A Probiotic Amylase Blend Positively Impacts Gut Microbiota Modulation in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study.

The present study was performed to determine if ingesting a blend of probiotics plus amylase would alter the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota in subjects consuming the blend over a 6-week period. 16S and ITS ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing was performed on fecal samples provided by subjects who participated in a clinical study where they consumed either a probiotic amylase blend (Bifidobacterium breve 19bx, Lactobacillus acidophilus 16axg, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus 18fx, and Saccharomyces boulardii 16mxg, alpha amylase (500 SKB (Alpha-amylase-Dextrinizing Units)) or a placebo consisting of rice oligodextrin. The abundance and diversity of both bacterial and fungal organisms was assessed at baseline and following 6 weeks of probiotic amylase blend or placebo consumption. In the subjects consuming the probiotic blend, the abundance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae increased 200-fold, and its prevalence increased (~20% to ~60%) (p ≤ 0.05), whereas the potential pathogens Bacillus thuringiensis and Macrococcus caseolyticus decreased more than 150- and 175-fold, respectively, after probiotic-amylase blend consumption. We also evaluated the correlation between change in microbiota and clinical features reported following probiotic amylase consumption. Nine (9) species (seven bacterial and two fungal) were significantly (negatively or positively) associated with the change in 32 clinical features that were originally evaluated in the clinical study. Oral supplementation with the probiotic-amylase blend caused a marked increase in abundance of the beneficial yeast S. cerevisiae and concomitant modulation of gut-dwelling commensal bacterial organisms, providing the proof of concept that a beneficial commensal organism can re-align the gut microbiota.

Cardiovascular and mortality benefits of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists as third-step glucose-lowering medicine in patients with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Studies have found that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2) and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP1) have cardiovascular benefits for patients with type 2 diabetes (DM2) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), or heart failure (HF). The literature does not provide evidence specifically for patients with these conditions who are adding one of these medicines to two glucose-lowering medications (ie, as "third-step" therapy). We explored the effects of different third-step medications on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with diabetes and these comorbid conditions. Specifically, we compared third-step SGLT2 or GLP1 to third-step dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4), insulin, or thiazolidinediones (TZD). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We assembled a retrospective cohort of adults at five Kaiser Permanente sites with DM2 and ASCVD, CKD, or HF, initiating third-step treatment between 2016 and 2020. Propensity score weighted Poisson models were used to calculate adjusted rate ratios (ARRs) for all-cause mortality, incident major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), and incident HF hospitalization in patients initiating SGLT2 or GLP1 compared with DPP4, insulin, or TZD. RESULTS: We identified 27 542 patients initiating third-step treatment with one or more of these conditions (19 958 with ASCVD, 14 577 with CKD, and 3919 with HF). ARRs for GLP1 and SGLT2 versus DPP4, insulin, and TZD in the patient subgroups ranged between 0.22 and 0.55 for all-cause mortality, 0.38 and 0.81 for MACE, and 0.46 and 1.05 for HF hospitalization. Many ARRs were statistically significant, and all significant ARRs showed a benefit (ARR <1) for GLP1 or SGLT2 when compared with DPP4, insulin, or TZD. CONCLUSIONS: Third-step SGLT2 and GLP1 are generally associated with a benefit for these outcomes in these patient groups when compared with third-step DPP4, insulin, or TZD. Our results add to evidence of a cardiovascular benefit of SGLT2 and GLP1 and could inform clinical guidelines for choosing third-step diabetes treatment.

Candida tropicalis Affects Candida albicans Virulence by Limiting Its Capacity to Adhere to the Host Intestinal Surface, Leading to Decreased Susceptibility to Colitis in Mice.

Candida (C.) infections represent a serious health risk for people affected by inflammatory bowel disease. An important fungal virulence factor is the capacity of the fungus to form biofilms on the colonized surface of the host. This research study aimed to determine the effect of a C. tropicalis and C. albicans co-infection on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. The colitis severity was evaluated using histology and a colonoscopy. The mice were mono-inoculated with C. albicans or C. tropicalis or co-challenged with both species. The mice were administered 3% DSS to induce acute colitis. The biofilm activity was assessed using (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl] 2H-tetrazoliumhydroxide (XTT) and dry-weight assays. The abundance of C. albicans in the colon tissues was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The co-challenged mice showed a decreased colitis severity compared to the mono-inoculated mice. The dry-weight assay demonstrated a marked decrease in C. albicans biofilm production in a C. albicans culture incubated with C. tropicalis supernatant. Immunohistochemical staining showed that C. albicans was more abundant in the mucosa of C. albicans mono-inoculated mice compared to the co-inoculated group. These data indicate an antagonistic microbial interaction between the two Candida species, where C. tropicalis may produce molecules capable of limiting the ability of C. albicans to adhere to the host intestinal surface, leading to a reduction in biofilm formation.

