Ultrafine particles altered gut microbial population and metabolic profiles in a sex-specific manner in an obese mouse model

AbstractEmerging evidence has highlighted the connection between exposure to air pollution and the increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and comorbidities. Given the recent interest in studying the effects of ultrafine particle (UFP) on the health of obese individuals, this study examined the effects of gastrointestinal UFP exposure on gut microbial composition and metabolic function using an in vivo murine model of obesity in both sexes. UFPs generated from light-duty diesel engine combustion of petrodiesel (B0) and a petrodiesel/biodiesel fuel blend (80:20 v/v, B20) were administered orally. Multi-omics approaches, including liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) based targeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, semi-quantitatively compared the effects of 10-day UFP exposures on obese C57B6 mouse gut microbial population, changes in diversity and community function compared to a phosphate buffer solution (PBS) control group. Our results show that sex-specific differences in the gut microbial population in response to UFP exposure can be observed, as UFPs appear to have a differential impact on several bacterial families in males and females. Meanwhile, the alteration of seventy-five metabolites from the gut microbial metabolome varied significantly (ANOVA p < 0.05) across the PBS control, B0, and B20 groups. Multivariate analyses revealed that the fuel-type specific disruption to the microbial metabolome was observed in both sexes, with stronger disruptive effects found in females in comparison to male obese mice. Metabolic signatures of bacterial cellular oxidative stress, such as the decreased concentration of nucleotides and lipids and increased concentrations of carbohydrate, energy, and vitamin metabolites were detected. Furthermore, blood metabolites from the obese mice were differentially affected by the fuel types used to generate the UFPs (B0 vs. B20).

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Short- and long-term effects of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid or doxycycline on the gastrointestinal microbiome of growing cats

10.1101/2021.05.28.446115 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Evangelia Stavroulaki ◽

Jan S. Suchodolski ◽

Rachel Pilla ◽

Geoffrey T. Fosgate ◽

Chi-Hsuan Sung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clavulanic Acid ◽

Antibiotic Treatment ◽

Control Group ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Group 15 ◽

Amoxicillin Clavulanic Acid

Antibiotic treatment in early life influences gastrointestinal (GI) microbial composition and function. In humans, the resultant intestinal dysbiosis is associated with an increased risk for certain diseases later in life. The objective of this study was to determine the temporal effects of antibiotic treatment on the GI microbiome of young cats. Fecal samples were collected from cats randomly allocated to receive either amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (20 mg/kg q12h) for 20 days (AMC group; 15 cats) or doxycycline (10 mg/kg q24h) for 28 days (DOX group;15 cats) as part of the standard treatment of upper respiratory tract infection. In addition, feces were collected from healthy control cats (CON group;15 cats). All cats were approximately two months of age at enrolment. Samples were collected on days 0 (baseline), 20 or 28 (AMC and DOX, respectively; last day of treatment), 60, 120, and 300. DNA was extracted and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and qPCR assays were performed. Fecal microbial composition was different on the last day of treatment for AMC cats, and 1 month after the end of antibiotic treatment for DOX cats, compared to CON cats. Species richness was significantly greater in DOX cats compared to CON cats on the last day of treatment. Abundance of Enterobacteriales was increased, and that of Erysipelotrichi was decreased in cats of the AMC group on the last day of treatment compared to CON cats. The abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria was increased in cats of the DOX group on days 60 and 120 compared to cats of the CON group. Only minor differences in abundances between the treatment groups and the control group were present on day 300. Both antibiotics appear to delay the developmental progression of the microbiome, and this effect is more profound during treatment with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and one month after treatment with doxycycline. Future studies are required to determine if these changes influence microbiome function and whether they have possible effects on disease susceptibility in cats.

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Short- and long-term effects of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid or doxycycline on the gastrointestinal microbiome of growing cats

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0253031 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (12) ◽

pp. e0253031

Author(s):

Evangelia M. Stavroulaki ◽

Jan S. Suchodolski ◽

Rachel Pilla ◽

Geoffrey T. Fosgate ◽

Chi-Hsuan Sung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clavulanic Acid ◽

Antibiotic Treatment ◽

Control Group ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Group 15 ◽

Amoxicillin Clavulanic Acid

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Ratio of Klebsiella/Bifidobacterium in early life correlates with later development of paediatric allergy

Beneficial Microbes ◽

10.3920/bm2017.0020 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 681-695 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

J.S.Y. Low ◽

S.-E. Soh ◽

Y.K. Lee ◽

K.Y.C. Kwek ◽

J.D. Holbrook ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intestinal Microbiota ◽

Allergic Disease ◽

Early Life ◽

16S Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽

Early Infancy ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Healthy Infants ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Paediatric Allergy

