Trimethylamine N-oxide and kidney diseases: what do we know? / N-óxido de trimetilamina e doenças renais: o que sabemos?

Abstract In the human gut, there is a metabolically active microbiome whose metabolic products reach various organs and are used in the physiological activities of the body. When dysbiosis of intestinal microbial homeostasis occurs, pathogenic metabolites may increase and one of them is trimethyl amine-N-oxide (TMAO). TMAO is thought to have a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, atherosclerotic heart diseases, and cerebrovascular events. TMAO level is also associated with renal inflammation, fibrosis, acute kidney injury, diabetic kidney disease, and chronic kidney disease. In this review, the effect of TMAO on various kidney diseases is discussed.

Resumo No intestino humano, existe um microbioma metabolicamente ativo cujos produtos metabólicos alcançam diversos órgãos e são utilizados nas atividades fisiológicas do corpo. Quando ocorre disbiose da homeostase microbiana intestinal, os metabólitos patogênicos podem aumentar, e um deles é o N-óxido de trimetilamina (TMAO). Acredita-se que o TMAO tenha um papel na patogênese da resistência à insulina, diabetes, hiperlipidemia, doenças cardíacas ateroscleróticas e eventos cerebrovasculares. O nível de TMAO também está associado à inflamação renal, fibrose, lesão renal aguda, doença renal diabética e doença renal crônica. Nesta revisão, discute-se o efeito do TMAO em diversas doenças renais.

The combination of berberine and cinnamon polyphenol can improve glucose metabolism in T2DM rats through Bas-TGR5-GLP-1 / 药学学报

Berberine (BBR) is the main pharmacological active ingredient of Coptidis, which has hypoglycemic effect, but its clinical application is limited due to its poor oral bioavailability. Polyphenols, derived from cinnamon, are beneficial for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The combination of both may have an additive effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypoglycemic effect and mechanism of combined medication in diabetic rats. The modeling rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (berberine group, cinnamon group, combined group, metformin group, diabetic control group) and normal control group. The animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee (approval number: HMUIRB2022003). The subjects were given orally, and the control group was given equal volume solvent and body weight was measured weekly. Thirty days after administration, oral glucose tolerance test and insulin sensitivity test were performed, and fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated serum protein (GSP), and serum insulin (INS) levels were detected; high-throughput sequencing technology was used to detect intestinal microbiota structure; real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were used to detect G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) expression levels. The results showed that, compared with the diabetic control group, the levels of FBG (P < 0.01) and GSP (P < 0.01) in the combined group were lower, and the insulin resistance was improved, which was better than that in the berberine group. Combined treatment increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides, Prevotella and Lactobacillus, reversed the decrease in Lactobacillus in the berberine alone induction group, and the combination of the two could promote the expression of TGR5 and GLP-1. In summary, the combined application of cinnamon and berberine can regulate glucose metabolism better than the application of berberine alone. Berberine combined with cinnamon can improve the function of pancreatic islet β cells in diabetes mellitus type 2 rats by changing the intestinal microbiota, increasing the expression of TGR5 and GLP-1 proteins, and thereby better regulating glucose metabolism.

Mechanism of Flavonoids in Patriniae Herba in Affecting Occurrence and Development of Colorectal Cancer / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Colorectal cancer is a common malignant tumor in the digestive system， ranking third in incidence and second in the cause of death worldwide. In recent years， the incidence of colorectal cancer is on the rise， and the age of patients with colorectal cancer tends to be younger， with a heavy cancer burden. It is of great significance to prevent the occurrence， development， recurrence， and metastasis of colorectal cancer to reduce the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer. Patriniae Herba has the effects of clearing heat， removing toxins， eliminating carbuncle， and discharging pus and shows good therapeutic efficacy on inflammatory bowel disease， digestive tract tumors， pelvic inflammation， gynecological tumor， and so on. Patriniae Herba is often used in the clinical treatment of colorectal cancer， but its mechanism of action is not clear. Modern studies have found that Patriniae Herba contains triterpenoids， saponins， iridoids， flavonoids， and other chemical components， with antioxidant， anti-tumor， anti-bacterial， and other pharmacological effects. The main anti-tumor components of Patriniae Herba are flavonoids. The analysis of network pharmacology and the spectrum-effect relationship has suggested that quercetin， luteolin， apigenin， isoorientin， and isovitexin play a major role in inhibiting the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer. In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that flavonoids in Patriniae Herba can play an anti-tumor role in various ways， such as preventing precancerous lesions of colorectal cancer， inhibiting the growth and proliferation of cancer cells， blocking cancer cell cycle， promoting cancer cell apoptosis， and reversing drug resistance of colorectal cancer. The oral availability of flavonoids is low. The gut is the main metabolic site of flavonoids in the body， its metabolic pathway is closely related to gut microbiota. This paper reviewed the anti-tumor mechanism of flavonoids and their influence on gut microbiota to provide a reference for further research on the mechanism of Patriniae Herba against colorectal cancer and its clinical application.

