The role of chicken eggs in modulating sarcopenic obesity and gut microbiota in db/db mice

Background

Sarcopenia obesity, in which loss of muscle mass and fat accumulation occur simultaneously, is the pathological basis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The usefulness of chicken eggs in sarcopenia prevention has been reported in several previous studies. The purpose of this study was to determine the beneficial effects of chicken eggs in the prevention of sarcopenic obesity in db/db mice.

Methods

We raised 8-week-old db/db male mice, a model of sarcopenia obesity, for 8 weeks and fed them a diet mixed with dried whole eggs. The fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) group was treated with antibiotics for 2 weeks, starting at 6 weeks of age, followed by FMT twice a week until 16 weeks of age.

Results

Eggs administered to db/db mice showed increased grip strength (p = 0.022) and muscle mass (p = 0.013), decreased visceral fat mass (p = 0.005), and significantly increased physical activity (p < 0.001). The FMT group of egg-fed mice showed a significant improvement in glucose intolerance and sarcopenic obesity. Sequencing of gene expression in the small intestine showed that the gene expression of amino acid transporters such as Slc6a18, Slc6a19, and Slc38a6 was increased in egg-fed mice. 16S rRNA sequencing of the gut microbiota showed an increase in the genus Vampirovibrio in both the egg-fed and FMT groups compared to that in egg-fed mice.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that egg consumption not only increases the intake of amino acids and other nutrients but also alters the intestinal microbiota and increases amino acid absorption from the intestinal tract, suggesting that eggs might contribute to the ameliorative mechanism of sarcopenic obesity.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Lacticaseibacillus Chiayiensis AACE3 on Hepatic Antioxidant Capacity, Immune Factors and Gut Microbiology in Nandan Yao Chicks

The growing issue of antibiotic resistance has restrained the utilization of antibiotics as growth enhancers in the poultry industry. Probiotics are candidates for replacing antibiotics in the poultry industry. However, probiotics are strain-specific and their efficacy needs to be investigated before applying them. The aim of this study was to assess the positive effects of Lacticaseibacillus chiayiensis AACE3 on the health and gut microbiota of Nandan Yao chicks. The results showed that compared with the blank control (NC) and aureomycin (PC) groups, L. chiayiensis AACE3 increased final body weight (BW), villus height and improved the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in chicken jejunal tissues. L. chiayiensis AACE3 also increased the activity of hepatic antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and T-AOC) and reduced hepatic oxidative damage (MDA). Furthermore, compared to NC, L. chiayiensis AACE3, the activity of intestinal digestive enzymes (i.e., α-amylase, lipase and trypsin) was increased. L. chiayiensis AACE3 upregulated the production of IgA and IgG and downregulated the production of IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α in chicken serum. Moreover, supplementation of L. chiayiensis AACE3 enhances the diversity of gut microbes. At the phylum level, the abundance of Actinobacteriota and Proteobacteria decreased with L. chiayiensis AACE3 supplementation, while the abundance of Verrucomicrobiota and Bacteroidetes increased. At the genus level, there was an increase in the abundance of potential probiotics Akkermansia, Romboutsia, Subdoligranulum, and Lactobacillus. This study confirms that L. chiayiensis AACE3 is an excellent feed additive as an alternative to aureomycin and offers various advantages for the healthy growth of chickens during the brooding period by positively affecting their gut microbiome.

