Chemically or surgically induced thyroid dysfunction altered gut microbiota in rat models.

Thyroid hormones are essential for the regulation of energy homeostasis and metabolic processes. However, the relationship between thyroid function and host gut microbial communities is not properly understood. To determine whether and how gut microbiota is associated with thyroid function, metagenomics analysis of the bacterial population in fecal samples of rat models of hyperthyroidism (induced by levothyroxine) and hypothyroidism (induced by propylthiouracil or thyroidectomy) was conducted through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our results revealed that all thyroid dysfunction models were definitely established and gut microbial composition varied according to different thyroid functional status. The relative abundance of Ruminococcus was significantly higher in the hyperthyroidism group (HE) vs both the normal and hypothyroidism groups (HO) while S24-7 was significantly higher in the HO group. The population of Prevotellaceae and Prevotella were significantly lower in the HO group vs the normal. Firmicutes and Oscillospira were significantly higher in the SHO (surgery-induced hypothyroidism) group, while Prevotellaceae and Prevotella showed lower abundance in the SHO group than the SHAM group. Present results suggest that thyroid functions may have the potential to influence the profile of gut microbiota and could be used as foundation to investigate interaction mechanism between thyroid and gut microbiome.

Evaluation of the Relationship Between Bioactive Components in Seaweeds and Advanced Glycation End-Products Inhibitory Activities Using Principal Component Analysis.

This study comprehensively presents the relationship between the bioactive substance of 70% (v/v) aqueous ethanol extract of 38 species of seaweeds (SWEs), and anti-glycation activities. The contents of bioactive substance of SWEs, such as total phenolic, total flavonoid and condensed tannins, were determined through a colorimetric analysis. Among the tested species, Ecklonia bicyclis, Ishige foliacea, and Cladophora urightiana var. minor had the highest amount of total phenolic (255.75 mg GAE/g DW), total condensed tannins (63.36 mg CE/g DW), and total flavonoid content (85.26 mg CE/g DW), respectively. Anti-glycation properties of SWEs were evaluated through advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) formation, AGEs-collagen cross-link formation, and AGEs-collagen cross-link breaking assay. Brown algae species exhibited a more prominent inhibitory activity on AGEs formation and AGEs-collagen cross-links, and the breaking of AGEs-collagen cross-links compared to that exhibited by aminoguanidine and ALT-711 (positive controls). Using principal component analysis, we confirmed that the AGEs formation inhibitory property and AGEs-collagen cross-links breaking activity were closely correlated with total phenolic and the condensed tannin contents contained in SWEs. Therefore, the bioactive substances such as phenolics and condensed tannins in seaweeds can be used as predictive indices in selecting compounds for the development of a therapeutic agent that prevents diabetic complications related to the AGEs. In addition, our results suggest that brown algae species, which contains more bioactive substances than green and red algae species, can be utilized as a promising natural resource for the prevention and alleviation of AGEs-related diabetic complications as AGE inhibitor and cross-links breaker.

Comparative evaluation of spoilage-related bacterial diversity and metabolite profiles in chilled beef stored under air and vacuum packaging.

Microbial spoilage is a complex event to which different bacterial populations and metabolites can contribute depending on the storage conditions. This study explored the evolution of spoilage and related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in chilled beef under air and vacuum packaging (VP). The results suggested that different storage conditions affected changes in bacterial communities and metabolites in beef and consequently affected the odor properties of the stored beef, thereby leading to spoilage. Bacterial species belonging to Pseudomonadaceae (Pseudomonas spp.) and lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus sp.) dominated the bacterial communities in beef stored under air and VP, respectively, with several VOCs associated with off-odors of the stored beef and most likely produced by both bacteria. Our results suggested several microbial VOCs that could be used as potential spoilage indicators, including acetic acid, butanoic acid, and 2-butanone in VP-stored beef and 3-methylbutan-1-ol, ethyl acetate, acetoin, 2-butanone, and diacetyl in air-stored beef. These findings might provide valuable information regarding the quality monitoring of beef during storage.