Potential Sexual Transmission of Antifungal-Resistant Trichophyton indotineae.

We describe a case of tinea genitalis in an immunocompetent woman in Pennsylvania, USA. Infection was caused by Trichophyton indotineae potentially acquired through sexual contact. The fungus was resistant to terbinafine (first-line antifungal) but improved with itraconazole. Clinicians should be aware of T. indotineae as a potential cause of antifungal-resistant genital lesions.

Beta-defensin index: A functional biomarker for oral cancer detection.

There is an unmet clinical need for a non-invasive and cost-effective test for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) that informs clinicians when a biopsy is warranted. Human beta-defensin 3 (hBD-3), an epithelial cell-derived anti-microbial peptide, is pro-tumorigenic and overexpressed in early-stage OSCC compared to hBD-2. We validate this expression dichotomy in carcinoma in situ and OSCC lesions using immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The proportion of hBD-3/hBD-2 levels in non-invasively collected lesional cells compared to contralateral normal cells, obtained by ELISA, generates the beta-defensin index (BDI). Proof-of-principle and blinded discovery studies demonstrate that BDI discriminates OSCC from benign lesions. A multi-center validation study shows sensitivity and specificity values of 98.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 90.3-99.9) and 82.6% (95% CI 68.6-92.2), respectively. A proof-of-principle study shows that BDI is adaptable to a point-of-care assay using microfluidics. We propose that BDI may fulfill a major unmet need in low-socioeconomic countries where pathology services are lacking.

Circulating Monocytes Are Predictive and Responsive in Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis Subjects Treated with Apremilast.

Monocytes play a critical role in the inflammation associated with psoriasis, and their abnormalities have been reported as biomarkers of cardiovascular event risk, a psoriasis comorbidity. Monocytic cells in chronic inflammatory disorders express elevated levels of cAMP phosphodiesterase. Restoring cAMP levels using the oral cAMP phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, apremilast, improves clinical outcomes for a subset of patients with psoriasis. We asked whether aberrant monocyte subsets or transcriptomic pathways can function as biomarkers of psoriasis endotypes that can predict enhanced clinical responses to cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibition. A 16-week open-label study of 22 patients with monocyte flow cytometric and transcriptomic analysis was performed. Subjects with elevated hyperadhesive monocyte doublets at baseline were more likely to be responders to apremilast (P < .0001); 82% of subjects with elevated hyperadhesive monocyte doublets achieved 50% reduction in PASI compared with 46% in those without elevated doublets. We observed a significant reduction in hyperadhesive monocyte-containing doublets and monocyte-platelet aggregates, suggesting an effect of apremilast on the adhesiveness of blood monocytes during chronic inflammation. Monocyte differentially expressed gene transcripts predictive of clinical response uncovered pharmacoendotypes with distinct patterns of nucleotide metabolism, energetics, and differentiation. Further study to understand the basis of drug responsiveness and to develop an apremilast psoriasis treatment algorithm using monocyte-refined gene expression is required to validate and become practical in clinical use, offering patients a test that personalizes their likelihood of clinical response.

Age and Aspirin Dosing in Secondary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.

