Targeting Probiotics in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive inflammatory disorder characterized by swollen joints, discomfort, tightness, bone degeneration and frailty. Genetic, agamogenetic and sex-specific variables, Prevotella, diet, oral health and gut microbiota imbalance are all likely causes of the onset or development of RA, perhaps the specific pathways remain unknown. Lactobacillus spp. probiotics are often utilized as relief or dietary supplements to treat bowel diseases, build a strong immune system and sustain the immune system. At present, the action mechanism of Lactobacillus spp. towards RA remains unknown. Therefore, researchers conclude the latest analysis to effectively comprehend the ultimate pathogenicity of rheumatoid arthritis, as well as the functions of probiotics, specifically Lactobacillus casei or Lactobacillus acidophilus, in the treatment of RA in therapeutic and diagnostic reports. RA is a chronic inflammation immunological illness wherein the gut microbiota is affected. Probiotics are organisms that can regulate gut microbiota, which may assist to relieve RA manifestations. Over the last two decades, there has been a surge in the use of probiotics. However, just a few research have considered the effect of probiotic administration on the treatment and prevention of arthritis. Randomized regulated experimental trials have shown that particular probiotics supplement has anti-inflammatory benefits, helps people with RA enhance daily activities and alleviates symptoms. As a result, utilizing probiotic microorganisms as therapeutics could be a potential possibility for arthritis treatment. This review highlights the known data on the therapeutic and preventative effects of probiotics in RA, as well as their interactions.     

Effects of Lactobacillus curvatus HY7601 and Lactobacillus plantarum KY1032 on Overweight and the Gut Microbiota in Humans: Randomized,Double-Blinded,Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Obesity and overweight are closely related to diet, and the gut microbiota play an important role in body weight and human health. The aim of this study was to explore how Lactobacillus curvatus HY7601 and Lactobacillus plantarum KY1032 supplementation alleviate obesity by modulating the human gut microbiome. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted on 72 individuals with overweight. Over a 12-week period, probiotic groups consumed 1 × 10¹⁰ colony-forming units of HY7601 and KY1032, whereas the placebo group consumed the same product without probiotics. After treatment, the probiotic group displayed a reduction in body weight (p < 0.001), visceral fat mass (p < 0.025), and waist circumference (p < 0.007), and an increase in adiponectin (p < 0.046), compared with the placebo group. Additionally, HY7601 and KY1032 supplementation modulated bacterial gut microbiota characteristics and beta diversity by increasing Bifidobacteriaceae and Akkermansiaceae and decreasing Prevotellaceae and Selenomonadaceae. In summary, HY7601 and KY1032 probiotics exert anti-obesity effects by regulating the gut microbiota; hence, they have therapeutic potential for preventing or alleviating obesity and living with overweight.     

Probiotic Consumption Boosts Thymus in Obesity and Senescence Mouse Models

The ability of the immune system to respond to different pathogens throughout life requires the constant production and selection of T cells in the thymus. This immune organ is very sensitive to age, infectious processes and nutrition disorders (obesity and malnutrition). Several studies have shown that the incorporation of some probiotic bacteria or probiotic fermented milk in the diet has beneficial effects, not only at the intestinal level but also on distant mucosal tissues, improving the architecture of the thymus in a malnutrition model. The aim of the present study was to determine whether supplementation with the probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei CRL 431 and/or its cell wall could improve body weight, intestinal microbiota and thymus structure and function in both obese and aging mice. We evaluated probiotic administration to BALB/c mice in 2 experimental mouse models: obesity and senescence, including mice of different ages (21, 28, 45, 90 and 180 days). Changes in thymus size and histology were recorded. T-lymphocyte population and cytokine production were also determined. The consumption of probiotics improved the cortical/medullary ratio, the production and regulation of cytokines and the recovery of mature T-lymphocyte populations of the thymus in obese and old mice. Probiotic incorporation into the diet could not only modulate the immune system but also lead to thymus function recovery, thus improving quality of life.     