The effect of resistant starch (RS) on the bovine rumen microflora and isolation of RS-degrading bacteria.

Resistant starch (RS) in the diet reaches the large intestine without degradation, where it is decomposed by the commensal microbiota. The fermentation of RS produces secondary metabolites including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which have been linked to a variety of physiological and health effects. Therefore, the availability of RS as a prebiotic is a current issue. The objectives of this study were (1) to use metagenomics to observe microbial flora changes in Bos taurus coreanae rumen fluid in the presence of RS and (2) to isolate RS-degrading microorganisms. The major microbial genus in a general rumen fluid was Succiniclasticum sp., whereas Streptococcus sp. immediately predominated after the addition of RS into the culture medium and was then drastically replaced by Lactobacillus sp. The presence of Bifidobacterium sp. was also observed continuously. Several microorganisms with high RS granule-degrading activity were identified and isolated, including B. choerinum FMB-1 and B. pseudolongum FMB-2. B. choerinum FMB-1 showed the highest RS-hydrolyzing activity and degraded almost 60% of all substrates tested. Coculture experiments demonstrated that Lactobacillus brevis ATCC 14869, which was isolated from human feces, could grow using reducing sugars generated from RS by B. choerinum FMB-1. These results suggest that Bifidobacterium spp., especially B. choerinum FMB-1, are the putative primary degrader of RS in rumen microbial flora and could be further studied as probiotic candidates.

Bacterial community analysis in three types of the fermented seafood, jeotgal, produced in South Korea.

Jeotgal is a traditional Korean seafood fermented by indigenous microbes. The bacterial community in five myeolchi-jeot (Engraulis japonica), five meongge-jeot (Halocynthia roretzi), and six saeu-jeot (Acetes japonicas) produced in South Korea was analyzed by barcoded pyrosequencing targeting the V1/V2 hyper-variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. All samples were dominated by the phyla Firmicutes, which represented 67.7% (SD = 27.2%) of the population. Tetragenococcus halophilus and Tetragenococcus muriaticus were the predominant species in myeolchi-jeot. The LABs, Lactobacillus sakei, Lactobacillus curvatus, and Weissella koreensis were the predominant species in meongge-jeot. In myeolchi-jeot and meongge-jeot, the bacterial communities within samples were consistent in their predominance, however each of saeu-jeot samples had inter-individual variety in the bacterial community leading to the difficulties of standardization for the commercial production of saeu-jeot. The results of this study will conclusively help to expand our basic knowledge of jeotgal and the related microorganisms involved in food fermentation.

Effects of bentonite Bgp35b-p on the gut microbiota of mice fed a high-fat diet.

BACKGROUND: Bentonite is a natural clay mineral with health-promoting effects due to its high adsorption abilities with high cation-exchange capacity. Previously, we found an anti-obesity effect for Bgp35b-p bentonite produced in South Korea, where its high adsorbent ability of dietary lipids possibly partially removed the lipidic environment in the gut (unpublished). It is hypothesized that Bgp35b-p affects the intestinal microbial community, and thus the microbial changes were investigated via next-generation sequencing targeting the bacterial 16S rRNA gene and bioinformatics using QIIME (Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology) were performed on feces of C57BL/6 male mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) with the Bgp35b-p. RESULTS: The HFD caused microbial dysbiosis, characterized by a decrease in the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and an increase in abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. It was found that HFD + Bgp35b-p led to significant changes in the microbial compositions of family-level bacteria known as short-chain fatty-acid-producing bacteria. The relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae was significantly increased, and the abundances of Clostridiaceae and Lachnospiraceae were decreased by HFD + Bgp35b-p, shifting close to that in mice fed a normal diet. CONCLUSION: Bgp35b-p induced compositional changes in intestinal microbiota, which can be considered as a prebiotic effect, thus suggesting that bentonite may be a potential prebiotic functional supplement. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Phaeobacter marinintestinus sp. nov., isolated from the intestine of a sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus).

A Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, and rod-shaped bacterial strain designated UB-M7(T) was isolated from the intestine of a sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) collected from Pohang in South Korea. Strain UB-M7(T) displayed optimal growth at 25 °C, pH 7.0-7.5, and with 2.0-3.0 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain UB-M7(T) clustered with Phaeobacter arcticus DSM 23566(T), Phaeobacter inhibens DSM 16374(T), Phaeobacter gallaeciensis BS107(T), and Phaeobacter leonis 306(T), exhibiting 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 96.8, 96.6, 96.4, and 96.2 %, respectively. Strain UB-M7(T) was found to exhibit the highest gyrB sequence similarity value of 80.6 % to the type strain of P. arcticus. The major respiratory quinone of strain UB-M7(T) was found to be ubiquinone 10 (Q-10). The major cellular fatty acids (>5 % of the total fatty acids) are summed features 8 (comprising C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c), 11-methyl C18:1 ω7c, and cyclo C19:0 ω8c. The DNA G+C content was found to be 58.5 mol% and DNA-DNA relatedness value with P. arcticus JCM 14644(T) was 17.2 ± 2.4 %. The major polar lipids of strain UB-M7(T) were identified as phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine; one phospholipid, and three other lipids remain unidentified. Based on its phenotypic, phylogenetic, and chemotaxonomic properties it is concluded that strain UB-M7(T) represents a novel species in the genus Phaeobacter, for which the name Phaeobacter marinintestinus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is UB-M7(T) (=KCCM 43045(T) = JCM 19926(T)).

Bizionia psychrotolerans sp. nov., a psychrophilic bacterium isolated from the intestine of a sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus).

A novel Gram-negative, non-flagellated, non-gliding, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated PB-M7(T), was isolated from the intestine of a sea cucumber collected from Pohang, South Korea. Growth was observed at 4-30 °C (optimum, 25 °C), pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0-8.0), and with 2.0-6.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2.0%). In a phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain PB-M7(T) was found to belong to the genus Bizionia and to be most closely related to Bizionia echini KMM 6177(T) (99.0% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Bizionia hallyeonensis T-y7(T) (97.9%), Bizionia algoritergicola APA-1(T) (97.5%), Bizionia argentinensis JUB59(T) (97.5%) and Bizionia myxarmorum ADA-4(T) (97.1%). The predominant fatty acids of strain PB-M7(T) were identified as iso-C(15:0) (22.2%), iso-C(15:1) G (10.8%), iso-C(17:0) 3-OH (16.7%) and summed feature 3 (C(16:1) ω7c and/or C(16:1) ω6c; 11.2%). The major respiratory quinone was identified as menaquinone-6 (MK-6). The polar lipid profile of strain PB-M7(T) was found to contain phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified phospholipid, three unidentified aminolipids and three unidentified lipids. The DNA G + C content of strain PB-M7(T) was determined to be 33.4 mol% and the mean DNA-DNA relatedness values with the type strains of B. echini, B. hallyeonensis, B. algoritergicola, B. argentinensis, and B. myxarmorum were 52.9, 48.5, 46.5, 37.1 and 26.6%, respectively. Based on the data presented, strain PB-M7(T) represents a novel species of the genus Bizionia, for which the name Bizionia psychrotolerans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of B. psychrotolerans is PB-M7(T) (= KCCM 43042 (T) = JCM 19924 (T)).

Ginseng extracts improve circadian clock gene expression and reduce inflammation directly and indirectly through gut microbiota and PI3K signaling pathway.

Despite the potential benefits of herbal medicines for therapeutic application in preventing and treating various metabolic disorders, the mechanisms of action were understood incompletely. Ginseng (Panax ginseng), a commonly employed plant as a dietary supplement, has been reported to play its hot property in increasing body temperature and improving gut health. However, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which ginseng regulates body temperature and gut health is still incomplete. This paper illustrates that intermittent supplementation with ginseng extracts improved body temperature rhythm and suppressed inflammatory responses in peripheral metabolic organs of propylthiouracil (PTU)-induced hypothermic rats. These effects were associated with changes in gut hormone secretion and the microbiota profile. The in-vitro studies in ICE-6 cells indicate that ginseng extracts can not only act directly on the cell to regulate the genes related to circadian clock and inflammation, but also may function through the gut microbiota and their byproducts such as lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore, administration of PI3K inhibitor blocked ginseng or microbiota-induced gene expression related with circadian clock and inflammation in vitro. These findings demonstrate that the hot property of ginseng may be mediated by improving circadian clock and suppressing inflammation directly or indirectly through the gut microbiota and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways.

