Saccharomyces boulardii alleviates ulcerative colitis carcinogenesis in mice by reducing TNF-α and IL-6 levels and functions and by rebalancing intestinal microbiota

Saccharomyces cerevisiae SC-2201 Attenuates AOM/DSS-Induced Colorectal Cancer by Modulating the Gut Microbiome and Blocking Proinflammatory Mediators

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world today, and studies have shown that the ratio of Candida to Saccharomyces cerevisiae increased, and the abundance of S. cerevisiae in the intestines of patients with colorectal cancer decreased, which suggests that there is an imbalance in the proportion of fungi in the intestines of patients with colorectal cancer. The objective of this study was to screen S. cerevisiae isolate from traditional Chinese fermentation starters and assess its ability to ameliorate dysbiosis and to alleviate the carcinogenic process of azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate-induced colorectal cancer in mice model. S. cerevisiae strain SC-2201 was isolated and exhibited probiotic properties, including the ability to survive in an acidic pH environment and in the presence of bile salts in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as antioxidant activities. Oral administration of S. cerevisiae SC-2201 not only alleviated weight loss but also reduced colonic shortening and histological damage in azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate-induced colorectal cancer in mice. Furthermore, the administration of S. cerevisiae SC-2201 suppressed the expression of proinflammatory mediators, such as interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, cyclooxygenase-2, vascular endothelial growth factor, nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat, and pyrin domain-containing protein 3. Specifically, the analysis of gut bacteriome showed a significant decrease in Bacteroidota and Campylobacterota levels, as well as an increase in Proteobacteria level in the colorectal cancer group, which was alleviated by supplementation with S. cerevisiae SC-2201. The analysis of the mycobiome revealed a significant increase in the levels of Basidiomycota, Apiosordaria, Naganishia, and Taphrina genera in the colorectal cancer group, which were alleviated after supplementation with S. cerevisiae SC-2201. However, the levels of Xenoramularia, Entoloma, and Keissleriella were significantly increased after administration with S. cerevisiae SC-2201. Overall, the findings of this study demonstrate that S. cerevisiae SC-2201 possesses potential probiotic properties and can effectively attenuate the development of colorectal cancer, highlighting its cancer-preventive potential. This is the first report of a S. cerevisiae strain isolated from traditional Chinese fermentation starters which showed good probiotic properties, and mitigated azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate-induced colorectal cancer by modulating the gut microbiome and blocking proinflammatory mediators in mice.

Altered gut microbiome-metabolite interactions link intestinal inflammation severity and MR enterography abnormalities in Crohn's disease

Altered gut microbiota‒metabolite interactions may result in intestinal inflammation severity variation in Crohn's disease (CD). Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) advances anti-inflammatory strategy development. We aimed to identify inflammation-related multiomics factors and MRE interactions for CD management, analyzing 425 CD patients and 42 healthy controls undergoing MRE, ileocolonoscopy, and fecal/blood sampling (microbiota/metabolite analyses), with intestinal inflammation categorized by MRE and ileocolonoscopy. Ruminococcus species were enriched in CD patients versus healthy controls, while Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus dominated moderate-severe versus no-mild inflammation groups, suggesting inflammation-level associations. Ruminococcus gauvreauii suppressed intestinal inflammation by regulating serum PC(O-34:3), ePE(38:6), and ceramides (all p < 0.05). Serum N-acetylneuraminic acid and guanidinoacetic acid correlated with intestinal morphological changes (e.g., MRE-detectable effusion and wall thickness) and inflammation severity (P ACME < 0.05). A link was established between microscopic microbiota-metabolite markers and macroscopic imaging of inflammatory features, which could offer valuable insights into inflammation management.

Dietary live microorganisms and depression-driven mortality in hypertensive patients: NHANES 2005-2018

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between dietary microorganism intake and mortality risk among hypertensive adults with depression in the United States.

METHODS

This study utilizes data from the 2005-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, focusing on individuals with hypertension. The Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curve is employed to preliminarily explore the relationship between dietary microorganism intake, depression, and mortality risk in hypertensive individuals. The Cox proportional hazards model is used for both individual and combined analyses of these relationships. Mediation analysis assesses the mediating effect of depression on the association between dietary microorganisms and mortality, while subgroup and sensitivity analysis evaluates the stability of the model.

RESULTS

This cohort study included 11,602 hypertensive participants (5,904 men and 5,698 women), with 1,201 having depression. During follow-up period, 2,085 died from all causes, 692 due to cardiovascular events. Preliminary analysis using the K-M curve reveals that hypertensive individuals with higher dietary microorganism intake and those without depression have lower mortality risks. Cox proportional hazards model analysis shows that increased dietary microorganism intake is associated with reduced mortality risk in hypertensive individuals (HRALL-cause=0.654, 95%CI: 0.555-0.771; HRCVD-cause:0.675, 95%CI: 0.472,0.967). High intake of diets rich in dietary microorganisms may mitigate the ALL-cause mortality risk of depression in hypertensive populations(HRALL-cause=0.493, 95%CI: 0.256-0.947). Mediation analysis revealed that depression serves as a partial mediator in the process of dietary microorganisms improving the long - term prognosis of the hypertensive population. Results of subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis showed that the beneficial effect of dietary microorganism intake on prognosis remained stable in most of the hypertensive population.

CONCLUSION

Patients with depression among those suffering from hypertension can reduce the risk of all-cause mortality caused by depression by increasing their intake of dietary microorganisms. This provides clinicians with a new non-pharmacological intervention approach and offers a direction for the optimization of clinical combined treatment regimens.

Beneficial Probiotics with New Cancer Therapies for Improved Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant form of primary liver cancer. Intricate networks linked to the host immune system may be associated with the pathogenesis of HCC. A huge amount of interdisciplinary medical information for the treatment of HCC has been accumulated over recent years. For example, advances in new immunotherapy have improved the results of treatment for HCC. This approach can be advantageously combined with standard conventional treatments such as surgical resection to improve the therapeutic effect. However, several toxic effects of treatments may pose a significant threat to human health. Now, a shift in mindset is important for achieving superior cancer therapy, where probiotic therapy may be considered, at least within the bounds of safety. The interplay between the gut microbiota and immune system could affect the efficacy of several anticancer treatments, including of immune checkpoint therapy via the alteration of Th17 cell function against various malignant tumors. Here, some recent anticancer techniques are discussed, whereby the growth of HCC may be effectively and safely repressed by probiotic therapy.

Multi-functionalized probiotics through layer-by-layer coating with tannic acid-Mg2+ and casein phosphopeptide complexes for preventing ulcerative colitis

Gut microbiota imbalance-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress are two of the main reasons causing ulcerative colitis (UC). Probiotics show potent modulating effects on microbiota imbalance and have been considered as an optimal substitute of antibiotics for preventing UC. However, the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract is not conducive to the survival and persistence of probiotics. Herein, we developed an efficient surface coating strategy to overcome the delivery challenges of probiotics and also endow them with multiple functions through layer-by-layer coating with tannic acid (TA)-Mg2+ and casein phosphopeptide (CPP) complexes. Saccharomyces boulardii (SB), one of yeasts that have been widely applied in the food and pharmaceutical field, was used as a model probiotic for assessing the synergistic effects of this coating strategy on preventing UC. Multi-functionalized probiotic thus prepared (called SB@TA-Mg2+@CPP) had significantly enhanced stability under the simulated gastric and intestinal fluid conditions, and also displayed vigorous cell viability and potent antioxidant activity. In the mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, SB@TA-Mg2+@CPP exhibited strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, remarkably increased the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota, and maintained gut barrier integrity. Meanwhile, SB@TA-Mg2+@CPP notably improved the adsorption of Mg2+, which also contributed to enhance the preventive effect against DSS-induced colitis. In summary, this study provides an efficient coating strategy to develop multi-functionalized probiotics for preventing UC.

Engineered Probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii Reduces Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer Burden in Mice

BACKGROUND

Individuals with inflammatory bowel diseases experience an elevated risk of colorectal cancer driven by chronic inflammation. Current systemic immunosuppressive therapies often cause severe side effects. Live oral biotherapeutics are an emerging treatment modality that directly target the intestines. We have engineered a probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii strain that expresses targeting ligands to bind fibronectin on inflamed mucosa and secretes anti-tumor necrosis factor nanobodies locally to reduce inflammation. We previously demonstrated that engineering S. boulardii to bind fibronectin enhanced colonization and reduced inflammation in a DSS colitis model.

AIMS

Here, we tested the anti-cancer potential of engineered S. boulardii using a well-established model of IBD-associated CRC, azoxymethane-treated interleukin 10-deficient (AOM/Il10-/-) mice. These mice develop inflammation and invasive tumors that model those found in inflammatory bowel disease.

METHODS

Mice were orally administered engineered S. boulardii at two dosing frequencies, unmodified S. boulardii, or placebo throughout the 18-week model. Colons were harvested for gross, histological, and molecular evaluation for inflammation and tumorigenesis.

RESULTS

Histological colon inflammation was reduced by twice weekly dosing of engineered and unmodified S. boulardii. Engineered S. boulardii reduced gross tumor number in a dose-dependent manner, with median tumor counts reduced from 7.5 to 2 per mouse (p < 0.0002 vs. placebo). Unmodified S. boulardii similarly reduced gross tumor number. Colonization studies revealed that engineered S. boulardii failed to colonize for greater time or density vs. unmodified S. boulardii.

CONCLUSION

Together our data indicate that engineering S. boulardii does not reduce its ability to decrease inflammation-associated tumorigenesis, and that further host-binding target optimization is required to enhance colonization and anti-cancer effects.