Pleurotus Ostreatus Ameliorates Obesity by Modulating the Gut Microbiota in Obese Mice Induced by High-Fat Diet

Pleurotus ostreatus (PO), a common edible mushroom, contains rich nutritional components with medicinal properties. To explore the effect of PO on ameliorating obesity and modulating the gut microbiota, we administered the mice with a low-fat diet or high-fat diet containing different dosages of PO (mass fraction: 0%, 2.5%, 5% and 10%). The body weight, adipose tissue weight, GTT, ITT, blood lipids, serum biomarkers of liver/kidney function, the gut microbiota and function were measured and analyzed after 6 weeks of PO treatment. The results showed PO prevented obesity, maintained glucose homeostasis and beneficially modulated gut microbiota. PO modified the composition and functions of gut microbiota in obese mice and make them similar to those in lean mice, which contributed to weight loss. PO significantly increased the relative abundance of Oscillospira, Lactobacillus group and Bifidobacterium, while decreased the relative abundance of Bacteroides and Roseburia. The prediction of gut microbiota function showed PO upregulated lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, while it downregulated adipocytokine signaling pathway and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Correlation analysis further suggested the potential relationship among obesity, gut microbiota and the function of gut microbiota. In conclusion, all the results indicated that PO ameliorated obesity at least partly by modulating the gut microbiota.     

AB-Kefir Reduced Body Weight and Ameliorated Inflammation in Adipose Tissue of Obese Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet,but Not a High-Sucrose Diet

Consumption of different types of high-calorie foods leads to the development of various metabolic disorders. However, the effects of multi-strain probiotics on different types of diet-induced obesity and intestinal dysbiosis remain unclear. In this study, mice were fed a control diet, high-fat diet (HFD; 60% kcal fat and 20% kcal carbohydrate), or western diet (WD; 40% kcal fat and 43% kcal carbohydrate) and administered with multi-strain AB-Kefir containing six strains of lactic acid bacteria and a Bifidobacterium strain, at 10⁹ CFU per mouse for 10 weeks. Results demonstrated that AB-Kefir reduced body weight gain, glucose intolerance, and hepatic steatosis with a minor influence on gut microbiota composition in HFD-fed mice, but not in WD-fed mice. In addition, AB-Kefir significantly reduced the weight and size of adipose tissues by regulating the expression of CD36, Igf1, and Pgc1 in HFD-fed mice. Although AB-Kefir did not reduce the volume of white adipose tissue, it markedly regulated CD36, Dgat1 and Mogat1 mRNA expression. Moreover, the abundance of Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group and Ruminiclostridium significantly correlated with changes in body weight, liver weight, and fasting glucose in test mice. Overall, this study provides important evidence to understand the interactions between probiotics, gut microbiota, and diet in obesity treatment.     

Synbiotic Intervention with an Adlay-Based Prebiotic and Probiotics Improved Diet-Induced Metabolic Disturbance in Mice by Modulation of the Gut Microbiota

Metabolic syndrome and its associated conditions, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), are a major public health issue in modern societies. Dietary interventions, including microbiota-directed foods which effectively modulate the gut microbiome, may influence the regulation of obesity and associated comorbidities. Although research on probiotics and prebiotics has been conducted extensively in recent years, diets with the use of synbiotics remain relatively unexplored. Here, we investigated the effects of a novel synbiotic intervention, consisting of an adlay seed extrusion cooked (ASEC)-based prebiotic and probiotic (Lactobacillus paracasei and Bacillus coagulans) on metabolic disorders and microbial dysbiosis in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. The ASEC-based synbiotic intervention helped improve HFD-induced body weight gain, hyperlipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and inflammation of the adipose and liver tissues. In addition, data from fecal metagenomics indicated that the ASEC-based synbiotic intervention fostered reconstitution of gut bacterial diversity and composition in HFD-induced obese mice. In particular, the ASEC-based synbiotic intervention increased the relative abundance of families Ruminococcaceae and Muribaculaceae and order Bacteroidales and reduced that of families Lactobacillaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, and Streptococcaceae in HFD-induced obese mice. Collectively, our results suggest that delayed dietary intervention with the novel ASEC-based synbiotic ameliorates HFD-induced obesity, metabolic disorders, and dysbiosis.     