Immunobiotic Bacteria Attenuate Hepatic Fibrosis through the Modulation of Gut Microbiota and the Activation of Aryl-Hydrocarbon Receptors Pathway in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis Mice.

SCOPE: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide that can progress to liver fibrosis (LF). Probiotics have beneficial roles in reducing intestinal inflammation and gut-associated diseases, but their effects and mechanisms beyond the gut in attenuating the progression of LF are remained unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a mouse model of NASH/LF induced by a methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet, immunobiotics are administered to investigate their therapeutic effects. Results show that the MCD diet leads to liver inflammation, steatosis, and fibrosis, which are alleviated by immunobiotics. Immunobiotics reduces serum endotoxin and inflammatory markers while increasing regulatory cytokines and liver weight. They also suppress Th17 cells, known for producing inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, immunobiotics mitigate collagen deposition and fibrogenic signaling in the liver, while restoring gut-barrier integrity and microbiota composition. Additionally, immunobiotics enhance the activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) pathway in both colonic and liver tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these results demonstrate a novel insight into the mechanisms through which immunobiotic administration improves the gut health which in turn increases the AhR pathway and inhibits HSCs activation and fibrosis progression beyond the gut in the liver tissue of NASH/LF mice.

Heat-killed Akkermansia muciniphila ameliorates allergic airway inflammation in mice.

Allergic asthma (AA) is a common inflammatory airway disease characterized by increased airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR), inflammation, and remodeling. Akkermansia muciniphila is a strictly anaerobic bacterium residing in the gut and is a promising next-generation probiotic to improve metabolic inflammatory syndrome. A recent study suggested the beneficial effect of live A. muciniphila on allergic airway inflammation (AAI) in mice. However, whether the heat-killed form can improve AAI requires further investigation. Mice sensitized and challenged with house dust mites (HDM) develop AA hallmarks including inflammatory cell infiltration, goblet cell hyperplasia, and subepithelial collagen deposition in the lungs. These phenomena were reversed by oral administration of the heat-killed A. muciniphila strain EB-AMDK19 (AMDK19-HK) isolated from the feces of healthy Koreans. Furthermore, AMDK19-HK diminished the HDM-induced AHR to inhaled methacholine, lung mast cell accumulation, and serum HDM-specific IgE levels. It also led to the overall suppression of IL-4, IL-13, and eotaxin production in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, and Il4, Il5, Il13, and Ccl17 gene expression in lung tissues. Moreover, AMDK19-HK suppressed Th2-associated cytokine production in the splenocytes of HDM-sensitized mice in vitro. Additionally, a combination of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) analysis in cecal samples revealed that AMDK19-HK modulated the relative abundance of circulating SCFA-associated gut genera, including a positive correlation with Lachnospiraceae_ NK4A136_group and a negative correlation with Lachnoclostridium and significantly increased cecal SCFA concentrations. Finally, AMDK19-HK improved intestinal mucosal barrier function. These results suggest that the oral administration of AMDK19-HK ameliorates HDM-induced AAI in mice by suppressing Th2-mediated immune responses and could have a protective effect against AA development.