Patrinia scabiosaefolia L. Modulates the Intestinal Microecology to Treat DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis: UHPLC-OE-MS/MS, Network Pharmacology, and Experimental Validation

Patrinia scabiosaefolia L. (P. scabiosaefolia), a traditional food and medicinal plant, is used to treat internal inflammation. This study investigated the mechanisms by which P. scabiosaefolia improves ulcerative colitis (UC) via combined UHPLC-OE-MS/MS, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments. A total of 72 compounds were detected in the P. scabiosaefolia extraction, with 15 key components (ranking by degree value) selected for further analysis. GO enrichment analysis suggested that PS may alleviate UC-related renal dysfunction by modulating immune responses, inflammation, and cell signaling pathways. Based on protein-protein interaction results, five core targets of P. scabiosaefolia in UC (ranking by degree value) were identified, and molecular docking revealed strong binding free affinity (<-7 kcal/mol) of active components (Vulgarin and 4-(Diphenylphosphino)benzoic acid) with TNF, AKT1, CASP3, BCL2, and MMP9. In animal experiments, P. scabiosaefolia-treated mice showed significant reductions in IL-6, TNF-α, LPS, and D-Lactate levels (p < 0.05); improved colon histopathological damage; and significantly increased the mRNA expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, Claudin, OCC) in colon tissue (p < 0.05). Furthermore, P. scabiosaefolia-treated mice exhibited a significant increase in beneficial gut bacteria (Enterococcus and Lactobacillus) (p < 0.05), effectively restoring the gut imbalance caused by DSS. In conclusion, P. scabiosaefolia can treat UC through the modulation of the intestinal microecology.

Application of Saccharomyces boulardii in combination with sulfasalazine in ulcerative colitis patients demonstrates significant effectiveness

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a complex inflammatory bowel disease, and its etiology and pathogenesis remain incompletely elucidated.

AIM

To analyze the effects of Saccharomyces boulardii in combination with sulfasalazine on intestinal microbiota and intestinal barrier function in patients with UC.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of clinical data from 127 UC patients admitted to our hospital between January 2021 and January 2023 was conducted. All patients met complete inclusion and exclusion criteria. Based on the treatment interventions received, they were divided into a control group (n = 63) and an observation group (n = 64). Both groups of patients received routine treatment upon admission. The control group received sulfasalazine in addition to routine interventions, while the observation group received a combination of Saccharomyces boulardii on the basis of the control group’s treatment. The clinical efficacy, improvement in symptoms, modified Baron endoscopic scores, quality of life “inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (IBDQ)”, levels of intestinal microbial indicators (such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, and Escherichia coli), intestinal mucosal barrier function indicators [diamine oxidase (DAO), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), D-lactic acid (D-LA)], and adverse reaction occurrences were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

(1) Clinical efficacy: The total effective rate in the control group was 79.37%, while in the observation group, it was 93.75%, significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05); (2) Improvement in symptoms: The observation group showed significantly lower relief time for abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever symptoms, and mucosal healing time compared to the control group (P < 0.05); (3) Baron endoscopic scores and IBDQ scores: Before treatment, there was no significant difference in Baron endoscopic scores and IBDQ scores between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, after treatment, the observation group showed significantly lower Baron endoscopic scores and higher IBDQ scores compared to the control group (P < 0.05); (4) Levels of intestinal microbial indicators: Before treatment, there was no significant difference in the levels of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, and Escherichia coli between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, the levels of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group, while the levels of Enterococcus and Escherichia coli were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05); (5) Levels of intestinal mucosal barrier function indicators: Before treatment, there was no significant difference in the levels of DAO, LPS, and D-LA between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, after treatment, the levels of DAO, LPS, and D-LA in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05); and (6) Occurrence of adverse reactions: The incidence of adverse reactions in the control group was 9.52%, while in the observation group, it was 10.94%. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The application of Saccharomyces boulardii in combination with sulfasalazine in UC patients demonstrates significant effectiveness. Compared to sole sulfasalazine intervention, the combined application of Saccharomyces boulardii further promotes the relief of relevant symptoms in patients, alleviates intestinal mucosal inflammation, and improves the quality of life. Its action may be related to rectifying the imbalance in intestinal microbiota and improving intestinal mucosal barrier function. Moreover, the combined use of Saccharomyces boulardii does not increase the risk of adverse reactions in patients, indicating a higher level of medication safety and advocating for its clinical promotion and application.

Effects of Deoxynivalenol Detoxifier on Growth Performance, Blood Biochemical Indices, and Microbiota Composition of Piglets

Deoxynivalenol (DON), also known as vomitoxin, has a high detection and exceeding rate in feed and is prone to causing symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhoea in animals, which brings great harm to the aquaculture industry. The common mycotoxin adsorbents have low adsorption rates for DON, and the use of biological methods to remove DON in feeds has gradually become a research trend. One hundred and twenty crossbred barrows were randomly divided into four groups, which included the normal diet group (CON), normal diet + detoxifier group (Det), DON-polluted diet group (DON), and DON-polluted diet + DON detoxifier group (DON + Det); the experiment lasted for 28 d. The results showed that, compared with piglets fed a normal diet, those piglets fed DON-polluted diets significantly decreased their average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) during the 1-14 d and 1-28 d periods; the content of immunoglobulin G (IgG), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in serum was decreased; and the content of aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), malondialdehyde (MDA), diamine oxidase (DAO), and endotoxin (LPS) was increased in pigs fed DON-polluted diets; meanwhile, feeding piglets DON-polluted diets significantly reduced the levels of acetic acid, propionic acid, and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as well as gut microbiota health index (GMHI) in piglet faeces, but increased the relative abundance of Treponema, Prevotellaceae_UGG-001, Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group, Frisingicoccus and Sphaerochaeta. In contrast, the addition of a composite detoxifier effectively ameliorated the reduction in ADG and ADFI in piglets caused by DON-polluted diets. It suppressed the reduction in CAT, SOD, GSH-PX, IL-4, and IL-10 and the elevation of TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, MDA, LPS, and DAO in serum; the composite detoxifier also restrained the decrease in SCFA in piglet faeces and increased the relative abundance of Ruminococcus, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group, UCG-009, and Eubacterium_siraeum_group bacteria. The composite detoxifier effectively mitigated the adverse effects of a DON-polluted diet on piglet growth performance, blood biochemical indices, and gut microbiota composition.

Pathogenesis and treatment of colitis-associated colorectal cancer: Insights from Traditional Chinese Medicine

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an inflammatory intestinal disease, and with prolonged illness duration, the annual risk of IBD progressing to colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) gradually increases. In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend towards the application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of CAC.

AIM OF THIS REVIEW

This comprehensive review summarizes the pathogenesis of CAC and details the therapeutic benefits of TCM in treating CAC, including various TCM prescriptions and ingredients, establishing the theoretical foundation for the application of TCM in CAC treatment.

METHODS

We assessed literature published before March 24, 2024, from several databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar. The keywords used include "traditional Chinese medicine", "traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions", "traditional Chinese medicine ingredients", "herbal medicine", "colitis-associated colorectal cancer", "inflammatory bowel disease", "colorectal cancer" and "colitis-cancer transformation". We conducted a comprehensive collection and collation of pertinent scientific articles from various databases, focusing on the efficacy of TCM in the prevention and treatment of "colitis-cancer transformation".

RESULTS

This paper provides a concise summary and thorough analysis of twenty-eight prescriptions and ingredients of TCM for the prevention and treatment of CAC, based on existing experimental and clinical research. There are positive signs that TCM can effectively prevent and treat the "colitis-cancer transformation" through repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier, correcting intestinal flora imbalance, and regulating intestinal immune responses.

CONCLUSION

TCM possesses comprehensive regulatory advantages that are multifaceted, multilevel, and multitarget. It has a definite curative effect in the prevention and treatment of CAC. It is essential to enhance the clinical efficacy of TCM in the prevention and treatment of CAC based on syndrome differentiation and treatment, with the assistance of modern medicine.

Ligilactobacillus salivarius LZZAY01 accelerated autophagy and apoptosis in colon cancer cells and improved gut microbiota in CAC mice

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the malignant tumors globally, with high morbidity and mortality rates. The mainstay treatment of CRC includes surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, these treatments are associated with a high recurrence rate, poor prognosis, and highly toxic side effects. The probiotics have the potential to prevent CRC, and they display a favorable safety performance. Probiotics could provide a potential strategy to prevent and treat CRC. The impact of LZZAY01 on cancer cell lines CT-26, HCT-116, and SW-620 was evaluated by conducting cytotoxicity and clonogenicity tests. A model of colitis-associated cancer (CAC) was established in C57BL/6j mice following induction with AOM/DSS. The levels of autophagy and apoptosis proteins, tight junction proteins, and inflammatory factors were detected by western blotting, immunofluorescence assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. High-throughput sequencing of gut 16S rRNA was performed to analyze the abundance and diversity of the gut microbiome. LZZAY01, a new strain of Ligilactobacillus salivarius, was certified by an evolutionary tree and average nucleotide identity. LZZAY01 enhanced autophagy and apoptosis in CT-26, HCT-116, and SW-620 cell lines. It preserved the integrity of the intestinal barrier by regulating the tight junction protein ZO-1 and claudin-1. The tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 were reduced by LZZAY01. The abundance and diversity of the intestinal microbiota were enhanced, especially the beneficial bacterial species maintaining the balance of the intestinal flora such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. L. salivarius LZZAY01 improved CAC via suppressing the growth of colon cancer cells, promoting autophagy and apoptosis, enhancing intestinal tight junctions, reducing intestinal barrier degradation, modifying the gut microbiota abundance, and decreasing inflammatory reactions.IMPORTANCEAlthough similar probiotics have been shown to have anticancer potential in colorectal cancer (CRC), there is a paucity of research related to the preventive function of probiotics against CRC. And there are fewer studies about the mechanism of probiotics' preventive effects on CRC. The regulation of tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis by the active ingredients of probiotics may be one of the mechanisms of their prevention of CRC. In this study, we explored the effects of L. salivarius LZZAY01 on autophagy and apoptosis of colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo and proposed a possible mechanism for the prevention of CRC by probiotics.

