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Frontiers in Neuroscience 2024Evidence has demonstrated that exoskeleton robots can improve intestinal function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the underlying mechanisms remain...
Evidence has demonstrated that exoskeleton robots can improve intestinal function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the underlying mechanisms remain unelucidated. This study investigated the effects of exoskeleton-assisted walking (EAW) on intestinal function and intestinal flora structure in T2-L1 motor complete paraplegia patients. The results showed that five participants in the EAW group and three in the conventional group reported improvements in at least one bowel management index, including an increased frequency of bowel evacuations, less time spent on bowel management per day, and less external assistance (manual digital stimulation, medication, and enema usage). After 8 weeks of training, the amount of glycerol used in the EAW group decreased significantly (0.05). The EAW group showed an increasing trend in the neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) score after 8 weeks of training, while the conventional group showed a worsening trend. Patients who received the EAW intervention exhibited a decreased abundance of and , while , , and were upregulated. In addition, there were decreases in the abundances of , , , , , , and . In contrast, , , , , , , and showed upregulation among the top 15 genera. The abundance of was significantly higher in the EAW group than in the conventional group, and increased significantly in EAW individuals at 8 weeks. This study suggests that EAW can improve intestinal function of SCI patients in a limited way, and may be associated with changes in the abundance of intestinal flora, especially an increase in beneficial bacteria. In the future, we need to further understand the changes in microbial groups caused by EAW training and all related impact mechanisms, especially intestinal flora metabolites. : https://www.chictr.org.cn/.
PubMed: 38952922
DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1395671 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Jun 2024Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a common mycotoxin that causes intestinal injury in humans and various animal species. OTA may lead to intestinal injury in offspring due to the...
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a common mycotoxin that causes intestinal injury in humans and various animal species. OTA may lead to intestinal injury in offspring due to the maternal effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of embryo injected with OTA induced jejunum injury in ducklings. The results showed that OTA disrupted the jejunum tight junctions in hatching ducklings, and promoted the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. And this inflammatory response was caused by the activation of the TLR4 signaling pathway. Moreover, embryo injected with OTA could cause damage to the intestinal barrier in 21-day-old ducks, characterized by shortened villi, crypt hyperplasia, disrupted intestinal tight junctions, increased level of LPS in the jejunum, activation of the TLR4 signaling pathway, and increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Meanwhile, OTA induced oxidative stress in the jejunum. And dysbiosis of gut microbiota was mainly characterized by an increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides, Megamonas, Fournierella, and decreased the relative abundance of Alistipes and Weissella. Interestingly, embryo injected with OTA did not induce these changes in the jejunum of antibiotics-treated 21-day-old ducks. In conclusion, embryo injected with OTA induced jejunum injury in ducklings by activating the TLR4 signaling pathway, which involvement of intestinal microbiota.
PubMed: 38945100
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116666 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024The extract of , a traditional Chinese medicinal and food homologous plant belonging to the family Orchidaceae, was previously reported to have hypoglycemic and...
The extract of , a traditional Chinese medicinal and food homologous plant belonging to the family Orchidaceae, was previously reported to have hypoglycemic and antioxidant effects. In this study, the direct effects of polysaccharide (DHP) and non-polysaccharide (NDHP) components of , as well as its water extract (DHWE) were compared with that of metformin (an antidiabetic drug) on the gut microbiota (collected from fecal flora) of rats with streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes (T1D) using an in vitro fermentation method. The results showed that DHWE, DHP, and NDHP reduced pH and increased bacterial proliferation and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content in fermentation broth. DHWE, DHP, NDHP and metformin promoted the production of acetic and propionic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid, and propionic acid, respectively. DHWE, DHP, and NDHP reduced the abundance of (subdominant pathogenic bacteria) and increased the abundance of (dominant beneficial gut bacteria). NDHP also reduced the abundance of (beneficial and conditional pathogenic). Metformin increased the abundance of and reduced the abundance of and . At the genus level, NDHP promoted the proliferation of and and decreased harmful bacteria (e.g., ), and DHP increased the abundance of (opportunistic and usually harmless). By contrast, metformin increased the abundance of harmful bacteria (e.g., ) and reduced the abundance of beneficial bacteria (e.g., ). Our study indicates that DHWE, DHP, and NDHP are potentially more beneficial than metformin on the gut microbiota of T1D rats in vitro.