Lactobacillus sakei ADM14 Induces Anti-Obesity Effects and Changes in Gut Microbiome in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice

The aim of our study was to evaluate the anti-obesity effects of Lactobacillus sakei (L. sakei) ADM14 administration in a high-fat diet-induced obese mouse model and the resulting changes in the intestinal microbiota. Prior to in vivo testing, L. sakei ADM14 was shown to inhibit adipogenesis through in vitro test and genetic analysis. Subsequently, mice were orally administered 0.85% saline supplemented or not with L. sakei ADM14 to high-fat diet group and normal diet group daily. The results showed that administration of L. sakei ADM14 reduced weight gain, epididymal fat expansion, and total blood cholesterol and glucose levels, and significantly decreased expression of lipid-related genes in the epididymal fat pad. Administration of L. sakei ADM14 showed improvement in terms of energy harvesting while restoring the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio and also increased the relative abundance of specific microbial taxa such as Bacteroides faecichinchillae and Alistipes, which are abundant in non-obese people. L. sakei ADM14 affected the modulation of gut microbiota, altered the strain profile of short-chain fatty acid production in the cecum and enhanced the stimulation of butyrate production. Overall, L. sakei ADM14 showed potential as a therapeutic probiotic supplement for metabolic disorders, confirming the positive changes of in vivo indicators and controlling gut microbiota in a high-fat diet-induced obese mouse model.     

高糖高脂饮食致肠道菌群失调参与哮喘发病机制的研究进展

目的 总结高糖高脂饮食、肠道菌群失调与哮喘三者关系,为防治哮喘提供新思路。方法 以“高糖高脂饮食”、“肠道菌群失调”、“哮喘”和“短链脂肪酸”作为CNKI数据库检索词;以“high-sucrose diet”、“high-fat diet”、“gut microbiota”、“asthma”和“short-chain fatty acids”作为PubMed数据库检索词,参考文献50篇。结果 肠道微生态失衡是导致免疫失调与哮喘发病的危险因素,而高糖高脂饮食模式通过改变肠道微生物组成及其代谢物短链脂肪酸水平在哮喘发病机制中发挥重要作用。结论 高糖高脂饮食、肠道菌群失调与哮喘发病密切相关。而饮食、益生菌干预在纠正肠道微生态失衡及防治哮喘方面仍存在一定的局限性,因此,未来还需更深入的研究在肠道菌群及短链脂肪酸作用途径中探索哮喘治疗新靶点。     

Long-term intake of a high prebiotic fiber diet but not high protein reduces metabolic risk after a high fat challenge and uniquely alters gut microbiota and hepatic gene expression

A mismatch between early developmental diet and adulthood may increase obesity risk. Our objective was to determine the effects of re-matching rats to their weaning diets high in protein or fiber after transient high-fat/high-sucrose challenge in adulthood. We hypothesize that a long-term high fiber diet will be associated with a gut microbiota and hepatic gene expression reflective of reduced adiposity. Wistar rat pups were fed a control (C), high prebiotic fiber (HF), or high protein (HP) diet from 3–15 weeks of age; a high-fat/high-sucrose diet from 15–21 weeks; their respective C, HF, or HP diets from 21–25 weeks. Gut microbiota of cecal contents and hepatic gene expression were measured when rats were terminated at 25 weeks of age. HF rats had higher total bacteria, bifidobacteria and Bacteroides/Prevotella spp than C and HP at 25 weeks (P < 0.05). Firmicutes, especially Clostridium leptum, decreased in HF compared to C and HP (P < .05). The ratio of Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes was markedly lower in HF versus C and HP at 25 weeks (P < .05). HF decreased hepatic cholesterol content compared to HP and C at 25 weeks. HF and HP increased 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase mRNA and decreased lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase mRNA compared to C (P < .05). In conclusion, re-matching rats to a HF but not HP diet attenuated the typical increase in Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratio associated with consumption of a high fat diet. Lower hepatic cholesterol with long-term HF diet intake may be related to alterations in gut microbiota and hepatic lipid metabolism.     

