scholarly journals In vitro evaluation of the impact of human background microbiota on the response to Bifidobacterium strains and fructo-oligosaccharides

2013 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 2030-2036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Arboleya ◽  
Nuria Salazar ◽  
Gonzalo Solís ◽  
Nuria Fernández ◽  
Miguel Gueimonde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Population ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Full Term ◽  
Population Groups ◽  
Culture Model ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
Predominant Factor ◽  
Microbial Groups ◽  
The Impact

The microbial colonisation of the infant gut begins immediately after birth and is essential for the development of the intestine, the immune system and later well-being. Important differences have been reported in the characteristics of such microbiota in different infant population groups. In the present study, we employed an in vitro faecal batch culture model using faeces from different human population groups (adults and full-term breast-fed, full-term formula-fed and preterm infants) to determine the influence that the addition of four bifidobacterial strains and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) exerts on the profile of SCFA measured by GC as well as on the levels of some relevant intestinal microbial groups by quantitative PCR during incubation. Differences were found in the levels of SCFA and intestinal microbial groups in the faecal cultures depending on the human group origin of the faecal samples (P< 0·05), this being a predominant factor, compared with bifidobacteria or FOS added, in determining microbiota dynamics. These results exhibit the importance of the initial characteristics of the basal intestinal microbiota in the effect exerted by bifidobacteria or FOS that are added and highlight the need to design probiotics targeting specific human population groups.

The composition and metabolism of faecal microbiota is specifically modulated by different dietary polysaccharides and mucin: an isothermal microcalorimetry study

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Adamberg ◽  
K. Kolk ◽  
M. Jaagura ◽  
R. Vilu ◽  
S. Adamberg
Keyword(s):  
Illumina Miseq ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Isothermal Microcalorimetry ◽  
Faecal Microbiota ◽  
Bifidobacterium Adolescentis ◽  
Functional Changes ◽  
Dietary Fibres ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
The Impact

The metabolic activity of colon microbiota is specifically affected by fibres with various monomer compositions, degree of polymerisation and branching. The supply of a variety of dietary fibres assures the diversity of gut microbial communities considered important for the well-being of the host. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of different oligo- and polysaccharides (galacto- and fructooligosaccharides, resistant starch, levan, inulin, arabinogalactan, xylan, pectin and chitin), and a glycoprotein mucin on the growth and metabolism of faecal microbiota in vitro by using isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC). Faecal samples from healthy donors were incubated in a phosphate-buffered defined medium with or without supplementation of a single substrate. The generation of heat was followed on-line, microbiota composition (V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA using Illumina MiSeq v2) and concentrations of metabolites (HPLC) were determined at the end of growth. The multiauxic power-time curves obtained were substrate-specific. More than 70% of all substrates except chitin were fermented by faecal microbiota with total heat generation of up to 8 J/ml. The final metabolite patterns were in accordance with the microbiota changes. For arabinogalactan, xylan and levan, the fibre-affected distribution of bacterial taxa showed clear similarities (e.g. increase of Bacteroides ovatus and decrease of Bifidobacterium adolescentis). The formation of propionic acid, an important colon metabolite, was enhanced by arabinogalactan, xylan and mucin but not by galacto- and fructooligosaccharides or inulin. Mucin fermentation resulted in acetate, propionate and butyrate production in ratios previously observed for faecal samples, indicating that mucins may serve as major substrates for colon microbial population. IMC combined with analytical methods was shown to be an effective method for screening the impact of specific dietary fibres on functional changes in faecal microbiota.

scholarly journals Understanding the Blogging Practices of Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): A Discourse Analysis of Women’s IVF Blogs

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Orr ◽  
Susan Jack ◽  
Wendy Sword ◽  
Sandra Ireland ◽  
Lois Ostolosky
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
In Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Fertility Treatment ◽  
Vitro Fertilization ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Impact

Infertility and its associated treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), can have a profound impact on the emotional health and well-being of women desiring to become mothers. Researchers have measured the impact of infertility and described the experience of infertility and its treatment, leaving the rich descriptions of the IVF experience as captured in women’s blogs to be explored. This discourse analysis describes the blogging practices of women undergoing IVF, exploring both the content and function of the IVF blog discourse. Data were collected from the text of seven women’s blogs (n=1,149 blog posts) and resulted in four main functions of the discourse: creation of and connection to a community, emotional support, blogging as therapy, and creation of an IVF resource. Findings suggest that blogging can have a positive impact on the psychosocial consequences experienced by women in fertility treatment.

scholarly journals Smallpox in the Post-Eradication Era

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hermann Meyer ◽  
Rosina Ehmann ◽  
Geoffrey L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
The World ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Impact