Topics: Animals; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Metformin; Dendrobium; Polysaccharides; Rats; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Hypoglycemic Agents; Plant Extracts; Male; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental
PubMed: 38930856
DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122791 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024This study aimed to investigate the gut microbiota composition in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to neurotypical (NT) children, with a focus on...
Comprehensive Analysis of Gut Microbiota Composition and Functional Metabolism in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Neurotypical Children: Implications for Sex-Based Differences and Metabolic Dysregulation.
This study aimed to investigate the gut microbiota composition in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to neurotypical (NT) children, with a focus on identifying potential differences in gut bacteria between these groups. The microbiota was analyzed through the massive sequencing of region V3-V4 of the 16S RNA gene, utilizing DNA extracted from stool samples of participants. Our findings revealed no significant differences in the dominant bacterial phyla (Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobiota) between the ASD and NT groups. However, at the genus level, notable disparities were observed in the abundance of , , , and , all of which have been previously associated with ASD. Furthermore, a sex-based analysis unveiled additional discrepancies in gut microbiota composition. Specifically, three genera (, , ) exhibited variations between male and female groups in both ASD and NT cohorts. Particularly noteworthy was the exclusive presence of in females with ASD. Analysis of predicted metabolic pathways suggested an enrichment of pathways related to amine and polyamine degradation, as well as amino acid degradation in the ASD group. Conversely, pathways implicated in carbohydrate biosynthesis, degradation, and fermentation were found to be underrepresented. Despite the limitations of our study, including a relatively small sample size (30 ASD and 31 NT children) and the utilization of predicted metabolic pathways derived from 16S RNA gene analysis rather than metagenome sequencing, our findings contribute to the growing body of evidence suggesting a potential association between gut microbiota composition and ASD. Future research endeavors should focus on validating these findings with larger sample sizes and exploring the functional significance of these microbial differences in ASD. Additionally, there is a critical need for further investigations to elucidate sex differences in gut microbiota composition and their potential implications for ASD pathology and treatment.
Topics: Humans; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Female; Male; Child; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Bacteria; Feces; Child, Preschool; Sex Factors; Sex Characteristics; Metabolic Networks and Pathways
PubMed: 38928411
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126701 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024Complex gut microbiota increases chickens' resistance to enteric pathogens. However, the principles of this phenomenon are not understood in detail. One of the...
Complex gut microbiota increases chickens' resistance to enteric pathogens. However, the principles of this phenomenon are not understood in detail. One of the possibilities for how to decipher the role of gut microbiota in chickens' resistance to enteric pathogens is to systematically characterise the gene expression of individual gut microbiota members colonising the chicken caecum. To reach this aim, newly hatched chicks were inoculated with bacterial species whose whole genomic sequence was known. Total protein purified from the chicken caecum was analysed by mass spectrometry, and the obtained spectra were searched against strain-specific protein databases generated from known genomic sequences. , sp. and did not utilise carbohydrates when colonising the chicken caecum. On the other hand, , , , , , , , and fermented carbohydrates. was the only motile bacterium, and expressed the type VI secretion system. Classification of in vivo expression is key for understanding the role of individual species in complex microbial populations colonising the intestinal tract. Knowledge of the expression of motility, the type VI secretion system, and preference for carbohydrate or amino acid fermentation is important for the selection of bacteria for defined competitive exclusion products.