Connotation of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Regulating Gut Microbiota Based on "Lung and Large Intestine Being Interior-exterior Related" / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by persistent and often progressive airflow obstruction， including airway abnormalities （e.g.， bronchitis and bronchiolitis） and chronic respiratory symptoms （e.g.， dyspnea， cough， and expectoration）. It is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， the lung and large intestine are interior-exterior related. Therefore， COPD can be treated from both the lung and intestine by the methods of tonifying and invigorating lung， spleen， and kidney， dispelling phlegm， and expelling stasis. Gut microbiota plays a key role in human immunity， nerve， and metabolism and may act on COPD by affecting the structures and functions of lung and intestine tissue and regulating lung inflammation and immunity. TCM can restore the balance of gut microbiota， which is conducive to the recovery from COPD. For example， the treatment method of tonifying lung and invigorating kidney can regulate gut microbiota， alleviate pulmonary and intestinal injuries， and improve lung immunity. The treatment methods of dispelling phlegm and expelling stasis can regulate gut microbiota and reduce pulmonary inflammation. According to the TCM theory of lung and large intestine being interior-exterior related， this review elaborates on the connotation of TCM in the treatment of COPD by regulating gut microbiota， aiming to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of COPD via gut microbiota.

A Deep Insight into the Correlation Between Gut Dysbiosis and Alzheimer’s Amyloidopathy

Recent research has shown a strong correlation between gut dysbiosis and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The purpose of this review is to investigate the relationship between gut dysbiosis, immune system activation, and the onset of AD and to examine current breakthroughs in microbiota-targeted AD therapeutics. A review of scientific literature was conducted to assess the correlation between gut dysbiosis and AD and the various factors associated. Gut dysbiosis produces an increase in harmful substances, such as bacterial amyloids, which makes the gut barrier and blood-brain barrier more permeable. This leads to the stimulation of immunological responses and an increase in cytokines such as interleukin-1? (IL-1?). As a result, gut dysbiosis accelerates the progression of AD. The review highlights the connection between gut dysbiosis and AD and the potential for microbiota-targeted therapies in AD treatment.

A doença de Alzheimer e sua relação com o eixo microbiota-intestino-cérebro / Alzheimer's disease and its relationship with the microbiota-gut-brain axis

ABSTRACT Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible neurodegenerative disease, characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Several pathways enable bidirectional communication between the central nervous system (CNS), the intestine and its microbiota, constituting the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Objective: Review the pathophysiology of AD, relate it to the microbiota-gut-brain axis and discuss the possibility of using probiotics in the treatment and/or prevention of this disease. Methods: Search of articles from the PubMed database published in the last 5 years (2017 to 2022) structure the narrative review. Results: The composition of the gut microbiota influences the CNS, resulting in changes in host behavior and may be related to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Some metabolites produced by the intestinal microbiota, such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD, while other compounds produced by the microbiota during the fermentation of food in the intestine, such as D-glutamate and fatty acids short chain, are beneficial in cognitive function. The consumption of live microorganisms beneficial to health, known as probiotics, has been tested in laboratory animals and humans to evaluate the effect on AD. Conclusion: Although there are few clinical trials evaluating the effect of probiotic consumption in humans with AD, the results to date indicate a beneficial contribution of the use of probiotics in this disease.

