The Influence of Cayenne Pepper on the Human Gastrointestinal Microbiota and Intestinal Inflammation Among Overweight or Obese Adults

Abstract Objectives To identify the impact of cayenne pepper on the diversity of the gut microbiome and inflammatory biomarkers in the stool of adults with overweight or obesity. Methods 31 individuals participated. All participants had a BMI > 25. Most participants were female (64.5%) and averaged 28 ± 8 years of age. Participants consumed two 250 mL servings of tomato juice or tomato juice plus 1.9 grams (0.8 g per dose) of cayenne pepper each day for one week before crossing over to the other study arm. The study design allowed participants to continue eating a mixed, complex diet but sources of capsaicin, the pungent component of cayenne, were to be avoided. Stool samples were collected in the home at the end of each treatment period. DNA was extracted from the stools, 16S rRNA libraries were made, and libraries were sequenced using an Illumina MiSeq. Sequences were processed using mothur, and data were analyzed in R using the vegan package. Results The spice intervention did not increase the richness of gut microbiota nor alter the overall gut microbiota composition at the genus level. However, at the single taxa at the genus level, participants who consumed tomato juice without cayenne had higher abundances of Prevotella and Bacteroides in their stool. Cayenne treatment did not affect either lipocalin or calprotectin levels in the stool. Calprotectin and lipocalin concentrations were positively correlated with each other, but only when participants were consuming cayenne pepper. Neither lipocalin nor calprotectin levels in stool of participants were related to gut microbiota richness or composition. Conclusions There was no detectable impact of the spice treatment on gut microbiota composition or intestinal inflammation in adults with overweight or obesity at the time of treatment. Though these results were unanticipated, given prior results in animal models, these results suggest that research in free-living humans must continue as treatments that are only effective under tightly controlled conditions will be of little use to most individuals. Funding Sources Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation/McCormick Science Institute as well as by startup funds provided by MSU and the MSU Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition.

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Antibiotics at birth and later antibiotic courses: effects on gut microbiota

Pediatric Research ◽

10.1038/s41390-021-01494-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sofia Ainonen ◽

Mysore V Tejesvi ◽

Md. Rayhan Mahmud ◽

Niko Paalanne ◽

Tytti Pokka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Control Group ◽

List Type ◽

Antibiotic Exposure ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

The Impact ◽

Antibiotic Courses ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

Abstract Background Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) is widely used, but the evidence of the long-term effects on the gut microbiota and subsequent health of children is limited. Here, we compared the impacts of perinatal antibiotic exposure and later courses of antibiotic courses on gut microbiota. Methods This was a prospective, controlled cohort study among 100 vaginally delivered infants with different perinatal antibiotic exposures: control (27), IAP (27), postnatal antibiotics (24), and IAP and postnatal antibiotics (22). At 1 year of age, we performed next-generation sequencing of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene of fecal samples. Results Exposure to the perinatal antibiotics had a clear impact on the gut microbiota. The abundance of the Bacteroidetes phylum was significantly higher in the control group, whereas the relative abundance of Escherichia coli was significantly lower in the control group. The impact of the perinatal antibiotics on the gut microbiota composition was greater than exposure to later courses of antibiotics (28% of participants). Conclusions Perinatal antibiotic exposure had a marked impact on the gut microbiota at the age of 1 year. The timing of the antibiotic exposure appears to be the critical factor for the changes observed in the gut microbiota. Impact Infants are commonly exposed to IAP and postnatal antibiotics, and later to courses of antibiotics during the first year of life. Perinatal antibiotics have been associated with an altered gut microbiota during the first months of life, whereas the evidence regarding the long-term impact is more limited. Perinatal antibiotic exposure had a marked impact on the infant’s gut microbiota at 1 year of age. Impact of the perinatal antibiotics on the gut microbiota composition was greater than that of the later courses of antibiotics at the age of 1 year.

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Effects of Rich in Β-Glucans Edible Mushrooms on Aging Gut Microbiota Characteristics: An In Vitro Study

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25122806 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (12) ◽

pp. 2806 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Evdokia K. Mitsou ◽