Several studies have reported that intestinal microbial colonisation patterns differ between non-allergic and allergic infants. However, the microbial signature underlying the pathogenesis of allergies remains unclear. We aim to gain insight into the development of the intestinal microbiota of healthy infants and infants who develop allergy in early life, and identify potential microbiota biomarkers of later allergic disease. Using a case-control design in a Chinese sub-cohort of a Singaporean birth cohort (GUSTO), we utilised 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess intestinal microbial composition and diversity of 21 allergic and 18 healthy infants at 3 weeks, 3 months and 6 months of age, and correlated the microbiota with allergy at ages 18 and 36 months. Pronounced differences in intestinal microbiota composition between allergic and healthy infants were observed at 3 months of age. The intestine of healthy infants was colonised with higher abundance of commensal Bifidobacterium. Conversely, Klebsiella, an opportunistic pathogen, was significantly enriched in the allergic infants. Interestingly, infants with a high Klebsiella/Bifidobacterium (K/B) ratio (above the population median K/B ratio) at age 3 months had an odds ratio of developing allergy by 3 years of age of 9.00 (95% confidence interval 1.46-55.50) compared to those with low K/B ratio. This study demonstrated a relationship between the ratio of genera Klebsiella and Bifidobacterium during early infancy and development of paediatric allergy in childhood. Our study postulates that an elevated K/B ratio in early infancy could be a potential indicator of an increased risk of allergy development. This line of research might enable future intervention strategies in early life to prevent or treat allergy. Our study provides new insights into microbial signatures associated with childhood allergy, in particular, suggests that an elevated K/B ratio could be a potential early-life microbiota biomarker of allergic disease.

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Inhibition of Tumor Growth by Dietary Indole-3-Carbinol in a Prostate Cancer Xenograft Model May Be Associated with Disrupted Gut Microbial Interactions

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11020467 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 467 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Yanbei Wu ◽

Robert Li ◽

Haiqiu Huang ◽

Arnetta Fletcher ◽

Lu Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prostate Cancer ◽

Tumor Growth ◽

Gut Microbiome ◽

Species Interactions ◽

Tumor Development ◽

Xenograft Model ◽

Microbial Interactions ◽

Control Group ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbial Composition

Accumulated evidence suggests that the cruciferous vegetables-derived compound indole-3-carbinol (I3C) may protect against prostate cancer, but the precise mechanisms underlying its action remain unclear. This study aimed to verify the hypothesis that the beneficial effect of dietary I3C may be due to its modulatory effect on the gut microbiome of mice. Athymic nude mice (5–7 weeks old, male, Balb c/c nu/nu) with established tumor xenografts were fed a basal diet (AIN-93) with or without 1 µmoles I3C/g for 9 weeks. The effects of dietary I3C on gut microbial composition and microbial species interactions were then examined by 16s rRNA gene-based sequencing and co-occurrence network analysis. I3C supplementation significantly inhibited tumor growth (p < 0.0001) and altered the structure of gut microbiome. The abundance of the phylum Deferribacteres, more specifically, Mucispirillum schaedleri, was significantly increased by dietary I3C. Additionally, I3C consumption also changed gut microbial co-occurrence patterns. One of the network modules in the control group, consisting of seven bacteria in family S-27, was positively correlated with tumor size (p < 0.009). Moreover, dietary I3C disrupted microbial interactions and altered this association between specific microbial network and tumor development. Our results unraveled complex relationships among I3C ingestion, gut microbiota, and prostate tumor development and may provide a novel insight into the mechanism for the chemopreventive effect of dietary I3C on prostate cancer.

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Analysis of Hindgut Microbiome of Sheep and Effect of Different Husbandry Conditions

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11010004 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 4

Author(s):

Giulietta Minozzi ◽

Filippo Biscarini ◽

Emanuela Dalla Costa ◽

Matteo Chincarini ◽

Nicola Ferri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Health ◽

Control Group ◽

P Value ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Core Microbiome ◽

Fecal Microbiome ◽

Microbiome Composition ◽

The Core ◽

Wide Range

The microbiome is now seen as an important resource to understand animal health and welfare in many species. However, there are few studies aiming at identifying the association between fecal microbiome composition and husbandry conditions in sheep. A wide range of stressors associated with management and housing of animals increases the hypothalamic–pituitary axis activity, with growing evidence that the microbiome composition can be modified. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to describe the core microbiome in sheep, characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and to explore whether exposure to stressful husbandry conditions changed sheep hindgut microbiome composition. Sheep (n = 10) were divided in two groups: isolated group (individually separated for 3 h/day) and control group (housed in the home pen for the entire trial period). Sheep core microbiome was dominated by Firmicutes (43.6%), Bacteroidetes (30.38%), Proteobacteria (10.14%), and Verrucomicrobia (7.55%). Comparative results revealed few operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with significantly different relative abundance between groups. Chao1, abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE), and Fisher’s alpha indices did not show differences between groups. OTU-based Bray–Curtis distances between groups were not significant (p-value = 0.07). In conclusion, these results describing the core microbiome of sheep do not suggest a strong effect of stressful husbandry conditions on microbial composition.