Mechanism of Metabolic Response to Hepatectomy by Integrated Analysis of Gut Microbiota, Metabolomics, and Proteomics

Hepatectomy is a common clinical procedure for the treatment of many liver diseases, and the successful recovery of a patient's liver metabolism and function after surgery is crucial for a good prognosis. The objective of this study was to elucidate the metabolic response to hepatectomy using high-throughput sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA gene, metabolomics, and proteomics data. Fecal and serum samples from beagle dogs were collected on day 0 (LH0), day 7 (LH7), and day 28 (LH28) after laparoscopic partial hepatectomy. Liver tissue samples were taken on LH0 and LH7. Dysbiosis in the fecal microbiota was explored, and host-microbiome interactions based on global metabolic and protein profiles and inflammatory processes were determined. Results showed that the relative abundance of Allobaculum and Turicibacter was decreased and that of Escherichia-Shigella was increased after hepatectomy (P < 0.05); the phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthetic pathway, along with the phenylalanine and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthetic pathway, was significantly associated with liver injury. The serum metabolites l-phenylalanine and l-arginine were useful as biomarkers, and the fecal metabolite l-threonine was a signature target monitor for liver recovery. The proteomics profile revealed 412 significantly different proteins and further highlighted two key signaling pathways (mitogen-activated protein kinase [MAPK] and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor [PPAR]) involved in the response to liver injury. We systematically explored the metabolic mechanism of liver injury and recovery, providing new insights into effective ways to promote recovery after hepatectomy and improve liver function and long-term survival. These fundamental studies on hepatectomy will provide the basis for future advances in treatment and recovery from common liver diseases. IMPORTANCE As the largest parenchymal organ, the liver is a target for bacterial and viral infections, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cirrhosis, cancer, and many other diseases, constituting a serious worldwide problem. The treatment for many of these diseases involves hepatectomy. Here, we show that aberrant inflammatory processes after hepatectomy of the liver as reflected in the association between liver metabolism and gut microbiota create a grave risk. This study investigated the mechanisms of gut microbiota and host metabolism involved in liver injury and recovery after hepatectomy, using proteomics to reveal the mechanisms of postoperative liver injury and a comprehensive multi-omics approach to identify changes in metabolism after hepatectomy.

Effect of dietary saponin rich soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi) shell powder on growth performance, immunity, serum biochemistry and gut health of broiler chickens

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi) shell powder (SSP), a cheap source of saponins, on growth performance, immunity, serum biochemistry and gut health of broiler chickens. The experimental design was 4×2, employing four saponin levels (0, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg diet), each provided for two time durations (0-42 day and 21-42 day) resulting into eight dietary treatments. Results revealed no significant effect of dietary saponins on body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of birds. The abdominal fat percentage, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, faecal total plate count, coliform count and E. coli count decreased (p < .05) progressively with increasing saponin levels and lower values were observed at 150 mg and 200 mg saponin levels. Significant improvement of cell-mediated and humoral immune response was observed in birds fed 150 mg and 200 mg saponin compared to control. The serum glucose concentration was significantly (p < .05) higher in control group compared to other groups. No significant effects of dietary saponin were observed on carcass characteristics, faecal Lactobacillus count, intestinal histomorphometry and cost economics of broiler chicken production. Thus, dietary saponins at 150 mg/kg diet as SSP for three weeks (21-42 days) was optimum for better immunity and welfare of birds without adverse effects on the growth performance.

The effect of feeding system and sex on the performance and selected gastrointestinal features of fattening pigs

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of two feeding systems for fattening pigs (wet and dry), taking into account their sex, on performance, nutrient digestibility, and some histological and microbiological parameters of the gut. The study was conducted on 450 fattening pigs, divided into 6 groups (n = 75) and housed in pens with 15 pigs per pen. The first three groups, divided according to sex, i.e. gilts, barrows and boars subjected to immunocastration (B-I), received complete dry feed, while the next three, divided in the same manner according to sex, were fed a fermented liquid diet. The nutritional value of the feeds, calculated on a dry weight basis, was similar for the two feeding systems in both stages of the fattening period. The best weight gains were observed in the group B-I pigs which received the liquid diet, and the poorest in the gilts fed the dry feeds. The best feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in the boars treated with Improvac®, especially those receiving the liquid diet. The feeding system significantly influenced the digestibility of nutrients, with higher apparent digestibility coefficients for crude protein, fat and fibre noted in the animals fed in the wet system. The liquid feeding system caused an increase in crypt depth in the colon in all groups of pigs, as well as an increase in the width of the muscular layer. A significant decrease in the total bacterial count was observed in the calcium, especially in the animals fed in the wet system.