Georgia Saxami ◽

Emmanuela Stamoulou ◽

Evangelia Kerezoudi ◽

Eirini Terzi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Wheat Straw ◽

In Vitro Study ◽

Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽

Edible Mushrooms ◽

Elderly Subjects ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

The Impact ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

Alterations of gut microbiota are evident during the aging process. Prebiotics may restore the gut microbial balance, with β-glucans emerging as prebiotic candidates. This study aimed to investigate the impact of edible mushrooms rich in β-glucans on the gut microbiota composition and metabolites by using in vitro static batch culture fermentations and fecal inocula from elderly donors (n = 8). Pleurotus ostreatus, P. eryngii, Hericium erinaceus and Cyclocybe cylindracea mushrooms derived from various substrates were examined. Gut microbiota composition (quantitative PCR (qPCR)) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs; gas chromatography (GC)) were determined during the 24-h fermentation. P. eryngii induced a strong lactogenic effect, while P. ostreatus and C. cylindracea induced a significant bifidogenic effect (p for all <0.05). Furthermore, P. eryngii produced on wheat straw and the prebiotic inulin had comparable Prebiotic Indexes, while P. eryngii produced on wheat straw/grape marc significantly increased the levels of tested butyrate producers. P. ostreatus, P. eryngii and C. cylindracea had similar trends in SCFA profile; H. erinaceus mushrooms were more diverse, especially in the production of propionate, butyrate and branched SCFAs. In conclusion, mushrooms rich in β-glucans may exert beneficial in vitro effects in gut microbiota and/or SCFAs production in elderly subjects.

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Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Controls Murine Chronic Intestinal Inflammation by Modulating Immune Cell Functions and Gut Microbiota Composition

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells8060517 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 517 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Claudia Burrello ◽

Maria Rita Giuffrè ◽

Angeli Dominique Macandog ◽

Angelica Diaz-Basabe ◽

Fulvia Milena Cribiù ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ulcerative Colitis ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Intestinal Inflammation ◽

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation ◽

Experimental Colitis ◽

Fecal Microbiota ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Chronic Intestinal Inflammation ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

Different gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), have been linked to alterations of the gut microbiota composition, namely dysbiosis. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is considered an encouraging therapeutic approach for ulcerative colitis patients, mostly as a consequence of normobiosis restoration. We recently showed that therapeutic effects of FMT during acute experimental colitis are linked to functional modulation of the mucosal immune system and of the gut microbiota composition. Here we analysed the effects of therapeutic FMT administration during chronic experimental colitis, a condition more similar to that of IBD patients, on immune-mediated mucosal inflammatory pathways. Mucus and feces from normobiotic donors were orally administered to mice with established chronic Dextran Sodium Sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis. Immunophenotypes and functions of infiltrating colonic immune cells were evaluated by cytofluorimetric analysis. Compositional differences in the intestinal microbiome were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Therapeutic FMT in mice undergoing chronic intestinal inflammation was capable to decrease colonic inflammation by modulating the expression of pro-inflammatory genes, antimicrobial peptides, and mucins. Innate and adaptive mucosal immune cells manifested a reduced pro-inflammatory profile in FMT-treated mice. Finally, restoration of a normobiotic core ecology contributed to the resolution of inflammation. Thus, FMT is capable of controlling chronic intestinal experimental colitis by inducing a concerted activation of anti-inflammatory immune pathways, mechanistically supporting the positive results of FMT treatment reported in ulcerative colitis patients.

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The Role of Gut Microbiota and Gut–Brain Interplay in Selected Diseases of the Central Nervous System

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms221810028 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (18) ◽

pp. 10028

Author(s):

Julia Doroszkiewicz ◽

Magdalena Groblewska ◽

Barbara Mroczko

Keyword(s):

Central Nervous System ◽

Nervous System ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Future Research ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Parkinson’S Diseases ◽

The Central Nervous System ◽

The Impact ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

The gut microbiome has attracted increasing attention from researchers in recent years. The microbiota can have a specific and complex cross-talk with the host, particularly with the central nervous system (CNS), creating the so-called “gut–brain axis”. Communication between the gut, intestinal microbiota, and the brain involves the secretion of various metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), structural components of bacteria, and signaling molecules. Moreover, an imbalance in the gut microbiota composition modulates the immune system and function of tissue barriers such as the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Therefore, the aim of this literature review is to describe how the gut–brain interplay may contribute to the development of various neurological disorders, combining the fields of gastroenterology and neuroscience. We present recent findings concerning the effect of the altered microbiota on neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as multiple sclerosis. Moreover, the impact of the pathological shift in the microbiome on selected neuropsychological disorders, i.e., major depressive disorders (MDD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is also discussed. Future research on the effect of balanced gut microbiota composition on the gut–brain axis would help to identify new potential opportunities for therapeutic interventions in the presented diseases.

