Physical activity enhances fecal lactobacilli in rats chronically drinking sweetened cola beverage.

Overweight and obesity have been linked with increased intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. On the other hand, physical activity has been known to lead to weight loss. Therefore, we hypothesized that exercise might influence the Lactobacillus population in fecal microbiota as their changed abundance is often associated with shifts in the physical activity and diet. In our experiment, Wistar rats were allocated into groups with normal feed or added sugar-sweetened beverages with or without access to a running wheel. Interestingly, only a combination of physical activity and sweetened beverage intake was associated with a significant increase in fecal lactobacilli abundance, suggesting a connection between exercise and a rise in lactobacilli abundance. Moreover, physical activity has improved weight-related parameters and led to increased plasma and mRNA adiponectin levels. Ghrelin and leptin plasma levels were unaltered. Taken together, our results demonstrate that effect of physical activity on adiposity even during unhealthy feeding patterns is accompanied by increased lactobacilli abundance in the fecal microbiota population.

Betalains in Edible Fruits of Three Cactaceae Taxa-Epiphyllum, Hylocereus, and Opuntia-Their LC-MS/MS and FTIR Identification and Biological Activities Evaluation.

Epiphyllum, Hylocereus, and Opuntia plants belong to the Cactaceae family. They are mostly known as ornamental plants but also for their edible fruits, which can potentially be sources of betalains, such as betanin, a natural pigment used in the food industry, e.g., under the European label code E 162. The aim of this work was the identification of betalains (using LC-MS/MS), evaluation of total betalain content (spectrophotometrically), analysis of functional groups (using FT-IR), evaluation of antioxidant activity (using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, DCFH-DA, and reducing power methods) and evaluation of antimicrobial activity (S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans) in fruits of Epiphyllum, Hylocereus, and Opuntia taxa. A total of 20 betalains were identified in the studied Cactaceae fruits. The Epiphyllum pink hybrid had the highest values of total betalains amongst all samples. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in the Epiphyllum pink hybrid, in Opuntia zacuapanensis and O. humifusa fruits. The antimicrobial activity assay showed that cacti fruits were not able to effectively inhibit the growth of E. coli, S. aureus, or C. albicans. Our results prove that these fruits are good sources of natural pigments-betalains. They do not contain toxic compounds in significant amounts and they exhibit antioxidant activity.

Mucin pre-cultivated Lactobacillus reuteri E shows enhanced adhesion and increases mucin expression in HT-29 cells.

Adhesion of probiotic bacteria to the mucus layer lining the gastrointestinal tract is necessary for its effective colonisation and specific therapeutic effects. Enrichment of growth medium with mucin might stimulate bacterial adhesion, probably by increasing the expression of surface structures responsible for bacteria-gut epithelia and/or mucus interactions. The aim of this study was to determine if pre-cultivation of potentially probiotic strain Lactobacillus reuteri E (LRE) with mucin stimulates its adherence to colon cell line HT-29 and if the increased adhesion modulates mucin expression in these cells. The mucin-producing HT-29 cell line was co-cultivated for 2 h with LRE grown in MRS broth or MRS broth enriched with pig gastric mucin (LRE + M). The adherence ability of LRE was evaluated microscopically and by plate counting. The relative gene expression was measured by qPCR. Pre-cultivation of LRE in mucin enriched medium significantly increased its adhesion to 14 days HT-29 in comparison with LRE by both methods (28.64% vs. 23.83%, evaluated microscopically, and 14.31 ± 3.95 × 106 CFU ml-1 vs. 8.54 ± 0.43 × 106 CFU ml-1, evaluated by plate counting). MUC2, MUC5AC, and IL-10 were significantly upregulated after co-cultivation with LRE + M in comparison to LRE and control group (lactobacilli-free HT-29). Obtained results suggest that pre-cultivation of lactobacilli with mucin may not only stimulate their adhesion abilities but also promote their effectiveness to modulate the pathways involved in the pathophysiology of some diseases, e.g., with defective mucin synthesis in ulcerative colitis or colorectal cancer.

[Gut microbiota: its development and relation to certain diseases]. / Crevná mikrobiota: jej vývin a vztah k vzniku niektorých ochorení.

Coexistence of humans with microorganisms is well known for a long time. Besides the association with infectious diseases, personal microbiota is important for human health, possibly for some non-infectious diseases. Colonization of the human body with appropriate microorganisms after delivery is essential for physiological immune system maturation and also has an influence on central nervous system development. The composition of the gut microbiota is affected by the mode of delivery, early life nutrition and last but not least by lifestyle and drug, especially antibiotics intake. A comparison of gut microbiomes between individuals living in different parts of the world showed a cardinal variation in its composition and basic enterotypes were defined. Interestingly, it has been found out that the different microbiota species composition covers the same, respectively similar metabolic pathways. It is suggested that gut microbiota composition and its dysbiosis may influence civilization diseases development, e. g. diabetes mellitus, obesity, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, allergy, and autoimmune diseases.Key words: gut microbiota microbiome health immune system dysbiosis.

Inflammatory bowel disease: factors involved in pathogenesis.

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in developed countries increases every year. The aetiology is still not completely understood and its clarification is a key prerequisite for effective prophylaxis and therapy. IBD is most-likely caused by a combination of several factors: environmental, genetic, immunological, and disruption of intestinal microbiota composition - dysbiosis. "Westernization" of lifestyle and urbanization seem to be among the most serious environmental factors. The pathogenesis is also influenced by the imbalance between the TH1 and TH2 cellular response and the expression of genes involved in T cell response and immunodeficiency. Last but not least, the worldwide overuse of antimicrobial drugs depletes the microbiome, which has a direct impact on the development of the dysbiosis. The subject of this review is a detailed characterization of the above-mentioned factors involved in the onset and development of IBD. Key words: gut microbiota inflammatory bowel disease immunopathogenesis dysbiosis.