Facilitating the gut brain axis by probiotic bacteria to modulate neuroimmune response on lead exposed zebra fish models

Unravelling the efficacy of gut biome has a major impact on health. An unbalanced microbiome composition is linked to many common illnesses such as gut dysbiosis, mental deformities and immunological imbalance. An optimistic influence on the gut biome can be made by consuming probiotics. This would stimulate neuroprotection and immunomodulation intended by heavy metals pollution. Lead is a major source of neurotoxin that can induce neural deformities. Lactobacillus species isolated from curd were characterized to confirm its specificity. Zebra fish was reared at standard conditions and preclinical assessment on the intensity of induced neurotoxin lead was performed. The embryo toxic assay, immunomodulation effects and animal behavioural models endorsed the consequence of neurotoxicity. Different concentrations of bacterial isolate with standard antidepressant was considered for analysing the vigour of toxicity and its influence on cognitive behaviour by novel tank diving method. The restrain in the animal behaviour was also conferred by all the test samples with a decreased bottom dwelling time which was authenticated with haematology and histopathological studies. The alterations in morphology of the lymphocytes were balanced by the treated test samples. This study paves a twofold potential of probiotic as neuroprotectant and immune modulator against heavy metal toxicity.

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Gastrointestinal disturbance and effect of fecal microbiota transplantation in discharged COVID-19 patients

Journal of Medical Case Reports ◽

10.1186/s13256-020-02583-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fengqiong Liu ◽

Shanliang Ye ◽

Xin Zhu ◽

Xuesong He ◽

Shengzhou Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

B Cells ◽

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation ◽

Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽

Fecal Microbiota ◽

Case Presentation ◽

Microbiome Composition ◽

Operational Taxonomic Units ◽

Gut Dysbiosis ◽

Rehabilitative Intervention ◽

Oral Capsule

Abstract Background To investigate the potential beneficial effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on gastrointestinal symptoms, gut dysbiosis and immune status in discharged COVID-19 patients. Case presentation A total of 11 COVID-19 patients were recruited in April, 2020, about one month on average after they were discharged from the hospital. All subjects received FMT for 4 consecutive days by oral capsule administrations with 10 capsules for each day. In total, 5 out of 11 patients reported to be suffered from gastrointestinal symptoms, which were improved after FMT. After FMT, alterations of B cells were observed, which was characterized as decreased naive B cell (P = 0.012) and increased memory B cells (P = 0.001) and non-switched B cells (P = 0.012).The microbial community richness indicated by operational taxonomic units number, observed species and Chao1 estimator was marginally increased after FMT. Gut microbiome composition of discharged COVID-19 patients differed from that of the general population at both phylum and genera level, which was characterized with a lower proportion of Firmicutes (41.0%) and Actinobacteria (4.0%), higher proportion of Bacteroidetes (42.9%) and Proteobacteria (9.2%). FMT can partially restore the gut dysbiosis by increasing the relative abundance of Actinobacteria (15.0%) and reducing Proteobacteria (2.8%) at the phylum level. At the genera level, Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium had significantly increased after FMT. Conclusions After FMT, altered peripheral lymphocyte subset, restored gut microbiota and alleviated gastrointestinal disorders were observe, suggesting that FMT may serve as a potential therapeutic and rehabilitative intervention for the COVID-19.

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Vaginal health in women and the possibility of predicting preterm birth through microbiome analysis

Journal of Korean Medical Association ◽

10.5124/jkma.2021.64.12.833 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 64 (12) ◽

pp. 833-840

Author(s):

Young Min Hur ◽

Mi Na Kang ◽

Young Ju Kim

Keyword(s):

