. Genetic factors, dietary choices, and drug use can modify the gut microbiota. However, there is optimism. Several therapeutic approaches, such as probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, microbe-derived products, and microbial substrates, aim to alter the microbiome. This review thoroughly explores the therapeutic potential of these microbiota modulators, analysing recent studies to evaluate their efficacy and limitations. It underscores the promise of microbiota-based therapies for treating dysbiosis-related conditions. This article aims to ensure practitioners feel well-informed and up to date on the most influential methods in this evolving field by providing a comprehensive review of current research.

Limosilactobacillus fermentum TY-S11 ameliorates hypercholesterolemia via promoting cholesterol excretion and regulating gut microbiota in high-cholesterol diet-fed apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

Hypercholesterolemia is a metabolic disease characterized by elevated cholesterol level in the blood, which is a risk factor for many diseases. Probiotic intervention may be one of the ways to improve hypercholesterolemia. In this study, three strains with better cholesterol removal ability were selected from 60 strains of lactic acid bacteria, and were orally administered to apolipoprotein E-deficient mice on a high-cholesterol diet. Among the three strains, only Limosilactobacillus fermentum TY-S11, which was isolated from the intestine of a longevity person, significantly improved serum and liver lipid levels in hypercholesterolemic mice. Further study found that L. fermentum TY-S11 promoted the excretion of cholesterol in the feces and inhibited the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine. As for gut microbiota, the results showed that L. fermentum TY-S11 not only prevented the reduction of diversity caused by high-cholesterol diet, but also increased the contents of short-chain fatty acids in feces. These results confirmed the ameliorative effect of L. fermentum TY-S11 on hypercholesterolemia.

Soybean polyenylphosphatidylcholine (PPC) is beneficial in liver and extrahepatic tissue injury: An update in experimental research

Polyenylphosphatidylcholine (PPC) is a purified polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine extract of soybeans. This article updates PPC's beneficial effects on various forms of liver cell injury and other tissues in experimental research. PPC downregulates hepatocyte CYP2E1 expression and associated hepatotoxicity, as well as attenuates oxidative stress, apoptosis, lipoprotein oxidation and steatosis in alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver injury. PPC inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokine production, while stimulating anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion in ethanol or lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Kupffer cells/macrophages. It promotes M2-type macrophage polarization and metabolic reprogramming of glucose and lipid metabolism. PPC mitigates steatosis in NAFLD through inhibiting polarization of pro-inflammatory M1-type Kupffer cells, alleviating metabolic inflammation, remodeling hepatic lipid metabolism, correcting imbalances between lipogenesis and lipolysis and enhancing lipoprotein secretion from hepatocytes. PPC is antifibrotic by preventing progression of alcoholic hepatic fibrosis in baboons and also prevents CCl4-induced fibrosis in rats. PPC supplementation replenishes the phosphatidylcholine content of damaged cell membranes, resulting in increased membrane fluidity and functioning. Phosphatidylcholine repletion prevents increased membrane curvature of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi and decreases sterol regulatory element binding protein-1-mediated lipogenesis, reducing steatosis. PPC remodels gut microbiota and affects hepatic lipid metabolism via the gut-hepatic-axis and also alleviates brain inflammatory responses and cognitive impairment via the gut-brain-axis. Additionally, PPC protects extrahepatic tissues from injury caused by various toxic compounds by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and membrane damage. It also stimulates liver regeneration, enhances sensitivity of cancer cells to radiotherapy/chemotherapy, and inhibits experimental hepatocarcinogenesis. PPC's beneficial effects justify it as a supportive treatment of liver disease.