A yeast-based oral therapeutic delivers immune checkpoint inhibitors to reduce intestinal tumor burden

Engineered probiotics are an emerging platform for in situ delivery of therapeutics to the gut. Herein, we developed an orally administered, yeast-based therapeutic delivery system to deliver next-generation immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) proteins directly to gastrointestinal tumors. We engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii (Sb), a probiotic yeast with high genetic tractability and innate anticancer activity, to secrete "miniature" antibody variants that target programmed death ligand 1 (Sb_haPD-1). When tested in an ICI-refractory colorectal cancer (CRC) mouse model, Sb_haPD-1 significantly reduced intestinal tumor burden and resulted in significant shifts to the immune cell profile and microbiome composition. This oral therapeutic platform is modular and highly customizable, opening new avenues of targeted drug delivery that can be applied to treat a myriad of gastrointestinal malignancies.

Beneficial microbiome and diet interplay in early-onset colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although the risk of developing CRC increases with age, approximately 10% of newly diagnosed cases occur in individuals under the age of 50. Significant changes in dietary habits in young adults since industrialization create a favorable microenvironment for colorectal carcinogenesis. We aim here to shed light on the complex interplay between diet and gut microbiome in the pathogenesis and prevention of early-onset CRC (EO-CRC). We provide an overview of dietary risk factors associated with EO-CRC and contrast them with the general trends for CRC. We delve into gut bacteria, fungi, and phages with potential benefits against CRC and discuss the underlying molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, based on recent findings from human studies, we offer insights into how dietary modifications could potentially enhance gut microbiome composition to mitigate CRC risk. All together, we outline the current research landscape in this area and propose directions for future investigations that could pave the way for novel preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Fungal microbiome in gut of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-prone mice (pristane and FCGRIIb deficiency), a possible impact of fungi in lupus

The gut mycobiota (fungal microbiota) plays a crucial role in the immune system, potentially impacting autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Despite growing interest, data on intestinal fungi in SLE remain limited. This study thereby investigated the human-mimicked (mice) gut mycobiome and quantitative gut mycobiome analyses using universal fungal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) DNA next generation sequencing and real-time PCR, tracking time-series dynamics from preclinical to established SLE conditions in two SLE-prone mouse models. These models included pristane -induced mice, representing an environmental cause of SLE, and Fc gamma receptor RIIb (FcgRIIb) deficiency mice, representing a genetic factor. Fecal samples and different intestinal sections from mice aged 2-10 months were analyzed, including samples from 4-month-old and 11-month-old mice, which represented preclinical lupus (negative for anti-dsDNA) and established SLE conditions (positive for anti-dsDNA with proteinuria), respectively, alongside age-matched healthy controls. Results showed increased fungal diversity, specific changes in gut fungal species (i.e. increased Candida spp.), and an elevated Basidiomycota-to-Ascomycota (Basidiomycota/Ascomycota) ratio, which correlated with lupus activity in both lupus models. Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe; a possible representative organism) helped identify specific fungal difference between the lupus models. Our findings revealed that active lupus states may elevate gut fungal populations and alter fungal components in both the pristane and genetically susceptible SLE-prone mice, as indicated by mycobiota and quantitative mycobiota analyses. These changes could, in turn, influence disease activity. This research is essential for a deeper understand of the SLE-gut microbiome association, as the gut microbiome comprises both bacterial and fungal symbiosis. Manipulating fungal communities could present a potential therapeutic avenue for influencing disease outcomes in lupus. Further studies are crucial to clarify the direct role of gut fungi in lupus disease progression.

Effect of Bacillus clausii in attenuating symptoms of DSS-induced ulcerative colitis by modulating NFkB pathway and oxidative stress in mice

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a condition characterized by inflammation and ulcer formation in the colon and rectum due to genetic and environmental factors. It is a common condition, with a global prevalence rate exceeding 0.3%. Current treatments have limited efficacy and can cause unwanted side effects, leading to a high recurrence rate and reduced quality of life for patients. This study suggests that Bacillus clausii has a beneficial role in reducing intestinal inflammation and relieving colitis symptoms in mice. The study aimed to examine B. clausii's potential to reduce the progression and pathogenesis of dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)-induced UC. Bacillus clausii was administered to mice as a pre-treatment, post-treatment and adjunct treatment with sulfasalazine for 14 days. The study found that B. clausii effectively reduced the severity of colitis in mice when used preventatively. Administering B. clausii after the onset of colitis also effectively alleviated symptoms. Combining B. clausii with standard sulfasalazine as adjunct therapy was more effective in reducing intestinal inflammation than using a single therapy alone. B. clausii has shown the potential to prevent colon damage and decrease the likelihood and severity of the disease. Immunohistochemistry results revealed a decrease in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α and NFkB in colon tissue. Additionally, mice that received B. clausii showed a significant increase in anti-oxidant levels and improved haematological markers. In conclusion, it must be emphasized that B. clausii possesses the potential to alleviate the symptoms of UC.

Mume fructus alters the abundance of intestinal microbiota and alleviates damaged intestinal barrier and inflammation in rats with DSS induced colitis

The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the development of colitis by influencing the immune response and inflammation in the colon. Previous research has shown that Mume Fructus, a traditional Chinese medicine, can alleviate colitis by reducing the activity of inflammatory pathways. However, the specific connection between Mume Fructus-treated colitis and regulation of gut flora remains unclear, prompting further investigation. This research aims to delve deeper into the possible impact of the gut microbiota in colitis when treated with the aqueous decoction of Mume Fructus (MF). The effects of MF on rats with DSS-induced colitis were assessed through examination of pathological indicators, intestinal barrier proteins, and analysis of 16S rDNA sequencing to investigate its impact on the gut microbiota. In addition, the colon contents of rats after the administration of MF were transplanted into rats with colitis, and the effect of MF on intestinal flora was verified, and "beneficial bacteria" were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and Spearman's correlation analysis. In summary, our findings suggest that MF has the potential to ameliorate symptoms of colitis through modulation of intestinal microbiota and restoration of intestinal barrier function.

Chronic Sleep Deprivation Causes Anxiety, Depression and Impaired Gut Barrier in Female Mice-Correlation Analysis from Fecal Microbiome and Metabolome

BACKGROUND

Chronic sleep deprivation (CSD) plays an important role in mood disorders. However, the changes in the gut microbiota and metabolites associated with CSD-induced anxiety/depression-like behavior in female mice have not been determined. Due to the influence of endogenous hormone levels, females are more susceptible than males to negative emotions caused by sleep deprivation. Here, we aim to investigate how CSD changes the gut microbiota and behavior and uncover the relationship between CSD and gut microbiota and its metabolites in female mice.

METHODS

We used a 48-day sleep deprivation (SD) model using the modified multiple platform method (MMPM) to induce anxiety/depression-like behavior in female C57BL/6J mice and verified our results using the open field test, elevated plus maze, novel object recognition test, forced swim test, and tail suspension test. We collected fecal samples of mice for 16S rDNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomic analysis and colons for histopathological observation. We used Spearmen analysis to find the correlations between differential bacterial taxa, fecal metabolites, and behaviors.

RESULTS

Our study demonstrates that CSD induced anxiety/depressive-like behaviors in female mice. The results of 16S rDNA sequencing suggested that the relative abundance of the harmful bacteria g_ Rothia, g_ Streptococcus, g_ Pantoea, and g_ Klebsiella were significantly increased, while the beneficial bacteria g_ Rikenella, g_ Eubacterium]-xylanophilum-group, and g_ Eisenbergiella were significantly decreased after SD. Glycerophospholipid metabolism and glutathione metabolism were identified as key pathways in the fecal metabolism related to oxidative stress and inflammatory states of the intestine. Histological observation showed hyperplasia of epithelial cells, a decrease in goblet cells, and glandular atrophy of the colon in SD mice. There were correlations between some of the differential bacterial taxa, fecal metabolites, and behaviors.

CONCLUSION

In summary, we found that CSD induced anxiety/depression-like behavior, caused gut microbiota dysbiosis, altered fecal metabolism, and damaged the colon barrier in female mice.

Multi-omics insights implicate the remodeling of the intestinal structure and microbiome in aging

Background

Aging can impair the ability of elderly individuals to fight infections and trigger persistent systemic inflammation, a condition known as inflammaging. However, the mechanisms underlying the development of inflammaging remain unknown.

Methods

We conducted 16S rRNA sequencing of intestinal contents from young and old C57BL/6J mice to elucidate changes in gut microbiota diversity and microbial community composition after aging. Aging-related differential bacterial taxa were then identified, and their abundance trends were validated in human samples. The variances in intestinal barrier function and circulating endotoxin between groups were also assessed. Furthermore, widely targeted metabolomics was conducted to characterize metabolic profiles after aging and to investigate the key metabolic pathways enriched by the differential metabolites.

Results

Our findings demonstrated an increase in relative proportion of pathogenic bacteria with age, a trend also revealed in healthy populations of different age groups. Additionally, aging individuals exhibited reduced intestinal barrier function and increased circulating endotoxin levels. Widely targeted metabolomics revealed a significant increase in various secondary bile acid metabolites after aging, positively correlated with the relative abundance of several aging-related bacterial taxa. Furthermore, old group had lower levels of various anti-inflammatory or beneficial metabolites. Enrichment analysis identified the starch and sucrose metabolism pathway as potentially the most significantly impacted signaling pathway during aging.