Modulation of the Gut Microbiota Structure with Probiotics and Isoflavone Alleviates Metabolic Disorder in Ovariectomized Mice

The decrease in ovarian hormone secretion that occurs during menopause results in an increase in body weight and adipose tissue mass. Probiotics and soy isoflavones (SIFs) could affect the gut microbiota and exert anti-obesity effects. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotics and a diet containing SIF (SIF diet) on ovariectomized mice with menopausal obesity, including the gut microbiome. The results demonstrate that Bifidobacterium longum 15M1 can reverse menopausal obesity, whilst the combination of Lactobacillus plantarum 30M5 and a SIF diet was more effective in alleviating menopausal lipid metabolism disorder than either components alone. Probiotics and SIFs play different anti-obesity roles in menopausal mice. Furthermore, 30M5 alters the metabolites of the gut microbiota that increase the circulating estrogen level, upregulates the expression of estrogen receptor α in abdominal adipose tissue and improves the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). A SIF diet can significantly alter the structure of the fecal bacterial community and enrich the pathways related to SCFAs production. Moreover, 30M5 and a SIF diet acted synergistically to effectively resolve abnormal serum lipid levels in ovariectomized mice, and these effects appear to be associated with regulation of the diversity and structure of the intestinal microbiota to enhance SCFAs production and promote estrogen circulation.     

Multiple Selection Criteria for Probiotic Strains with High Potential for Obesity Management

Since alterations of the gut microbiota have been shown to play a major role in obesity, probiotics have attracted attention. Our aim was to identify probiotic candidates for the management of obesity using a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches. We evaluated in vitro the ability of 23 strains to limit lipid accumulation in adipocytes and to enhance the secretion of satiety-promoting gut peptide in enteroendocrine cells. Following the in vitro screening, selected strains were further investigated in vivo, single, or as mixtures, using a murine model of diet-induced obesity. Strain Bifidobacterium longum PI10 administrated alone and the mixture of B. animalis subsp. lactis LA804 and Lactobacillus gasseri LA806 limited body weight gain and reduced obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction and inflammation. These protective effects were associated with changes in the hypothalamic gene expression of leptin and leptin receptor as well as with changes in the composition of gut microbiota and the profile of bile acids. This study provides crucial clues to identify new potential probiotics as effective therapeutic approaches in the management of obesity, while also providing some insights into their mechanisms of action.     

Effect of Trilobatin from Lithocarpus polystachyus Rehd on Gut Microbiota of Obese Rats Induced by a High-Fat Diet

Trilobatin was identified as the primary bioactive component in the Lithocarpus polystachyus Rehd (LPR) leaves. This study explored the antiobesity effect of trilobatin from LPR leaves and its influence on gut microbiota in obese rats. Results showed that trilobatin could significantly reduce body and liver weight gain induced by a high-fat diet, and the accumulation of perirenal fat, epididymal fat, and brown fat of SD (Male Sprague–Dawley) obese rats in a dose-independent manner. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentrations increased, especially the concentration of butyrate. Trilobatin supplementation could significantly increase the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Prevotella, CF231, Bacteroides, and Oscillospira, and decrease greatly the abundance of Blautia, Allobaculum, Phascolarctobacterium, and Coprococcus, resulting in an increase of the ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes (except the genera of Lactobacillus and Oscillospira). The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway predicted by the Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) indicated the different relative metabolic pathways after trilobatin supplementation. This study may reveal the contribution of gut microbiota to the antiobesity effect of trilobatin from LPR leaves and predict the potential regulatory mechanism for obesity induced by a high-fat diet.     