BACKGROUND: In patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, increasing age is concurrently associated with higher risks of ischemic and bleeding events. The objectives are to determine the impact of aspirin dose on clinical outcomes according to age in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the ADAPTABLE (Aspirin Dosing: A Patient-Centric Trial Assessing Benefits and Long-Term Effectiveness) trial, patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease were randomized to daily aspirin doses of 81 mg or 325 mg. The primary effectiveness end point was death from any cause, hospitalization for myocardial infarction, or hospitalization for stroke. The primary safety end point was hospitalization for bleeding requiring transfusion. A total of 15 076 participants were randomized to aspirin 81 mg (n=7540) or 325 mg (n=7536) daily (median follow-up: 26.2 months; interquartile range: 19.0-34.9 months). Median age was 67.6 years (interquartile range: 60.7-73.6 years). Among participants aged <65 years (n=5841 [38.7%]), a primary end point occurred in 226 (7.54%) in the 81 mg group, and in 191 (6.80%) in the 325 mg group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.23 [95% CI, 1.01-1.49]). Among participants aged ≥65 years (n=9235 [61.3%]), a primary end point occurred in 364 (7.12%) in the 81 mg group, and in 378 (7.96%) in the 325 mg group (adjusted HR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.82-1.10]). The age-dose interaction was not significant (P=0.559). There was no significant interaction between age and the randomized aspirin dose for the secondary effectiveness and the primary safety bleeding end points (P>0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Age does not modify the impact of aspirin dosing (81 mg or 325 mg daily) on clinical end points in secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Together We Go Farther: Improving Access to Cancer Screening Through a Multidisciplinary, One-Stop-Shop Approach.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Despite significant scientific advances in cancer treatment in recent decades, Black Americans still face marked inequities in cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Redressing these persistent inequities will require innovative strategies for community engagement. Radiologists, as experts in cancer screening and diagnosis for multiple malignancies, including breast, lung, and colon, are ideally suited to lead and implement community-based strategies to address local cancer disparities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Through an established academic-community partnership in West Philadelphia built over the course of multiple prior community healthcare events, the authors piloted a novel radiology-led multidisciplinary approach to improve access to cancer screening for the predominantly Black, medically-underserved residents. Using a "one-stop-shop" framework to provide a comprehensive suite of screening and ancillary services in the heart of the community, the authors sought to remove as many impediments to screening as possible. RESULTS: Approximately 350 participants attended the health fair, and a total of 232 screening tests or assessments were completed. Data from this event suggest that this inclusive approach, as well as the use of a health fair "passport" to incentivize engagement, can successfully improve access to screening and follow-up in an underserved community. CONCLUSION: This "one-stop-shop" community approach can be replicated by radiology-led teams in other settings as a high-value, scalable opportunity to reduce disparities in access to cancer screening.

Skin and gut microbial associations with squamous cell carcinoma in solid organ transplant recipients.

Solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) are burdened with a significantly higher risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) compared to the general population. Accumulating evidence suggests the potential influence of microbial dysbiosis on transplant outcomes. Based on these observations, we sought to identify differences in the cutaneous and gut microbiomes of SOTRs with and without a history of SCC. This case-control study collected and analyzed non-lesional skin and fecal samples of 20 SOTRs > 18 years old with either ≥ 4 diagnoses of SCC since most recent transplant (n = 10) or 0 diagnoses of SCC (n = 10). The skin and gut microbiomes were investigated with Next-Generation Sequencing, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey pairwise comparison procedure was used to test for differences in taxonomic relative abundances and microbial diversity indices between the two cohorts. Analyses of the skin microbiome showed increased bacterial and reduced fungal diversity in SOTRs with a history of SCC compared to SOTRs without a history of SCC (bacterial median Shannon diversity index (SDI) = 3.636 and 3.154, p < 0.05; fungal SDI = 4.474 and 6.174, p < 0.05, respectively). Analyses of the gut microbiome showed reduced bacterial and fungal diversity in the SCC history cohort compared to the SCC history-negative cohort (bacterial SDI = 2.620 and 3.300, p < 0.05; fungal SDI = 3.490 and 3.812, p < 0.05, respectively). The results of this pilot study thus show a trend toward the bacterial and fungal communities of the gut and skin being distinct in SOTRs with a history of SCC compared to SOTRs without a history of SCC. It furthermore demonstrates the potential for microbial markers to be used in the prognostication of squamous cell carcinoma risk in solid organ transplant recipients.

Antifungal Activity of Efinaconazole Compared to Fluconazole, Itraconazole, and Terbinafine against Terbinafine- and Itraconazole-Resistant and -Susceptible Clinical Isolates of Dermatophytes, Candida, and Mold.