Conclusion

This study aimed to provide insights into the complex interactions involved in organismal inflammaging through microbial multi-omics. These findings lay a solid foundation for future research aimed at identifying novel biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of aging-related diseases or potential therapeutic targets.

TNF-α, and TNFRs in gastrointestinal cancers

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a multifunctional cytokine that plays a role in the hemostasis of the immune system, inflammation, and cell proliferation. However, it can also have a dark side as it is involved in pro-inflammatory cytokines and pathological processes such as cell growth and death, autoimmunity, and inflammation, leading to a wide range of chronic inflammatory diseases, including digestive cancer. TNF-alpha binds to two distinct receptors, TNFRI and TNFRII. Upon binding of the ligand to these receptors, TNF receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) are recruited to the cytoplasmic receptor, triggering the activation of transcription factors such as NF-kB and Activator protein 1 (AP_1). In contrast, binding of cytokines to certain family members, such as TNF RI and Fas Ligand (Fas L), leads to the secretion and initiation of apoptosis. Gastrointestinal malignancies are among the most common types of cancer globally. Despite extensive research, the exact cause of these tumors remains a mystery. Unfortunately, they often have a poor prognosis and are often detected at a late stage. The global incidence of gastrointestinal cancers, including those of the stomach, esophagus, colon, liver, and pancreas, is on the rise, leading to a surge in both incidence and mortality. Growth factors and cytokines, which are signaling molecules found in the tumor microenvironment, are thought to be major contributors to the development and metastasis of these cancers. In this review, we explored the role of TNF-α, and its receptors in the development of digestive cancers, including its signaling pathways and functions.

Study on the metabolism of Xiao-Jian-Zhong-Tang in rats with chronic atrophic gastritis coupled with bioinformatics

Xiao-Jian-Zhong-Tang (XJZT) has the effect of warming the middle and tonifying the deficiency, easing the urgency and relieving pain according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and is able to treat spleen deficiency type chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG). Metabolites of TCM in cecum contents are common metabolites of intestinal bacteria and hosts, which can reflect the metabolic status in disease states. The present work was performed to study the effect of XJZT against CAG coupled with the cecal metabolites analysis and bioinformatics. A total of nine prototypical components and 144 metabolites were firstly identified in the cecum metabolites of XJZT using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography added to the quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS), which underwent the metabolism of oxidation, reduction, methylation, and glucuronic acid reaction Furthermore, different prototypical compounds might metabolize into identical metabolites in the presence of intestinal flora. Bioinformatics was further used to correlate these metabolites with the disease and intestinal flora. Components and targets were screened by Cytoscape, and molecular docking of key targets and core components showed good binding ability. This study provided important information for exploring the mechanism of TCM formulae.

Ulcerative colitis: molecular insights and intervention therapy

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and weight loss. The pathogenesis and treatment of UC remain key areas of research interest. Various factors, including genetic predisposition, immune dysregulation, and alterations in the gut microbiota, are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of UC. Current treatments for UC include 5-aminosalicylic acids, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and biologics. However, study reported that the one-year clinical remission rate is only around 40%. It is necessary to prompt the exploration of new treatment modalities. Biologic therapies, such as anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody and JAK inhibitor, primarily consist of small molecules targeting specific pathways, effectively inducing and maintaining remission. Given the significant role of the gut microbiota, research into intestinal microecologics, such as probiotics and prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) shows promising potential in UC treatment. Additionally, medicinal herbs, such as chili pepper and turmeric, used in complementary therapy have shown promising results in UC management. This article reviews recent findings on the mechanisms of UC, including genetic susceptibility, immune cell dynamics and cytokine regulation, and gut microbiota alterations. It also discusses current applications of biologic therapy, herbal therapy, microecologics, and FMT, along with their prospects and challenges.

A Saccharomyces boulardii-derived antioxidant protein, thioredoxin, ameliorates intestinal inflammation through transactivating epidermal growth factor receptor

Saccharomyces boulardii (Sb) is a probiotic yeast for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Little is known about the modulatory capacity of the Sb in IBD. Here, we found that oral gavage of Sb supernatant (SbS) alleviated gut inflammation, protected the intestinal barrier, and reversed DSS-induced down-regulated activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in colitis. Mass spectrum analysis showed that thioredoxin (Trx) is one of the critical secreted soluble proteins participating in EGFR activation detected in SbS. Trx exerted an array of significant effects on anti-inflammatory activity, including alleviating inflammation, protecting gut barrier, suppressing apoptosis, as well as reducing oxidative stress. Mechanistically, Trx promoted EGFR ligand gene expression and transactivated EGFR in a concentration-dependent manner. EGFR kinase inhibitor could block Trx-mediated preventive effects of intestinal epithelial injury. Our data suggested that Sb-derived soluble protein Trx could serve as a potential prophylactic, as a novel postbiotic against colitis, which provides a new strategy for the precision prevention and treatment of IBD.

Chinese medicine compound prescription HeQi San ameliorates chronic inflammatory states and modulates gut flora in dehydroepiandrosterone-induced polycystic ovary syndrome mouse model

BACKGROUND

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common and complex endocrine disease in women, with a prevalence of 5% to 18% worldwide. HeQi San (HQS) is a Chinese medicine compound prescription, which has been applied to treat various endocrine and metabolic diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The study was intended to investigate the effect of HQS on PCOS, and clarify the potential mechanism via in vivo and in vitro experiments.

METHODS

The PCOS mouse model was established by injecting the dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) subcutaneously and fading high-fat diet for 3 weeks. After making model, PCOS mice were treated with HQS (8.75 g/kg and 17.5 g/kg, ig.) for 4 weeks. Firstly, we assessed the histopathological changes in ovary tissues and detected the hormone level. Subsequently, the study evaluated the capability of anti-inflammatory and regulating macrophage polarization of HQS in vivo and in vitro. The secretion of inflammation indicators was measured with Elisa kits, and the expression level of phosphorylated nuclear factor kappa-B (P-NFκB) and B-lymphocyte activation antigen B7 (CD80) was measured by immunofluorescence and Western blot. Meanwhile, the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells was detected via tunel staining and Western blot. The co-culture model in vitro was utilized to assess the effect between macrophage polarization and human ovarian granulosa cells (KGN cells) apoptosis. Furthermore, 16S rDNA sequencing was utilized to elevate gut microbiota change in PCOS mice.

RESULTS

HQS reversed the abnormal hormone increase, ameliorated insulin resistance, and improved histopathological changes of the ovary tissue to exert the therapeutic effect. HQS inhibited the expression of P-NF-κB and decreased the production of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) to further prohibit the macrophage M1 polarization in ovary tissues and macrophages. The apoptosis-positive cells, Bcl-2 Assaciated X protein (BAX), and cleaved-caspase 3 expression were also decreased in the treatment group. The B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl2) expression was enhanced after HQS treatment in vivo. The co-culture experiments also verified that HQS could prevent the apoptosis of KGN cells. Furthermore, HQS mediated the abundance of gut flora. The abundance of bifldobacterium and parasutterella was increased and the abundance of lachnoclostridium was decreased.

CONCLUSION

The study verified that HQS has the effect of anti-inflammation and inhibits macrophage M1 polarization. Besides, HQS could mediate the abundance of gut microbiota in mice with PCOS. Thus, this study would provide more reasonable basis of HQS for clinical use. In conclusion, HQS might be a potential candidate for PCOS treatment.

Protective properties of Ophiopogonin D in DSS-induced colitis: insights into microbiota modulation

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal disorder, is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. Ophiopogonin D, which is derived from Ophiopogon japonicus, exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, yet its therapeutic potential in UC remains unclear.

METHODS

In this study, we employed a mouse model of DSS-induced colitis to assess the impact of Ophiopogonin D on various parameters, including weight loss, bloody stools, and inflammation in the colon.

RESULTS

Ophiopogonin-D treatment significantly mitigated these DSS-induced effects, improved colon permeability, and modulated inflammatory markers like ZO-1, MUC-2, TNF-α, and IL-1β in mice compared with the control. Furthermore, compared to the DSS-treatment group, Ophiopogonin-D treatment improved the α- and β-diversity indices of the mouse intestinal microbiota, along with an increase in the abundance of genera such as Akkermansia (AKK) and a decrease in the abundance of genera such as Enterobacter. Notably, propionic acid, a metabolite of AKK, demonstrated significant improvement in the symptoms of DSS-induced colitis in mice compared to the control. Moreover, propionic-acid administration also resulted in alterations in the levels of inflammatory factors and calreticulin within the intestinal tissues.

CONCLUSION

Overall, Ophiopogonin D significantly affects intestinal microbiota composition, thereby improving symptoms of DSS-induced colitis in mice. These findings present promising therapeutic strategies and potential pharmaceutical candidates for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Weissella paramesenteroides NRIC1542 inhibits dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in mice through regulating gut microbiota and SIRT1/NF-κB signaling pathway

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a kind of recurrent inflammatory disorder of the intestinal tract. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Weissella paramesenteroides NRIC1542 on colitis in mice. A colitis model was induced by adding 1.5% DSS to sterile distilled water for seven consecutive days. During this process, mice were administered different concentrations of W. paramesenteroides NRIC1542. Colitis was assessed by DAI, colon length and hematoxylin-eosin staining of colon sections. The expressions of NF-κB signaling proteins and the tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin were detected by western blotting, and the gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rDNA. The results showed that W. paramesenteroides NRIC1542 significantly reduced the degree of pathological tissue damage and the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in colonic tissue, inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway and increasing the expression of SIRT1, ZO-1 and occludin. In addition, W. paramesenteroides NRIC1542 can modulate the structure of the gut microbiota, characterized by increased relative abundance of Muribaculaceae_unclassified, Paraprevotella, Prevotellaceae_UCG_001 and Roseburia, and decrease the relative abundance of Akkermansia and Alloprevotella induced by DSS. The above results suggested that W. paramesenteroides NRIC1542 can protect against DSS-induced colitis in mice through anti-inflammatory, intestinal barrier maintenance and flora modulation.

