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Journal of Agricultural and Food... Apr 2024Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by fat accumulation and inflammation. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been proven to be effective against...
Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin Gallate Protects Against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Associated Endotoxemia in Rats via Modulating Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis and Alleviating Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction and Related Inflammation.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by fat accumulation and inflammation. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been proven to be effective against NAFLD, but its hepatoprotective mechanisms based on the "gut microbiota-barrier-liver axis" are still not fully understood. Herein, the results demonstrated that EGCG effectively ameliorated NAFLD phenotypes and metabolic disorders in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD), and inhibited intestinal barrier dysfunction and inflammation, which is also supported in the experiment of Caco-2 cells. Moreover, EGCG could restore gut microbiota diversity and composition, particularly promoting beneficial microbes, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) producers, such as , and suppressing Gram-negative bacteria, such as . The microbial modulation raised SCFA levels, decreased lipopolysaccharide levels, inhibited the TLR4/NF-κB pathway, and strengthened intestinal barrier function via Nrf2 pathway activation, thereby alleviating liver steatosis and inflammation. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that 24 key OTUs, negatively or positively associated with NAFLD and metabolic disorders, were also reshaped by EGCG. Our results suggested that a combinative improvement of EGCG on gut microbiota dysbiosis, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and inflammation might be a potential therapeutic target for NAFLD.
PubMed: 38607257
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c04832 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials May 2024This study investigated the leaching of phthalate and non-phthalate plasticizers from polyvinyl chloride microplastics (MPs) into sediment and their degradation over a...
This study investigated the leaching of phthalate and non-phthalate plasticizers from polyvinyl chloride microplastics (MPs) into sediment and their degradation over a 30-d period via abiotic and biotic processes. The results showed that 3579% of plasticizers were released into the sediment from the MPs and > 99.9% degradation was achieved. Although a significantly higher degradation was found in plasticizer-added microcosms under biotic processes (overall, 94%), there was a noticeable abiotic loss (72%), suggesting that abiotic processes also play a role in plasticizer degradation. Interestingly, when compared with the initial sediment-water partitioning for plasticizers, the partition constants for low-molecular-weight compounds decreased in both microcosms, whereas those for high-molecular-weight compounds increased after abiotic degradation. Furthermore, changes in the bacterial community, abundance of plasticizer-degrading bacterial populations, and functional gene profiles were assessed. In all the microcosms, a decrease in bacterial community diversity and a notable shift in bacterial composition were observed. The enriched potential plasticizer-degrading bacteria were Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Desulfovibrio, Desulfuromonas, Devosia, Gordonia, Mycobacterium, and Sphingomonas, among which Bacillus was recognized as the key plasticizer degrader. Overall, these findings shed light on the factors affecting plasticizer degradation, the microbial communities potentially involved in biodegradation, and the fate of plasticizers in the environment.
Topics: Polyvinyl Chloride; Plasticizers; Geologic Sediments; Phthalic Acids; Microplastics; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Bacteria; Biodegradation, Environmental
PubMed: 38598880
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134167 -
Transplantation Jul 2024Despite ongoing improvements to regimens preventing allograft rejection, most cardiac and other organ grafts eventually succumb to chronic vasculopathy, interstitial...
BACKGROUND
Despite ongoing improvements to regimens preventing allograft rejection, most cardiac and other organ grafts eventually succumb to chronic vasculopathy, interstitial fibrosis, or endothelial changes, and eventually graft failure. The events leading to chronic rejection are still poorly understood and the gut microbiota is a known driving force in immune dysfunction. We previously showed that gut microbiota dysbiosis profoundly influences the outcome of vascularized cardiac allografts and subsequently identified biomarker species associated with these differential graft outcomes.
METHODS
In this study, we further detailed the multifaceted immunomodulatory properties of protolerogenic and proinflammatory bacterial species over time, using our clinically relevant model of allogenic heart transplantation.
RESULTS
In addition to tracing longitudinal changes in the recipient gut microbiome over time, we observed that Bifidobacterium pseudolongum induced an early anti-inflammatory phenotype within 7 d, whereas Desulfovibrio desulfuricans resulted in a proinflammatory phenotype, defined by alterations in leukocyte distribution and lymph node (LN) structure. Indeed, in vitro results showed that B pseudolongum and D desulfuricans acted directly on primary innate immune cells. However, by 40 d after treatment, these 2 bacterial strains were associated with mixed effects in their impact on LN architecture and immune cell composition and loss of colonization within gut microbiota, despite protection of allografts from inflammation with B pseudolongum treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
These dynamic effects suggest a critical role for early microbiota-triggered immunologic events such as innate immune cell engagement, T-cell differentiation, and LN architectural changes in the subsequent modulation of protolerant versus proinflammatory immune responses in organ transplant recipients.
Topics: Heart Transplantation; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Bifidobacterium; Graft Rejection; Animals; Male; Time Factors; Graft Survival; Dysbiosis; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Immunity, Innate; Immunomodulation; Phenotype; Probiotics; Lymph Nodes
PubMed: 38587506
DOI: 10.1097/TP.0000000000004939 -
Environmental Microbiology Reports Apr 2024Sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are the main culprits of microbiologically influenced corrosion in water-flooding petroleum reservoirs, but some sulphur-oxidising...