BACKGROUND: Recently, an increasing number of resistant-to-terbinafine dermatophytosis cases have been reported. Thus, identifying an alternative antifungal agent that possesses a broad-spectrum activity, including against resistant strains, is needed. METHODS: In this study, we compared the antifungal activity of efinaconazole to fluconazole, itraconazole, and terbinafine against clinical isolates of dermatophyte, Candida, and molds using in vitro assays. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of each antifungal was quantified and compared. Both susceptible and resistant clinical isolates of Trichophyton mentagrophytes (n=16), T. rubrum (n=43), T. tonsurans (n=18), T. violaceum (n=4), Candida albicans (n=55), C. auris (n=30), Fusarium sp., Scedosporium sp., and Scopulariopsis sp. (n=15 for each) were tested. RESULTS: Our data shows that efinaconazole was the most active antifungal, compared to the other agents tested, against dermatophytes with MIC50 and MIC90 (Concentration that inhibited 50% and 90% of strains tested, respectively) values of 0.002 and 0.03 µg/ml, respectively. Fluconazole, itraconazole and terbinafine showed MIC50 and MIC90 values of 1 and 8 µg/ml, 0.03 and 0.25 µg/ml, and 0.031 and 16 µg/ml, respectively. Against Candida isolates, efinaconazole MIC50 and MIC90 values were 0.016 and 0.25 µg/ml, respectively, whereas fluconazole, itraconazole and terbinafine had MIC50 and the MIC90 values of 1 and 16 µg/ml, 0.25 and 0.5 µg/ml, and 2 and 8 µg/ml, respectively. Against various mold species, efinaconazole MIC values ranged from 0.016 and 2 µg/ml, compared to 0.5 to greater than 64 µg/ml for the comparators. CONCLUSIONS: efinaconazole showed superior potent activity against a broad panel of susceptible and resistant dermatophyte, Candida, and mold isolates.

Differential RNA Transcriptome in Ustekinumab Responders vs Non-Responders.

Despite numerous available psoriasis treatments, no "one size fits all" regimen provides complete disease control without side effects, logistical obstacles, and/or expense. Despite increasingly efficacious drugs, only 20-25% of patients treated with biologic therapies achieve completely clear skin (PASI 100) and even fewer achieve this if they have experienced failures of multiple biologics.

Multiple plasma membrane reporters discern LHFPL5 region that blocks trafficking to the plasma membrane.

The mechano-electrical transduction (MET) channel of the inner ear receptor cells, termed hair cells, is a protein complex that enables our senses of hearing and balance. Hair cell MET requires an elaborate interplay of multiple proteins that form the MET channel. One of the MET complex components is the transmembrane protein LHFPL5, which is required for hair cell MET and hearing. LHFPL5 is thought to form a multi-protein complex with other MET channel proteins, such as PCDH15, TMIE, and TMC1. Despite localizing to the plasma membrane of stereocilia, the mechanosensing organelles of hair cells, LHFPL5 requires its binding partner within the MET complex, PCDH15, to localize to the stereocilia tips in hair cells and to the plasma membrane in heterologous cells. Using the Aquaporin 3-tGFP reporter (AGR) for plasma membrane localization, we found that a region within extracellular loop 1, which interacts with PCDH15, precludes the trafficking of AGR reporter to the plasma membrane in heterologous cell lines. Our results suggest that the presence of protein partners may mask endoplasmic reticulum retention regions or enable the proper folding and trafficking of the MET complex components, to facilitate expression of the MET complex at the stereocilia membrane.

Vitamin D3 and deconvoluting a rash.

BACKGROUNDAdverse drug reactions are unpredictable immunologic events presenting frequent challenges to clinical management. Systemically administered cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) has immunomodulatory properties. In this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled interventional trial of healthy human adults, we investigated the clinical and molecular immunomodulatory effects of a single high dose of oral vitamin D3 on an experimentally induced chemical rash.METHODSSkin inflammation was induced with topical nitrogen mustard (NM) in 28 participants. Participant-specific inflammatory responses to NM alone were characterized using clinical measures, serum studies, and skin tissue analysis over the next week. All participants underwent repeat NM exposure to the opposite arm and then received placebo or 200,000 IU cholecalciferol intervention. The complete rash reaction was followed by multi-omic analysis, clinical measures, and serum studies over 6 weeks.RESULTSCholecalciferol mitigated acute inflammation in all participants and achieved 6 weeks of durable responses. Integrative analysis of skin and blood identified an unexpected divergence in response severity to NM, corroborated by systemic neutrophilia and significant histopathologic and clinical differences. Multi-omic and pathway analyses revealed a 3-biomarker signature (CCL20, CCL2, CXCL8) unique to exaggerated responders that is suppressed by cholecalciferol and implicates IL-17 signaling involvement.CONCLUSIONHigh-dose systemic cholecalciferol may be an effective treatment for severe reactions to topical chemotherapy. Our findings have broad implications for cholecalciferol as an antiinflammatory intervention against the development of exaggerated immune responses.TRIAL REGISTRATIONclinicaltrials.gov (NCT02968446).FUNDINGNIH and National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS; grants U01AR064144, U01AR071168, P30 AR075049, U54 AR079795, and P30 AR039750 (CWRU)).