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Microbial Composition Predicts Genital Tract Inflammation and Persistent Bacterial Vaginosis in South African Adolescent Females

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.00410-17 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 86 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Katie Lennard ◽

Smritee Dabee ◽

Shaun L. Barnabas ◽

Enock Havyarimana ◽

Anna Blakney ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Vaginosis ◽

South African ◽

Adolescent Females ◽

Gardnerella Vaginalis ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Vaginal Microbiome ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Content Type ◽

Specificity And Sensitivity ◽

Increased Risk

ABSTRACTYoung African females are at an increased risk of HIV acquisition, and genital inflammation or the vaginal microbiome may contribute to this risk. We studied these factors in 168 HIV-negative South African adolescent females aged 16 to 22 years. Unsupervised clustering of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed three clusters (subtypes), one of which was strongly associated with genital inflammation. In a multivariate model, the microbiome compositional subtype and hormonal contraception were significantly associated with genital inflammation. We identified 40 taxa significantly associated with inflammation, including those reported previously (Prevotella,Sneathia,Aerococcus,Fusobacterium, andGemella) as well as several novel taxa (including increased frequencies of bacterial vaginosis-associated bacterium 1 [BVAB1], BVAB2, BVAB3,Prevotella amnii,Prevotella pallens,Parvimonas micra,Megasphaera,Gardnerella vaginalis, andAtopobium vaginaeand decreased frequencies ofLactobacillus reuteri,Lactobacillus crispatus,Lactobacillus jensenii, andLactobacillus iners). Women with inflammation-associated microbiomes had significantly higher body mass indices and lower levels of endogenous estradiol and luteinizing hormone. Community functional profiling revealed three distinct vaginal microbiome subtypes, one of which was characterized by extreme genital inflammation and persistent bacterial vaginosis (BV); this subtype could be predicted with high specificity and sensitivity based on the Nugent score (≥9) or BVAB1 abundance. We propose that women with this BVAB1-dominated subtype may have chronic genital inflammation due to persistent BV, which may place them at a particularly high risk for HIV infection.

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The Impact of Cholecystectomy on the Gut Microbiota: A Case-Control Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm8010079 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 79 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Won Yoon ◽

Han-Na Kim ◽

Eunkyo Park ◽

Seungho Ryu ◽

Yoosoo Chang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Enterohepatic Circulation ◽

16S Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽

Control Group ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Comprehensive Health ◽

The Difference ◽

Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽

The Impact

Cholecystectomy alters the bile flow into the intestine and the enterohepatic circulation of the bile acids; this may affect the gut microbiota. We assessed the gut microbiota composition of patients who had undergone cholecystectomy and compared with those who had not. From a cohort of 1463 adult participants who underwent comprehensive health screening examinations, 27 subjects who had undergone cholecystectomy (cholecystectomy group) and 81 age- and sex-matched subjects who had not (control group) were selected. Clinical parameters were collected and compared. Microbial composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted from fecal samples. We evaluated differences in the overall microbial composition and in the abundance of taxa. The two groups were comparable with respect to clinical characteristics and laboratory results. The actual number of taxa observed in a sample (observed features) was significantly lower in the cholecystectomy group than in the control group (p = 0.042). The beta diversity of Jaccard distance index was significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.027). Blautia obeum and Veillonella parvula were more abundant in the cholecystectomy group. The difference in the diversity of the gut microbiota between the cholecystectomy and control groups was subtle. However, B. obeum and V. parvula, which have azoreductase activity, were more abundant in the cholecystectomy group. The impact of such changes in the gut microbiota on health remains to be determined.

