Role of the intestinal microbiota in contributing to weight disorders and associated comorbidities.

SUMMARYThe gut microbiota is a major factor contributing to the regulation of energy homeostasis and has been linked to both excessive body weight and accumulation of fat mass (i.e., overweight, obesity) or body weight loss, weakness, muscle atrophy, and fat depletion (i.e., cachexia). These syndromes are characterized by multiple metabolic dysfunctions including abnormal regulation of food reward and intake, energy storage, and low-grade inflammation. Given the increasing worldwide prevalence of obesity, cachexia, and associated metabolic disorders, novel therapeutic strategies are needed. Among the different mechanisms explaining how the gut microbiota is capable of influencing host metabolism and energy balance, numerous studies have investigated the complex interactions existing between nutrition, gut microbes, and their metabolites. In this review, we discuss how gut microbes and different microbiota-derived metabolites regulate host metabolism. We describe the role of the gut barrier function in the onset of inflammation in this context. We explore the importance of the gut-to-brain axis in the regulation of energy homeostasis and glucose metabolism but also the key role played by the liver. Finally, we present specific key examples of how using targeted approaches such as prebiotics and probiotics might affect specific metabolites, their signaling pathways, and their interactions with the host and reflect on the challenges to move from bench to bedside.

Impact of metformin and Dysosmobacter welbionis on diet-induced obesity and diabetes: from clinical observation to preclinical intervention.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We aimed to investigate the association between the abundance of Dysosmobacter welbionis, a commensal gut bacterium, and metabolic health in human participants with obesity and diabetes, and the influence of metformin treatment and prebiotic intervention. METHODS: Metabolic variables were assessed and faecal samples were collected from 106 participants in a randomised controlled intervention with a prebiotic stratified by metformin treatment (Food4Gut trial). The abundance of D. welbionis was measured by quantitative PCR and correlated with metabolic markers. The in vitro effect of metformin on D. welbionis growth was evaluated and an in vivo study was performed in mice to investigate the effects of metformin and D. welbionis J115T supplementation, either alone or in combination, on metabolic variables. RESULTS: D. welbionis abundance was unaffected by prebiotic treatment but was significantly higher in metformin-treated participants. Responders to prebiotic treatment had higher baseline D. welbionis levels than non-responders. D. welbionis was negatively correlated with aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and fasting blood glucose levels in humans with obesity and type 2 diabetes. In vitro, metformin had no direct effect on D. welbionis growth. In mice, D. welbionis J115T treatment reduced body weight gain and liver weight, and improved glucose tolerance to a better level than metformin, but did not have synergistic effects with metformin. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: D. welbionis abundance is influenced by metformin treatment and associated with prebiotic response, liver health and glucose metabolism in humans with obesity and diabetes. This study suggests that D. welbionis may play a role in metabolic health and warrants further investigation. CLINICAL TRIAL: NCT03852069.

Gut microbiome alterations at acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis are associated with muscle weakness and anorexia.

The gut microbiota makes critical contributions to host homeostasis, and its role in the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) has attracted attention. We investigated whether the gut microbiome is affected by AML, and whether such changes are associated with cachectic hallmarks. Biological samples and clinical data were collected from 30 antibiotic-free AML patients at diagnosis and matched volunteers (1:1) in a multicenter cross-sectional prospective study. The composition and functional potential of the faecal microbiota were analyzed using shotgun metagenomics. Faecal, blood, and urine metabolomics analyses were performed. AML patients displayed muscle weakness, anorexia, signs of altered gut function, and glycaemic disorders. The composition of the faecal microbiota differed between patients with AML and control subjects, with an increase in oral bacteria. Alterations in bacterial functions and faecal metabolome support an altered redox status in the gut microbiota, which may contribute to the altered redox status observed in patients with AML. Eubacterium eligens, reduced 3-fold in AML patients, was strongly correlated with muscle strength and citrulline, a marker of enterocyte mass and function. Blautia and Parabacteroides, increased in patients with AML, were correlated with anorexia. Several bacterial taxa and metabolites (e.g. Blautia, Prevotella, phenylacetate, and hippurate) previously associated with glycaemic disorders were altered. Our work revealed important perturbations in the gut microbiome of AML patients at diagnosis, which are associated with muscle strength, altered redox status, and anorexia. These findings pave the way for future mechanistic work to explore the function and therapeutic potential of the bacteria identified in this study.