RESUMO Contexto: A doença de Alzheimer (DA) é uma doença neurodegenerativa progressiva e irreversível, caracterizada pelo acúmulo de placas amiloides e emaranhados neurofibrilares no cérebro. Diversas vias possibilitam uma comunicação bidirecional entre o sistema nervoso central (SNC), o intestino e sua microbiota, constituindo o eixo microbiota-intestino-cérebro. Objetivo Revisar a fisiopatogenia da DA, relacioná-la com o eixo microbiota-intestino-cérebro e discutir sobre a possibilidade do uso de probióticos no tratamento e/ou prevenção desta doença. Métodos: Busca de artigos da base de dados PubMed publicados nos últimos 5 anos (2017 a 2022) para estruturar a revisão narrativa. Resultados A composição da microbiota intestinal influencia o SNC, resultando em modificações no comportamento do hospedeiro e pode estar relacionada com o desenvolvimento de doenças neurodegenerativas. Alguns metabólitos produzidos pela microbiota intestinal, como o N-óxido de trimetilamina (TMAO), podem estar envolvidos na patogênese da DA, enquanto, outros compostos produzidos pela microbiota durante a fermentação de alimentos no intestino, como o D-glutamato e os ácidos graxos de cadeia curta, são profícuos na função cognitiva. O consumo de microrganismos vivos benéficos à saúde, os probióticos, tem sido testado em animais de laboratório e humanos para avaliação do efeito na DA. Conclusão Embora haja poucos ensaios clínicos que avaliem o efeito do consumo de probióticos em humanos com DA, os resultados até o momento indicam uma contribuição benéfica do uso de probióticos nesta doença.

Potential relationship between Tourette syndrome and gut microbiome

Abstract Objective: In this article, the author aims to discuss and review the relationship between gut microbiota and Tourette syndrome, and whether the change in gut microbiota can affect the severity of Tourette syndrome. Sources: Literature from PubMed, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure was mainly reviewed. Both original studies and review articles were discussed. The articles were required to be published as of May 2022. Summary of the findings: Current studies on the gut microbiome have found that the gut microbiome and brain seem to interact. It is named the brain-gut-axis. The relationship between the brain-gut axis and neurological and psychiatric disorders has been a topic of intense interest. Tourette syndrome is a chronic neurological disease that seriously affects the quality of life of children, and there appears to be an increase in Ruminococcaceae and Bacteroides in the gut of patients with Tourette syndrome. After clinical observation and animal experiments, there appear to be particular gut microbiota changes in Tourette syndrome. It provides a new possible idea for the treatment of Tourette syndrome. Probiotics and fecal microbial transplantation have been tried to treat Tourette syndrome, especially Tourette syndrome which is not sensitive to drugs, and some results have been achieved. Conclusions: The relationship between gut microbiota and Tourette syndrome and how to alleviate Tourette syndrome by improving gut microbiota are new topics, more in-depth and larger sample size research is still needed.

Effect of Wumeisan on Gut Lactase Activity and Microflora Diversity of Mice with Dysbacteriosis Diarrhea / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of Wumeisan on gut lactase activity and microflora diversity of mice with dysbacteriosis diarrhea. MethodThe mice were randomly divided into 4 groups， namely， the normal group， the model group， and the low-dose and high-dose Wumeisan groups， with 8 mice in each group. The mouse model was made by gavage of mixed antibiotics for 7 d， and the low-dose and high-dose Wumeisan groups （5.98， 11.96 g·kg-1） were given gavage for 7 d continuously. The normal group and the model group were given the same volume of sterile water. The changes in the body weight， food intake， and diarrhea of mice were recorded. Feces were collected after the last administration， and the lactase activity was detected by the colorimetric method. The gut microbiota changes were detected by the 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology. ResultCompared with those in the normal group， the mice in the model group had dilute and soft stools， reduced body mass， reduced food intake， reduced lactase activity， significantly reduced intestinal flora diversity， and significant changes in the relative abundance phylum and genus levels of flora. Compared with the model group， Wumeisan reduced the diarrhea rate of mice， promoted the rapid recovery of body weight and food intake， increased the lactase activity decreased by antibiotic， improved the community abundance and diversity of mice with dysbacteriosis， and made the species composition closer to that in the normal group. The abundance of three phyla （Bacteroidota， Proteobacteria， Verrucomicrobiota） and nine genera （Odoribacter， Enterococcus， Clostridium innocuum group， etc.） of mice with diarrhea were regulated by Wumeisan. Among them， norank f Muribaculaceae， norank f norank o Clostridia UCG-014， Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group， and Odoribacter showed significant positive correlation with the body weight and lactase activity， and Escherichia-Shigella， Enterobacter， Enterococcus， and Clostridium innocuum group showed significant positive correlation with the diarrhea rate. Function prediction showed that the high-dose Wumeisan significantly reseted 6 functional levels of metabolism， genetic information processing， and human diseases， and had positive effects on endocrine and metabolic diseases， immune diseases， infectious disease， and parasitic infectious diseases. ConclusionWumeisan can relieve the symptoms of dysbacteriological diarrhea by increasing the lactase activity and regulating the gut microbiota composition.