Topics: Animals; Chickens; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Amino Acids; Type VI Secretion Systems; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Cecum; Bacteria
PubMed: 38928209
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126505 -
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2024The objective of this study is to review different methods to screen for the optimal model for preventing and treating chicken glandular and muscular gastritis syndrome....
The objective of this study is to review different methods to screen for the optimal model for preventing and treating chicken glandular and muscular gastritis syndrome. Twenty-four 40-day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens were randomly allocated into four groups ( = 6): polyethylene glycol + ammonium chloride group (M1 group), acetic acid + rhubarb group (M2 group), polyethylene glycol + rhubarb group (M3 group), and control group. The control group had free access to water, while the remaining groups received different doses of molding reagents added to their drinking water. The animal models were assessed based on clinical manifestations, histopathology findings, serological analysis, and composition of intestinal microbiota to establish an optimal approach for constructing an avian model of glandular and muscular gastritis. The SPF chickens in each model group exhibited typical symptoms of glandular and muscular gastritis, poor spirit, yellow loose stools with undigested feed, and enlargement and ulceration of the glandular and muscular stomach. Among these groups, the M3 group had the highest incidence rate of 100%. Compared to the control group, the body weight and body temperature of the chicken in the three model groups were reduced, and the glandular and muscular stomachs and duodenum showed different degrees of bleeding, mucosal abscission, and other pathological injuries. Additionally, the levels of serum IL-2 and α-amylase activity decreased while the content of IL-4 increased. After conducting 16s rDNA sequencing, it was observed that the abundance of , and was significantly increased in the model group compared to the control group. Conversely, there was a notable decrease in the levels of and , which are speculated to be associated with arachidonic acid metabolism, the NF-κB signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathways. The combination of polyethylene glycol and rhubarb emerged as the most effective method for establishing the glandular and muscular gastritis model in SPF chickens. This constructed chicken model displayed distinct signs of damage to the glandular and muscular stomach, inflammatory response, and disturbance in the intestinal flora, thereby providing a foundation for future research on the prevention and treatment of this syndrome.
PubMed: 38887537
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1343768 -
Infection and Drug Resistance 2024The clinical manifestations of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) vary between patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the relationship between PLA and the...
PURPOSE
The clinical manifestations of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) vary between patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the relationship between PLA and the gut microbiome remains unknown. This study analyzed the composition of gut microbiota in PLA patients with and without DM and healthy controls (HCs) with the goal of identifying potential reasons for the observed variations in clinical manifestations.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Using 16S ribosomal RNA(16S rRNA) gene sequencing, we analyzed the compositions of gut microbiota in 32 PLA patients with DM, 32 PLA patients without DM, and 29 matched HCs.
RESULTS
In PLA patients with DM, the D-dimer level, fibrinogen degradation products, and thrombin time were significantly higher compared to the PLA patients without DM ( < 0.05). The abundance and diversity of intestinal flora were reduced in both groups of PLA patients compared with the HCs ( < 0.05). Specifically, the PLA patients with DM showed significant decreases in the relative abundances of , and , whereas and were relatively more abundant ( < 0.05). Compared to PLA patients without DM, those with DM had lower relative abundances of and ( < 0.05) and showed different bacterial flora, including and .
CONCLUSION
PLA patients with DM exhibited more severe clinical manifestations of PLA compared to patients without DM. It is important to monitor blood coagulation in PLA patients with DM to prevent the development of thrombotic diseases. Additionally, PLA patients with DM exhibit distinct differences in the composition and diversity of their intestinal flora compared to both PLA patients without DM and HCs.