Metabolic signature of 13C-labeled wheat bran consumption related to gut fermentation in humans: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this pilot study was to analyze concomitantly the kinetics of production of 13C-labeled gut-derived metabolites from 13C-labeled wheat bran in three biological matrices (breath, plasma, stools), in order to assess differential fermentation profiles among subjects. METHODS: Six healthy women consumed a controlled breakfast containing 13C-labeled wheat bran biscuits. H2, CH4 and 13CO2, 13CH4 24 h-concentrations in breath were measured, respectively, by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS). Plasma and fecal concentrations of 13C-short-chain fatty acids (linear SCFAs: acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate; branched SCFAs: isobutyrate, isovalerate) were quantified using GC-combustion-IRMS. Gut microbiota composition was assessed by16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. RESULTS: H2 and CH4 24 h-kinetics distinguished two groups in terms of fermentation-related gas excretion: high-CH4 producers vs low-CH4 producers (fasting concentrations: 45.3 ± 13.6 ppm vs 6.5 ± 3.6 ppm). Expired 13CH4 was enhanced and prolonged in high-CH4 producers compared to low-CH4 producers. The proportion of plasma and stool 13C-butyrate tended to be higher in low-CH4 producers, and inversely for 13C-acetate. Plasma branched SCFAs revealed different kinetics of apparition compared to linear SCFAs. CONCLUSION: This pilot study allowed to consider novel procedures for the development of biomarkers revealing dietary fiber-gut microbiota interactions. The non-invasive assessment of exhaled gas following 13C-labeled fibers ingestion enabled to decipher distinct fermentation profiles: high-CH4 producers vs low-CH4 producers. The isotope labeling permits a specific in vivo characterisation of the dietary fiber impact consumption on microbiota metabolite production. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study has been registered under the number NCT03717311 at ClinicalTrials.gov on October 24, 2018.

Physical activity enhances the improvement of body mass index and metabolism by inulin: a multicenter randomized placebo-controlled trial performed in obese individuals.

BACKGROUND: Dietary interventions targeting the gut microbiota have been proposed as innovative strategies to improve obesity-associated metabolic disorders. Increasing physical activity (PA) is considered as a key behavioral change for improving health. We have tested the hypothesis that changing the PA status during a nutritional intervention based on prebiotic supplementation can alter or even change the metabolic response to the prebiotic. We confirm in obese subjects and in high-fat diet fed mice that performing PA in parallel to a prebiotic supplementation is necessary to observe metabolic improvements upon inulin. METHODS: A randomized, single-blinded, multicentric, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in obese participants who received 16 g/day native inulin versus maltodextrin, coupled to dietary advice to consume inulin-rich versus -poor vegetables for 3 months, respectively, in addition to dietary caloric restriction. Primary outcomes concern the changes on the gut microbiota composition, and secondary outcomes are related to the measures of anthropometric and metabolic parameters, as well as the evaluation of PA. Among the 106 patients who completed the study, 61 patients filled a questionnaire for PA before and after intervention (placebo: n = 31, prebiotic: n = 30). Except the dietitian (who provided dietary advices and recipes book), all participants and research staff were blinded to the treatments and no advices related to PA were given to participants in order to change their habits. In parallel, a preclinical study was designed combining both inulin supplementation and voluntary exercise in a model of diet-induced obesity in mice. RESULTS: Obese subjects who increased PA during a 3 months intervention with inulin-enriched diet exhibited several clinical improvements such as reduced BMI (- 1.6 kg/m2), decreased liver enzymes and plasma cholesterol, and improved glucose tolerance. Interestingly, the regulations of Bifidobacterium, Dialister, and Catenibacterium genera by inulin were only significant when participants exercised more. In obese mice, we highlighted a greater gut fermentation of inulin and improved glucose homeostasis when PA is combined with prebiotics. CONCLUSION: We conclude that PA level is an important determinant of the success of a dietary intervention targeting the gut microbiota. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03852069 (February 22, 2019 retrospectively registered).

