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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 -
New Microbes and New Infections Jun 2024
PubMed: 38799897
DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2024.101387 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... May 2024Oyster reefs are invaluable ecosystems that provide a wide array of critical ecosystem services, including water filtration, coastal protection, and habitat provision...
Oyster reefs are invaluable ecosystems that provide a wide array of critical ecosystem services, including water filtration, coastal protection, and habitat provision for various marine species. However, these essential habitats face escalating threats from climate change and anthropogenic stressors. To combat these challenges, numerous oyster restoration initiatives have been undertaken, representing a global effort to preserve and restore these vital ecosystems. A significant, yet poorly understood, component of oyster reefs is the microbial communities. These communities account for a substantial proportion of marine reefs and are pivotal in driving key biogeochemical processes. Particularly, the environmental microbiome plays a crucial role in supporting the health and resilience of oyster populations. In our study, we sought to shed light on the microbiome within oyster reef ecosystems by characterizing the abundance, and diversity of microorganisms in the soil, biofilm, and oysters in 4 sites using a combinatorial approach to identify differentially abundant microbes by sample type and by sampling location. Our investigation revealed distinct microbial taxa in oysters, sediment and biofilm. The maximum Shannon Index indicated a slightly increased diversity in Heron's Head (5.47), followed by Brickyard park (5.35), Dunphy Park (5.17) and Point Pinole (4.85). This is likely to be driven by significantly higher oyster mortality observed at Point Pinole during routine monitoring and restoration efforts. Interestingly , and were positively associated with the biofilm. Yet we have limited understanding of their beneficial and/or detrimental implications to oyster growth and survival. By unraveling the intricate relationships in microbial composition across an oyster reef, our study contributes to advancing the knowledge needed to support effective oyster reef conservation and restoration efforts.
PubMed: 38798377
DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.15.594453 -
Microorganisms May 2024To measure associations between gardening with different compost amendments and the human gut microbiota composition, gardeners (n = 25) were provided with one of three...
To measure associations between gardening with different compost amendments and the human gut microbiota composition, gardeners (n = 25) were provided with one of three types of compost: chicken manure (CM), dairy manure and plant material (DMP), or plant-based (P). Stool samples were collected before gardening (T1), after compost amendment (T2), and at peak garden harvest (T3). Compost and soil samples were collected. DNA was extracted, 16S rRNA libraries were established, and libraries were sequenced by Illumina MiSeq. Sequences were processed using mothur, and data were analyzed in R software version 4.2.2. Fast expectation-maximization microbial source tracking analysis was used to determine stool bacteria sources. At T2/T3, the gut microbiotas of P participants had the lowest Shannon alpha diversity, which was also the trend at T1. In stool from T2, were less abundant in the microbiotas of those using P compost as compared to those using CM or DMP. At T2, had the highest abundance in the microbiotas of those using CM compost. In participants who used CM compost to amend their gardening plots, a larger proportion of the human stool bacteria were sourced from CM compared to soil. Soil exposure through gardening was associated with a small but detectable change in the gardeners' gut microbiota composition. These results suggest that human interactions with soil through gardening could potentially impact health through alterations to the gut microbiota.
PubMed: 38792758
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050928 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024is notably rich in flavonoids and phenylethanoid glycosides, making it a significant natural source of antioxidants. We examined the effects of aqueous extract (CNE)...
is notably rich in flavonoids and phenylethanoid glycosides, making it a significant natural source of antioxidants. We examined the effects of aqueous extract (CNE) on growth performance, antioxidant function, immunity, intestinal barrier function, nutrient transporters, and microbiota of broilers. A total of 360 one-day-old broilers were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: a basal diet with 0 (control, CON), 300 mg/kg (CNEL), 500 mg/kg (CNEM), and 700 mg/kg (CNEH) CNE for 42 days. CNEL and CNEM groups quadratically increased body weight and average daily gain but decreased feed-to-gain ratios during the starter and whole phases. Regarding the immune response of broilers, CNE treatment linearly down-regulated jejunal myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) expression and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interferon-γ expression in the liver (d 21), while decreasing jejunal IL-1β expression and the concentration of serum tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 (d 42). The CNEM and CNEH groups had lower MyD88 and nuclear factor kappa B expression in the liver (d 21) compared to the CON group. Broilers in the CNEL and CNEM groups had higher spleen index and thymus index (d 21) and interleukin-10 expression from the liver and jejunal mucosa (d 42) than that in the CON group. For the antioxidant capacity of broilers, CNE treatment linearly decreased the content of malonaldehyde and increased the activity of total antioxidant capacity in serum (d 42). CNEM and CNEH groups linearly increased the activity of superoxide dismutase in serum and heme oxygenase-1 expression in the liver, while increasing the activity of glutathione peroxidase in serum, jejunal nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 expression, and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 expression in the liver (d 42). As for the growth hormone of broilers, CNEM group increased the level of serum insulin-like growth factor 1 and up-regulated jejunal glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) expression (d 21). Broilers in the CNEM and CNEH groups had higher jejunal GLP-2 expression and growth hormone (GH) expression in the liver and the level of serum GH (d 42) than that in the CON group. Additionally, the villus height and jejunal Occludin and Claudin-1 expression in the CNEM group increased. CNE-containing diets resulted in a linear increase in the expression of jejunal zonula occluden-1 (d 21), villus height to crypt depth ratio, jejunal Occludin, excitatory amino acid transporters-3, and peptide-transporter 1 (d 42). The regulation of , , and genera indicated that CNEH altered the composition of the cecal microbiota. In general, supplementing broilers with aqueous extract could boost hormones, immune and antioxidant function, and gut health, improving their growth performance. Hence, CNE was a promising poultry feed additive, with 500 mg/kg appearing to be the optimal dose.