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Gut Microbiota Diversity in Lean Athletes Is Associated with Positive Energy Balance

Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1159/000509833 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 76 (4) ◽

pp. 242-250

Author(s):

Viktor Bielik ◽

Ivan Hric ◽

Vladimír Baláž ◽

Adela Penesová ◽

Silvia Vávrová ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Balance ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Food Group ◽

Positive Energy ◽

Control Group ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

16S Rrna Gene Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Positive Energy Balance

Introduction: In contrast to obesity, little is known about the human lean phenotype associated with gut microbiota composition. Objective: We aimed to investigate whether the bacterial composition of lean athletes with a positive energy balance differs from the equal-calorie food group. Methods: Twenty-four male participants were included in this cross-sectional study: lean athletes with a positive energy balance (LA, n 12) and control group athletes (CTRLs, n 12). Nutritional data, resting and total energy expenditure, and body composition were determined. DNA was extracted from stool samples and subjected to 16S rRNA gene analysis. Results: We found 7 differentially abundant bacterial taxa between the LA and CTRL groups. Of those, 5 were significantly less abundant and 2 were enriched in the LA group. The following categories significantly associated with the community structure were identified: body fat parameters, BMI, energy intake and expenditure, oxygen consumption, and respiratory exchange ratio. Conclusions: Although we are far from a detailed interpretation of lean human body maintenance, the primary findings of our study suggest that gut microbial composition may be a factor influencing the regulation of weight gain in lean athletes with a positive energy balance.

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Exploration of the Characteristics of Intestinal Microbiota and Metabolomics in Different Rat Models of Mongolian Medicine

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2021/5532069 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Riao Dao ◽

Dongxing Wu ◽

Huan Wang ◽

Habur Jin ◽

Li Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intestinal Microbiota ◽

16S Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽

Control Group ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Biosynthesis Pathway ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Rat Models ◽

Metabolism Pathway ◽

Phenylpropanoid Biosynthesis ◽

Underlying Mechanisms

Background. Mongolian medicine is a systematic theoretical system, which is based on the balance among Heyi, Xila, and Badagan. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the characteristics of intestinal microbiota and metabolites in different rat models of Mongolian medicine. Methods. After establishing rat models of Heyi, Xila, and Badagan, we integrated 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics. Results. Heyi, Xila, and Badagan rats had significantly altered intestinal microbial composition compared with rats in the MCK group. They showed 11, 18, and 8 significantly differential bacterial biomarkers and 22, 11, and 15 differential metabolites, respectively. The glucosinolate biosynthesis pathway was enriched only in Heyi rats; the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids pathway and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway were enriched only in Xila rats; the isoflavonoid biosynthesis pathway, the glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism pathway, and the arginine and proline metabolism pathway were enriched only in Badagan rats. Conclusions. The intestinal microbiota, metabolites, and metabolic pathways significantly differed among Heyi, Xila, and Badagan rats compared with control group rats.

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Altered Fecal Microbiota Signatures in Patients With Anxiety and Depression in the Gastrointestinal Cancer Screening: A Case-Control Study

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.757139 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Juan Zhu ◽

Minjuan Li ◽

Dantong Shao ◽

Shanrui Ma ◽

Wenqiang Wei

Keyword(s):

Cancer Screening ◽

Gastrointestinal Cancer ◽

Large Scale ◽

Alpha Diversity ◽

Fecal Microbiota ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Control Group ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Depression Group

Background: Increasing attention has been devoted to cancer screening and microbiota in recent decades, but currently there is less focus on microbiota characterization among screeners and its relationship to anxiety and depression.Methods: We characterized the microbial communities of fecal samples collected through the FOBT card from anxiety and depression screeners and paired controls in Henan, China (1:2, N = 69). DNA was extracted using the MOBIO PowerSoil kit. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using MiniSeq and processed using QIIME1. LEfSe was used to identify differentially abundant microbes, the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to test alpha diversity differences, and permutational multivariate analysis of variance was used to test for differences in beta diversity.Results: Similar fecal microbiota signatures in composition were found among screeners. The intestinal microbial environments by phylum were all composed primarily of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria, and the corresponding top genera were Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, and Prevotella. Compared with controls, the ranking of the top five genera in the anxiety and depression group changed, and the dominant genus was Prevotella in the anxiety and depression group and Faecalibacterium in the control group. There was a lower relative abundance of Gemmiger (1.4 vs. 2.3%, P = 0.025), Ruminococcus (0.6 vs. 0.8%, P = 0.037), and Veillonella (0.6 vs. 1.3%, P = 0.020). This may be linked to the lower alpha diversity in participants with anxiety and depression (Observed OTUs: 122.35 vs. 143.24; Chao1: 127.35 vs. 149.98), although no significant differences were observed. Distinct clustering in microbial composition between the two groups was detected for the Jaccard distance (P = 0.011).Conclusions: Our study showed differing microbial characterization among participants with anxiety and depression in the endoscopic screening of upper gastrointestinal cancer. Gemmiger, Ruminococcus, and Veillonella were informative and have potential clinical implications, which need to be confirmed by large-scale, prospective cohort studies and biological mechanism research.

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