Radix Paeoniae Alba attenuates Radix Bupleuri-induced hepatotoxicity by modulating gut microbiota to alleviate the inhibition of saikosaponins on glutathione synthetase / 药物分析学报

Radix Bupleuri(RB)is commonly used to treat depression,but it can also lead to hepatotoxicity after long-term use.In many anti-depression prescriptions,RB is often used in combination with Radix Paeoniae Alba(RPA)as an herb pair.However,whether RPA can alleviate RB-induced hepatotoxicity remain unclear.In this work,the results confirmed that RB had a dose-dependent antidepressant effect,but the optimal antidepressant dose caused hepatotoxicity.Notably,RPA effectively reversed RB-induced hepatotoxicity.Afterward,the mechanism of RB-induced hepatotoxicity was confirmed.The results showed that saiko-saponin A and saikosaponin D could inhibit GSH synthase(GSS)activity in the liver,and further cause liver injury through oxidative stress and nuclear factor kappa B(NF-KB)/NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3)pathway.Furthermore,the mechanisms by which RPA attenuates RB-induced hepatotoxicity were investigated.The results demonstrated that RPA increased the abundance of intestinal bacteria with glycosidase activity,thereby promoting the conversion of saikosaponins to sai-kogenins in vivo.Different from saikosaponin A and saikosaponin D,which are directly combined with GSS as an inhibitor,their deglycosylation conversion products saikogenin F and saikogenin G exhibited no GSS binding activity.Based on this,RPA can alleviate the inhibitory effect of saikosaponins on GSS activity to reshape the liver redox balance and further reverse the RB-induced liver inflammatory response by the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.In conclusion,the present study suggests that promoting the conversion of saikosa-ponins by modulating gut microbiota to attenuate the inhibition of GSS is the potential mechanism by which RPA prevents RB-induced hepatotoxicity.

Gut microbiome characteristics in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus of Dongxiang Group in Gansu province / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To investigate the region-specific characteristics of the gut microbiota and evaluate the association of speci?c gut microbes with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) from the Dongxiang Group in Gansu province, Northwest China.Methods:Fifty-three participants who was born in Dongxiang Autonomous County (Gansu Province) from April 2020 to January 2021 were enrolled, including 25 patients with T2DM recruited from the outpatient departments of internal medicine at The People′s Hospital of Dongxiang County(T2DM group) and 28 healthy controls recruited from the health screening center (HC group). Gut microbiome composition was analyzed using a 16S ribosomal RNA gene-based sequencing protocol.Results:A total of 936 operational taxonomic units (OTU) were obtained in the two groups. Of note, the HC and T2DM groups had 633 OTU in common. The alpha and beta diversity were different between the two groups ( P<0.05). Shannon index was significantly higher than that in the HC group, and Simpson index was significantly lower than that in the HC group, displacement multivariate analysis of variance was used to compare β diversity between the two groups, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). At the Phylum level, firmicutes and actinomycetes in T2DM group were significantly higher than those in the HC group (37.97% vs. 22.89%, 5.09% vs. 2.08%), and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The abundance of Bacteroidetes was significantly decreased (68.00% in T2DM group and 49.75% in HC group), and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). At the genus level, there were 20 genera statistically significant differences between the two groups. The abundance of Bifidobacterium, Escherichia, Shigella, and Tyzzerella_4 levels were significantly increased in the T2DM group, but Prevotella_9, Erysipelotrichaceae_UCG-003, and Roseburia levels were significantly decreased in the T2DM group compared to those in the HC group. Conclusions:There is a significant difference in the gut microbiota between patients with T2DM and healthy individuals of the Dongxiang group in Northwest China. So as to preliminary exploration the intestinal flora characteristics of T2DM in the Dongxiang group.The findings of this study provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of T2DM in Dongxiang group in the future.