PubMed: 38790677
DOI: 10.3390/antiox13050572 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024This study investigated the effects of an antibiotic cocktail on intestinal microbial composition, mechanical barrier structure, and immune functions in early broilers....
This study investigated the effects of an antibiotic cocktail on intestinal microbial composition, mechanical barrier structure, and immune functions in early broilers. One-day-old healthy male broiler chicks were treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic cocktail (ABX; neomycin, ampicillin, metronidazole, vancomycin, and kanamycin, 0.5 g/L each) or not in drinking water for 7 and 14 days, respectively. Sequencing of 16S rRNA revealed that ABX treatment significantly reduced relative Firmicutes, unclassified Lachnospiraceae, unclassified Oscillospiraceae, , and unclassified Ruminococcaceae abundance in the cecum and relative Firmicutes, and abundance in the ileum, but significantly increased richness (Chao and ACE indices) and relative abundance in the ileum and cecum along with relatively enriched Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and levels in the ileum following ABX treatment for 14 days. ABX treatment for 14 days also significantly decreased intestinal weight and length, along with villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) of the small intestine, and remarkably increased serum , , , and levels, as well as intestinal mucosa and activity. Moreover, prolonged use of ABX significantly downregulated , , and gene expression, along with goblet cell numbers in the ileum. Additionally, chickens given ABX for 14 days had lower acetic acid, butyric acid, and isobutyric acid content in the cecum than the chickens treated with ABX for 7 days and untreated chickens. Spearman correlation analysis found that those decreased potential beneficial bacteria were positively correlated with gut health-related indices, while those increased potential pathogenic strains were positively correlated with gut inflammation and gut injury-related parameters. Taken together, prolonged ABX application increased antibiotic-resistant species abundance, induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, delayed intestinal morphological development, disrupted intestinal barrier function, and perturbed immune response in early chickens. This study provides a reliable lower-bacteria chicken model for further investigation of the function of certain beneficial bacteria in the gut by fecal microbiota transplantation into germ-free or antibiotic-treated chickens.
PubMed: 38786141
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13050413 -
Current Issues in Molecular Biology May 2024The correlation between neurodegenerative diseases and the gut microbiome is increasingly evident, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) being particularly notable... (Review)
Review
The correlation between neurodegenerative diseases and the gut microbiome is increasingly evident, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) being particularly notable for its severity and lack of therapeutic options. The gut microbiota, implicated in the pathogenesis and development of ALS, plays a crucial role in the disease. Bioactive plant molecules, specifically volatile compounds in essential oils, offer a promising therapeutic avenue due to their anti-inflammatory properties and gut-modulating effects. Our narrative review aimed to identify microbiota-associated bacteria in ALS and analyze the benefits of administering bioactive plant molecules as much-needed therapeutic options in the management of this disease. A comprehensive search of PubMed database articles published before December 2023, encompassing research on cell, human, and animal ALS models, was conducted. After selecting, analyzing, and discussing key articles, bacteria linked to ALS pathogenesis and physiopathology were identified. Notably, positively highlighted bacteria included (Verrucomicrobia phylum), and spp. (Firmicutes phylum). Conversely, members of the spp. (Proteobacteria phylum) and spp. (Firmicutes phylum) stood out negatively in respect to ALS development. These bacteria were associated with molecular changes linked to ALS pathogenesis and evolution. Bioactive plant molecules can be directly associated with improvements in the microbiome, due to their role in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, emerging as one of the most promising natural agents for enriching present-day ALS treatments.
PubMed: 38785539
DOI: 10.3390/cimb46050271 -
Scientific Reports May 2024This study aimed to explore the gut microbiota characteristics of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients. A case-control study was conducted, and high-throughput...