Characterization of the gut microbiota and fecal metabolome in the osteosarcoma mouse model

Previous studies have reported the correlation between gut microbiota (GM), GM-derived metabolites, and various intestinal and extra-intestinal cancers. However, limited studies have investigated the correlation between GM, GM-derived metabolites, and osteosarcoma (OS). This study successfully established a female BALB/c nude mouse model of OS. Mice (n = 14) were divided into the following two groups (n = 7/group): OS group named OG, injected with Saos-2 OS cells; normal control group named NCG, injected with Matrigel. The GM composition and metabolites were characterized using 16S rDNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that amino acid metabolism was dysregulated in OS. The abundances of bone metabolism-related genera Alloprevotella, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, and Muribaculum were correlated with amino acid metabolism, especially histidine metabolism. These findings suggest the correlation between GM, GM-derived metabolites, and OS pathogenesis. Clinical significance: The currently used standard therapeutic strategies for OS, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, are not efficacious. The findings of this study provided novel insights for developing therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic strategies for OS.

A non-antibiotic erythromycin derivative improves muscle endurance by regulating endogenous anti-fatigue protein orosomucoid in mice

At present, there are no official approved drugs for improving muscle endurance. Our previous research found acute phase protein orosomucoid (ORM) is an endogenous anti-fatigue protein, and macrolides antibiotics erythromycin can elevate ORM level to increase muscle bioenergetics and endurance parameters. Here, we further designed, synthesized and screened a new erythromycin derivative named HMS-01, which lost its antibacterial activity in vitro and in vivo. Data showed that HMS-01 could time- and dose-dependently prolong mice forced-swimming time and running time, and improve fatigue index in isolated soleus muscle. Moreover, HMS-01 treatment could increase the glycogen content, mitochondria number and function in liver and skeletal muscle, as well as ORM level in these tissues and sera. In Orm-deficient mice, the anti-fatigue and glycogen-elevation activity of HMS-01 disappeared. Therefore, HMS-01 might act as a promising small molecule drug targeting ORM to enhance muscle endurance.

Programming Probiotics: Diet-Responsive Gene Expression and Colonization Control in Engineered S. boulardii

Saccharomyces boulardii (Sb) is an emerging probiotic chassis for delivering biomolecules to the mammalian gut, offering unique advantages as the only eukaryotic probiotic. However, precise control over gene expression and gut residence time in Sb have remained challenging. To address this, we developed five ligand-responsive gene expression systems and repaired galactose metabolism in Sb, enabling inducible gene expression in this strain. Engineering these systems allowed us to construct AND logic gates, control the surface display of proteins, and turn on protein production in the mouse gut in response to dietary sugar. Additionally, repairing galactose metabolism expanded Sb's habitat within the intestines and resulted in galactose-responsive control over gut residence time. This work opens new avenues for precise dosing of therapeutics by Sb via control over its in vivo gene expression levels and localization within the gastrointestinal tract.

Functional evaluation of pure natural edible Ferment: protective function on ulcerative colitis

Purpose

To investigate the therapeutic efficiency of a novel drink termed "Ferment" in cases of ulcerative colitis (UC) and its influence on the gut microbiota.

Method

In this study, we developed a complex of mixed fruit juice and lactic acid bacteria referred to as Ferment. Ferment was fed to mice for 35 days, before inducing UC with Dextran Sulfate Sodium Salt. We subsequently investigated the gut microbiome composition using 16S rRNA sequencing.

Result

After Ferment treatment, mouse body weight increased, and animals displayed less diarrhea, reduced frequency of bloody stools, and reduced inflammation in the colon. Beneficial bacteria belonging to Ileibacterium, Akkermansia, and Prevotellacea were enriched in the gut after Ferment treatment, while detrimental organisms including Erysipelatoclostridium, Dubosiella, and Alistipes were reduced.

Conclusion

These data place Ferment as a promising dietary candidate for enhancing immunity and protecting against UC.

Saccharomyces boulardii alleviates allergic asthma by restoring gut microbiota and metabolic homeostasis via up-regulation of METTL3 in an m6A-dependent manner

BACKGROUND

Allergic asthma is a heterogeneous disease and new strategies are needed to prevent or treat this disease. Studies have shown that probiotic interventions are effective in preventing asthma. Here, we investigated the impact of Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma in mice, as well as the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

First, we constructed a mouse asthma model using OVA and given S. boulardii intervention. Next, we measured N6-methyladenosine (m6A) levels in lung injury tissues. 16 s rRNA was employed to identify different gut microbiota in fecal samples. The analysis of differential metabolites in feces was performed by non-targeted metabolomics. Pearson correlation coefficient was utilized to analyze correlation between gut microbiota, metabolites and methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3). Finally, we collected mouse feces treated by OVA and S. boulardii intervention for fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and interfered with METTL3.

RESULTS

S. boulardii improved inflammation and oxidative stress and alleviated lung damage in asthmatic mice. In addition, S. boulardii regulated m6A modification levels in asthmatic mice. 16 s rRNA sequencing showed that S. boulardii remodeled gut microbiota homeostasis in asthmatic mice. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis showed S. boulardii restored metabolic homeostasis in asthmatic mice. There was a correlation between gut microbiota, differential metabolites, and METTL3 analyzed by Pearson correlation. Additionally, through FMT and interference of METTL3, we found that gut microbiota mediated the up-regulation of METTL3 by S. boulardii improved inflammation and oxidative stress in asthmatic mice, and alleviated lung injury.

CONCLUSIONS

S. boulardii alleviated allergic asthma by restoring gut microbiota and metabolic homeostasis via up-regulation of METTL3 in an m6A-dependent manner.

The role of gut fungi in Clostridioides difficile infection

Clostridioides difficile, the etiological agent of C. difficile infection (CDI), elicits a spectrum of diarrheal symptoms with varying severity and the potential to result in severe complications such as colonic perforation, pseudomembranous colitis, and toxic megacolon. The perturbation of gut microbiome, often triggered by antibiotic usage, represents the primary factor augmenting the risk of CDI. This underscores the significance of interactions between C. difficile and the microbiome in determining pathogen adaptability. In recent years, researchers have increasingly recognized the pivotal role played by intestinal microbiota in host health and its therapeutic potential as a target for medical interventions. While extensive evidence has been established regarding the involvement of gut bacteria in CDI, our understanding of symbiotic interactions between hosts and fungi within intestinal microbiota remains limited. Herein, we aim to comprehensively elucidate both composition and key characteristics of gut fungal communities that significantly contribute to CDI, thereby enhancing our comprehension from pharmacological and biomarker perspectives while exploring their prospective therapeutic applications for CDI.

Aqueous extract of fermented Eucommia ulmoides leaves alleviates hyperlipidemia by maintaining gut homeostasis and modulating metabolism in high-fat diet fed rats

BACKGROUND

As a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, the lipid-lowing biological potential of Eucommia ulmoides leaves (EL) has been demonstrated. After fermentation, the EL have been made into various products with lipid-lowering effects and antioxidant activity. However, the anti-hyperlipidemic mechanism of fermented Eucommia ulmoides leaves (FEL) is unclear now.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effects of FEL on hyperlipidemia and investigate the mechanism based on regulating gut homeostasis and host metabolism.

METHODS

Hyperlipidemia animal model in Wistar rats was established after 8 weeks high-fat diet (HFD) fed. The administered doses of aqueous extract of FEL (FELE) were 128, 256 and 512 mg/kg/d, respectively. Serum biochemical parameters detection, histopathological sections analysis, 16S rDNA sequencing of gut microbiota and untargeted fecal metabolomics analysis, were performed to determine the therapeutic effects and predict related pathways of FELE on hyperlipidemia. The changes of proteins and genes elated to lipid were detected by Immunofluorescence (IF) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

RESULTS

56 Components in FELE were identified by UPLC-MS, with organic acids, flavonoids and phenolic acids accounting for the majority. The intervention of FELE significantly reduced the body weight, lipid accumulation and the levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) in hyperlipidemia rats, while increased the level of High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). Meanwhile, FELE improved the inflammatory makers and oxidative stress factors, which is tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT). These results demonstrated that FETE can effectively reduce blood lipids and alleviate inflammation and oxidative damage caused by hyperlipidemia. Mechanistically, FELE restore the homeostasis of gut microbiota by reducing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and increasing the abundance of probiotics, especially Lactobacillus, Rombousia, Bacteroides, Roseburia, Clostridia_UCG-014_Unclassified, while modulated metabolism through amino acid, bile acid and lipid-related metabolism pathways. In addition, the Pearson correlation analysis found that the upregulated bilirubin, threonine, dopamine and downregulated lipocholic acid, d-sphingosine were key metabolites after FELE intervention. IF and qRT-PCR analysis showed that FELE upregulated the expression of fatty acid oxidation proteins and genes (PPARα, CPT1A), bile acid synthesis and excretion proteins and genes (LXRα, CYP7A1, FXR), and downregulated the expression of adipogenic gene (SREBP-1c) by regulating gut microbiota to improve metabolism and exert a lipid-lowering effect.

CONCLUSION

This work filled the lipid-lowering mechanism gap of FEL. FELE can improve HFD-induced hyperlipidemia by regulating the gut microbiota homeostasis and metabolism. Thus, FEL has the potential to develop into the novel raw material of lipid-lowering drugs.