Probiotic-enriched milk and dairy products increase gut microbiota diversity: a comparative study

Targeting gut microbiota with probiotics has emerged as a promising nutritional approach for the prevention of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Cultured dairy products can be effectively employed for the delivery of probiotics to the gut as well as for the support of growth and survival of probiotic bacteria. The purpose of this study was to characterize the effects of probiotic-enriched pasteurized milk and dairy products (Greek-style yogurt and cottage cheese) of different origins (cow, goat, and camel) on taxonomic composition of the mouse gut microbiota. We hypothesized that cultured dairy products can be an effective vector for the delivery of probiotics to the gut because of its nutritional value, acidic nature, and long shelf-life. Mice were fed a standard low fat, plant polysaccharide-rich (LF/PP) diet supplemented with the probiotic-enriched milk and dairy products for 5 weeks. Next generation sequencing of DNA from mouse fecal samples was used to characterize the bacterial relative abundance. Mice fed a diet supplemented with camel milk demonstrated characteristic changes in the gut microbiota, which included an increase in relative abundance of order Clostridiales and genus Anaerostipes. Mice fed a diet supplemented with the probiotic-enriched cow cheese exhibited an increase in the relative abundance of order Clostridiales, family Ruminococcaceae, and family Lachnospiraceae. The results obtained and their bioinformatics analysis support the conclusion that camel milk and the probiotic cow cheese induce changes in the mouse gut microbiota, which can be characterized as potentially beneficial to health compared to the changes associated with a standard diet. These findings imply that probiotic-enriched milk and dairy products can be highly effective for the delivery and support of probiotic bacteria of the gut.     

Foxtail Millet Improves Blood Glucose Metabolism in Diabetic Rats through PI3K/AKT and NF-κB Signaling Pathways Mediated by Gut Microbiota

Foxtail millet (FM) is receiving ongoing increased attention due to its beneficial health effects, including the hypoglycemic effect. However, the underlying mechanisms of the hypoglycemic effect have been underexplored. In the present study, the hypoglycemic effect of FM supplementation was confirmed again in high-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with significantly decreased fasting glucose (FG), glycated serum protein, and areas under the glucose tolerance test (p < 0.05). We employed 16S rRNA and liver RNA sequencing technologies to identify the target gut microbes and signaling pathways involved in the hypoglycemic effect of FM supplementation. The results showed that FM supplementation significantly increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Ruminococcus_2, which were significantly negatively correlated with FG and 2-h glucose. FM supplementation significantly reversed the trends of gene expression in diabetic rats. Specifically, FM supplementation inhibited gluconeogenesis, stimulated glycolysis, and restored fatty acid synthesis through activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. FM also reduced inflammation through inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Spearman’s correlation analysis indicated a complicated set of interdependencies among the gut microbiota, signaling pathways, and metabolic parameters. Collectively, the above results suggest that the hypoglycemic effect of FM was at least partially mediated by the increased relative abundance of Lactobacillus, activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway.     

Amelioration of obesity-related characteristics by a probiotic formulation in a high-fat diet-induced obese rat model

Purpose

Obesity is a major public health concern. Despite its multi-factorial etiology, alterations in intestinal microbiota and the immune system are frequently observed. We investigated the effect of Duolac Gold (DG), a probiotic formulation containing 2 Lactobacillus strains (L. acidophilus LA1 and L. rharmnosus LR5), 3 Bifidobacterium (B. bifidum BF3, B. lactis BL3, and B. longum BG7), and Streptococcus thermophilus ST3, on morphometric and metabolic parameters, intestinal microbiota, and intestinal immune responses in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rat model.

Methods

Rats received either a conventional balanced diet or HFD with or without water containing DG for 8 weeks. HFD-induced adiposity, intestinal microbiota, and changes in inflammatory cytokine, chemokine, and metabolite levels in serum were evaluated.

Results

DG administration effectively decreased HFD-induced body weight and modulated morphometric and metabolic parameters. Quantitative analysis of fecal microbiota showed that obese rats given DG exhibited significantly increased levels of Bacteroidetes, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium, with significant decreases in the level of Firmicutes. Serum levels of the inflammatory cytokines and the chemokine were also altered. Serum metabolite analysis revealed that DG administration modulated HFD-induced changes in serum metabolites, including fatty acids (FA), lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine (PC), and triacylglycerol (TAG).

