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Journal of the History of Biology Oct 2022Now characterised by high-throughput sequencing methods that enable the study of microbes without lab culture, the human "microbiome" (the microbial flora of the body)...
Now characterised by high-throughput sequencing methods that enable the study of microbes without lab culture, the human "microbiome" (the microbial flora of the body) is said to have revolutionary implications for biology and medicine. According to many experts, we must now understand ourselves as "holobionts" like lichen or coral, multispecies superorganisms that consist of animal and symbiotic microbes in combination, because normal physiological function depends on them. Here I explore the 1960s research of biologist René Dubos, a forerunner figure mentioned in some historical accounts of the microbiome, and argue that he arrived at the superorganism concept 40 years before the Human Microbiome Project. This raises the question of why his contribution was not hailed as revolutionary at the time and why Dubos is not remembered for it.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Microbiota; Anthozoa; Symbiosis
PubMed: 36348188
DOI: 10.1007/s10739-022-09692-7 -
Journal of the American College of... Aug 2013The development of gestational diabetes and even milder forms of dysglycemia during pregnancy represents a maternal phenotype at increased subsequent risk for developing... (Review)
Review
The development of gestational diabetes and even milder forms of dysglycemia during pregnancy represents a maternal phenotype at increased subsequent risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and, with time, overt cardiovascular disease. A careful and systematic dissection of the hormonal, metabolic, and vascular changes occurring in such women during pregnancy and over the postpartum years provides a unique opportunity to identify conventional and novel conditions and biomarkers whose modification may attenuate adverse long-term outcomes, particularly cardiovascular risk. The purpose of this review is to summarize current understanding of the magnitude of such risk and its potential causes, with a particular focus on postpartum alterations in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle responsiveness.
Topics: Adiponectin; Algorithms; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetes, Gestational; Endothelium, Vascular; Female; Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Humans; Pregnancy; Risk Factors
PubMed: 23524050
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.01.080 -
Computational and Mathematical Methods... 2022Thirty-two pregnant women aged 25-35 who were hospitalized in Shanxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2019 to December 2019 were included for evaluation,...
METHOD
Thirty-two pregnant women aged 25-35 who were hospitalized in Shanxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2019 to December 2019 were included for evaluation, including 15 normal pregnant women (NG_NO group), 6 pregnant women with GDM alone (G_NO group), and 7 pregnant women with overweight alone (NG_O group). Stools were collected from pregnant women at 24 and 37 weeks of gestation and newborns' first meconium. The v3-v4 variable region of the gut flora 16s rRNA was double-ended sequenced and bioinformatically analyzed using the Illumina MiSeq PE300 sequencing platform.
RESULTS
In the third trimester of pregnancy, there were significant differences in the composition of intestinal flora between the simple overweight group, simple GDM group, and normal pregnant group. From the second trimester to the third trimester, there was no significant change in the relative distribution of intestinal flora at the phyla classification level in normal pregnant women. The relative distribution of intestinal flora at the phylum level of newborns was significantly different from that of their mothers. The characteristic intestinal microbes of newborns in simple GDM group were g_Diaphorobacter, while the simple recombinant neonates were Nocardiaceae (f_Nocardioidaceae). In addition, the results showed significant differences in intestinal flora among the normal pregnant women group, simple GDM group, simple overweight group, and GDM overweight group. The results of diversity analysis showed a significant difference in intestinal microflora species composition structure between the simple overweight group and the normal pregnant group in the second trimester of pregnancy. The species composition structure of intestinal flora was similar between the simple GDM group and the normal pregnant group. In the third trimester of pregnancy, there was no significant difference in the diversity index among the groups, and the composition and structure of intestinal flora were similar. There were significant differences in the composition structure ( diversity) of intestinal flora between pregnant women and their newborns in each group ( < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the blood glucose values of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)_1 h and OGTT_2 h were positively correlated with Bacteroides (Bacteroides) and negatively correlated with Proteus (Prevotella), prepregnancy BMI was negatively correlated with Bacteroides, and weight gain during pregnancy was negatively correlated with Vibrio (Desulfovibrio) in Proteus. The birth weight of newborns was positively correlated with Actinomycetes (Actinomyces), Bacteroides (Faecalibacterium), and microbacilli (Dialister) and negatively correlated with Rolston (Ralstonia).
CONCLUSION
Gut microbiota is strongly linked to obesity and gestational diabetes.