Prevention of cyclophosphamide-induced immune suppression by polysaccharides from Apocynum venetum flowers via enhancing immune response, reducing oxidative stress, and regulating gut microbiota in mice

Introduction

Emerging proof suggests that Apocynum venetum flowers polysaccharide (AVFP) has immunomodulatory effects in vitro. However, the action mechanism of AVFA is still unclear in vivo. The purpose of this study is to probe into the potential mechanism of AVFA in immunosuppressed mice by investigating organ index, cytokine levels, anti-oxidative stress capacity, transcriptomics, and gut microbiota.

Methods

Immunocompromised mice induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) were divided into six groups. The enzyme-labeled method, hematoxylin and eosin, transcriptomics, and high-throughput sequencing were used to detect the regulatory effects of AVFP on immunocompromised mice and the function of AVFP on the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the intestinal microbiota and biochemical indexes.

Results

The experimental results illustrated that AVFP has protective effects against CTX-induced immunosuppression in mice by prominently increasing the organ index and levels of anti-inflammatory factors in serum in addition to enhancing the antioxidant capacity of the liver. Meanwhile, it could also signally decrease the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum, the activity of transaminase in serum, and the content of free radicals in the liver, and alleviate the spleen tissue damage induced by CTX. Transcriptomics results discovered that AVFP could play a role in immune regulation by participating in the NF-κB signaling pathway and regulating the immune-related genes Bcl3, Hp, Lbp, Cebpd, Gstp2, and Lcn2. Gut microbiota results illustrated that AVFP could increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria, reduce the abundance of harmful bacteria, and regulate the metabolic function of intestinal microorganisms while dramatically improving the content of SCFAs, modulating immune responses, and improving the host metabolism. The Spearman analysis further evaluated the association between intestinal microbiota and immune-related indicators.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrated that AVFP could enhance the immune effects of the immunosuppressed mice and improve the body's ability to resist oxidative stress.

Targeted delivery of the probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii to the extracellular matrix enhances gut residence time and recovery in murine colitis

Probiotic and engineered microbe-based therapeutics are an emerging class of pharmaceutical agents. They represent a promising strategy for treating various chronic and inflammatory conditions by interacting with the host immune system and/or delivering therapeutic molecules. Here, we engineered a targeted probiotic yeast platform wherein Saccharomyces boulardii is designed to bind to abundant extracellular matrix proteins found within inflammatory lesions of the gastrointestinal tract through tunable antibody surface display. This approach enabled an additional 24-48 h of probiotic gut residence time compared to controls and 100-fold increased probiotic concentrations within the colon in preclinical models of ulcerative colitis in female mice. As a result, pharmacodynamic parameters including colon length, colonic cytokine expression profiles, and histological inflammation scores were robustly improved and restored back to healthy levels. Overall, these studies highlight the potential for targeted microbial therapeutics as a potential oral dosage form for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Modulation effect of sulfated polysaccharide from Sargassum fusiforme on gut microbiota and their metabolites in vitro fermentation

The present study demonstrated the digestion behavior and fermentation characteristics of a sulfated polysaccharide from Sargassum fusiforme (SFSP) in the simulated digestion tract environment. The results showed that the molecular weight of two components in SFSP could not be changed by simulated digestion, and no free monosaccharide was produced. This indicates that most of SFSP can reach the colon as prototypes. During the fermentation with human intestinal flora in vitro, the higher-molecular-weight component of SFSP was utilized, the total sugar content decreased by 16%, the reducing sugar content increased, and the galactose content in monosaccharide composition decreased relatively. This indicates that SFSP can be selectively utilized by human intestinal flora. At the same time, SFSP also changed the structure of intestinal flora. Compared with the blank group, SFSP significantly increased the abundance of Bacteroidetes and decreased the abundance of Firmicutes. At the genus level, the abundances of Bacteroides and Megamonas increased, while the abundances of Shigella, Klebsiella, and Collinsella decreased. Moreover, the concentrations of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), acetic, propionic and n-butyric acids significantly increased compared to the blank group. SFSP could down-regulate the contents of trimethylamine, piperidone and secondary bile acid in fermentation broth. The contents of nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid and other organic acids were increased. Therefore, SFSP shows significant potential to regulate gut microbiota and promote human health.

Exercise mitigates a gut microbiota-mediated reduction in adult hippocampal neurogenesis and associated behaviours in rats

Lifestyle factors, especially exercise, impact the manifestation and progression of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders such as depression and Alzheimer's disease, mediated by changes in hippocampal neuroplasticity. The beneficial effects of exercise may be due to its promotion of adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN). Gut microbiota has also been showed to be altered in a variety of brain disorders, and disturbances of the microbiota have resulted in alterations in brain and behaviour. However, whether exercise can counteract the negative effects of altered gut microbiota on brain function remains under explored. To this end, chronic disruption of the gut microbiota was achieved using an antibiotic cocktail in rats that were sedentary or allowed voluntary access to running wheels. Sedentary rats with disrupted microbiota displayed impaired performance in hippocampal neurogenesis-dependent tasks: the modified spontaneous location recognition task and the novelty suppressed feeding test. Performance in the elevated plus maze was also impaired due to antibiotics treatment. These behaviours, and an antibiotics-induced reduction in AHN were attenuated by voluntary exercise. The effects were independent of changes in the hippocampal metabolome but were paralleled by caecal metabolomic changes. Taken together these data highlight the importance of the gut microbiota in AHN-dependent behaviours and demonstrate the power of lifestyle factors such as voluntary exercise to attenuate these changes.

MIR-21 regulating distribution of intestinal flora through TNF-α promotes progression of ulcerative colitis

Background

To study the changes in intestinal flora in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), and to explore its correlations with micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-21 and serum tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-α).

Methods

A total of 150 patients with UC were selected and divided into remission group and seizure group according to the severity of disease. At the same time, 150 healthy people receiving physical examination in the hospital during the same period were selected as control group. The levels of fecal miR-21 and TNF-α in all subjects were determined via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The correlation between miR-21 and TNF-α and their associations with the changes in intestinal bacteria in UC were analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis. The risk factors affecting the occurrence of UC were explored via multivariate logistic regression analysis.

The causality of gut microbiota on onset and progression of sepsis: a bi-directional Mendelian randomization analysis

Background

Several observational studies have proposed a potential link between gut microbiota and the onset and progression of sepsis. Nevertheless, the causality of gut microbiota and sepsis remains debatable and warrants more comprehensive exploration.

Methods

We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to test the causality between gut microbiota and the onset and progression of sepsis. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for 196 bacterial traits were extracted from the MiBioGen consortium, whereas the GWAS summary statistics for sepsis and sepsis-related outcomes came from the UK Biobank. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) approach was the primary method used to examine the causal association. To complement the IVW method, we utilized four additional MR methods. We performed a series of sensitivity analyses to examine the robustness of the causal estimates.

Results

We assessed the causality of 196 bacterial traits on sepsis and sepsis-related outcomes. Genus Coprococcus2 [odds ratio (OR) 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.69-0.94), p = 0.007] and genus Dialister (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.74-0.97, p = 0.016) had a protective effect on sepsis, whereas genus Ruminococcaceae UCG011 (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.20, p = 0.024) increased the risk of sepsis. When it came to sepsis requiring critical care, genus Anaerostipes (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.31-0.76, p = 0.002), genus Coprococcus1 (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.43-1.00, p = 0.049), and genus Lachnospiraceae UCG004 (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.34-0.77, p = 0.001) emerged as protective factors. Concerning 28-day mortality of sepsis, genus Coprococcus1 (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.48-0.94, p = 0.020), genus Coprococcus2 (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.27-0.86, p = 0.013), genus Lachnospiraceae FCS020 (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52-0.95, p = 0.023), and genus Victivallis (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.68-0.99, p = 0.042) presented a protective effect, whereas genus Ruminococcus torques group (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.00-2.35, p = 0.049), genus Sellimonas (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.04-1.50, p = 0.019), and genus Terrisporobacter (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.02-2.02, p = 0.040) presented a harmful effect. Furthermore, genus Coprococcus1 (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.19-0.92, p = 0.031), genus Coprococcus2 (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.14-0.83, p = 0.018), and genus Ruminiclostridium6 (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.22-0.83, p = 0.012) were associated with a lower 28-day mortality of sepsis requiring critical care.

Conclusion

This MR analysis unveiled a causality between the 21 bacterial traits and sepsis and sepsis-related outcomes. Our findings may help the development of novel microbiota-based therapeutics to decrease the morbidity and mortality of sepsis.

Heterogeneous changes in gut and tumor microbiota in patients with pancreatic cancer: insights from clinical evidence

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer is the foremost contributor to cancer-related deaths globally, and its prevalence continues to rise annually. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms behind its development remain unclear and necessitate comprehensive investigation.

METHODS

In this study, a total of 29 fresh stool samples were collected from patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The gut microbial data of healthy controls were obtained from the SRA database (SRA data number: SRP150089). Additionally, 28 serum samples and diseased tissues were collected from 14 patients with confirmed pancreatic cancer and 14 patients with chronic pancreatitis. Informed consent was obtained from both groups of patients. Microbial sequencing was performed using 16s rRNA.

RESULTS

The results showed that compared with healthy controls, the species abundance index of intestinal flora in patients with pancreatic cancer was increased (P < 0.05), and the number of beneficial bacteria at the genus level was reduced (P < 0.05). Compared with patients with chronic pancreatitis, the expression levels of CA242 and CA199 in the serum of patients with pancreatic cancer were increased (P < 0.05). The bacterial richness index of tumor microorganisms in patients with pancreatic cancer increased, while the diversity index decreased(P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a change in the species composition at the genus level. Additionally, the expression level of CA242 was found to be significantly positively correlated with the relative abundance of Acinetobacter(P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Over all, the expression levels of serum tumor markers CA242 and CA19-9 in patients with pancreatic cancer are increased, while the beneficial bacteria in the intestine and tumor microenvironment are reduced and pathogenic bacteria are increased. Acinetobacter is a specific bacterial genus highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissue.