Constipation Mitigation by Rhubarb Extract in Middle-Aged Adults Is Linked to Gut Microbiome Modulation: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Gut microbiota alterations are intimately linked to chronic constipation upon aging. We investigated the role of targeted changes in the gut microbiota composition in the relief of constipation symptoms after rhubarb extract (RE) supplementation in middle-aged volunteers. Subjects (95% women, average 58 years old) were randomized to three groups treated with RE at two different doses determined by its content of rhein (supplementation of 12.5 mg and 25 mg per day) vs. placebo (maltodextrin) for 30 days. We demonstrated that daily oral supplementation of RE for 30 days was safe even at the higher dose. Stool frequency and consistency, and perceived change in transit problem, transit speed and difficulty in evacuating, investigated by validated questionnaires, were improved in both groups of RE-treated volunteers compared to placebo. Higher abundance of Lachnospiraceae (mainly Roseburia and Agathobacter) only occurred after RE treatment when present at low levels at baseline, whereas an opposite shift in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels was observed in both RE-treated groups (increase) and placebo (decrease). Fecal Lachnospiraceae and SCFA were positively correlated with stool consistency. This study demonstrates that RE supplementation promotes butyrate-producing bacteria and SCFA, an effect that could contribute to relieving chronic constipation in middle-aged persons.

Biomarkers for assessment of intestinal permeability in clinical practice.

Intestinal permeability is an important diagnostic marker, yet its determination by established tests, which measure the urinary excretion of orally administered tracer molecules, is time consuming and can only be performed prospectively. Here, we aim to validate proposed surrogate biomarkers, which allow measuring intestinal permeability more easily. In this cross-sectional study, we included two independent cohorts comprising nonobese (Healthy cohort, n = 51) and individuals with obesity (Obesity cohort, n = 27). The lactulose/mannitol (lac/man) ratio was determined in all individuals as an established marker of intestinal permeability. Furthermore, we measured six potential surrogate biomarkers, being albumin, calprotectin, and zonulin, measured in feces, as well as intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) and zonulin, measured in plasma. Correlation analyses and multiple linear regression models were conducted to assess possible associations between the established lac/man ratio and the proposed biomarkers by also evaluating a potential effect of age, body mass index (BMI), and sex. The lac/man ratio correlated with plasma LBP levels in all cohorts consistently and with the amount of fecal zonulin in overweight and obese individuals. Multiple linear regression models showed that the association between the lac/man ratio and plasma LBP was independent of age, BMI, and sex. Fecal zonulin levels were associated with the lac/man ratio as well as BMI, but not age and sex. Our data suggest plasma LBP as a promising biomarker for intestinal permeability in adults and fecal zonulin as a potential biomarker in overweight and obese individuals.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study shows that biomarkers from blood and fecal samples are associated with the cumbersome established tests of intestinal permeability throughout different cohorts. Therefore, such biomarkers could be used to assess gut barrier function in prospective cohort studies and large-scale clinical trials for which tracer-based tests may not be feasible.

Hepatoprotective Effects of Indole, a Gut Microbial Metabolite, in Leptin-Deficient Obese Mice.

BACKGROUND: The gut microbiota plays a role in the occurrence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), notably through the production of bioactive metabolites. Indole, a bacterial metabolite of tryptophan, has been proposed as a pivotal metabolite modulating inflammation, metabolism, and behavior. OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to mimic an upregulation of intestinal bacterial indole production and to evaluate its potential effect in vivo in 2 models of NAFLD. METHODS: Eight-week-old leptin-deficient male ob/ob compared with control ob/+ mice (experiment 1), and 4-5-wk-old C57BL/6JRj male mice fed a low-fat (LF, 10 kJ%) compared with a high-fat (HF, 60 kJ%) diet (experiment 2), were given plain water or water supplemented with a physiological dose of indole (0.5 mM, n ≥6/group) for 3 wk and 3 d, respectively. The effect of the treatments on the liver, intestine, adipose tissue, brain, and behavior was assessed. RESULTS: Indole reduced hepatic expression of genes involved in inflammation [C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (Ccl2), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (Cxcl2); 3.3- compared with 5.0-fold, and 2.4- compared with 3.3-fold of control ob/+ mice, respectively, P < 0.05], and in macrophage activation [Cd68, integrin subunit α X (Itgax); 2.1- compared with 2.5-fold, and 5.0- compared with 6.4-fold of control ob/+ mice, respectively, P < 0.01] as well as markers of hepatic damage (alaninine aminotransferase; -32%, P < 0.001) regardless of genotype in experiment 1. Indole had no effect on hepatic inflammation in mice fed the LF or HF diet in experiment 2. Indole did not change hepatic lipid content, anxiety-like behavior, or inflammation in the ileum, adipose tissue, and brain in experiment 1. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the efficacy of indole to reduce hepatic damage and associated inflammatory response and macrophage activation in ob/ob mice. These modifications appear to be attributable to direct effects of indole on the liver, rather than through effects on the adipose tissue or intestinal barrier.