Gut Microbiome as a Possible Cause of Occurrence and Therapeutic Target in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

As a long-term condition that affects the airways and lungs, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by inflammation, emphysema, breathlessness, chronic cough, and sputum production. Currently, the bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed for COPD are mostly off-target, warranting new disease management strategies. Accumulating research has revealed the gut-lung axis to be a bidirectional communication system. Cigarette smoke, a major exacerbating factor in COPD and lung inflammation, affects gut microbiota composition and diversity, causing gut microbiota dysbiosis, a condition that has recently been described in COPD patients and animal models. For this review, we focused on the gut-lung axis, which is influenced by gut microbial metabolites, bacterial translocation, and immune cell modulation. Further, we have summarized the findings of preclinical and clinical studies on the association between gut microbiota and COPD to provide a basis for using gut microbiota in therapeutic strategies against COPD. Our review also proposes that further research on probiotics, prebiotics, short-chain fatty acids, and fecal microbiota transplantation could assist therapeutic approaches targeting the gut microbiota to alleviate COPD.

Yijung-tang improves thermogenesis and reduces inflammation associated with gut microbiota in hypothyroid rats.

Currently, considerable attention is focused on exploring the potential relationship between herbal medicine (HM) and the gut microbiome in terms of thermoregulation, which is an important aspect of human health, in modern system biology. However, our knowledge of the mechanisms of HM in thermoregulation is inadequate. Here, we demonstrate that the canonical herbal formula, Yijung-tang (YJT), protects against hypothermia, hyperinflammation, and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis in PTU-induced hypothyroid rats. Notably, these properties were associated with alterations in the gut microbiota and signaling crosstalk between the thermoregulatory and inflammatory mediators in the small intestine and brown adipose tissue (BAT). In contrast to the conventional drug L-thyroxine for curing hypothyroidism, YJT has an efficacy for attenuating systematic inflammatory responses, related with depression in intestinal TLR4 and Nod2/Pglyrp1 signaling pathways. Our findings suggest that YJT could promote BAT thermogenesis and prevent systemic inflammation in PTU-induced hypothyroid rats, which was associated with its prebiotic effect on modulating of the gut microbiota and gene expression with relevance in the enteroendocrine function and innate immune systems. These findings may strengthen the rationale of the microbiota-gut-BAT axis for a paradigm shift to enable holobiont-centric medicine.

Gut microbial change after administration of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei AO356 is associated with anti-obesity in a mouse model.

Introduction: The status of an impaired gut microbial community, known as dysbiosis, is associated with metabolic diseases such as obesity and insulin resistance. The use of probiotics has been considered an effective approach for the treatment and prevention of obesity and related gut microbial dysbiosis. The anti-obesity effect of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei AO356 was recently reported. However, the effect of L. paracasei AO356 on the gut microbiota has not yet been identified. This study aimed to elucidate the effect of L. paracasei AO356 on gut microbiota and ensure its safety for use as a probiotic. Methods: Oral administration of L. paracasei AO356 (107 colony-forming units [CFU]/mg per day, 5 days a week, for 10 weeks) to mice fed a high-fat diet significantly suppressed weight gain and fat mass. We investigated the composition of gut microbiota and explored its association with obesity-related markers. Results: Oral administration of L. paracasei AO356 significantly changed the gut microbiota and modified the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, and Oscillospira. Bacteroides and Oscillospira were significantly related to the lipid metabolism pathway and obesity-related markers. We also confirmed the safety of L. paracasei AO356 using antibiotics resistance, hemolysis activity, bile salt hydrolase activity, lactate production, and toxicity tests following the safety assessment guidelines of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). Discussion: This study demonstrated that L. paracasei AO356 is not only associated with an anti-obesity effect but also with changes in the gut microbiota and metabolic pathways related to obesity. Furthermore, the overall safety assessment seen in this study could increase the potential use of new probiotic materials with anti-obesity effects.

Modulation of gut microbiota by rice starch enzymatically modified using amylosucrase from Deinococcus geothermalis.

Amylosucrase can increase the amount of resistant starch (RS) in starch by transferring glucose from sucrose to amylopectin. Here, rice starch was modified using amylosucrase from Deinococcus geothermalis (DgAS). DgAS-modified rice starch (DMRS) increased the side-chain length of amylopectin and appeared in the form of B-type crystals. In vitro digestion analyses revealed that DMRS had a higher RS contents and lower digestion rate than native rice starch. When high-fat diet (HFD)-induced C57BL/6 mice were orally administered DMRS, body weight and white fat tissues of DMRS-fed HFD mice were not significantly different. However, serum leptin and glucose levels were significantly decreased and serum glucagon like peptide-1was increased in these mice. The cecal microbiome in DMRS-fed HFD mice was identified to investigate the role of DMRS in gut microbiota regulation. DMRS supplementation increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides, Faecalibaculum, and Ruminococcus in mouse gut microbiota. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-022-01238-1.