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The Impact of Host Genotype, Intestinal Sites and Probiotics Supplementation on the Gut Microbiota Composition and Diversity in Sheep

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology10080769 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 769

Author(s):

Xiaoqi Wang ◽

Zhichao Zhang ◽

Xiaoping Wang ◽

Qi Bao ◽

Rujing Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

High Throughput Sequencing ◽

Shared Environment ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Initial State ◽

Host Genotype ◽

Tan Sheep ◽

The Impact ◽

Distinct Distribution ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

Three sampling strategies with a 16s rRNA high-throughput sequencing and gene expression assay (by RT-PCR) were designed, to better understand the host and probiotics effect on gut microbiota in sheep. Sampling: (1) colon contents and back-fat tissues from small-tailed Han sheep (SHS), big-tailed Hulun Buir sheep (BHBS), and short-tailed Steppe sheep (SHBS) (n = 12, 14, 12); (2) jejunum, cecum and colon contents, and feces from Tan sheep (TS, n = 6); (3) feces from TS at 4 time points (nonfeeding, 30 and 60 feeding days, and stop feeding 30 days) with probiotics supplementation (n = 7). The results indicated SHS had the highest Firmicutes abundance, the thinnest back-fat, and the lowest expression of C/EBPβ, C/EBPδ, ATGL, CFD, and SREBP1. Some bacteria orders and families could be potential biomarkers for sheep breeds with a distinct distribution of bacterial abundance, implying the host genotype is predominant in shaping unique microbiota under a shared environment. The microbiota diversity and Bifidobacterial populations significantly changed after 60 days of feeding but restored to its initial state, with mostly colonies, after 30 days ceased. The microbiota composition was greatly different between the small and large intestines, but somewhat different between the large intestine and feces; feces may be reliable for studying large intestinal microbiota in ruminants.

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Aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligand production by the gut microbiota is decreased in celiac disease leading to intestinal inflammation

Science Translational Medicine ◽

10.1126/scitranslmed.aba0624 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (566) ◽

pp. eaba0624 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bruno Lamas ◽

Leticia Hernandez-Galan ◽

Heather J. Galipeau ◽

Marco Constante ◽

Alexandra Clarizio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Celiac Disease ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor ◽

Intestinal Inflammation ◽

Susceptibility Gene ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Aryl Hydrocarbon ◽

Pathway Activation ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

Metabolism of tryptophan by the gut microbiota into derivatives that activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) contributes to intestinal homeostasis. Many chronic inflammatory conditions, including celiac disease involving a loss of tolerance to dietary gluten, are influenced by cues from the gut microbiota. We investigated whether AhR ligand production by the gut microbiota could influence gluten immunopathology in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice expressing DQ8, a celiac disease susceptibility gene. NOD/DQ8 mice, exposed or not exposed to gluten, were subjected to three interventions directed at enhancing AhR pathway activation. These included a high-tryptophan diet, gavage with Lactobacillus reuteri that produces AhR ligands or treatment with an AhR agonist. We investigated intestinal permeability, gut microbiota composition determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, AhR pathway activation in intestinal contents, and small intestinal pathology and inflammatory markers. In NOD/DQ8 mice, a high-tryptophan diet modulated gut microbiota composition and enhanced AhR ligand production. AhR pathway activation by an enriched tryptophan diet, treatment with the AhR ligand producer L. reuteri, or pharmacological stimulation using 6-formylindolo (3,2-b) carbazole (Ficz) decreased immunopathology in NOD/DQ8 mice exposed to gluten. We then determined AhR ligand production by the fecal microbiota and AhR activation in patients with active celiac disease compared to nonceliac control individuals. Patients with active celiac disease demonstrated reduced AhR ligand production and lower intestinal AhR pathway activation. These results highlight gut microbiota-dependent modulation of the AhR pathway in celiac disease and suggest a new therapeutic strategy for treating this disorder.

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Gut microbiota modulates COPD pathogenesis: role of anti-inflammatory Parabacteroides goldsteinii lipopolysaccharide

Gut ◽

10.1136/gutjnl-2020-322599 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. gutjnl-2020-322599

Author(s):

Hsin-Chih Lai ◽

Tzu-Lung Lin ◽

Ting-Wen Chen ◽

Yu-Lun Kuo ◽

Chih-Jung Chang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Intestinal Inflammation ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Active Components ◽

Toll Like Receptor 4 ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Anti Inflammatory ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

ObjectiveChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a global disease characterised by chronic obstruction of lung airflow interfering with normal breathing. Although the microbiota of respiratory tract is established to be associated with COPD, the causality of gut microbiota in COPD development is not yet established. We aimed to address the connection between gut microbiota composition and lung COPD development, and characterise bacteria and their derived active components for COPD amelioration.DesignA murine cigarette smoking (CS)-based model of COPD and strategies evaluating causal effects of microbiota were performed. Gut microbiota structure was analysed, followed by isolation of target bacterium. Single cell RNA sequencing, together with sera metabolomics analyses were performed to identify host responsive molecules. Bacteria derived active component was isolated, followed by functional assays.ResultsGut microbiota composition significantly affects CS-induced COPD development, and faecal microbiota transplantation restores COPD pathogenesis. A commensal bacterium Parabacteroides goldsteinii was isolated and shown to ameliorate COPD. Reduction of intestinal inflammation and enhancement of cellular mitochondrial and ribosomal activities in colon, systematic restoration of aberrant host amino acids metabolism in sera, and inhibition of lung inflammations act as the important COPD ameliorative mechanisms. Besides, the lipopolysaccharide derived from P. goldsteinii is anti-inflammatory, and significantly ameliorates COPD by acting as an antagonist of toll-like receptor 4 signalling pathway.ConclusionThe gut microbiota–lung COPD axis was connected. A potentially benefial bacterial strain and its functional component may be developed and used as alternative agents for COPD prevention or treatment.

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Links between diet, gut microbiota composition and gut metabolism

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665114001463 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 74 (1) ◽

pp. 13-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 326

Author(s):

Harry J. Flint ◽

Sylvia H. Duncan ◽

Karen P. Scott ◽

Petra Louis

Keyword(s):

Gut Microbiota ◽

Interactive System ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Alternative Pathways ◽

Hexose Sugars ◽

Metabolic Products ◽

The Impact ◽

Bacterial Groups ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition ◽

Gut Metabolism

The gut microbiota and its metabolic products interact with the host in many different ways, influencing gut homoeostasis and health outcomes. The species composition of the gut microbiota has been shown to respond to dietary change, determined by competition for substrates and by tolerance of gut conditions. Meanwhile, the metabolic outputs of the microbiota, such as SCFA, are influenced both by the supply of dietary components and via diet-mediated changes in microbiota composition. There has been significant progress in identifying the phylogenetic distribution of pathways responsible for formation of particular metabolites among human colonic bacteria, based on combining cultural microbiology and sequence-based approaches. Formation of butyrate and propionate from hexose sugars, for example, can be ascribed to different bacterial groups, although propionate can be formed via alternative pathways from deoxy-sugars and from lactate by a few species. Lactate, which is produced by many gut bacteria in pure culture, can also be utilised by certain Firmicutes to form butyrate, and its consumption may be important for maintaining a stable community. Predicting the impact of diet upon such a complex and interactive system as the human gut microbiota not only requires more information on the component groups involved but, increasingly, the integration of such information through modelling approaches.

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The impact of exercise training and resveratrol supplementation on gut microbiota composition in high-fat diet fed mice

Physiological Reports ◽

10.14814/phy2.13881 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (20) ◽

pp. e13881 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Nina Brandt ◽

Dorota Kotowska ◽

Caroline M. Kristensen ◽

Jesper Olesen ◽

Ditte O. Lützhøft ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Exercise Training ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

High Fat Diet ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

High Fat ◽

The Impact ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

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Differences in the Microbial Composition of Hemodialysis Patients Treated with and without β-Blockers

Journal of Personalized Medicine ◽

10.3390/jpm11030198 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 198

Author(s):

Yi-Ting Lin ◽

Ting-Yun Lin ◽

Szu-Chun Hung ◽

Po-Yu Liu ◽

Wei-Chun Hung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Random Forest ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Hemodialysis Patients ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Α Diversity ◽

Β Blocker ◽

Β Blockers ◽

The Impact ◽

Gut Microbiota Composition

β-blockers are commonly prescribed to treat cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis patients. Beyond the pharmacological effects, β-blockers have potential impacts on gut microbiota, but no study has investigated the effect in hemodialysis patients. Hence, we aim to investigate the gut microbiota composition difference between β-blocker users and nonusers in hemodialysis patients. Fecal samples collected from hemodialysis patients (83 β-blocker users and 110 nonusers) were determined by 16S ribosomal RNA amplification sequencing. Propensity score (PS) matching was performed to control confounders. The microbial composition differences were analyzed by the linear discriminant analysis effect size, random forest, and zero-inflated Gaussian fit model. The α-diversity (Simpson index) was greater in β-blocker users with a distinct β-diversity (Bray–Curtis Index) compared to nonusers in both full and PS-matched cohorts. There was a significant enrichment in the genus Flavonifractor in β-blocker users compared to nonusers in full and PS-matched cohorts. A similar finding was demonstrated in random forest analysis. In conclusion, hemodialysis patients using β-blockers had a different gut microbiota composition compared to nonusers. In particular, the Flavonifractor genus was increased with β-blocker treatment. Our findings highlight the impact of β-blockers on the gut microbiota in hemodialysis patients.

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