Aged oolong tea alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice by modulating the gut microbiota and its metabolites

In this study, the mechanism of aged oolong tea (AOT) to alleviate colitis was investigated in terms of microbiome, metabolome, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). AOT storage period could alleviate colitis in mice and there were some differences in AOT between storage periods, especially AOT-10. AOT improves UC by modulating oxidative stress and inflammatory factors and upregulating intestinal tight junction protein expression (Occludin, Claudin-1, ZO-1 and MUC2), which is associated with the recovery of gut microbiota. FMT and targeted metabolomics further demonstrate that the anti-inflammatory effects of AOT can reshape the gut microbiota through faecal bacterial transfer. Anti-inflammatory effects are exerted through the stimulation of metabolic pathways associated with amino acid, fatty acid and bile acid metabolites. Importantly, the study identified key bacteria (e.g., Sutterella, Clostridiaceae_Clostridium, Mucispirillum, Oscillospira and Ruminococcus) for the development and remission of inflammation. Conclusively, AOT may have great potential in the future adjuvant treatment of colitis.

A chronic stress-induced microbiome perturbation, highly enriched in Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, promotes colorectal cancer growth and metastasis

Purpose: Mounting evidence indicates that psychological stress adversely affects cancer progression including tumor growth and metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of chronic stress-induced microbiome perturbation in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. Methods: Chronic restraint stress (CRS) was used to establish the chronic stress mouse model, behavioral tests were used for the CRS model evaluation. Subcutaneous xenograft model and lung metastasis model were established to investigate the growth and metastasis of CRC promoted by CRS exposure. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS) were applied to observe the effects of CRS exposure on the alteration of the gut microbiome and microbial metabolites. Bioinformatics analysis and correlation analyses were applied to analyse the changes in the frequency of body mass, tumor volume, inflammatory factors, neuroendocrine hormones and metabolites of the gut microbiota. Results: In this study, we identifed that CRS exposure model was appropriately constructed by achieving expected increases in disease activity index and enhanced depressive-like behaviors. CRS exposure can promote growth and metastasis of CRC. Besides, the data indicated that CRS exposure not only increased the neuro- and immune-inflammation, but also weakened the gut mucosal immunological function. The 16s rRNA gene sequencing data showed that CRS exposure increased the abundance of g_Ruminococcaceae_UCG_014. Furthermore, the LC-MS data indicated that with only 2 exceptions of carpaine and DG (15:0/20:4(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)/0:0), the majority of these 24 metabolites were less abundant in CRS-exposed mice. Bioinformatics analysis and correlation analyses indicated that only Ruminoscoccaceae-UCG-014 was significantly associated with inflammation (IL-6), neurotransmission (5-HT), and microbial metabolism (PS). Conclusion: CRS exposure altered diversity, composition and metabolites of the gut microbiome, with Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014 perturbation consistently correlated to inflammatory responses, suggesting a particular role of this bacterial genus in CRC growth and metastasis.

The Mechanism of Polygonum Hydropiper L-Coptis Chinensis in the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Based on Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation

BACKGROUND

Polygonum hydropiper L (PH) was widely used to treat dysentery, gastroenteritis, diarrhea and other diseases. Coptis chinensis (CC) had the effects of clearing dampness-heat, purging fire, and detoxifying. Study confirmed that flavonoids in PH and alkaloids in CC alleviated inflammation to inhibit the development of intestinal inflammation. However, how PH-CC affects UC was unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze the mechanism of PH-CC on ulcerative colitis (UC) through network pharmacology and in vivo experiments.

METHODS

The active ingredients and targets of PH-CC and targets of UC were screened based on related databases. The core targets of PH-CC on UC was predicted by protein-protein interaction network (PPI), and then the Gene Ontology-biological processes (GO-BP) function enrichment analysis was conducted using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) database. The binding activity between pyroptosis proteins, core targets and effective ingredients were verified based on molecular docking technology. Finally, combined with the results of network pharmacology and literature research, the mechanism of PH-CC against UC was verified by in vivo experiments.

RESULTS

There were 23 active components and 191 potential targets in PH-CC, 5275 targets in UC, and 141 co-targets. GO-BP functional analysis of 141 co-targets showed that the first 20 biological processes were closely related to inflammation and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Furthermore, core targets had good binding activity with the corresponding compounds. Animal experiment indicated that PH-CC effectively prevented weight loss in UC mice, reduced the disease activity index (DAI) score, maintained colon length, suppressed myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, inhibited pyroptosis protein expression, and downregulated the levels of IL-18 and IL-1β to alleviate intestinal inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of network pharmacology and animal experiments showed that PH-CC suppressed the inflammatory response, restored colon morphology, and inhibited pyroptosis in UC mice. Thus, PH-CC may improve UC by regulating the NOD-like receptor protein domain 3 (NLRP3)/Caspase-1 signaling pathway.

Investigation of Tongxie-Yaofang formula in treating ulcerative colitis based on network pharmacology via regulating MAPK/AKT signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a subtype of inflammatory bowel disease, which often leads to bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. In this study, the function mechanism of Tongxie-Yaofang formula (TXYF) on UC was investigated.

METHODS

Action targets of TXYF were obtained by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database (TCMSP) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Integrated Database (TCMID) databases. The targets of UC were screened in Gene Cards and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) databases. The network pharmacology of active ingredient targets was established via Cytoscape.

RESULTS

A total of 42 chemical components and 5806 disease targets were obtained. The GO functional analysis showed that biological processes such as oxidative stress and molecular response to bacteria, molecular function such as protein and nucleic acid binding activity were significantly enriched. The top 20 KEGG enriched signal pathways indicated that the targets were mainly linked with IL-17, TNF, HIF-1. Molecular docking results showed that naringenin had good binding activity between naringin and MAPK, albiflorin and SRC. The activity of MPO, the concentration of HIF-1, IL-17 and TNF-α were significantly decreased after TXYF treatment. The characteristics of UC such as crypt distortion, crypt atrophy, and increased basal plasmacytosis were also less observed with the treatment of TXYF. What's more, TXYF suppresses the phosphorylation of SRC, MAPK and AKT1 in UC.

CONCLUSIONS

TXYF showed treatment effect on UC through multiple components and multiple targets, which lays a foundation for further study of UC treatment.

Exploring the Mechanisms of Self-made Kuiyu Pingchang Recipe for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome using a Network Pharmacology-based Approach and Molecular Docking

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are common intestinal diseases. According to the clinical experience and curative effect, the authors formulated Kuiyu Pingchang Decoction (KYPCD) comprised of Paeoniae radix alba, Aurantii Fructus, Herba euphorbiae humifusae, Lasiosphaera seu Calvatia, Angelicae sinensis radix, Panax ginseng C.A. Mey., Platycodon grandiforus and Allium azureum Ledeb.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to explore the mechanisms of KYPCD in the treatment of UC and IBS following the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory of "Treating different diseases with the same treatment".

METHODS

The chemical ingredients and targets of KYPCD were obtained using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP). The targets of UC and IBS were extracted using the DisGeNET, GeneCards, DrugBANK, OMIM and TTD databases. The "TCM-component-target" network and the "TCM-shared target-disease" network were imaged using Cytoscape software. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built using the STRING database. The DAVID platform was used to analyze the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Using Autodock Tools software, the main active components of KYPCD were molecularly docked with their targets and visualized using PyMOL.

RESULTS

A total of 46 active ingredients of KYPCD corresponding to 243 potential targets, 1,565 targets of UC and 1,062 targets of IBS, and 70 targets among active ingredients and two diseases were screened. Core targets in the PPI network included IL6, TNF, AKT1, IL1B, TP53, EGFR and VEGFA. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrated 563 biological processes, 48 cellular components, 82 molecular functions and 144 signaling pathways. KEGG enrichment results revealed that the regulated pathways were mainly related to the PI3K-AKT, MAPK, HIF-1 and IL-17 pathways. The results of molecular docking analysis indicated that the core active ingredients of KYPCD had optimal binding activity to their corresponding targets.

CONCLUSION

KYPCD may use IL6, TNF, AKT1, IL1B, TP53, EGFR and VEGFA as the key targets to achieve the treatment of UC and IBS through the PI3K-AKT, MAPK, HIF-1 and IL-17 pathways.

Omics analysis of the effect of cold normal saline stress through gastric gavage on LPS induced mice

Cold stress is a significant environmental stimulus that negatively affects the health, production, and welfare of animals and birds. However, the specific effects of cold stimulation combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the mouse intestine remain poorly understood. Therefore, we designed this research to explore the effect of cold stimulation + LPS on mice intestine via microbiome and microbiota sequencing. Forty-eight mice were randomly divided into four experimental groups (n = 12): Control (CC), LPS-induced (CL), cold normal saline-induced (MC) and LPS + cold normal saline-induced (ML). Our results showed body weight was similar among different groups of mice. However, the body weight of mice in groups CC and CL were slightly higher compared to those in groups MC and ML. The results of gene expressions reflected that CL and ML exposure caused gut injury and barrier dysfunction, as evident by decreased ZO-1, OCCLUDIN (P < 0.01), and CASPASE-1 (P < 0.01) expression in the intestine of mice. Moreover, we found that cold stress induced oxidative stress in LPS-challenged mice by increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and decreasing the antioxidant capacity [glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total and antioxidant capacity (T-AOC)]. The cold stress promoted inflammatory response by increased IL-1β in mice treated with cold normal saline + LPS. Whereas, microbiome sequencing revealed differential abundance in four phyla and 24 genera among the mouse groups. Metabolism analysis demonstrated the presence of 4,320 metabolites in mice, with 43 up-regulated and 19 down-regulated in CC vs. MC animals, as well as 1,046 up-regulated and 428 down-regulated in ML vs. CL animals. It is Concluded that cold stress enhances intestinal damage by disrupting the balance of gut microbiota and metabolites, while our findings contribute in improving management practices of livestock in during cold seasons.

