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Liu D, Chen D, Xiao J, Wang W, Zhang LJ, Peng H, Han C, Yao H. High-altitude-induced alterations in intestinal microbiota. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1369627. [PMID: 38784803 PMCID: PMC11111974 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1369627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In high-altitude environments characterized by low pressure and oxygen levels, the intestinal microbiota undergoes significant alterations. Whether individuals are subjected to prolonged exposure or acute altitude changes, these conditions lead to shifts in both the diversity and abundance of intestinal microbiota and changes in their composition. While these alterations represent adaptations to high-altitude conditions, they may also pose health risks through certain mechanisms. Changes in the intestinal microbiota induced by high altitudes can compromise the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier, resulting in gastrointestinal dysfunction and an increased susceptibility to acute mountain sickness (AMS). Moreover, alterations in the intestinal microbiota have been implicated in the induction or exacerbation of chronic heart failure. Targeted modulation of the intestinal microbiota holds promise in mitigating high-altitude-related cardiac damage. Dietary interventions, such as adopting a high-carbohydrate, high-fiber, low-protein, and low-fat diet, can help regulate the effects of intestinal microbiota and their metabolic byproducts on intestinal health. Additionally, supplementation with probiotics, either through dietary sources or medications, offers a means of modulating the composition of the intestinal microbiota. These interventions may offer beneficial effects in preventing and alleviating AMS following acute exposure to high altitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Western Theater, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Dan Chen
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Center, General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Western Theater, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jian Xiao
- Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Western Theater, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Western Theater, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Li-Juan Zhang
- Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Western Theater, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hui Peng
- Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Western Theater, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chuan Han
- Department of Endocrinology, General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Western Theater, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hao Yao
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Center, General Hospital of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Western Theater, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Ren D, Ding M, Su J, Ye J, He X, Zhang Y, Shang X. Stachyose in combination with L. rhamnosus GG ameliorates acute hypobaric hypoxia-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction through alleviating inflammatory response and oxidative stress. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 212:505-519. [PMID: 38211833 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
High altitude is closely related to intestinal mucosal damage and intestinal microbiota imbalance, and there is currently no effective prevention and treatment measures. In this study, the effects of stachyose (STA), L. rhamnosus GG (LGG) and their combination on inflammatory response, oxidatve stress and intestinal barrier function in mice exposed to acute hypobaric hypoxia were investigated. Our results indicated the combination of STA and LGG could more effectively regulate intestinal microbiota disorders caused by hypobaric hypoxia than STA or LGG alone. When mice were administered with STA + LGG, the content of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) especially butyric acid significantly increased, which helped intestinal cells to form tight connections, improve the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine (TGF-β) and antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px), and decrease the expression of pro-inlammatory cytokines and hypoxia-inducing factors (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and HIF-1α), thereby enhance the strong intestinal barrier function. Furthermore, the synbiotics significantly reduced the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, while significantly increased the relative abundance of Rikenella, Bacteroides, Odoribacter, Ruminiclostridium_5 and Gordonibacter, which were correlated with production of SCFAs and anti-inflammatory role. Correlation analysis showed that the protective effect of synbiotics on intestinal barrier function was associated with its anti-inflammatory activity and antioxidant capacity. It provided a strong foundation for further research on the role of STA and LGG in maintaining normal intestinal function at high altitude. Our study has identified and demonstrated a new synbiotic that may be one of the ideal intervention measures for preventing and treating intestinal dysfunction at high altitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dingxin Ren
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Mengying Ding
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Junqing Su
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Jianzhou Ye
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Xiaoqin He
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yafeng Zhang
- No. 889, Xi'an Institute for Food and Drug, Cangtai West Road, Chang'an District, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710700, PR China
| | - Xiaoya Shang
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, Shaanxi, PR China.
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Ren S, Zhang L, Tang X, Zhao Y, Cheng Q, Speakman JR, Zhang Y. Temporal and spatial variations in body mass and thermogenic capacity associated with alterations in the gut microbiota and host transcriptome in mammalian herbivores. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167776. [PMID: 37848151 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Most wild animals follow Bergmann's rule and grow in body size as cold stress increases. However, the underlying thermogenic strategies and their relationship with the gut microbiota have not been comprehensively elucidated. Herein, we used the plateau pikas as a model to investigate body mass, thermogenic capacity, host transcriptome, gut microbiota and metabolites collected from seven sites ranging from 3100 to 4700 m on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) in summer and winter to test the seasonal thermogenesis strategy in small herbivorous mammals. The results showed that the increase in pika body mass with altitude followed Bergmann's rule in summer and an inverted parabolic shape was observed in winter. However, physiological parameters and transcriptome profiles indicated that the thermogenic capacity of pikas increased with altitude in summer and decreased with altitude in winter. The abundance of Firmicutes declined, whereas that of Bacteroidetes significantly increased with altitude in summer. Phenylalanine, tyrosine, and proline were enriched in summer, whereas carnitine and succinate were enriched in winter. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed significant positive correlations between Prevotella, Bacteroides, Ruminococcus, Alistipes and Akkermansia and metabolites of amino acids, pika physiological parameters, and transcriptome profiles. Moreover, metabolites of amino acids further showed significant positive correlations with pika physiological parameters and transcriptome profiles. Our study highlights that the changes in body mass and thermogenic capacity with altitude distinctly differentiate small herbivorous mammals between summer and winter on the QTP, and that the gut microbiota may regulate host thermogenesis through its metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shien Ren
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China; Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining 810008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Liangzhi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China; Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining 810008, China
| | - Xianjiang Tang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China; Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining 810008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yaqi Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China; Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining 810008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qi Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China; Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining 810008, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - John R Speakman
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Metabolic Health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Yanming Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, China; Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Xining 810008, China.