Prebiotic effect on mood in obese patients is determined by the initial gut microbiota composition: A randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Metabolic and behavioural diseases, which are often related to obesity, have been associated to alterations of the gut microbiota considered as an interesting therapeutic target. We have analyzed in a cohort of obese patients treated with prebiotic inulin versus placebo the potential link between gut microbiota changes occurring upon intervention and their effect on psychological parameters (mood and cognition). METHODS: A randomized, single-blinded, multicentric, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 106 obese patients assigned to two groups: prebiotic versus placebo, who received respectively 16 g/d of native inulin or maltodextrin combined with dietary advice to consume inulin-rich or -poor vegetables for 3 months as well as to restrict caloric intake. Anthropometric measurements, food intake, psychological questionnaires, serum measures, and fecal microbiome sequencing were performed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Inulin supplementation in obese subjects had moderate beneficial effect on emotional competence and cognitive flexibility. However, an exploratory analysis revealed that some patients exhibiting specific microbial signature -elevated Coprococcus levels at baseline- were more prone to benefit from prebiotic supplementation in terms of mood. Positive responders toward inulin intervention in term of mood also displayed worse metabolic and inflammatory profiles at baseline (increased levels of IL-8, insulin resistance and adiposity). CONCLUSION: This study shows that inulin intake can be helpful to improve mood in obese subjects exhibiting a specific microbial profile. The present work highlights some microbial, metabolic and inflammatory features (IL-8, insulin resistance) which can predict or mediate the beneficial effects of inulin on behaviour in obesity. Food4gut, clinicaltrial.gov: NCT03852069, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03852069.

Prebiotic dietary fibre intervention improves fecal markers related to inflammation in obese patients: results from the Food4Gut randomized placebo-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Inulin-type fructans (ITF) are prebiotic dietary fibre (DF) that may confer beneficial health effects, by interacting with the gut microbiota. We have tested the hypothesis that a dietary intervention promoting inulin intake versus placebo influences fecal microbial-derived metabolites and markers related to gut integrity and inflammation in obese patients. METHODS: Microbiota (16S rRNA sequencing), long- and short-chain fatty acids (LCFA, SCFA), bile acids, zonulin, and calprotectin were analyzed in fecal samples obtained from obese patients included in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Participants received either 16 g/d native inulin (prebiotic n = 12) versus maltodextrin (placebo n = 12), coupled to dietary advice to consume inulin-rich versus inulin-poor vegetables for 3 months, in addition to dietary caloric restriction. RESULTS: Both placebo and prebiotic interventions lowered energy and protein intake. A substantial increase in Bifidobacterium was detected after ITF treatment (q = 0.049) supporting our recent data obtained in a larger cohort. Interestingly, fecal calprotectin, a marker of gut inflammation, was reduced upon ITF treatment. Both prebiotic and placebo interventions increased the ratio of tauro-conjugated/free bile acids in feces. Prebiotic treatment did not significantly modify fecal SCFA content but it increased fecal rumenic acid, a conjugated linoleic acid (cis-9, trans-11 CLA) with immunomodulatory properties, that correlated notably to the expansion of Bifidobacterium (p = 0.031; r = 0.052). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that ITF-prebiotic intake during 3 months decreases a fecal marker of intestinal inflammation in obese patients. Our data point to a potential contribution of microbial lipid-derived metabolites in gastro-intestinal dysfunction related to obesity. CLINICALTRIALS. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT03852069 (February 22, 2019 retrospectively, registered).

Discovery of the gut microbial signature driving the efficacy of prebiotic intervention in obese patients.