Probiotic-Fermented Distillers Grain Alters the Rumen Microbiome, Metabolome, and Enzyme Activity, Enhancing the Immune Status of Finishing Cattle

A total of 30 Simmental crossbred cattle (6.50 months old, 265.0 ± 22.48 kg) were randomly divided into three groups, with 10 heads per group, and fed for 45 days. The diet treatments consisted of the Control group without PFDG supplementation, the PFDG-15% group with 15% PFDG substituting for 15% concentrate, and PFDG-30% group with 30% PFDG substituting for 30% concentrate. The results showed that compared with the Control group, the average daily gain (ADG) of the cattle in the PFDG-30% group decreased significantly (0.890 vs. 0.768 kg/d, p = 0.005). The serum malondialdehyde content of cattle in the PFDG-15% and PFDG-30% groups decreased significantly (p = 0.047) compared to that of the Control group. However, the serum superoxide dismutase activity of cattle in the PFDG-30% group was significantly higher than that of the Control group (p = 0.047). Meanwhile, both the PFDG-15% and PFDG-30% groups (1758.47 vs. 2061.30 μg/mL) showed higher serum levels of immunoglobulin G, while the interleukin-10 concentration was lower in the PFDG-30% group (p = 0.027). In addition, the PFDG-15% and PFDG-30% groups shifted the rumen microbiota by improving the abundances of F082 (related to propionic acid production) and fiber-degrading bacteria (Lachnospiraceae_UGG-009 and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001) and reducing the abundance of the disease-associated bacteria Selenomonas. A Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis illustrated that three key metabolic pathways, including phenylalanine metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, and tryptophan metabolism, were enriched in the PFDG-15% group, but eight key metabolic pathways, including arachidonic acid metabolism, were enriched in the PFDG-30% group. Importantly, both the PFDG-15% and PFDG-30% groups increased (p < 0.01) the activities of cellulase, lipase, and protease in the rumen. Finally, the different bacterial abundance in the rumen was associated with changes in the ADG, serum antioxidant capacity, immune status, rumen enzyme activity, and metabolites. These results suggest that PFDG alters rumen microbiome abundance, metabolome, and enzyme activity for enhancing serum antioxidant capacity and the immune status, but when the supplemental level reaches 30%, it has a negative effect on ADG and the anti-inflammatory factors in finishing cattle.

Comprehensive analysis reveals key genes and environmental toxin exposures underlying treatment response in ulcerative colitis based on in-silico analysis and Mendelian randomization

BACKGROUND

UC is increasingly prevalent worldwide and represents a significant global disease burden. Although medical therapeutics are employed, they often fall short of being optimal, leaving patients struggling with treatment non-responsiveness and many related complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study utilized gene microarray data and clinical information from GEO. Gene enrichment and differential expression analyses were conducted using Metascape and Limma, respectively. Lasso Regression Algorithm was constructed using glmnet and heat maps were generated using pheatmap. ROC curves were used to assess diagnostic parameter capability, while XSum was employed to screen for small-molecule drugs exacerbating UC. Molecular docking was carried out using Autodock Vina. The study also performed Mendelian randomization analysis based on TwoSampleMR and used CTD to investigate the relationship between exposure to environmental chemical toxicants and UC therapy responsiveness.

RESULTS

Six genes (ELL2, DAPP1, SAMD9L, CD38, IGSF6, and LYN) were found to be significantly overexpressed in UC patient samples that did not respond to multiple therapies. Lasso analysis identified ELL2 and DAPP1 as key genes influencing UC treatment response. Both genes accurately predicted intestinal inflammation in UC and impacted the immunological infiltration status. Clofibrate showed therapeutic potential for UC by binding to ELL2 and DAPP1 proteins. The study also reviews environmental toxins and drug exposures that could impact UC progression.

CONCLUSIONS

We used microarray technology to identify DAPP1 and ELL2 as key genes that impact UC treatment response and inflammatory progression. Clofibrate was identified as a promising UC treatment. Our review also highlights the impact of environmental toxins on UC treatment response, providing valuable insights for personalized clinical management.

A dynamics association study of gut barrier and microbiota in hyperuricemia

Introduction

The intricate interplay between gut microbiota and hyperuricemia remains a subject of growing interest. However, existing studies only provided snapshots of the gut microbiome at single time points, the temporal dynamics of gut microbiota alterations during hyperuricemia progression and the intricate interplay between the gut barrier and microbiota remain underexplored. Our investigation revealed compelling insights into the dynamic changes in both gut microbiota and intestinal barrier function throughout the course of hyperuricemia.

Methods

The hyperuricemia mice (HY) were given intragastric administration of adenine and potassium oxalate. Gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after the start of the modeling process. Intestinal permeability as well as LPS, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels were measured at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days.

Results

We discovered that shifts in microbial community composition occur prior to the onset of hyperuricemia, key bacterial Bacteroidaceae, Bacteroides, and Blautia exhibited reduced levels, potentially fueling microbial dysbiosis as the disease progresses. During the course of hyperuricemia, the dynamic fluctuations in both uric acid levels and intestinal barrier function was accompanied with the depletion of key beneficial bacteria, including Prevotellaceae, Muribaculum, Parabacteroides, Akkermansia, and Bacteroides, and coincided with an increase in pathogenic bacteria such as Oscillibacter and Ruminiclostridium. This microbial community shift likely contributed to elevated lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, ultimately promoting metabolic inflammation. The decline of Burkholderiaceae and Parasutterella was inversely related to uric acid levels, Conversely, key families Ruminococcaceae, Family_XIII, genera Anaeroplasma exhibited positive correlations with uric acid levels. Akkermansiaceae and Bacteroidaceae demonstrating negative correlations, while LPS-containing microbiota such as Desulfovibrio and Enterorhabdus exhibited positive correlations with intestinal permeability.

Conclusion

In summary, this study offers a dynamic perspective on the complex interplay between gut microbiota, uric acid levels, and intestinal barrier function during hyperuricemia progression. Our study suggested that Ruminiclostridium, Bacteroides, Akkermansiaceae, Bilophila, Burkholderiaceae and Parasutterella were the key bacteria that play vital rols in the progress of hyperuricemia and compromised intestinal barrier, which provide a potential avenue for therapeutic interventions in hyperuricemia.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum as a promising adjuvant for neurological disorders therapy through the brain-gut axis and related action pathways

Dysbiosis in neurological disorders has highlighted the gut-microbiota-brain axis and psychobiotics and their ability to act on the brain-gut axis. Studying and discovering new approaches in therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders are strategies that have been discussed and put into practice. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is a lactic acid bacteria species with an extensive history of safe use whose action as a psychobiotic has been successfully explored. This review describes and discusses the mechanisms of action of L. plantarum and its potential for the prevention and treatment of neurological disorders. Randomized and controlled trials in humans or animals and using supplements based on different strains of L. plantarum were selected. The psychobiotic effect of L. plantarum has been shown, mainly through its action on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and regulation of levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, it could protect the integrity of the intestinal barrier and decrease inflammation, alleviating a series of symptoms of neurological diseases. The results showed improvements in cognitive function, memory, anxiety, hyperactivity, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), sleep quality, and growth stimulation of beneficial species of bacteria in the gut. Larger and deeper studies are needed to use psychobiotics to prevent and treat neurological disorders.

The efficacy and mechanism of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels root aqueous extract based on RNA sequencing and 16S rDNA sequencing in alleviating polycystic ovary syndrome

BACKGROUND

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) leads to persistent anovulation, hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, and polycystic ovary, and is mainly characterized by menstrual disorders, and reproductive dysfunction. Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels root has been used in many classical formulas of traditional Chinese medicine, and is commonly used to treat various gynecological diseases.

PURPOSE

To investigate the protective effect of water extract of A. sinensis root (WEA) on PCOS rats, and the mechanism by RNA sequencing, and 16S rDNA sequencing.

METHODS

The PCOS rat model was established by letrozole combined with high-fat diet (gavage; 2 months), and treated with WEA (gavage; 2 g/kg, 4 g/kg or 8 g/kg; 1 month). To evaluate the therapeutic effect of WEA on PCOS rats, vaginal smear, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and biochemical indicators detection were performed. The rat ovarian tissue was analyzed by RNA sequencing, and the results were verified by qRT-PCR, and Western blot. 16S rDNA sequencing was used to analyze the gut microbiota of rats.

RESULTS

The results of the vaginal smear, and hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that WEA improved estrous cycle disorder, and ovarian tissue lesions. WEA (4 g/kg or 8 g/kg; 1 months) alleviated hormone disorders, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. RNA sequencing showed that WEA intervention significantly changed the expressions of 2756 genes, which were enriched in phosphatidylinositol3-kinase/phosphorylated protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and insulin signaling pathways. 16S rDNA sequencing found that WEA increased the species diversity of gut microbiota, and regulated the abundance of some microbiota (genus level: Dubosiella, Bifidobacterium, Coriobacteriaceae (UCG-002), and Treponema; species level: Bifidobacterium animalis, Lactobacillus murinus, and Lactobacillus johnsonii).

CONCLUSION

WEA regulated hormone, and glycolipid metabolism disorders, thereby relieving the PCOS induced by letrozole combined with high-fat diet. The mechanism was related to the regulation of PI3K/AKT, PPAR, MAPK, AMPK, and insulin signaling pathways in ovarian tissues, and the maintenance of gut microbiota homeostasis. Clarifying the efficacy and mechanism of WEA in alleviating PCOS based on RNA sequencing and 16S rDNA sequencing will guide the more reasonable clinical use of WEA.