Conclusions

DG administration appears to have the potential to alleviate HDF-induced obesity through the modulation of intestinal microbiota, immune responses, and host metabolism, which supports the use of probiotics to treat obesity.

     

Lactobacillus casei Improve Anti-Tuberculosis Drugs-Induced Intestinal Adverse Reactions in Rat by Modulating Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids

The adverse effects of anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs in the intestines were related to alteration of the intestinal microbiota. However, there was less information about microbial metabolism on the adverse reactions. This study aimed to explore whether Lactobacillus casei could regulate gut microbiota or short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) disorders to protect intestinal adverse reactions induced by isoniazid (H) and rifampicin (R). Male Wistar rats were given low and high doses of Lactobacillus casei two hours before daily administration of anti-TB drugs. After 42 days, colon tissue and blood were collected for analysis. The feces at two-week and six-week were collected to analyze the microbial composition and the content of SCFAs in colon contents was determined. Supplementation of Lactobacillus casei increased the proportion of intestinal goblet cells induced by H and R (p < 0.05). In addition, HR also reduced the level of mucin-2 (p < 0.05), and supplementation of Lactobacillus casei restored. After two weeks of HR intervention, a decrease in OTUs, diversity index, the abundance of Bacteroides, Akkermansia, and Blautia, and an increase of the abundance of Lacetospiraceae NK4A136 group and Rumencoccus UCG-005, were observed compared with the control group (p all < 0.05). These indices in Lactobacillus casei intervention groups were similar to the HR group. Six-week intervention resulted in a dramatic reduction of Lacetospiraceae NK4A136 group, butyric acid, valeric acid and hexanoic acid, while an increase of Bacteroides and Blautia (p all < 0.05). Pretreatment with Lactobacillus casei significantly increased the content of hexanoic acid compared with HR group (p < 0.05). Lactobacillus casei might prevent intestinal injury induced by anti-tuberculosis drugs by regulating gut microbiota and SCFAs metabolism.     

Antidiabetic effect of Lactobacillus casei CCFM0412 on mice with type 2 diabetes induced by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the antidiabetic effects of Lactobacillus casei CCFM0412 on mice with type 2 diabetes induced by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin.MethodsThirty-two male C57 BL/6 J mice were assigned to four groups in this study. Type 2 diabetes was induced by feeding of a high-fat diet and injection of streptozotocin. L. casei CCFM0412 was administered to mice at a dose of 10⁹ cfu/d per mouse for 12 wk. Body weight, fasting and postprandial 2-h blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance, glycosylated hemoglobin, insulin, and glycogen in liver were measured. Endotoxin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-10 levels were determined. Lipid metabolic parameters including triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were also measured. The activities of glutathione peroxides, reactive oxygen species, and superoxide dismutase, and the levels of glutathione and malondialdehyde in the liver also were determined. Pancreas injury was evaluated by histologic analysis.ResultsAt 13 wk, L. casei CCFM0412 significantly decreased fasting and postprandial 2-h blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, endotoxin, tumor necrosis factor-α, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, reactive oxygen species, and malondialdehyde levels compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The values for insulin, interleukin-10, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glutathione peroxides, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and glycogen were significantly increased at 13 wk (P < 0.05). Islets of Langerhans in the L. casei CCFM0412 group were substantially protected from destruction compared with those in the control group.ConclusionL. casei CCFM0412 significantly improved glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, immune-regulatory properties, and oxidative stress in mice with type 2 diabetes induced by a high-fat diet and streptozotocin. The results provide a sound rationale for future clinical trials of oral administration of L. casei CCFM0412 for the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes.     