Widespread vaccination programmes led to the global eradication of smallpox, which was certified by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and, since 1978, there has been no case of smallpox anywhere in the world. However, the viable variola virus (VARV), the causative agent of smallpox, is still kept in two maximum security laboratories in Russia and the USA. Despite the eradication of the disease smallpox, clandestine stocks of VARV may exist. In a rapidly changing world, the impact of an intentional VARV release in the human population would nowadays result in a public health emergency of global concern: vaccination programmes were abolished, the percentage of immunosuppressed individuals in the human population is higher, and an increased intercontinental air travel allows for the rapid viral spread of diseases around the world. The WHO has authorised the temporary retention of VARV to enable essential research for public health benefit to take place. This work aims to develop diagnostic tests, antiviral drugs, and safer vaccines. Advances in synthetic biology have made it possible to produce infectious poxvirus particles from chemicals in vitro so that it is now possible to reconstruct VARV. The status of smallpox in the post-eradication era is reviewed.

scholarly journals Intestinal fermentation in vitro models to study food-induced gut microbiota shift: an updated review

2020 ◽  
Vol 367 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Nissen ◽  
Flavia Casciano ◽  
Andrea Gianotti
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
In Vitro Models ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Applied Microbiology ◽  
Microbial Groups ◽  
Technical Features ◽  
State Of The Science ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Small Working

ABSTRACT In vitro gut fermentation models were firstly introduced in nutrition and applied microbiology research back in the 1990s. These models have improved greatly during time, mainly over the resemblance to the complexity of digestion stages, the replication of experimental conditions, the multitude of ecological parameters to assay. The state of the science is that the most competitive models shall include a complex gut microbiota, small working volumes, distinct interconnected compartments and rigorous bio-chemical and ecological settings, controlled by a computer, as well as a free-hands accessibility, not to contaminate the mock microbiota. These models are a useful tool to study the impact of a given diet compound, e.g. prebiotics, on the human gut microbiota. The principal application is to focus on the shift of the core microbial groups and selected species together with their metabolites, assaying their diversity, richness and abundance in the community over time. Besides, it is possible to study how a compound is digested, which metabolic pathways are triggered, and the type and quantity of microbial metabolites produced. Further prospective should focus on challenges with pathogens as well as on ecology of gut syndromes. In this minireview an updated presentation of the most used intestinal models is presented, basing on their concept, technical features, as well as on research applications.

scholarly journals Potential Osteoinductive Effects of Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles on Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Endothelial Cell Interaction

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongyi Wang ◽  
Tianlei Han ◽  
Haoqi Zhu ◽  
Jinxin Tang ◽  
Yanyang Guo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endothelial Cell ◽  
Osteogenic Differentiation ◽  
Cell Lineage ◽  
Cell Interaction ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Culture Model ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Dose Dependent

AbstractNano-hydroxyapatite (nano-HA) has attracted substantial attention in the field of regenerative medicine. Endothelial cell (EC)-mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) interactions are necessary for bone reconstruction, but the manner in which nano-HA interacts in this process remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the cytotoxicity and osteoinductive effects of HA nanoparticles (HANPs) on MSCs using an indirect co-culture model mediated by ECs and highlighted the underlying mechanisms. It was found that at a subcytotoxic dose, HANPs increased the viability and expression of osteoblast genes, as well as mineralized nodules and alkaline phosphatase production of MSCs. These phenomena relied on HIF-1α secreted by ECs, which triggered the ERK1/2 signaling cascade. In addition, a two-stage cell-lineage mathematical model was established to quantitatively analyze the impact of HIF-1α on the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. It demonstrated that HIF-1α exerted a dose-dependent stimulatory effect on the osteogenic differentiation rate of MSCs up to 1500 pg/mL, which was in agreement with the above results. Our data implied that cooperative interactions between HANPs, ECs, and MSCs likely serve to stimulate bone regeneration. Furthermore, the two-stage cell-lineage model is helpful in vitro system for assessing the potential influence of effector molecules in bone tissue engineering.

scholarly journals An In Vitro Approach to Studying the Microbial Community and Impact of Pre and Probiotics under Anorexia Nervosa Related Dietary Restrictions

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 4447
Author(s):  
Litai Liu ◽  
Carlos Poveda ◽  
Paul E. Jenkins ◽  
Gemma E. Walton
Keyword(s):  
Anorexia Nervosa ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
In Situ Hybridisation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Fluorescence In Situ Hybridisation ◽  
Dietary Restrictions ◽  
Gastrointestinal Problems ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Nutritional Changes

Individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) often suffer psychological and gastrointestinal problems consistent with a dysregulated gut microbial community. Psychobiotics have been postulated to modify microbiota and improve mental well-being and gut symptoms, but there is currently a lack of evidence for such approaches in AN. The aim of this study was to use an in vitro colonic model to evaluate the impact of dietary restrictions associated with AN on the intestinal ecosystem and to assess the impact of pre and probiotic intervention. Bacteriology was quantified using flow cytometry combined with fluorescence in situ hybridisation and metabolic end products (including neurotransmitters) by gas chromatography and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry Consistent with previous research, the nutritional changes significantly reduced total microbiota and metabolites compared with healthy conditions. Pre and probiotic supplementation on restricted conditions enhanced the microbial community and modulated metabolic activity to resemble that of a healthy diet. The model system indicates that nutritional changes associated with AN can impact the microbial community, and that these changes can, at least in part, be restored through the use of pre and probiotic interventions.

scholarly journals A mathematical investigation into the uptake kinetics of nanoparticles in vitro

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254208
Author(s):  
Hannah West ◽  
Fiona Roberts ◽  
Paul Sweeney ◽  
Simon Walker-Samuel ◽  
Joseph Leedale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Differential Equations ◽  
Mixed Culture ◽  
Uptake Kinetics ◽  
Multiphase System ◽  
Chemotherapy Drugs ◽  
Culture Model ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Kinetics Of

Nanoparticles have the potential to increase the efficacy of anticancer drugs whilst reducing off-target side effects. However, there remain uncertainties regarding the cellular uptake kinetics of nanoparticles which could have implications for nanoparticle design and delivery. Polymersomes are nanoparticle candidates for cancer therapy which encapsulate chemotherapy drugs. Here we develop a mathematical model to simulate the uptake of polymersomes via endocytosis, a process by which polymersomes bind to the cell surface before becoming internalised by the cell where they then break down, releasing their contents which could include chemotherapy drugs. We focus on two in vitro configurations relevant to the testing and development of cancer therapies: a well-mixed culture model and a tumour spheroid setup. Our mathematical model of the well-mixed culture model comprises a set of coupled ordinary differential equations for the unbound and bound polymersomes and associated binding dynamics. Using a singular perturbation analysis we identify an optimal number of ligands on the polymersome surface which maximises internalised polymersomes and thus intracellular chemotherapy drug concentration. In our mathematical model of the spheroid, a multiphase system of partial differential equations is developed to describe the spatial and temporal distribution of bound and unbound polymersomes via advection and diffusion, alongside oxygen, tumour growth, cell proliferation and viability. Consistent with experimental observations, the model predicts the evolution of oxygen gradients leading to a necrotic core. We investigate the impact of two different internalisation functions on spheroid growth, a constant and a bond dependent function. It was found that the constant function yields faster uptake and therefore chemotherapy delivery. We also show how various parameters, such as spheroid permeability, lead to travelling wave or steady-state solutions.

scholarly journals Zinc Deficiency Disturbs Mucin Expression, O-Glycosylation and Secretion by Intestinal Goblet Cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (17) ◽  
pp. 6149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Maares ◽  
Claudia Keil ◽  
Sophia Straubing ◽  
Catherine Robbe-Masselot ◽  
Hajo Haase
Keyword(s):  
Zinc Deficiency ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cell Model ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Goblet Cells ◽  
Zinc Homeostasis ◽  
Intestinal Mucus ◽  
Mucin Expression ◽  
The Impact

Approximately 1 billion people worldwide suffer from zinc deficiency, with severe consequences for their well-being, such as critically impaired intestinal health. In addition to an extreme degeneration of the intestinal epithelium, the intestinal mucus is seriously disturbed in zinc-deficient (ZD) animals. The underlying cellular processes as well as the relevance of zinc for the mucin-producing goblet cells, however, remain unknown. To this end, this study examines the impact of zinc deficiency on the synthesis, production, and secretion of intestinal mucins as well as on the zinc homeostasis of goblet cells using the in vitro goblet cell model HT-29-MTX. Zinc deprivation reduced their cellular zinc content, changed expression of the intestinal zinc transporters ZIP-4, ZIP-5, and ZnT1 and increased their zinc absorption ability, outlining the regulatory mechanisms of zinc homeostasis in goblet cells. Synthesis and secretion of mucins were severely disturbed during zinc deficiency, affecting both MUC2 and MUC5AC mRNA expression with ongoing cell differentiation. A lack of zinc perturbed mucin synthesis predominantly on the post-translational level, as ZD cells produced shorter O-glycans and the main O-glycan pattern was shifted in favor of core-3-based mucins. The expression of glycosyltransferases that determine the formation of core 1-4 O-glycans was altered in zinc deficiency. In particular, B3GNT6 mRNA catalyzing core 3 formation was elevated and C2GNT1 and C2GNT3 elongating core 1 were downregulated in ZD cells. These novel insights into the molecular mechanisms impairing intestinal mucus stability during zinc deficiency demonstrate the essentiality of zinc for the formation and maintenance of this physical barrier.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document