Genome Analysis for Cholesterol-Lowing Action and Bacteriocin Production of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum WLPL21 and ZDY04 from Traditional Chinese Fermented Foods

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, a typical ecological species against pathogens, used due to its bacteriocin yield in fermented foods, was proven to have the capacity to lower cholesterol. In this study, using L. plantarum ATCC8014 as the control, L. plantarum WLPL21 and ZDY04 were probed with whole-genome sequencing to ascertain their potential ability to lower cholesterol and yield bacteriocins, as well as to further evaluate their survival capacity in vitro. Our results showed 386 transport-system genes in both L. plantarum WLPL21 and ZDY04. Correspondingly, the in vitro results showed that L. plantarum WLPL21 and ZDY04 could remove cholesterol at 49.23% and 41.97%, respectively, which is 1.89 and 1.61 times that of L. plantarum ATCC8014. The survival rates of L. plantarum WLPL21 and ZDY04 in 1% H2O2, pH 3.0, and 0.3% bile salt were higher than those of L. plantarum ATCC8014. Our results exhibited a complete gene cluster for bacteriocin production encoded by L. plantarum WLPL21 and ZDY04, including plnJKR, plnPQAB, plnEFI, plnSUVWY, and plnJK; and plnMN, plnPQA and plnEFI, respectively, compared with only plnEF in L. plantarum ATCC8014. The present study suggests that the combination of genomic analysis with in vitro evaluations might be useful for exploring the potential functions of probiotics.

Limosilactobacillus reuteri consumption significantly reduces the total cholesterol concentration without affecting other cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

As one of the most significant probiotics, Limosilactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) has been exploited as a nutritional supplement. We hypothesized that L. reuteri consumption might improve the significant risk factors of cardiovascular disease, including blood pressure, blood lipid, and blood glucose. However, previous clinical studies have shown controversial results. This study aims to explore the effect of L. reuteri consumption on these risk factors. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for eligible randomized controlled trials published before May 2022. A total of 6 studies with 4 different L. reuteri strains and including 512 participants were included. The results showed that L. reuteri consumption significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC) by -0.26 mmol/L compared with the control group. In contrast, it did not affect systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or triglycerides. Subgroup analysis showed a significant reduction in TC when participants were <55 years old, had a body mass index between 25 and 30, or had hypercholesterolemia. In addition, TC decreased significantly when L. reuteri supplementation was >5 × 109 colony-forming unit or the length of the intervention was <12 weeks. Strain subgroup analysis showed that L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 significantly reduced TC and LDL-C. In conclusion, L. reuteri consumption has a significant TC-lowering effect, which can effectively reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease associated with hypercholesterolemia. However, the results do not support the effectiveness of L. reuteri consumption on other metabolic outcomes. Further examination of larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these findings.

Changes in Lipidomics, Metabolomics, and the Gut Microbiota in CDAA-Induced NAFLD Mice after Polyene Phosphatidylcholine Treatment

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in most parts of the world. Although there is no first-line drug approved for the treatment of NAFLD, polyene phosphatidylcholine (PPC) is used by clinicians to treat NAFLD patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PPC on a mice model of NAFLD, and to study the PPC's mechanism of action. The mice were fed a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet to induce NAFLD and were subsequently treated with PPC. The treatment effects were evaluated by the liver index, histopathological examination, and routine blood chemistry analyses. Lipidomics and metabolomics analyses of 54 samples were carried out using ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to a mass spectrometer to select for changes in metabolites associated with CDAA diet-induced NAFLD and the effects of PPC treatment. The intestinal flora of mice were extracted for gene sequencing to find differences before and after the induction of NAFLD and PPC treatment. PPC significantly improved the CDAA diet-induced NAFLD condition in mice. A total of 19 metabolites including 5 polar metabolites and 14 lipids showed marked changes. In addition, significant differences in the abundance of Lactobacillus were associated with NAFLD. We inferred that the protective therapeutic effect of PPC on the liver was related to the supplement of phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, and sphingomyelin (PC, LPC, and SM, resectively) and acylcarnitine metabolism. This study developed a methodology for exploring the pathogenesis of NAFLD and can be extended to other therapeutic agents for treating NAFLD.