This study aimed to explore the gut microbiota characteristics of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients. A case-control study was conducted, and high-throughput sequencing of the V4-V5 region of 16S rRNA was used to analyze the differences in gut microbiota. The results showed that Proteobacteria was significantly increased in the ischemic stroke group compared with the healthy control group, while Fusobacteria was significantly increased in the hemorrhagic stroke group. In the ischemic stroke group, Butyricimonas, Alloprevotella, and Escherichia were significantly more abundant than in the healthy control group. In the hemorrhagic stroke group, Atopobium, Hungatella, Eisenbergiella, Butyricimonas, Odonbacter, Lachnociostridium, Alistipes, Parabacteroides, and Fusobacterium were significantly more abundant than in the healthy control group. Additionally, Alloprevotella, Ruminococcus, and Prevotella were significantly more abundant in the ischemic stroke group than in the hemorrhagic stroke group. The gut microbiota of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients has significant diversity characteristics. These results provide new theoretical basis for exploring the prevention and treatment of different types of stroke through gut microbiota research.
Topics: Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Ischemic Stroke; Male; Hemorrhagic Stroke; Female; Case-Control Studies; Middle Aged; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Aged; Bacteria; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
PubMed: 38782999
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62606-x -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2024Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the large intestine with superficial mucosal inflammation. A dysbiotic...
BACKGROUND
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the large intestine with superficial mucosal inflammation. A dysbiotic gut microbial profile has been associated with UC. Our study aimed to characterize the UC gut bacterial, fungal, and metabolic fingerprints by omic approaches.
METHODS
The 16S rRNA- and ITS2-based metataxonomics and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/solid phase microextraction (GC-MS/SPME) metabolomic analysis were performed on stool samples of 53 UC patients and 37 healthy subjects (CTRL). Univariate and multivariate approaches were applied to separated and integrated omic data, to define microbiota, mycobiota, and metabolic signatures in UC. The interaction between gut bacteria and fungi was investigated by network analysis.
RESULTS
In the UC cohort, we reported the increase of , , Enterobacteriaceae, TM7-3, , , , , , , Gemellaceae, and phenylethyl alcohol; and we also reported the decrease of ; Ruminococcaceae; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; hexadecane; cyclopentadecane; 5-hepten-2-ol, 6 methyl; 3-carene; caryophyllene; p-Cresol; 2-butenal; indole, 3-methyl-; 6-methyl-3,5-heptadiene-2-one; 5-octadecene; and 5-hepten-2-one, 6 methyl. The integration of the multi-omic data confirmed the presence of a distinctive bacterial, fungal, and metabolic fingerprint in UC gut microbiota. Moreover, the network analysis highlighted bacterial and fungal synergistic and/or divergent interkingdom interactions.
CONCLUSION
In this study, we identified intestinal bacterial, fungal, and metabolic UC-associated biomarkers. Furthermore, evidence on the relationships between bacterial and fungal ecosystems provides a comprehensive perspective on intestinal dysbiosis and ecological interactions between microorganisms in the framework of UC.
Topics: Humans; Colitis, Ulcerative; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Male; Adult; Female; Bacteria; Middle Aged; Metabolomics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Feces; Fungi; Dysbiosis; Metabolome; Aged; Young Adult; Solid Phase Microextraction; Mycobiome; Multiomics
PubMed: 38779566
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1366192 -
Animal Nutrition (Zhongguo Xu Mu Shou... Jun 2024The effects of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) on broiler growth performance, immune function, and intestinal health were investigated. A total of 540 one-d-old Arbor Acres...
The effects of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) on broiler growth performance, immune function, and intestinal health were investigated. A total of 540 one-d-old Arbor Acres Plus broilers were randomly divided into 5 groups with 6 replicates per group and 18 chickens per replicate. Broilers in the control (CON) group received a corn-soybean meal based basal diet, those in the antibiotics (ANT) group received the basal diet plus 500 mg/kg oxytetracycline, and those in XOS groups received the basal diet plus 150, 300, or 450 mg/kg XOS. Compared with CON, the body weight at 42 d and average daily gain from 1 to 42 d were significantly increased in the 150, 450 mg/kg XOS-added and ANT groups ( = 0.018), and the relative expression of claudin-1 and 1 mRNA in the ileum was significantly higher in the 300 and 450 mg/kg XOS-added groups ( < 0.001). The feed conversion ratios ( < 0.001) and abdominal fat rates ( = 0.012) of broilers from 1 to 42 d of age were significantly lower in all XOS-added groups than in the control group. Splenic index ( = 0.036) and bursa of Fabricius index ( = 0.009) were significantly better in the ANT group and each XOS-added group than in the control group. Compared to CON and ANT, serum IgA ( = 0.007) and IgG ( = 0.002) levels were significantly higher in the 300 mg/kg XOS-added group, and the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing genera () was also significantly higher ( < 0.001). Meanwhile, ileal villus height ( < 0.001) and ratio of villus height to crypt depth (V:C) ( = 0.001) were significantly increased in XOS-added broilers. In analysis of relationships between cecal microbes and the physical barrier of the gut, was positively correlated with mRNA expression of ileal and claudin-1 ( < 0.05), and was positively correlated with increased ileal villus height and V:C ( < 0.05). Overall, XOS addition to broiler diets improved growth performance, promoted intestinal health by enhancing intestinal barrier function and regulating cecal microbiota diversity, and had positive effects on immunity.
PubMed: 38779325
DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2024.01.004