Gut-lung axis: The crosstalk between gut microbiota and lung / 中国小儿急救医学

Human gut is a huge microbial habitat.Gut microbiota provides nutrition for human body, regulates metabolism and intestinal epithelial development, and induces innate immunity, and has significant impacts on growth, development and aging.Gut microbiota is influenced by genetics, living environment or life pattern, diseases and other factors, and also interacts with organs of the whole body through various of ways.The lung and the large intestine have embryological homology, common mucosal immune system, secretory function and other modern biological basis.Gut microbiota not only regulates the function of the gastrointestinal tract, but also affects the health and disease of the respiratory system, forming the " gut-lung axis". Intestinal microecological mediation and regulation based on the theory of gut-lung axis has achieved beneficial effects on the prevention and treatment of respiratory tract infection, asthma, and other respiratory diseases.

Gut microbiota and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis / 中国小儿急救医学

The pathophysiology of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is not clear, but is considered to be multifactorial.Immaturity of the gut, hypoxia-ischemia, formula feeding and microbial dysbiosis play roles in inducing intestinal inflammatory response.This review discussed the development process of infant gut microbiota, the factors affecting neonatal intestinal colonization, the roles of gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of NEC, and the manifestations of early microecology disorder in NEC.In addition, studies on the use of probiotics to prevent NEC and the risks of using probiotics in preterm infants were also summarized.

Gut microbiota and the coronavirus disease 2019 / 中国小儿急救医学

Gut microbiota regulates the immune response of distal organs through microbiota-metabolites, microbiota related molecular patterns and interactions between microorganisms and immune cells.The gut microbiota can be affected by direct infection of intestine or indirect immunity in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic caused by SARS-CoV-2.The gut microbiota can also affect the virus through the diversity of microbiota and the interaction of specific microorganisms and viruses or their metabolites.Beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium adolescentis in the gut microbiota can promote the production of antibodies against COVID-19 vaccine, including inactivated vaccine and RNA vaccine.Microbiota disorder has a long-term impacts on some COVID-19 patients, and interventions of gut microbiota, such as fecal microbiota transplantation, having a certain effect on the treatment of COVID-19.

Gut microbiota profiles in the perioperative period and long-term postoperative period in children with ventricular septal defect treated with cardiopulmonary bypass / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To explore the characteristics of gut microbiota in the preoperative, short-term postoperative and long-term postoperative period at (15.61±4.51) months in children with ventricular septal defect (VSD) of congenital heart disease (CHD) treated with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).Methods:A prospective study was conducted.In Guangzhou Women and Children′s Medical Center, 13 patients with VSD who were scheduled for CPB and additional 10 age- and gender-matched healthy infants as pre-CPB control group from January 2021 to January 2022 were enrolled.Fecal samples were collected at pre- and early post-CPB.Meanwhile, 18 gender- and CHD diagnosis and operation-matched patients at (15.61±4.51) months after CPB and 8 healthy age- and gender-matched children as long-term control group after CPB were also enrolled, and fecal samples were collected.16S rRNA sequencing of fecal samples from all subjects were performed and comparing the differences in gut microbiota between two groups via comparing alpha and beta diversity, parameter test or nonparametric test, and LEfSe analysis.Results:Compared with those of pre-CPB control group, there was a significant difference in the composition of gut microbiota in the preoperative period of VSD children, with significantly increased abundances of Enterobacteriaceae and Shigella, and decreased abundance of Bifidobacterium (all P<0.05). The diversity of gut microbiota was comparable in VSD children before CPB and in the short period time after CPB (all P>0.05), except for the abundances of Clostridium and Streptococcus (all P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the relative abundances of other highly abundant gut bacteria between the two periods (all P>0.05). Compared with that in VSD children in the short period time after CPB, the abundances of short-chain fatty acids-producing microbes were significantly higher at (15.61±4.51) months postoperatively (all P<0.05), and the gut bacteria profile was similar to that of the long-term control group after CPB (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Gut microbiota imbalance exists in VSD children before CPB.The gut microbiota profile is not influenced by CPB, which returns normal at (15.61±4.51) months postoperatively.