Exploring a Possible Link between the Fecal Microbiota and the Production Performance of Pigs

The backfat thickness of pigs not only affects the physical properties and taste of meat, but it also closely relates to the reproduction performance of sows. Accumulating evidence indicates that, apart from genetic factors, gut microbiota can also modulate the fat deposition and muscle growth. However, the differential microbiota in pigs with different backfat thickness, and whether microbiota affects backfat thickness, remains elusive. Firstly, 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene sequencing was performed on 62 fecal samples from pigs with different backfat thicknesses, and the compositions of microbiota among different groups with different backfat thicknesses were different. The abundance of Lactobacillus. reuteri (L. reuteri) and Prevotella sp RS2 was significantly higher in pigs with low-backfat thickness than that in pigs with middle and high-backfat thickness; meanwhile, the abundance of Desulfovibrio piger was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in pigs with low-backfat thickness. Furthermore, the functional profiling of microbial communities suggested that the abundance of isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis and styrene degradation were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the low-backfat thickness group than that in middle and high-backfat thickness groups. Finally, L. reuteri fed to Meishan piglets was capable of improving the production performance and had the potential to reduce backfat thickness. This study provides new evidence that microbiota can regulate the phenotype of the host, and dietary supplementation with L. reuteri can improve the production performance of piglets.

Targeting the gut to prevent and counteract metabolic disorders and pathologies during aging

Impairment of gut function is one of the explanatory mechanisms of health status decline in elderly population. These impairments involve a decline in gut digestive physiology, metabolism and immune status, and associated to that, changes in composition and function of the microbiota it harbors. Continuous deteriorations are generally associated with the development of systemic dysregulations and ultimately pathologies that can worsen the initial health status of individuals. All these alterations observed at the gut level can then constitute a wide range of potential targets for development of nutritional strategies that can impact gut tissue or associated microbiota pattern. This can be key, in a preventive manner, to limit gut functionality decline, or in a curative way to help maintaining optimum nutrients bioavailability in a context on increased requirements, as frequently observed in pathological situations. The aim of this review is to give an overview on the alterations that can occur in the gut during aging and lead to the development of altered function in other tissues and organs, ultimately leading to the development of pathologies. Subsequently is discussed how nutritional strategies that target gut tissue and gut microbiota can help to avoid or delay the occurrence of aging-related pathologies.

Transplantation of Gut Microbiota From High-Fat-Diet-Tolerant Cynomolgus Monkeys Alleviates Hyperlipidemia and Hepatic Steatosis in Rats

Emerging evidence has been reported to support the involvement of the gut microbiota in the host's blood lipid and hyperlipidemia (HLP). However, there remains unexplained variation in the host's blood lipid phenotype. Herein a nonhuman primate HLP model was established in cynomolgus monkeys fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 19 months. At month 19%, 60% (3/5) of the HFD monkeys developed HLP, but surprisingly 40% of them (2/5) exhibited strong tolerance to the HFD (HFD-T) with their blood lipid profiles returning to normal levels. Metagenomic analysis was used to investigate the compositional changes in the gut microbiota in these monkeys. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Megasphaera remarkably increased and became the dominant gut microbe in HFD-T monkeys. A validation experiment showed that transplantation of fecal microbiota from HFD-T monkeys reduced the blood lipid levels and hepatic steatosis in HLP rats. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Megasphaera significantly increased in rats receiving transplantation, confirming the successful colonization of the microbe in the host and its correlation with the change of the host's blood lipid profiles. Our results thus suggested a potentially pivotal lipid-lowering role of Megasphaera in the gut microbiota, which could contribute to the variation in the host's blood lipid phenotype.