Topics: Blood Glucose; Body Mass Index; Child; Diabetes, Gestational; Female; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Obesity; Overweight; Pregnancy; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
PubMed: 35880087
DOI: 10.1155/2022/5677073 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2022The pathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP) remains unclear, and microbial dysbiosis has been proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of OLP. Oral mucosal swabs...
The pathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP) remains unclear, and microbial dysbiosis has been proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of OLP. Oral mucosal swabs from 77 OLP patients and 76 healthy subjects were collected. The bacterial community among the OLP lesion, the adjacent normal mucosal, and the oral mucosal surface in healthy people were analyzed by 16S sequencing. The factor of gender and age that may affect the flora distribution of OLP patients were explored. Results indicate no significant difference in microbiota between OLP and the adjacent group. Compared with the healthy group, Neisseria, Haemophilus, Fusobacterium, Porphyromonas, Rothia, Actinomyces, and Capnocytophaga significantly increased in the OLP group. Actinomyces increased in male OLP patients, and the other six bacteria increased in female OLP patients. In female OLP patients, Lautropia and Dialister were positively correlated with age. While in male OLP patients, Moraxella, Porphyromonas, and Fusobacterium were positively correlated with age. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that abnormal energy metabolism related to ATP synthases, abnormal transport and metabolism of glycans, amino acids, and vitamins, and disorders of the local immune microenvironment might exist in OLP lesion.
PubMed: 36338092
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.992065 -
Evidence-based Complementary and... 2022Diabetes mellitus (DM) continues to be one of the world's most costly and complex metabolic disorders. Accumulating evidence has shown that intestinal dysbiosis and...
BACKGROUND
Diabetes mellitus (DM) continues to be one of the world's most costly and complex metabolic disorders. Accumulating evidence has shown that intestinal dysbiosis and associated inflammation can facilitate the onset and progression of DM. In this work, our goal was to investigate how sodium butyrate (SB) controls the gut microbiota to reduce the intestinal inflammation brought on by diabetes.
METHODS
Male KK-Ay mice were randomized into two groups: the DM model group (intragastric administration of 0.9% normal saline) and the SB treatment group (intragastric administration of 1,000 mg/kg/d SB). The C57BL/6J mice were used as the control group (intragastric administration of 0.9% normal saline). These mice were administered via gavage for 8 weeks.
RESULTS
The results revealed that SB-treated mice significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (FBG), body weight, 24 h food and water intake, and improved islet histopathology in DM model mice. SB reduced TNF-, IL-1, and iNOS, whereas it enhanced the expression of the anti-inflammatory Arg-1 marker on intestinal macrophages and the secretion of anti-inflammatory IL-10. Specifically, SB was linked to a marked drop in the expression of the Th17 marker RORt and a substantial increase in the expression of the Treg marker Foxp3. SB treatment was associated with significant reductions in the levels of Th17-derived cytokines such as IL-17 and IL-6, whereas anti-inflammatory Treg-derived cytokines such as TGF- were increased. Additionally, the analysis results from 16S rDNA sequencing suggested that SB significantly reversed the variations in intestinal flora distribution and decreased the relative abundance of and DSM 17241 at the species level as well as , , and at the family, genus, and species levels. These distinct florae may serve as a diagnostic biomarker for DM-induced intestinal inflammation. In addition, the heat map of phylum and OTU level revealed a close relationship between DM-induced intestinal inflammation and intestinal microbiota.
CONCLUSIONS
The present study suggested that SB may reduce DM-induced intestinal inflammation by regulating the gut microbiota.
PubMed: 36045662
DOI: 10.1155/2022/4646245 -
Revista Da Associacao Medica Brasileira... 2010The aim of this review is to update knowledge about the vaginal ecosystem, non-cultivation methods for bacterial identification (gene amplification), the Lactobacillus... (Review)
Review
The aim of this review is to update knowledge about the vaginal ecosystem, non-cultivation methods for bacterial identification (gene amplification), the Lactobacillus species that comprise normal vaginal flora and influence of host genetics on bacterial interactions with local innate and acquired immune defenses. A Medline (Pubmed) search from 1997-2009 for relevant articles was performed and the most informative articles were selected. Non-culture techniques (gene amplification) allow a comprehensive analysis of the vaginal ecosystem's composition. In the majority of women in the reproductive age there is a predominance of one or more species of Lactobacillus: L. crispatus, L. inners and L gasseri. However, in other apparently healthy women there is a deficiency or complete absence of Lactobacilli. Instead, there is a substitution by other lactic acid-producing bacteria: Atobium, Megasphaera and/or Leptotrichia species. The infectivity and/or proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the vagina is suppressed by lactic acid production, by products of endogenous bacteria and by activation of local innate and acquired immunity. Vaginal epithelial cells produce several compounds with anti-microbial activity. These cells have Toll-like receptors on their membrane that recognize molecular patterns associated with pathogens. Recognition leads to production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and stimulation of antigen-specific immunity. The production of IgG and IgA antibodies is also triggered in the endocervix and vagina in response to infection. Vaginal flora composition and the immune mechanisms constitute important defenses. Criteria of normal and abnormal flora have to be reviewed and genetic polymorphism can explain variations in flora composition. This new knowledge should be included in the clinical practice of gynecologists and obstetricians to improve patients care.