Nitrate and oxygen significantly changed the abundance rather than structure of sulphate-reducing and sulphur-oxidising bacteria in water retrieved from petroleum reservoirs.
Sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are the main culprits of microbiologically influenced corrosion in water-flooding petroleum reservoirs, but some sulphur-oxidising bacteria (SOB) are stimulated when nitrate and oxygen are injected, which control the growth of SRB. This study aimed to determine the distributions of SRB and SOB communities in injection-production systems and to analyse the responses of these bacteria to different treatments involving nitrate and oxygen. Desulfovibrio, Desulfobacca, Desulfobulbus, Sulfuricurvum and Dechloromonas were commonly detected via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Still, no significant differences were observed for either the SRB or SOB communities between injection and production wells. Three groups of water samples collected from different sampling sites were incubated. Statistical analysis of functional gene (dsrB and soxB) clone libraries and quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that the SOB community structures were more strongly affected by the nitrate and oxygen levels than SRB clustered according to the sampling site; moreover, both the SRB and SOB community abundances significantly changed. Additionally, the highest SRB inhibitory effect and the lowest dsrB/soxB ratio were obtained under high concentrations of nitrate and oxygen in the three groups, suggesting that the synergistic effect of nitrate and oxygen level was strong on the inhibition of SRB by potential SOB.
Topics: Nitrates; Petroleum; Sulfates; Water; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Bacteria; Desulfovibrio; Organic Chemicals; Sulfur; Oxidation-Reduction
PubMed: 38581137
DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13248 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2024Hypertrophic scars affect a significant number of individuals annually, giving rise to both cosmetic concerns and functional impairments. Prior research has established...
Hypertrophic scars affect a significant number of individuals annually, giving rise to both cosmetic concerns and functional impairments. Prior research has established that an imbalance in the composition of gut microbes, termed microbial dysbiosis, can initiate the progression of various diseases through the intricate interplay between gut microbiota and the host. However, the precise nature of the causal link between gut microbiota and hypertrophic scarring remains uncertain. In this study, after compiling summary data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) involving 418 instances of gut microbiota and hypertrophic scarring, we conducted a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the potential existence of a causal relationship between gut microbiota and the development of hypertrophic scar and to discern the directionality of causation. By utilizing MR analysis, we identified seven causal associations between gut microbiome and hypertrophic scarring, involving one positive and six negative causal directions. Among them, , , , , , and act as protective factors against hypertrophic scarring, while suggests a potential role as a risk factor for hypertrophic scars. Additionally, sensitivity analyses of these results revealed no indications of heterogeneity or pleiotropy. The findings of our MR study suggest a potential causative link between gut microbiota and hypertrophic scarring, opening up new ways for future mechanistic research and the exploration of nanobiotechnology therapies for skin disorders.
PubMed: 38577682
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1345717 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials May 2024Perfluorooctane sulfonates (PFOS) are the persistent organic pollutants. In the present study, 0, 0.3, or 3-mg/kg PFOS were administered to pregnant mice from GD 11 to...
Perfluorooctane sulfonates (PFOS) are the persistent organic pollutants. In the present study, 0, 0.3, or 3-mg/kg PFOS were administered to pregnant mice from GD 11 to GD 18. The histopathology of liver and intestine, serum and hepatic lipid levels, lipid metabolism related genes, and gut microbiota were examined in adult female offspring. The results suggested that maternal PFOS exposure increased serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and induced F4/80 macrophage infiltration in adult female offspring, in addition to the elevation of TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA levels in low-dose and high-dose groups, respectively. Furthermore, maternal exposure to PFOS increased serum triglyceride (TG) and hepatic total cholesterol (TC) levels, which was associated with the alteration of the process of fatty acid transport and β-oxidation, TG synthesis and transport, cholesterol synthesis and excretion in the liver. The AMPK/mTOR/autophagy signaling was also inhibited in the liver of adult female offspring. Moreover, changes in gut microbiota were also related to lipid metabolism, especially for the Desulfovibrio, Ligilactobacillus, Enterorhabdus, HT002 and Peptococcaceae_unclassified. Additionally, maternal exposure to PFOS decreased mRNA expressions of the tight junction protein and AB goblet cells in the colon, while increasing the overproduction of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and F4/80 macrophage infiltration. Collectively, maternal PFOS exposure induced liver lipid accumulation and inflammation, which strongly correlated with the disruption of the gut-liver axis and autophagy in adult female offspring, highlighting the persistent adverse effects in offspring exposed to PFOS.
Topics: Animals; Fluorocarbons; Female; Liver; Pregnancy; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Lipid Metabolism; Alkanesulfonic Acids; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Autophagy; Maternal Exposure; Inflammation; Mice; Male
PubMed: 38565010
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134177 -
Water Research May 2024Carbon amendments designed to remediate environmental contamination lead to substantial perturbations when injected into the subsurface. For the remediation of uranium...