Intake of Bifidobacterium lactis Probio-M8 fermented milk protects against alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a liver disease caused by long-term heavy drinking, which is characterized by increased inflammation and oxidative stress in the liver and gut dysbiosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of administering ordinary and probiotic- (containing the Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis Probio-M8 strain; M8) fermented milk to rats. Several biochemical parameters and the fecal metagenomes were monitored before (d 0) and after (d 42) the intervention. Our results confirmed that alcohol could cause significant changes in the liver levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β, antioxidation indicators, and liver function-related indicators; meanwhile, the gut bacterial and viral microbiota were disrupted with significant reduction in microbial diversity and richness. Feeding the rats with Probio-M8-fermented milk effectively maintained the gut microbiota stability, reduced liver inflammation and oxidative stress, and mitigated liver damages in ALD. Moreover, the Probio-M8-fermented milk reversed alcohol-induced dysbiosis by restoring the gut microbiota diversity, richness, and composition. Four predicted fecal metabolites (inositol, tryptophan, cortisol, and vitamin K2) increased after the intervention, which might help regulate liver metabolism and alleviate ALD-related symptoms. In short, our data supported that consuming Probio-M8-fermented milk effectively mitigated ALD. The protective effect against ALD could be related to changes in the gut microbiome after probiotic-fermented milk consumption. However, such observation and the causal relationship among probiotic milk consumption, changes in gut microbiome, and disease alleviation would still need to be further confirmed. Nevertheless, this study has shown in a rat model that consuming probiotic-fermented milk could protect against ALD.

Centenarian-Sourced Lactobacillus casei Combined with Dietary Fiber Complex Ameliorates Brain and Gut Function in Aged Mice

Dietary intervention could modulate age-related neurological disorders via the gut-brain axis. The potential roles of a probiotic and the dietary fiber complex (DFC) on brain and gut function in aged mice were investigated in this study. Lactobacillus casei LTL1361 and DFC were orally administrated for 12 weeks, and the learning and memory ability, as well as the oxidative parameters, inflammatory markers, gut barrier function and microbial metabolite short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), were investigated. LTL1361 and DFC supplementation ameliorated cognitive ability, attenuated oxidative stress in brain and inflammation in serum and colon, ameliorated gut barrier function, and increased the SCFA concentrations and gene expression of SCFA receptors. The protective effect was more significantly enhanced in aged mice treated with the combination of LTL1361 and DFC than treated with LTL1361 or DFC alone. These results could be associated with the protected morphology of pyramidal nerve cells in hippocampus of mice brain and the downregulation of apoptosis marker caspase-3 in brain and upregulation of tight junction proteins in small intestine and colon. The results indicated that Lactobacillus casei LTL1361 and DFC alleviated age-related cognitive impairment, as well as protected brain and gut function. Lactobacillus casei LTL1361 and DFC might be used as novel and promising antiaging agents in human.

A Pilot Study of the Effect of Lactobacillus casei Obtained from Long-Lived Elderly on Blood Biochemical, Oxidative, and Inflammatory Markers, and on Gut Microbiota in Young Volunteers

Probiotic intake has been shown to improve certain physiological health indicators. We aimed to examine effects of Lactobacillus casei LTL1879, obtained from long-lived elderly volunteers, on blood biochemical, oxidative, and inflammatory markers and gut microbiota in twenty healthy, young volunteers. Volunteers were randomly divided into equal probiotic and placebo groups and changes in blood biochemical indicators, oxidative and inflammatory markers, and gut microbiota were examined after three weeks of probiotic intervention. The probiotic group’s antioxidant levels were significantly enhanced post-intervention. Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) levels were significantly increased (p < 0.0001), while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels decreased (p < 0.05), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) levels increased, but with no significant difference. In addition, Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were significantly up-regulated and down-regulated (p < 0.05, respectively). Escherichia coli, Enterococcus, and Bacteroides expression was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), while Clostridium leptum, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus expression increased (p < 0.05). Volunteer health status was quantified using principal components and cluster analysis, indicating that the probiotic group’s overall score was higher than that of the placebo group. The results of this pilot study suggest L. casei LTL 1879 can significantly improve specific immune, oxidative, and gut microbiota characteristics related to health factors.