Topics: Female; Humans; Lactobacillus; Vagina
PubMed: 20676549
DOI: 10.1590/s0104-42302010000300026 -
Biomedicines Mar 2023Taurine, an abundant free amino acid, plays multiple roles in the body, including bile acid conjugation, osmoregulation, oxidative stress, and inflammation prevention....
Taurine, an abundant free amino acid, plays multiple roles in the body, including bile acid conjugation, osmoregulation, oxidative stress, and inflammation prevention. Although the relationship between taurine and the gut has been briefly described, the effects of taurine on the reconstitution of intestinal flora homeostasis under conditions of gut dysbiosis and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study examined the effects of taurine on the intestinal flora and homeostasis of healthy mice and mice with dysbiosis caused by antibiotic treatment and pathogenic bacterial infections. The results showed that taurine supplementation could significantly regulate intestinal microflora, alter fecal bile acid composition, reverse the decrease in abundance, boost intestinal immunity in response to antibiotic exposure, resist colonization by , and enhance the diversity of flora during infection. Our results indicate that taurine has the potential to shape the gut microbiota of mice and positively affect the restoration of intestinal homeostasis. Thus, taurine can be utilized as a targeted regulator to re-establish a normal microenvironment and to treat or prevent gut dysbiosis.
PubMed: 37189666
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11041048 -
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association... Feb 1986Infectious vaginitis occurs when the normal vaginal flora is disrupted; it may arise when saprophytes overwhelm the host immune response, when pathogenic organisms are... (Review)
Review
Infectious vaginitis occurs when the normal vaginal flora is disrupted; it may arise when saprophytes overwhelm the host immune response, when pathogenic organisms are introduced into the vagina or when changes in substrate allow an imbalance of microorganisms to develop. Examples of these types of vaginitis include the presence of chronic fungal infection in women with an inadequate cellular immune response to the yeast, the introduction of trichomonads into vaginal epithelium that has a sufficient supply of glycogen, and the alteration in bacterial flora, normally dominated by Lactobacillus spp., and its metabolites that is characteristic of "nonspecific vaginitis". The authors review microbiologic and clinical aspects of the fungal, protozoal and bacterial infections, including the interactions of bacteria thought to produce nonspecific vaginitis, that are now recognized as causing vaginitis. Other causes of vaginitis are also discussed.
Topics: Antibody Formation; Antifungal Agents; Candidiasis; Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal; Carrier State; Female; Gardnerella vaginalis; Haemophilus Infections; Humans; Lactobacillus; Male; Metronidazole; Mycoplasma Infections; Nystatin; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Sexual Behavior; Streptococcal Infections; Streptococcus agalactiae; Trichomonas Vaginitis; Vagina; Vaginitis; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 3510698
DOI: No ID Found -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Mar 2022From a clinical point of view, knowledge of the commensal microbial flora of the conjunctival sac in healthy individuals proves to be of great importance. The aim of...
From a clinical point of view, knowledge of the commensal microbial flora of the conjunctival sac in healthy individuals proves to be of great importance. The aim of this study was to assess the presence and the composition of normal ocular microflora of healthy donkeys. Fourteen clinically healthy donkeys () participated in the study. After prior ophthalmological examination, which showed no abnormalities, a conjunctival swab was taken from each donkey from the right and left eye. Species-specific identification was based on a morphological assessment of bacterial colonies stained with the Gram technique, as well as on biochemical properties and the disk-diffusion method. Around 82% of samples were positive for bacteria cultivation; was the most prevalently detected species, followed by . In conclusion, our study made it possible to determine the commensal flora of the conjunctival sac in donkeys. The obtained results also showed discrepancies in the composition of the conjunctival sac flora of donkeys and horses, despite the geographical proximity of performed studies. Knowledge of the commensal conjunctival flora of donkeys is of great clinical importance due to their greater exposure to corneal damage and infections than horses.
PubMed: 35327153
DOI: 10.3390/ani12060756