Associations among the Duodenal Ecosystem, Gut Microbiota, and Nutrient Intake in Functional Dyspepsia.

Background/Aims: : Functional dyspepsia (FD) has long been regarded as a syndrome because its pathophysiology is multifactorial. However, recent reports have provided evidence that changes in the duodenal ecosystem may be the key. This study aimed to identify several gastrointestinal factors and biomarkers associated with FD, specifically changes in the duodenal ecosystem that may be key to understanding its pathophysiology. Methods: : In this case-control study, 28 participants (12 with FD and 16 healthy control individuals) were assessed for dietary nutrients, gastrointestinal symptom severity, immunological status of the duodenal mucosa, and microbiome composition from oral, duodenal, and fecal samples. Integrated data were analyzed using immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction, 16S rRNA sequencing, and network analysis. Results: : Duodenal mucosal inflammation and impaired expression of tight junction proteins were confirmed in patients with FD. The relative abundance of duodenal Streptococcus (p=0.014) and reductions in stool Butyricicoccus (p=0.047) were confirmed. These changes in the gut microbiota were both correlated with symptom severity. Changes in dietary micronutrients, such as higher intake of valine, were associated with improved intestinal barrier function and microbiota. Conclusions: : This study emphasizes the relationships among dietary nutrition, oral and gut microbiota, symptoms of FD, impaired function of the duodenal barrier, and inflammation. Assessing low-grade inflammation or increased permeability in the duodenal mucosa, along with changes in the abundance of stool Butyricicoccus, is anticipated to serve as effective biomarkers for enhancing the objectivity of FD diagnosis and monitoring.

Faecalibacterium prausnitzii prevents hepatic damage in a mouse model of NASH induced by a high-fructose high-fat diet.

Introduction: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an advanced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease characterized by chronic inflammation and fibrosis. A dysbiosis of the gut microbiota has been associated with the pathophysiology of NASH, and probiotics have proven helpful in its treatment and prevention. Although both traditional and next-generation probiotics have the potential to alleviate various diseases, studies that observe the therapeutic effect of next-generation probiotics on NASH are lacking. Therefore, we investigated whether a next-generation probiotic candidate, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, contributed to the mitigation of NASH. Methods: In this study, we conducted 16S rRNA sequencing analyses in patients with NASH and healthy controls. To test F. prausnitzii could alleviate NASH symptoms, we isolated four F. prausnitzii strains (EB-FPDK3, EB-FPDK9, EB-FPDK11, and EB-FPYYK1) from fecal samples collected from four healthy individuals. Mice were maintained on a high-fructose high-fat diet for 16 weeks to induce a NASH model and received oral administration of the bacterial strains. Changes in characteristic NASH phenotypes were assessed via oral glucose tolerance tests, biochemical assays, and histological analyses. Results: 16S rRNA sequencing analyses confirmed that the relative abundance of F. prausnitzii reduced significantly in patients with NASH compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05). In the NASH mice, F. prausnitzii supplementation improved glucose homeostasis, prevented hepatic lipid accumulation, curbed liver damage and fibrosis, restored damaged gut barrier functions, and alleviated hepatic steatosis and liver inflammation. Furthermore, real-time PCR assays documented that the four F. prausnitzii strains regulated the expression of genes related to hepatic steatosis in these mice. Discussion: Our study, therefore, confirms that the administration of F. prausnitzii bacteria can alleviate NASH symptoms. We propose that F. prausnitzii has the potential to contribute to the next-generation probiotic treatment of NASH.

Personalized Diets based on the Gut Microbiome as a Target for Health Maintenance: from Current Evidence to Future Possibilities.