Lactobacillus reuteri FYNLJ109L1 Attenuating Metabolic Syndrome in Mice via Gut Microbiota Modulation and Alleviating Inflammation

Metabolic syndrome is caused by an excessive energy intake in a long-term, high-fat and/or high-sugar diet, resulting in obesity and a series of related complications, which has become a global health concern. Probiotics intervention can regulate the gut microbiota and relieve the systemic and chronic low-grade inflammation, which is an alternative to relieving metabolic syndrome. The aim of this work was to explore the alleviation of two different Lactobacillusreuteri strains on metabolic syndrome. Between the two L. reuteri strains, FYNLJ109L1 had a better improvement effect on blood glucose, blood lipid, liver tissue damage and other related indexes than NCIMB 30242. In particular, FYNLJ109L1 reduced weight gain, food intake and fat accumulation. Additionally, it can regulate the gut microbiota, increase IL-10, and reduce IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), as well as liver injury, and further reduce insulin resistance and regulate lipid metabolism disorders. In addition, it could modulate the gut microbiota, particularly a decreased Romboutsia and Clostridium sensu stricto-1, and an increased Acetatifactor. The results indicated that FYNLJ109L1 could improve metabolic syndrome significantly via alleviating inflammation and gut microbiota modulation.

Therapeutic and Improving Function of Lactobacilli in the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular-Related Diseases: A Novel Perspective From Gut Microbiota

The occurrence and development of cardiovascular-related diseases are associated with structural and functional changes in gut microbiota (GM). The accumulation of beneficial gut commensals contributes to the improvement of cardiovascular-related diseases. The cardiovascular-related diseases that can be relieved by Lactobacillus supplementation, including hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, heart failure, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity, have expanded. As probiotics, lactobacilli occupy a substantial part of the GM and play important functional roles through various GM-derived metabolites. Lactobacilli ultimately have a beneficial impact on lipid metabolism, inflammatory factors, and oxidative stress to relieve the symptoms of cardiovascular-related diseases. However, the axis and cellular process of gut commensal Lactobacillus in improving cardiovascular-related diseases have not been fully elucidated. Additionally, Lactobacillus strains produce diverse antimicrobial peptides, which help maintain intestinal homeostasis and ameliorate cardiovascular-related diseases. These strains are a field that needs to be further investigated immediately. Thus, this review demonstrated the mechanisms and summarized the evidence of the benefit of Lactobacillus strain supplementation from animal studies and human clinical trials. We also highlighted a broad range of lactobacilli candidates with therapeutic capability by mining their metabolites. Our study provides instruction in the development of lactobacilli as a functional food to improve cardiovascular-related diseases.

Effects of two potential probiotic Lactobacillus bacteria on adipogenesis in vitro

AIMS

Overweight is a major global health problem. Various methodologies to get rid of the extra fat are available, but usually, those are associated with adverse side effects. Probiotics, on the contrary, seem to have the potential to help reduce fat accumulation without much apparent adversity. In this study, we have evaluated a pair of well-documented probiotics for their anti-obesogenic effects.

MAIN METHODS

We used strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus (LA) and a cocktail (LDB-ST) of Lactobacillus delbruckei sp. bulgaricus (LDB) and Streptococcus thermophilus (ST) in this study. The murine pre-adipocyte cell line 3T3-L1 was terminally differentiated to matured adipocytes to use as a model to evaluate the bacteria's anti-obesogenic effects. The optimal dose for treatment of both the probiotics was determined using a cell viability assay. We assessed the probiotic internalization potential of differentiated 3T3-L1 cells by flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and cell lysis method. We determined the lipolytic and anti-adipogenic potential of probiotics by intracellular lipid staining, spectrophotometry, and gene expression analysis.

KEY FINDINGS

Both probiotics were effective lipolytic agents as revealed by reducing cellular lipids and down-regulation of mammalian adipogenesis marker genes in terminally differentiated 3T3-L1 cells.

SIGNIFICANCE

Previous studies from our group had proven the immune-modulatory properties of these probiotics on an immune-biased mouse model. The present study demonstrates LA and LDB-ST to be effective against adipogenesis. Further in vivo studies will be conducted to strengthen this claim.