Preterm Birth ◽

Lactic Acid Production ◽

Premenopausal Women ◽

The Body ◽

Lactobacillus Species ◽

Next Generation Sequencing Technology ◽

Microbiome Composition ◽

Microbiome Analysis ◽

Prediction And Prevention ◽

Vaginal Health

Background: With the recent development of next-generation sequencing technology, the microbiome in the body is being revealed in detail. It is also possible to describe the normal vaginal microenvironment and, more specifically, any changes in pregnancy. Moreover, we present the hypothesis that the microbiome is a contributing factor to preterm birth (PTB).Current Concepts: High estrogen status stimulates the maturation and proliferation of vaginal epithelial cells and the accumulation of glycogen, which promotes lactic acid production and maintains the vaginal environment at an acidic pH. The vaginas of most premenopausal women are predominantly colonized by Lactobacillus which plays an important role in local defense. Recently, it has also been reported that there are several specific types of Lactobacillus species, while other anaerobes, including Gardnerella and Atopobium also coexist in the vagina. Vaginal dysbiosis is defined as various expressions of microorganisms, secretion of specific metabolites, and changes in pH. During pregnancy, a multitude of microbiome changes occur in the oral cavity, gut, vagina, and placenta. The risk of PTB increases if the microbiome changes to one of dysbiosis. It is possible to analyze the characteristic microbiome composition related to PTB and to develop biomarkers predicting PTB. It is necessary to educate patients based on these findings.Discussion and Conclusion: Microbiome analysis has contributed significantly to understanding the association between women’s vaginal health and PTB. Continued research will also contribute to public health by assisting in the prediction and prevention of PTB.

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Clinical Significance of Changes in Gut Microbiome Associated with Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors

The Korean Journal of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research ◽

10.7704/kjhugr.2020.0014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 196-203

Author(s):

Tae Jun Kim ◽

Hyuk Lee

Keyword(s):

Gastric Acid ◽

Clinical Significance ◽

Proton Pump Inhibitors ◽

Proton Pump ◽

Gut Microbiome ◽

Inflammatory Diseases ◽

Oral Bacteria ◽

Inflammatory Microenvironment ◽

Microbiome Composition ◽

Gut Dysbiosis

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly used for the treatment of gastric acid-related disorders, and are generally well tolerated. However, by reducing the secretion of gastric acid in the long term, PPI can increase the risk of inducing an imbalance in the gut microbiome composition. Moreover, gastric hypochlorhydria that is caused by PPIs favors the survival and migration of oral bacteria in the lower part of the gastrointestinal tract, with a possible induction of pro-inflammatory microenvironment. Therefore, gut dysbiosis that is associated with the use of PPI has been found to cause adverse infectious and inflammatory diseases. In this regard, adverse effects of the PPI-related gut dysbiosis have been reported in different observational studies, but their clinical relevance remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this review was to explore the available data on the PPI-related gut dysbiosis in order to better understand its clinical significance.

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A small molecule produced by Lactobacillus species blocks Candida albicans filamentation by inhibiting a DYRK1-family kinase

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-26390-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jessie MacAlpine ◽

Martin Daniel-Ivad ◽

Zhongle Liu ◽

Junko Yano ◽

Nicole M. Revie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Candida Albicans ◽

Small Molecule ◽

Biochemical Characterization ◽

Opportunistic Pathogen ◽

Vaginal Candidiasis ◽

Lactobacillus Species ◽

Microbiome Composition ◽

Human Host ◽

Bioassay Guided Fractionation ◽

Human Mucosa

AbstractThe fungus Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen that can exploit imbalances in microbiome composition to invade its human host, causing pathologies ranging from vaginal candidiasis to fungal sepsis. Bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus are colonizers of human mucosa and can produce compounds with bioactivity against C. albicans. Here, we show that some Lactobacillus species produce a small molecule under laboratory conditions that blocks the C. albicans yeast-to-filament transition, an important virulence trait. It remains unexplored whether the compound is produced in the context of the human host. Bioassay-guided fractionation of Lactobacillus-conditioned medium linked this activity to 1-acetyl-β-carboline (1-ABC). We use genetic approaches to show that filamentation inhibition by 1-ABC requires Yak1, a DYRK1-family kinase. Additional biochemical characterization of structurally related 1-ethoxycarbonyl-β-carboline confirms that it inhibits Yak1 and blocks C. albicans biofilm formation. Thus, our findings reveal Lactobacillus-produced 1-ABC can prevent the yeast-to-filament transition in C. albicans through inhibition of Yak1.

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Impact of Vitamin D Deficit on the Rat Gut Microbiome

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11112564 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 2564 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Iñaki Robles-Vera ◽

María Callejo ◽

Ricardo Ramos ◽

Juan Duarte ◽

Francisco Perez-Vizcaino

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Vitamin D Deficiency ◽

16S Rrna Gene Sequencing ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Microbiome Composition ◽