Recently, the concept of personalized nutrition has been developed, which states that food components do not always lead to the same metabolic responses, but vary from person to person. Although this concept has been studied based on individual genetic backgrounds, researchers have recently explored its potential role in the gut microbiome. The gut microbiota physiologically communicates with humans by forming a bidirectional relationship with the micronutrients, macronutrients, and phytochemicals consumed by the host. Furthermore, the gut microbiota can vary from person to person and can be easily shifted by diet. Therefore, several recent studies have reported the application of personalized nutrition to intestinal microflora. This review provides an overview of the interaction of diet with the gut microbiome and the latest evidence in understanding the inter-individual differences in dietary responsiveness according to individual baseline gut microbiota and microbiome-associated dietary intervention in diseases. The diversity of the gut microbiota and the presence of specific microorganisms can be attributed to physiological differences following dietary intervention. The difference in individual responsiveness based on the gut microbiota has the potential to become an important research approach for personalized nutrition and health management, although further well-designed large-scale studies are warranted.

Lorcaserin and phentermine exert anti-obesity effects with modulation of the gut microbiota.

Although drugs have been reported to modulate the gut microbiota, the effects of anti-obesity drugs on the gut microbiota remain unclear. Lorcaserin (LS) and phentermine (PT) are commonly used anti-obesity drugs. However, to our best knowledge, no studies have simultaneously assessed the effects of LS and PT on obesity and gut microbiota. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the anti-obesity effects of LS and PT and re-modulation of host gut microbiota. To test hypothesis, we fed C57BL/6J mice with a high-fat diet supplemented with LS and PT via oral gavage for 8 weeks. After sacrifice, body weight, fat accumulation, and serum biomarkers were measured, and the gut microbial composition was analyzed using 16 s rRNA amplicon sequencing. LS and PT were observed to modulate the gut microbial composition and restore gut microbial dysbiosis, as indicated by an increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Significantly modulated genera by LS and PT treatment were strongly correlated with obesity-related markers. Additionally, LS and PT increased the mRNA level of G protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120) in the colon tissue. ASV3566, which corresponds to Eubacterium coprostanoligenes, was correlated with GPR120 and obesity-related markers such as glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and serum triglyceride (TG). In conclusion, LS and PT can modulate the gut microbiota dysbiosis and the gut microbiota plays a role in mediating the anti-obesity effect of drugs.

Impact of the herbal medicine, Ephedra sinica stapf, on gut microbiota and body weight in a diet-induced obesity model.

Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease caused by excessive body fat and has become a global public health problem. Evidence suggests that obesity and obesity-induced metabolic disorders are closely related to gut microbiota. Bupropion (BP), an antidepressant medicine, and Ephedra sinica Stapf [Ephedraceae; Ephedrae Herba], a herbal medicine, are sympathetic stimulants and have weight loss effects. However, to our best knowledge, no studies have simultaneously assessed the effects of drugs and herbal medicines on obesity and gut microbiota. This study aimed to determine the effects of BP and ES on weight loss and re-modulation of host gut microbiota. To test this hypothesis, we fed C57BL/6J mice with a high-fat diet supplemented with bupropion (BP; 30 mg/kg/day) and Ephedra sinica Stapf extract (ES; 150 mg/kg/day) via oral gavage for eight weeks. Further, we evaluated the effects of BP and ES on body weight and fat accumulation. In addition, we evaluated the effects of BP and ES on gut microbiota using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Our results showed that weight loss was confirmed in both BP and ES; however, it was more pronounced in ES. ES changed the overall composition of the gut microbiota by restoring the relative abundance of Oscillospiraceae, Lachnospiraceae, and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, an indicator of gut microbiota dysbiosis. Nine amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) of the gut microbiome were significantly recovered by BP and ES treatment, of which eight ASVs correlated with body weight and fat accumulation. Additionally, three ASVs were significantly recovered by ES treatment alone. In conclusion, the anti-obesity effects of BP and ES, especially fat accumulation, are related to the regulation of gut microbiota. Moreover, ES had a greater influence on the gut microbiota than BP.