Role of Gut Microbiota, Probiotics and Prebiotics in the Cardiovascular Diseases

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in identifying and applying new, naturally occurring molecules that promote health. Probiotics are defined as “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits on the host”. Quite a few fermented products serve as the source of probiotic strains, with many factors influencing the effectiveness of probiotics, including interactions of probiotic bacteria with the host’s microbiome. Prebiotics contain no microorganisms, only substances which stimulate their growth. Prebiotics can be obtained from various sources, including breast milk, soybeans, and raw oats, however, the most popular prebiotics are the oligosaccharides contained in plants. Recent research increasingly claims that probiotics and prebiotics alleviate many disorders related to the immune system, cancer metastasis, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. However, little is known about the role of these supplements as important dietary components in preventing or treating cardiovascular disease. Still, some reports and clinical studies were conducted, offering new ways of treatment. Therefore, the aim of this review is to discuss the roles of gut microbiota, probiotics, and prebiotics interventions in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Strain-Specific Effects of Bifidobacterium longum on Hypercholesterolemic Rats and Potential Mechanisms

Hypercholesterolemia is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease, which is among the major causes of death worldwide. The aim of this study was to explore whether Bifidobacterium longum strains exerted intra-species differences in cholesterol-lowering effects in hypercholesterolemic rats and to investigate the potential mechanisms. SD rats underwent gavage with each B. longum strain (CCFM 1077, I3, J3 and B3) daily for 28 days. B. longum CCFM 1077 exerted the most potent cholesterol-lowering effect, followed by B. longum I3 and B3, whereas B. longum B3 had no effect in alleviating hypercholesterolemia. Divergent alleviation of different B. longum strains on hypercholesterolemia can be attributed to the differences in bile salt deconjugation ability and cholesterol assimilation ability in vitro. By 16S rRNA metagenomics analysis, the relative abundance of beneficial genus increased in the B. longum CCFM 1077 treatment group. The expression of key genes involved in cholesterol metabolism were also altered after the B. longum CCFM 1077 treatment. In conclusion, B. longum exhibits strain-specific effects in the alleviation of hypercholesterolemia, mainly due to differences in bacterial characteristics, bile salt deconjugation ability, cholesterol assimilation ability, expressions of key genes involved in cholesterol metabolism and alterations of gut microbiota.

The Impact of Gut Microbiome on Metabolic Disorders During Catch-Up Growth in Small-for-Gestational-Age

OBJECTIVE

Catch-up growth (CUG) in small for gestational age (SGA) leads to increased risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases in adults. It remains unclear if microbiota could play an important role in CUG-SGA independent of genetic or nutritional factors. The present study explored the role of gut microbiota in, and its association with, metabolic disorders during CUG-SGA.

METHODS

An SGA rat model was established by restricting food intake during pregnancy, and the rats were divided into catch-up growth (CUG-SGA) and non-catch-up growth (NCUG-SGA) groups based on body weight and length at the fourth postnatal week. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA was conducted to detect the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota. Fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Transcriptome sequencing of liver tissue was performed and verified using real-time PCR. Concentrations of insulin and total cholesterol were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

The composition of gut microbiota in CUG-SGA rats differed from that of NCUG-SGA rats, with reduced abundance of Lactobacillus in the CUG-SGA group. The decrease in Lactobacillus was significantly associated with increased body weight and upregulated insulin and total cholesterol levels. Five SCFAs and two branched chain fatty acids were significantly higher in the CUG-SGA group than in the NCUG-SGA group. Additionally, SCFAs were positively associated with clinical indices such as weight, body mass index, insulin, and total cholesterol. Transcriptomic data revealed that insulin-like growth factor-2 expression was significantly decreased in CUG-SGA rats and was associated with a decrease in Lactobacillus bacteria.

CONCLUSION

Lactobacillus and SCFAs were associated with the metabolic disorders during CUG in SGA. Gut microbiome may play a certain role on metabolic disorders during catch-up growth in small-for-gestational-age.