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Ma Q, Ma J, Cui J, Zhang C, Li Y, Liu J, Xie K, Luo E, Tang C, Zhai M. Oxygen enrichment protects against intestinal damage and gut microbiota disturbance in rats exposed to acute high-altitude hypoxia. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1268701. [PMID: 37901817 PMCID: PMC10600524 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1268701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute high-altitude hypoxia can lead to intestinal damage and changes in gut microbiota. Sustained and reliable oxygen enrichment can resist hypoxic damage at high altitude to a certain extent. However, it remains unclear whether oxygen enrichment can protect against gut damage and changes in intestinal flora caused by acute altitude hypoxia. For this study, eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, control (NN), hypobaric hypoxic (HH), and oxygen-enriched (HO). The NN group was raised under normobaric normoxia, whereas the HH group was placed in a hypobaric hypoxic chamber simulating 7,000 m for 3 days. The HO group was exposed to oxygen-enriched air in the same hypobaric hypoxic chamber as the HH group for 12 h daily. Our findings indicate that an acute HH environment caused a fracture of the crypt structure, loss of epithelial cells, and reduction in goblet cells. Additionally, the structure and diversity of bacteria decreased in richness and evenness. The species composition at Phylum and Genus level was characterized by a higher ratio of Firmicutes and Bacteroides and an increased abundance of Lactobacillus with the abundance of Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group decreased in the HH group. Interestingly, after oxygen enrichment intervention, the intestinal injury was significantly restrained. This was confirmed by an increase in the crypt depth, intact epithelial cell morphology, increased relative density of goblet cells, and higher evenness and richness of the gut microbiota, Bacteroidetes and Prevotellaceae as the main microbiota in the HO group. Finally, functional analysis showed significant differences between the different groups with respect to different metabolic pathways, including Amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and metabolism. In conclusion, this study verifies, for the first time, the positive effects of oxygen enrichment on gut structure and microbiota in animals experiencing acute hypobaric hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Ma
- The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiaojiao Ma
- The College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jinxiu Cui
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chenxu Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuanzhe Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Juan Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Kangning Xie
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Erping Luo
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chi Tang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetic Detection and Intelligent Perception, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Mingming Zhai
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetic Detection and Intelligent Perception, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
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Wang H, Wang Y, Shi Z, Zhao L, Jian W, Li K, Xu R, Wu Y, Xu F, Wang Y, Peng W. Association between Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome and Modification Effect of Altitude: A Cohort Study of Tibetan Adults in China. Nutrients 2023; 15:2226. [PMID: 37432367 DOI: 10.3390/nu15092226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the longitudinal association between dietary patterns (DPs) and metabolic disorders in people living at high altitude areas, such as Tibetans. We constructed the first open cohort, with 1832 Tibetans, and collected data in 2018 and in 2022. The metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence was 30.1% (32.3% in men and 28.3% in women). Three different DPs were identified: modern DP (pulses, poultry, offal, and processed meat), urban DP (vegetables, refined grain, beef/mutton, and eggs), and pastoral DP (Tibetan cheese, tsamba, butter/milk tea, and desserts). Participants within the third tertile of the urban DP had a 3.42-fold (95% CI 1.65-7.10) higher risk of MetS than those with the first tertile. Modern DP was positively associated with elevated blood pressure (BP) and elevated triglycerides (TAG), while it was inversely associated with low HDL-C. The urban DP was associated with a higher risk of low HDL-C, but a lower risk of impaired fasting blood glucose (FBG). The pastoral DP was a risk factor for impaired FBG, but protective for central obesity and elevated BP. Associations of modern DP with elevated BP, and pastoral DP with low HDL-C, were modified by altitude. In conclusion, among Tibetan adults, DPs were associated with MetS and its components, and the associations were modified by altitude among Tibetans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijing Wang
- Nutrition and Health Promotion Center, Department of Public Health, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Yanxiang Wang
- Nutrition and Health Promotion Center, Department of Public Health, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Zumin Shi
- Human Nutrition Department, College of Health Sciences, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
| | - Lei Zhao
- Nutrition and Health Promotion Center, Department of Public Health, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Wenxiu Jian
- Nutrition and Health Promotion Center, Department of Public Health, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Ke Li
- Global Health Institute, School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Ruihua Xu
- Nutrition and Health Promotion Center, Department of Public Health, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining 810008, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Global Health Institute, School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Fei Xu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
- Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, Nanjing Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Youfa Wang
- Global Health Institute, School of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Wen Peng
- Nutrition and Health Promotion Center, Department of Public Health, Medical College, Qinghai University, Xining 810008, China
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Glucolipid Metabolic Diseases with Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xining 810008, China
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Effects of high-/low-temperature and high-altitude hypoxic environments on gut microbiota of sports people: A retrospective analysis. SPORTS MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smhs.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
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