Gut Dysbiosis ◽

Β Diversity ◽

Α Diversity ◽

Rat Gut

Inadequate immunologic, metabolic and cardiovascular homeostasis has been related to either an alteration of the gut microbiota or to vitamin D deficiency. We analyzed whether vitamin D deficiency alters rat gut microbiota. Male Wistar rats were fed a standard or a vitamin D-free diet for seven weeks. The microbiome composition was determined in fecal samples by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The vitamin D-free diet produced mild changes on α- diversity but no effect on β-diversity in the global microbiome. Markers of gut dysbiosis like Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio or the short chain fatty acid producing bacterial genera were not significantly affected by vitamin D deficiency. Notably, there was an increase in the relative abundance of the Enterobacteriaceae, with significant rises in its associated genera Escherichia, Candidatus blochmannia and Enterobacter in vitamin D deficient rats. Prevotella and Actinomyces were also increased and Odoribacteraceae and its genus Butyricimonas were decreased in rats with vitamin D-free diet. In conclusion, vitamin D deficit does not induce gut dysbiosis but produces some specific changes in bacterial taxa, which may play a pathophysiological role in the immunologic dysregulation associated with this hypovitaminosis.

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Composition and Metabolic Functions of the Microbiome in Fermented Grain during Light-Flavor Baijiu Fermentation

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms8091281 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (9) ◽

pp. 1281

Author(s):

Xiaoning Huang ◽

Yi Fan ◽

Ting Lu ◽

Jiamu Kang ◽

Xiaona Pang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Abundance ◽

Gene Annotation ◽

Lactobacillus Species ◽

Starch Degradation ◽

Metagenomic Sequencing ◽

Pichia Kudriavzevii ◽

Microbiome Composition ◽

Metabolic Characteristics ◽

Metabolic Functions ◽

Key Enzyme

The metabolism and accumulation of flavor compounds in Chinese Baijiu are driven by microbiota succession and their inter-related metabolic processes. Changes in the microbiome composition during Baijiu production have been examined previously; however, the respective metabolic functions remain unclear. Using shotgun metagenomic sequencing and metabolomics, we examined the microbial and metabolic characteristics during light-flavor Baijiu fermentation to assess the correlations between microorganisms and their potential functions. During fermentation, the bacterial abundance increased from 58.2% to 97.65%, and fermentation resulted in the accumulation of various metabolites, among which alcohols and esters were the most abundant. Correlation analyses revealed that the levels of major metabolites were positively correlated with bacterial abundance but negatively with that of fungi. Gene annotation showed that the Lactobacillus species contained key enzyme genes for carbohydrate metabolism and contributed to the entire fermentation process. Lichtheimia ramosa, Saccharomycopsis fibuligera, Bacillus licheniformis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Pichia kudriavzevii play major roles in starch degradation and ethanol production. A link was established between the composition and metabolic functions of the microbiota involved in Baijiu fermentation, which helps elucidate microbial and metabolic patterns of fermentation and provides insights into the potential optimization of Baijiu production.

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The relation between the gut microbiome and osteoarthritis: A systematic review of literature

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0261353 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (12) ◽

pp. e0261353

Author(s):

Emanuele Chisari ◽

Marjan Wouthuyzen-Bakker ◽

Alex W. Friedrich ◽

Javad Parvizi

Keyword(s):

Animal Studies ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Low Grade ◽

Review Of Literature ◽

Bacterial Composition ◽

Microbiome Composition ◽

Gut Dysbiosis ◽

Joint Axis ◽

Low Grade Inflammation

Background Along with mechanical and genetic factors, emerging evidence suggests that the presence of low-grade inflammation has a role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) and seems to be related to the microbiome composition of the gut. Purpose To provide evidence whether there is clinical or preclinical evidence of gut-joint axis in the pathogenesis and symptoms of OA. Methods An extensive review of the current literature was performed using three different databases. Human, as well as animal studies, were included. The risk of bias was identified using ROBINS and SYRCLE tools, while the quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE and CAMADARES criteria. Results A total of nineteen articles were included. Multiple animal studies demonstrated that both obesity, and high-fat and high-sugar diets resulted in a gut dysbiosis status characterized by increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) phyla ratio and increased permeability. These changes were associated with increased lipopolysaccharide serum levels, which consequently resulted in synovitis and OA severity. The administration of pre-and probiotics partially reversed this bacterial composition. In addition, in human studies, a decreased amount of gut Bacteroidetes, subsequent increased F/B ratio, have also been observed in OA patients. Conclusions Our review confirms preliminary yet sound evidence supporting a gut-joint axis in OA in primarily preclinical models, by showing an association between diet, gut dysbiosis and OA radiological severity and self-reported symptoms. Clinical studies are needed to confirm these findings, and to investigate whether interventions targeting the composition of the microbiome will have a beneficial clinical effect.

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