Progress on chronic pancreatitis and gut microbiota / 国际儿科学杂志

Gut microbiota plays an important role in digestive system diseases and has been paid more and more attention.Chronic pancreatitis is a common clinical disease of digestive system, its pathogenesis is not completely clear.Gastrointestinal microflora dysbiosis is associated with many pancreatic diseases.Similarly, the occurrence of chronic pancreatitis is related to the gut microbiota dysbiosis, and the intestinal microecological balance is broken, resulting in varying degrees of gastrointestinal microflora dysbiosis and bacterial translocation, which affects the occurrence and development of chronic pancreatitis.This review analyzes the changes of gut microbiota in chronic pancreatitis and the possible pathogenesis, so as to provide a reference for discussing the clinical value of gut microbiota in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis.

Understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Status based on Gut Microbiota Characteristics / 中医杂志

From the perspective of systems science， it is believed that the health status in traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） is a collection of dynamic changes caused by the continuous mutual movement and exchange of material and energy between the giant system of human beings and the environment， and the accurate identification of this is helpful to understand the common characteristics as well as the development and evolution rules the human body. It is suggested to identify TCM health status based on gut microbiota characteristics， take systems science research method in combination with partial order structure theory to quantify and utilize the information carried by gut microbiota， and use gut microbiota information as a component of micro-parameters to identify TCM health status， thereby supplementing and improving the identification system of TCM health status. The combination of systems science and TCM will further the study of life and provide ideas for studying TCM health status from the perspective of system.

Effect of Liquiritigenin on Intestinal Flora in Ovariectomized APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of liquiritigenin （LG） on intestinal flora in menopausal APP/PS1 mice. MethodsA total of forty 3-month-old female APP/PS1 mice were randomly divided into sham surgery group （n=20） and ovariectomy group （n=20）. Seven days after surgery， the ovariectomy group was randomly divided into ovariectomy control group （OVX， n=10）， ovariectomy + liquiritigenin treatment group （OVX + LG， n=10）， and the sham surgery group was randomly divided into liquiritigenin treatment group （LG， n=10） and reagent control group （Sham， n=10）， and ten C57BL/6J mice were taken as WT group. The dose of LG group and OVX + LG group was 30 mg•kg-1•d-1. After 90 days of drug treatment， fecal samples were gathered， genomes were extracted， and intestinal flora were analyzed by 16S rDNA Amplicon Sequencing. Morris water maze was performed to evaluate learning and memory abilities of mice. Immunofluorescence was used to observe the deposition of senile plaques （SP） in the brain of mice. ResultsThe results of water maze showed that LG significantly improved the learning memory ability of APP/PS1 mice with/without OVX （P<0.05）， and reduced the number of SPs in the brain of APP/PS1 mice with/without OVX， and the differences were statistically significant （P<0.000 1）. 16s rDNA sequencing analysis of the relative abundance of gut microbiota proved that LG treatment significantly increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus （P<0.05） and reduced the relative abundance of harmful bacteria belong to Bacteroidetes （P<0.05） in APP/PS1 mice intestines with/without menopause. After LG treatment， the relative abundance of Allobaculun elevated in the intestines of APP/PS1 mice， while declined in the intestines of menopausal APP/PS1 mice， but the difference was not statistically significant. LEfSe analysis revealed the bacteria with the most differential abundance of the gut microbiota of WT mice were Firmicutes， Bacillus， and Lactobacillales （P<0.05）； Lactobacillus reuteri had a greater influence on the LG group （P<0.05）； Bacteroidia， Bacteroidales and Bacteroides gathered in the intestines of mice in the Sham group （P<0.05）. Firmicutes and Allobaculum were the dominant in the WT group （P<0.05）； Bacteroides， Bacteroidia and Bacteroidales were more abundant in the Sham group（P<0.05）； Bacterroidaceae and Bacteroides had the most differential abundances in the OVX group （P<0.05）； Lactobacillaceae and Lactobacillus were more abundant in the intestines in the OVX + LG group （P<0.05）. ConclusionLG could improve the ratio of beneficial and harmful bacteria in the intestines of APP/PS1 mice before and after menopause. Liquiritigenin treatment showed consistent variations in intestinal flora in APP/PS1 mice with or without ovariectomy. It is presumed that menopausal APP/PS1 mice have lipid metabolism disorders which requires further study.