PubMed: 38828371
DOI: 10.2147/IDR.S456423 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Persistent post-surgical pain (PPSP) is defined as pain which continues after a surgical operation in a significant form for at least three months (and is not related to... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
Persistent post-surgical pain (PPSP) is defined as pain which continues after a surgical operation in a significant form for at least three months (and is not related to pre-existing painful conditions). PPSP is a common, under-recognised, and important clinical problem which affects millions of patients worldwide. Preventative measures which are currently available include the selection of a minimally invasive surgical technique and an aggressive multimodal perioperative analgesic regimen. More recently, a role for the gut microbiota in pain modulation has become increasingly apparent. This study aims to investigate any relationship between the gut microbiota and PPSP. A prospective observational study of 68 female adult patients undergoing surgery for management of breast cancer was carried out. Stool samples from 45 of these patients were obtained to analyse the composition of the gut microbiota. Measures of pain and state-trait anxiety were also taken to investigate further dimensions in any relationship between the gut microbiota and PPSP. At 12 weeks postoperatively, 21 patients (51.2%) did not have any pain and 20 patients (48.8%) reported feeling pain that persisted at that time. Analysis of the gut microbiota revealed significantly lower alpha diversity (using three measures) in those patients reporting severe pain at the 60 min post-operative and the 12 weeks post-operative timepoints. A cluster of taxa represented by Bifidobacterium longum, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii was closely associated with those individuals reporting no pain at 12 weeks postoperatively, while Megamonas hypermegale, Bacteroides pectinophilus, Ruminococcus bromii, and Roseburia hominis clustered relatively closely in the group of patients fulfilling the criteria for persistent post-operative pain. We report for the first time specific associations between the gut microbiota composition and the presence or absence of PPSP. This may provide further insights into mechanisms behind the role of the gut microbiota in the development of PPSP and could inform future treatment strategies.
Topics: Humans; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Breast Neoplasms; Pain, Postoperative; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Adult; Aged; Feces
PubMed: 38811609
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62397-1 -
Microbial Cell (Graz, Austria) 2024Diarrheagenic (DEC) is the main cause of diarrhea in children under five years old. The virulence of DEC is tightly regulated by environmental signals influenced by the...
Diarrheagenic (DEC) is the main cause of diarrhea in children under five years old. The virulence of DEC is tightly regulated by environmental signals influenced by the gut microbiota and its metabolites. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are the main metabolic product of anaerobic fermentation in the gut, but their role in DEC diarrhea has not yet been established. In this study, we determine the levels of acetate, propionate, and butyrate in stool samples from children with diarrhea caused by DEC, and we identify bacteria from the fecal gut microbiota associated with the production of SCFAs. The microbiota and SCFAs levels in stool samples obtained from 40 children with diarrhea and 43 healthy children were determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and HPLC, respectively. Additionally, shotgun metagenomics was used to identify metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) in a subgroup of samples. The results showed significantly higher levels of all SCFAs tested in diarrheal samples than in healthy controls. The abundance of sp., , , , , and was higher in the DEC group than in healthy individuals. Functional analysis of bacteria and their main metabolic pathways made it possible to identify species MAGs that could be responsible for the detected SCFAs levels in DEC-positive diarrhea. In conclusion, based on our results and published data, we suggest that SCFAs may be important in the crosstalk between the microbiota and DEC pathogens in the gut.
PubMed: 38799407
DOI: 10.15698/mic2024.04.820 -
Current Research in Food Science 2024fruit has attracted more and more attention due to its various pharmacological activities, which are rich in polysaccharides. This study investigated the...
fruit has attracted more and more attention due to its various pharmacological activities, which are rich in polysaccharides. This study investigated the saliva-gastrointestinal digestion and fecal fermentation behaviors of polysaccharides from fruit (CAP), as well as its impact on human gut microbiota. The results showed that CAP could be partially degraded during the gastrointestinal digestion. The FT-IR spectra of the digested CAP didn't change significantly, however, the morphological feature of SEM changed to disordered flocculent and rod-like structures. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis found that after fermentation, CAP could increase the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria including , and to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), while it can also reduce the abundances of harmful bacteria of , , and , suggesting that CAP could modulate the composition and abundance of gut microbiota. These results implied that CAP can be developed as a potential prebiotic in the future.
PubMed: 38764977
DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2024.100760