Carbon amendments designed to remediate environmental contamination lead to substantial perturbations when injected into the subsurface. For the remediation of uranium contamination, carbon amendments promote reducing conditions to allow microorganisms to reduce uranium to an insoluble, less mobile state. However, the reproducibility of these amendments and underlying microbial community assembly mechanisms have rarely been investigated in the field. In this study, two injections of emulsified vegetable oil were performed in 2009 and 2017 to immobilize uranium in the groundwater at Oak Ridge, TN, USA. Our objectives were to determine whether and how the injections resulted in similar abiotic and biotic responses and their underlying community assembly mechanisms. Both injections caused similar geochemical and microbial succession. Uranium, nitrate, and sulfate concentrations in the groundwater dropped following the injection, and specific microbial taxa responded at roughly the same time points in both injections, including Geobacter, Desulfovibrio, and members of the phylum Comamonadaceae, all of which are well established in uranium, nitrate, and sulfate reduction. Both injections induced a transition from relatively stochastic to more deterministic assembly of microbial taxonomic and phylogenetic community structures based on 16S rRNA gene analysis. We conclude that geochemical and microbial successions after biostimulation are reproducible, likely owing to the selection of similar phylogenetic groups in response to EVO injection.
PubMed: 38552495
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121460 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Apr 2024Sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRPs) are essential microorganisms that play crucial roles in various ecological processes. Even though SRPs have been studied for over a... (Review)
Review
Sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRPs) are essential microorganisms that play crucial roles in various ecological processes. Even though SRPs have been studied for over a century, there are still gaps in our understanding of their biology. In the past two decades, a significant amount of data on SRP ecology has been accumulated. This review aims to consolidate that information, focusing on SRPs in soils, their relation to the rare biosphere, uncultured sulfate reducers, and their interactions with other organisms in terrestrial ecosystems. SRPs in soils form part of the rare biosphere and contribute to various processes as a low-density population. The data reveal a diverse range of sulfate-reducing taxa intricately involved in terrestrial carbon and sulfur cycles. While some taxa like and are well studied, others are more enigmatic. For example, members of the Acidobacteriota phylum appear to hold significant importance for the terrestrial sulfur cycle. Many aspects of SRP ecology remain mysterious, including sulfate reduction in different bacterial phyla, interactions with bacteria and fungi in soils, and the existence of soil sulfate-reducing archaea. Utilizing metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and culture-dependent approaches will help uncover the diversity, functional potential, and adaptations of SRPs in the global environment.
Topics: Ecosystem; Bacteria; Desulfovibrio; Sulfates; Sulfur; Soil
PubMed: 38551370
DOI: 10.1128/aem.01390-23 -
Microorganisms Feb 2024larvae are farm-raised for food, are used in traditional East Asian medicine, and convert organic waste into biofertilizers. Here, the comparative analysis of the gut...
larvae are farm-raised for food, are used in traditional East Asian medicine, and convert organic waste into biofertilizers. Here, the comparative analysis of the gut microbiota of third-instar larvae obtained from five different farms was investigated using 16S rRNA microbial profiling. Species richness, evenness, and diversity results using α-diversity analysis (observed species, Chao1, Shannon, Simpson) were similar between farms, except for those between the TO and KO farms. β-diversity was significantly different in distribution and relative abundance between farms (PERMANOVA, pseudo-F = 13.20, = 0.001). At the phylum level, , , , and were the most dominant, accounting for 73-88% of the hindgut microbial community. At the genus level, , and were the most abundant. Although oak sawdust was the main feed component, there were large variations in distribution and relative abundance across farms at the phylum and genus levels. Venn diagram and linear discriminant analysis effect size analyses revealed large variations in the hindgut microbial communities of larvae between farms. These results suggest environmental factors were more important than feed ingredients or genetic predisposition for the establishment of the intestinal microbiota of larvae. These findings serve as reference data to understand the intestinal microbiota of larvae.
PubMed: 38543547
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12030496 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2024Many amphibian behaviors and physiological functions adapt to daily environmental changes through variations in circadian rhythms. However, these adaptations have yet to...
Many amphibian behaviors and physiological functions adapt to daily environmental changes through variations in circadian rhythms. However, these adaptations have yet to be reported in Dybowski's frog (). We aimed to elucidate the dynamic changes in the behavior and gut microbiota of within a 24 h cycle during their migration to hibernation sites. Thus, we monitored their behavior at 4 h intervals and collected samples for microbiome analysis. We found that the juvenile frogs arrived at hibernation sites earlier than the adults. Among the adults, the male frogs arrived earlier. The richness and diversity of the gut microbiota in the adult were lowest at 14:00. At 6:00, the differences between the males and females were most significant. At 18:00, there was an increase in the activity of , , , and in the intestinal tracts of the male frogs, whereas in the intestinal tract of the female frogs, there was an increase in the activity of , , , and . This indicated diurnal rhythmic variations in the gut microbiota and significant sex-based differences in the microbial activity at different time points. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the circadian rhythm of and provide crucial insights into improving breeding strategies.
PubMed: 38541648
DOI: 10.3390/life14030322