Obesity-induced alterations in the gut microbiome in female mice fed a high-fat diet are antagonized by dietary supplementation with a novel,wax ester–rich,marine oil

Dietary supplementation with calanus oil, a novel wax ester–rich marine oil, has been shown to reduce adiposity in high-fat diet (HFD)–induced obese mice. Current evidence suggests that obesity and its comorbidities are intrinsically linked with unfavorable changes in the intestinal microbiome. Thus, in line with its antiobesity effect, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation with calanus oil should counteract the obesity-related deleterious changes in the gut microbiota. Seven-week-old female C57bl/6J mice received an HFD for 12 weeks to induce obesity followed by 8-week supplementation with 2% calanus oil. For comparative reasons, another group of mice was treated with exenatide, an antiobesogenic glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist. Mice fed normal chow diet or nonsupplemented HFD for 20 weeks served as lean and obese controls, respectively. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on fecal samples from the colon. HFD increased the abundance of the Lactococcus and Leuconostoc genera relative to normal chow diet, whereas abundances of Allobaculum and Oscillospira were decreased. Supplementation with calanus oil led to an apparent overrepresentation of Lactobacillus and Streptococcus and underrepresentation of Bilophila. Exenatide prevented the HFD-induced increase in Lactococcus and caused a decrease in the abundance of Streptococcus compared to the HFD group. Thus, HFD altered the gut microbiota composition in an unhealthy direction by increasing the abundance of proinflammatory genera while reducing those considered health-promoting. These obesity-induced changes were antagonized by both calanus oil and exenatide.     

Role of Probiotics in Modulating Human Gut Microbiota Populations and Activities in Patients with Colorectal Cancer—A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials

Background: Growing attention has been given to the role of nutrition and alterations of microbial diversity of the gut microbiota in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis. It has been suggested that probiotics and synbiotics modulate enteric microbiota and therefore may be used as an intervention to reduce the risk of CRC. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of probiotics/synbiotics administration on gut microbiota in patients with CRC. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched between December 2020 and January 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) recruiting adults with CRC, who have taken probiotics/synbiotics for at least 6 days were included. Changes in gut microbiota and selected biochemical and inflammatory parameters (i.e., hsCRP, IL-2, hemoglobin) were retrieved. Results: The search resulted in 198 original research articles and a final 6 were selected as being eligible, including 457 subjects. The median age of patients was 65.4 years old and they were characterized by the median BMI value: 23.8 kg/m². The literature search revealed that probiotic/synbiotic administration improved enteric microbiota by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Eubacterium, Peptostreptococcus, Bacillus and Bifidobacterium, and decreased the abundance of potentially harmful bacteria such as Fusobacterium, Porhyromonas, Pseudomonas and Enterococcus. Additionally, probiotic/synbiotic intervention improved release of antimicrobials, intestinal permeability, tight junction function in CRC patients. Conclusions: The use of probiotics/synbiotics positively modulates enteric microbiota, improves postoperative outcomes, gut barrier function and reduces inflammatory parameters in patients suffering from CRC.     

Cordycepin reduces weight through regulating gut microbiota in high-fat diet-induced obese rats

Background

An increasing number of studies have shown that obesity is the key etiological agent of cardiovascular diseases, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes and several kinds of cancer and that gut microbiota change was one of the reasons suffering from obesity. At present, the gut microbiota has gained increased attention as a potential energy metabolism organ. Our recent study reported that cordycepin, a major bioactive component separated from Cordyceps militaris, prevented body weight gain in mice fed a high-fat diet directly acting to adipocytes, however, the effect of cordycepin regulating gut microbiota keeps unknown.

Methods

In this research, we synthesized cordycepin (3-deoxyadenosine) by chemical methods and verified that cordycepin reduces body weight gain and fat accumulation around the epididymis and the kidneys of rats fed a high-fat diet. Furthermore, we used high-throughput sequencing on a MiSeq Illumina platform to test the species of intestinal bacteria in high-fat-diet-induced obese rats.

Results

We found that cordycepin modifies the relative abundance of intestinal bacteria in high-fat-diet-induced obese rats. However, cordycepin did not alter the variety of bacteria in the intestine. Cordycepin treatment dramatically reversed the relative abundance of two dominant bacterial phyla (Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes) in the high-fat-diet-induced obese rats, resulting in abundance similar to that of the chow diet group.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that cordycepin can reduce body weight and microbiome done by cordycepin seems be a result among its mechanisms of obesity reduction.