Gram-negative intestinal indigenous microbiota from two Siluriform fishes in a tropical reservoir

The Gram-negative intestinal microbiota of Hypostomus auroguttatus and Pimelodus maculatus, a detritivorous and an omnivorous fish species, respectively, were compared between fishes from the reservoir and the stretch of the river below the dam of the Funil hydroelectric plant, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Four selective culture media were used under aerobic and two under anaerobic conditions. The omnivorous species had microbiota with higher population levels compared to the detritivorous species. The number of morphotypes and population levels of total bacteria, vibrio and Bacteroides tended to be higher in summer and autumn in the reservoir, and not different in the river. The number of morphotypes of enterobacteria and total bacteria were higher in the lotic environment compared with the lentic one. The bacteria Aeromonas hydrophila and Plesiomonas shigelloides and the obligate anaerobic Fusobacterium mortiferum were the most frequently identified microorganisms in the intestine of both H. auroguttatus and P. maculatus. Both season and habitat influenced the Gram-negative intestinal microbiota of H. auroguttatus and P. maculatus. Environmental factors influenced the Gram-negative intestinal microbiota of both species with possible impact on the interrelationship between the fishes and their digestive ecosystem, although the gut microbiota composition of fishes may result from host-specific selective pressures within the gut.

Altered egos: antibiotic effects on food animal microbiomes

The human food chain begins with upwards of 1,000 species of bacteria that inhabit the intestinal tracts of poultry and livestock. These intestinal denizens are responsible for the health and safety of a major protein source for humans. The use of antibiotics to treat animal diseases was followed by the surprising discovery that antibiotics enhanced food animal growth, and both led to six decades of antibiotic use that has shaped food animal management practices. Perhaps the greatest impact of antibiotic feeding in food animals has been as a selective force in the evolution of their intestinal bacteria, particularly by increasing the prevalence and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes. Future antibiotic use will likely be limited to prudent applications in both human and veterinary medicine. Improved knowledge of antibiotic effects, particularly of growth-promoting antibiotics, will help overcome the challenges of managing animal health and food safety.

Isolation and identification of cellulolytic bacteria from the gut of Holotrichia parallela larvae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

In this study, 207 strains of aerobic and facultatively anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria were isolated from the gut of Holotrichia parallela larvae. These bacterial isolates were assigned to 21 genotypes by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA). A partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis and standard biochemical and physiological tests were used for the assignment of the 21 representative isolates. Our results show that the cellulolytic bacterial community is dominated by the Proteobacteria (70.05%), followed by the Actinobacteria (24.15%), the Firmicutes (4.35%), and the Bacteroidetes (1.45%). At the genus level, Gram-negative bacteria including Pseudomonas, Ochrobactrum, Rhizobium, Cellulosimicrobium, and Microbacterium were the predominant groups, but members of Bacillus, Dyadobacter, Siphonobacter, Paracoccus, Kaistia, Devosia, Labrys, Ensifer, Variovorax, Shinella, Citrobacter, and Stenotrophomonas were also found. Furthermore, our results suggest that a significant amount of bacterial diversity exists among the cellulolytic bacteria, and that Siphonobacter aquaeclarae, Cellulosimicrobium funkei, Paracoccus sulfuroxidans, Ochrobactrum cytisi, Ochrobactrum haematophilum, Kaistia adipata, Devosia riboflavina, Labrys neptuniae, Ensifer adhaerens, Shinella zoogloeoides, Citrobacter freundii, and Pseudomonas nitroreducens are reported to be cellulolytic for the first time in this study. Our results indicate that the scarab gut is an attractive source for the study of novel cellulolytic microorganisms and enzymes useful for cellulose degradation.