OBJECTIVE: The gut microbiota has been proposed as an interesting therapeutic target for metabolic disorders. Inulin as a prebiotic has been shown to lessen obesity and related diseases. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether preintervention gut microbiota characteristics determine the physiological response to inulin. DESIGN: The stools from four obese donors differing by microbial diversity and composition were sampled before the dietary intervention and inoculated to antibiotic-pretreated mice (hum-ob mice; humanised obese mice). Hum-ob mice were fed with a high-fat diet and treated with inulin. Metabolic and microbiota changes on inulin treatment in hum-ob mice were compared with those obtained in a cohort of obese individuals supplemented with inulin for 3 months. RESULTS: We show that hum-ob mice colonised with the faecal microbiota from different obese individuals differentially respond to inulin supplementation on a high-fat diet. Among several bacterial genera, Barnesiella, Bilophila, Butyricimonas, Victivallis, Clostridium XIVa, Akkermansia, Raoultella and Blautia correlated with the observed metabolic outcomes (decrease in adiposity and hepatic steatosis) in hum-ob mice. In addition, in obese individuals, the preintervention levels of Anaerostipes, Akkermansia and Butyricicoccus drive the decrease of body mass index in response to inulin. CONCLUSION: These findings support that characterising the gut microbiota prior to nutritional intervention with prebiotics is important to increase the positive outcome in the context of obesity and metabolic disorders.

Microbiome response to diet: focus on obesity and related diseases.

Numerous studies in humans and animal models describe disturbances of the gut microbial ecosystem associated with adiposity and hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome, including hepatic and cardiovascular diseases. The manipulation of the microbiome, which is largely influenced by the diet, appears as an innovative therapeutic tool to prevent or control obesity and related diseases. This review describes the impact of nutrients on the gut microbiota composition and/or function and when available, the consequences on host physiology. A special emphasis is made on the contribution of bacterial-derived metabolites in the regulation of key gut functions that may explain their systemic effect.

In vitro approach to evaluate the fermentation pattern of inulin-rich food in obese individuals.

Alterations of the gut microbiome have been associated with obesity and metabolic disorders. The gut microbiota can be influenced by the intake of dietary fibres with prebiotic properties, such as inulin-type fructans. The present study tested the hypothesis that obese individuals subjected for 12 weeks to an inulin-enriched v. inulin-poor diet have differential faecal fermentation patterns. The fermentation of cellulose and inulin hydrolysates of six different inulin-rich and inulin-poor vegetables of both groups was analysed in vitro on faecal inocula. The results showed that the microbiota from obese patients who received a fructan-rich diet for 3 weeks produces more gas and total SCFA compared with the microbiota taken from the same individuals before the treatment. Obese individuals fed with a low-fructan diet produce less gas and less SCFA compared with the treated group. The present study highlighted profound changes in microbiota fermentation capacity obtained by prebiotic intervention in obese individuals, which favours the production of specific bioactive metabolites.

Microbiota and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: promising prospects for clinical interventions?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming the most important cause of chronic liver disease in Western countries but no pharmacological therapy is currently available. Growing evidence suggests that the microbiota plays a role in the occurrence and evolution of this disease, namely through the production of bioactive metabolites. RECENT FINDINGS: Omics technologies (metagenomic, metabolomic, and phenomic data) allow providing a robust prediction of steatosis. More than just correlations, causative effects of certain bacterial metabolites have been evidenced in vitro and in rodent models. Butyrate has been shown to be a potent metabolic and inflammatory modulator in the liver. Several aromatic amino-acids such as phenylacetic acid, imidazole propionate, and 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)lactate have been identified as potential inducers of steatosis and hepatic inflammation, whereas indolic compounds (indole and indole-3-acetate) seem to preserve liver integrity. Current clinical trials aim at evaluating the efficacy of novel approaches (functional foods, prebiotic and probiotics, and fecal microbial transplants). SUMMARY: The microbiota brings new hopes in the management of nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Adequate intervention studies in targeted patients are needed to unravel the relevance of such approaches in the management of those liver diseases.

The gut microbiota metabolite indole alleviates liver inflammation in mice.

The gut microbiota regulates key hepatic functions, notably through the production of bacterial metabolites that are transported via the portal circulation. We evaluated the effects of metabolites produced by the gut microbiota from aromatic amino acids (phenylacetate, benzoate, p-cresol, and indole) on liver inflammation induced by bacterial endotoxin. Precision-cut liver slices prepared from control mice, Kupffer cell (KC)-depleted mice, and obese mice ( ob/ ob) were treated with or without LPS and bacterial metabolites. We observed beneficial effects of indole that dose-dependently reduced the LPS-induced up-regulation of proinflammatory mediators at both mRNA and protein levels in precision-cut liver slices prepared from control or ob/ ob mice. KC depletion partly prevented the antiinflammatory effects of indole, notably through a reduction of nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat containing (NLR) family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) pathway activation. In vivo, the oral administration of indole before an LPS injection reduced the expression of key proteins of the NF-κB pathway and downstream proinflammatory gene up-regulation. Indole also prevented LPS-induced alterations of cholesterol metabolism through a transcriptional regulation associated with increased 4ß-hydroxycholesterol hepatic levels. In summary, indole appears as a bacterial metabolite produced from tryptophan that is able to counteract the detrimental effects of LPS in the liver. Indole could be a new target to develop innovative strategies to decrease hepatic inflammation.-Beaumont, M., Neyrinck, A. M., Olivares, M., Rodriguez, J., de Rocca Serra, A., Roumain, M., Bindels, L. B., Cani, P. D., Evenepoel, P., Muccioli, G. G., Demoulin, J.-B., Delzenne, N. M. The gut microbiota metabolite indole alleviates liver inflammation in mice.

High-fat diet induces depression-like behaviour in mice associated with changes in microbiome, neuropeptide Y, and brain metabolome.

Objectives: The biological mechanisms linking diet-related obesity and depression remain unclear. Therefore, we examined the impact of high-fat diet (HFD) on murine behaviour, intestinal microbiome, brain metabolome, neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression, and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) activity.Methods: Male C57Bl/6J mice were fed an HFD (60 kJ% from fat) or control diet (12 kJ% from fat) for 8 weeks, followed by behavioural phenotyping. Caecal microbiome was analysed by 16S rDNA sequencing, brain metabolome by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, NPY expression by PCR and immunoassay, and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) activity by enzymatic assay. The effect of a 4-week treatment with imipramine (7 mg/kg/day) and the DPP-4 inhibitor sitagliptin (50 mg/kg/day) on HFD-induced behavioural changes was also tested.Results: HFD led to a depression-like phenotype as revealed by reduced sociability and sucrose preference. In the caecum, HFD diminished the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria. In the brain, HFD modified the metabolome of prefrontal cortex and striatum, changing the relative concentrations of molecules involved in energy metabolism (e.g. lactate) and neuronal signalling (e.g. γ-aminobutyric acid). The expression of NPY in hypothalamus and hippocampus was decreased by HFD, whereas plasma NPY and DPP-4-like activity were increased. The HFD-induced anhedonia remained unaltered by imipramine and sitagliptin.Discussion: The depression-like behaviour induced by prolonged HFD in mice is associated with distinct alterations of intestinal microbiome, brain metabolome, NPY system, and DPP-4-like activity. Importantly, the HFD-evoked behavioural disturbance remains unaltered by DPP-4 inhibition and antidepressant treatment with imipramine.

Targeting the gut microbiota with inulin-type fructans: preclinical demonstration of a novel approach in the management of endothelial dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the beneficial role of prebiotics on endothelial dysfunction, an early key marker of cardiovascular diseases, in an original mouse model linking steatosis and endothelial dysfunction. DESIGN: We examined the contribution of the gut microbiota to vascular dysfunction observed in apolipoprotein E knockout (Apoe-/-) mice fed an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-depleted diet for 12 weeks with or without inulin-type fructans (ITFs) supplementation for the last 15 days. Mesenteric and carotid arteries were isolated to evaluate endothelium-dependent relaxation ex vivo. Caecal microbiota composition (Illumina Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene) and key pathways/mediators involved in the control of vascular function, including bile acid (BA) profiling, gut and liver key gene expression, nitric oxide and gut hormones production were also assessed. RESULTS: ITF supplementation totally reverses endothelial dysfunction in mesenteric and carotid arteries of n-3 PUFA-depleted Apoe-/- mice via activation of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase/NO pathway. Gut microbiota changes induced by prebiotic treatment consist in increased NO-producing bacteria, replenishment of abundance in Akkermansia and decreased abundance in bacterial taxa involved in secondary BA synthesis. Changes in gut and liver gene expression also occur upon ITFs suggesting increased glucagon-like peptide 1 production and BA turnover as drivers of endothelium function preservation. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate for the first time that ITF improve endothelial dysfunction, implicating a short-term adaptation of both gut microbiota and key gut peptides. If confirmed in humans, prebiotics could be proposed as a novel approach in the prevention of metabolic disorders-related cardiovascular diseases.