Modulating the Microbiome for Crohn's Disease Treatment.

The central role of the gut microbiota in the regulation of health and disease has been convincingly demonstrated. Polymicrobial interkingdom interactions between bacterial (the bacteriome) and fungal (the mycobiome) communities of the gut have become a prominent focus for development of potential therapeutic approaches. In addition to polymicrobial interactions, the complex gut ecosystem also mediates interactions between the host and the microbiota. These interactions are complex and bidirectional; microbiota composition can be influenced by host immune response, disease-specific therapeutics, antimicrobial drugs, and overall ecosystems. However, the gut microbiota also influences host immune response to a drug or therapy by potentially transforming the drug's structure and altering bioavailability, activity, or toxicity. This is especially true in cases where the gut microbiota has produced a biofilm. The negative ramifications of biofilm formation include alteration of gut permeability, enhanced antimicrobial resistance, and alteration of host immune response effectiveness. Natural modulation of the gut microbiota, using probiotic and prebiotic approaches, may also be used to affect the host microbiome, a type of "natural" modulation of the host microbiota composition. In this review, we discuss potential bidirectional interactions between microbes and host, and we describe the changes in gut microbiota induced by probiotic and prebiotic approaches as well as their potential clinical consequences, including biofilm formation. We outline a systematic approach to designing probiotics capable of altering the host microbiota in disease states, using Crohn's disease as a model chronic disease. Understanding how the effective changes in the microbiome may enhance treatment efficacy may unlock the possibility of modulating the gut microbiome to improve treatment using a natural approach.

A Novel Transdermal Application for Clearing Skin Colonization by Candida auris.

BACKGROUND. Candida auris has demonstrated the ability to colonize the skin of hospitalized patients, possibly contributing to nosocomial spread. OBJECTIVE. The objective was to determine whether two novel transdermal agents could clear skin colonization established by C. auris METHODS. A murine skin colonization model was first optimized and then used to test fungal burden reduction following treatment with 1% terbinafine or 1% clotrimazole in a proprietary Advanced Penetration Technology formulation (APT™). RESULTS. Both treatments significantly reduced fungal burden compared to control groups. CONCLUSION. These novel agents show promise as a topical means of preventing skin colonization by C. auris.

Efficacy of chlorhexidine in advanced performance technology formulation in decolonizing the skin using Candida auris skin colonization mouse model.

The incidence of Candida auris, an emerging multidrug resistant fungal species, is increasing. The ability of this yeast to colonize the human skin could lead to infections. Identifying agents to reduce the skin fungal burden is critical. Chlorhexidine formulated in a new Advanced Performance Technology formulation (APT-CH) was significantly more effective than untreated controls. Additional studies are warranted.

Time to Think Antifungal Resistance Increased Antifungal Resistance Exacerbates the Burden of Fungal Infections Including Resistant Dermatomycoses.

Increased antifungal resistance is exacerbating the burden of invasive fungal infections, as well as potentially contributing to the increase in resistant dermatomycoses. In this commentary, we focus on antifungal drug resistance, in contrast to antibacterial resistance. We provide a brief historical perspective on the emergence of antifungal resistance and propose measures for combating this growing health concern. The increase in the incidence of invasive and cutaneous fungal infections parallels advancements in medical interventions, such as immunosuppressive drugs, to manage cancer and reduce organ rejection following transplant. A disturbing relatively new trend in antifungal resistance is the observation of several fungal species that now exhibit multidrug resistance (eg, Candida auris, Trichophyton indotineae). Increasing awareness of these multidrug-resistant species is paramount. Therefore, increased education regarding potential fungus-associated infections is needed to address awareness in the general healthcare setting, which may result in a more realistic picture of the prevalence of antifungal-resistant infections. In addition to education, increased use of diagnostic tests (eg, micro and macro conventional assays or molecular testing) should be routine for healthcare providers facing an unknown fungal infection. Two critical barriers that affect the low rates for Antifungal Susceptibility Testing (AST) are low (or a lack of) sufficient insurance reimbursement rates and the low number of qualified laboratories with the capacity to perform AST. The ultimate aim is to improve the quality of patient care through fungal identification, diagnosis, and, where appropriate, susceptibility testing. Here we propose an all-encompassing call to action to address this emerging challenge.