The DPP-4 inhibitor vildagliptin impacts the gut microbiota and prevents disruption of intestinal homeostasis induced by a Western diet in mice.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are agents designed to increase the half-life of incretins. Although they are administered orally, little is known about their effects on the gut microbiota and functions, despite the fact that some bacteria present in the gut microbiota exhibit DPP-4-like activity. Our objective was to study the impact of the DPP-4 inhibitor vildagliptin on gut functions and the intestinal ecosystem in a murine model of obesity induced by a Western diet (WD). METHODS: Twenty seven male C57BL/6J mice were randomised to receive a control diet, a WD (45% kJ from fat and 17% kJ from sucrose) or a WD + vildagliptin (0.6 mg/ml in drinking water) for 8 weeks. RESULTS: Vildagliptin significantly reduced DPP-4 activity in the caecal content and faeces. Vildagliptin impacted on the composition of the gut microbiota and its metabolic activity. It mainly decreased Oscillibacter spp. (a direct effect independent of DPP-4 activity was shown on cultured O. valericigenes), increased Lactobacillus spp. and propionate, and reduced the ligands of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4. Vildagliptin protected against the reductions in crypt depth and ileal expression of antimicrobial peptides induced by the WD. In the liver, the expression of immune cell populations (Cd3g and Cd11c [also known as Itgax]) and cytokines was decreased in the WD + vildagliptin-fed mice compared with the WD-fed group. Ex vivo exposure of precision-cut liver slices to vildagliptin showed that this response was not related to a direct effect of the drug on the liver tissue. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Our study is the first to consider the DPP-4-like activity of the gut microbiota as a target of DPP-4 inhibition. We propose that vildagliptin exerts beneficial effects at the intestinal level in association with modulation of gut microbiota, with consequences for hepatic immunity. If relevant in humans, this could open new therapeutic uses of DPP-4 inhibition to tackle gut dysfunctions in different pathophysiological contexts. DATA AVAILABILITY: The sequences used for analysis can be found in the MG-RAST database under the project name MYNEWGUT3.

Characterization of fructans and dietary fibre profiles in raw and steamed vegetables.

Dietary fibre (DF) has many positive effects on human health associated with its functionality in the gastrointestinal tract. These benefits vary according to the type of DF. Vegetables can be a natural source of DF in the diet. However, to provide adequate nutritional advice, the content and profile of their various DF types must be characterised. This study aimed to determine the DF profile of 29 vegetables cultivated in Wallonia (Belgium) and the impact of steaming on these profiles. Using a combination of enzymatic, gravimetric and chromatographic methods, fructans, total dietary fibre (TDF), low- and high-molecular-weight soluble dietary fibre (SDF), and insoluble dietary fibre (IDF) were analysed. Results show that the DF content varies considerably among the 29 investigated vegetable varieties and species, but the influence of steaming is limited to a shift from IDF to high-molecular-weight SDF for 18 of the 29 tested vegetables, while fructans are preserved with not actual reduction in the DP.

Ffar2 expression regulates leukaemic cell growth in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Activation of free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2) by microbiota-derived metabolites (e.g., propionate) reduces leukaemic cell proliferation in vitro. This study aims to test whether Ffar2 expression per se also influences leukaemia cell growth in vivo. METHODS: Bcr-Abl-expressing BaF cells were used as a leukaemia model and the role of Ffar2 was evaluated in Balb/c mice after lentiviral shRNA transduction. RESULTS: Our data formally establish that reduced leukaemic cell proliferation is associated with increased Ffar2 expression in vivo and in vitro. Going beyond association, we point out that decreasing Ffar2 expression fosters cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate the role of Ffar2 in the control of leukaemic cell proliferation in vivo and indicate that a modulation of Ffar2 expression through nutritional tools or pharmacological agents may constitute an attractive therapeutic approach to tackle leukaemia progression in humans.