Perturbations in gastrointestinal tract microbiota composition and function in individuals with yellow-greasy tongue coating / 数字中医药（英文）

@#【Objective】  To study the composition and function of tongue coating (TC) and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiota in participants with yellow-greasy tongue coating (YGTC), and to explore the representative metabolite markers and pathways in this group. 【Methods】  Subjects with YGTC or thin-white tongue coating (TWTC) were recruited from December 1, 2021 to October 30, 2022, and the TC and fecal samples were collected. Samples were subjected to both whole-genome shotgun (WGS), and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The α-diversity analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and Spearman correlation analysis were performed for two groups. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) analysis was used to analyze metabolomics and enrichment of metabolic pathways. 【Results】  The results revealed 20 YGTC participates and 19 TWTC participates. At the genus level, the dominant bacterial species of TC flora and intestinal flora in the two groups were roughly the same, but the relative kurtosis difference was marked, and the abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria in TC and fecal samples of YGTC subjects was higher. There were 9 down-regulated microorganisms in the TC samples, 26 down-regulated microorganisms, and 6 up-regulated microorganisms in YGTC subjects. The α-diversity analysis indicated that the Chao and abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE) indices of TC bacteria in the YGTC subjects showed a decreasing trend, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The α-diversity of fecal samples and the Chao and ACE indices decreased significantly (P < 0.05). PCA showed that the microflora structure of TC and fecal samples were significantly different between the two groups. Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was no correlation between TC and fecal microorganisms at phyla and genus levels in the same subjects (P > 0.05). The metabolomics results demonstrated that fumarate reductase, V/A ATPase, and phosphatidylethanolamine were increased, and glycerate-3p, UDP-glucose, and quinone oxidoreductase metabolites were decreased in YGTC TC samples. Inosine monophosphate (IMP), uridine monophosphate (UMP), and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA) were increased in YGTC fecal samples, while the contents of ribo-5P, histidine, biotin,and cobalamin were decreased. Metabolic pathway analysis indicated that the abundance of the TC and fecal samples of the YGTC subjects was relatively low in various metabolic pathways, including amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, and energy metabolism. 【Conclusion】  Structural and functional changes in TC and GIT microbiota or metabolite markers could be potential biological bases of YGTC formation.

Short chain fatty acid: a messenger of gut-organ axis for disease regulation / 药学学报

Gut microbiota is a complex and dynamic system, and is essential for the health of the body. As the "second genome" of the body, it can establish communication with the important organs by regulating intestinal nerves, gastrointestinal hormones, intestinal barrier, immunity and metabolism, thus affecting host′s physiological functions. Short chain fatty acid (SCFA), known as one important metabolite of intestinal microbiota, is regarded as a significant messenger of the gut-organ communication, due to its extensive regulation in the body′s immunity, metabolism, endocrine and signal transduction. In this review, we summarize the interaction between gut-liver/brain/kidney/lung axis and diseases, and focus on the role and mechanism of SCFA in the gut-organ communication, hoping to provide new ideas for the treatment of the related diseases.

Isolation of a foodborne Bacillus cereus strain and its effect on intestinal mucosal immunity-associated factors and gut microbial community in mice / 生物工程学报

Bacillus cereus is a common foodborne pathogen. Accidently eating food contaminated by B. cereus will cause vomiting or diarrhea, and even death in severe cases. In the present study, a B. cereus strain was isolated from spoiled rice by streak culture. The pathogenicity and drug resistance of the isolated strain were analyzed by drug sensitivity test and PCR amplification of virulence-associated gene respectively. Cultures of the purified strain were injected intraperitoneally into mice to examine their effects on intestinal immunity-associated factors and gut microbial communities, to provide references for the pathogenic mechanism and medication guidance of these spoilage microorganisms. The results showed that the isolated B. cereus strain was sensitive to norfloxacin, nitrofurantoin, tetracycline, minocycline, ciprofloxacin, spectinomycin, clindamycin, erythrocin, clarithromycin, chloramphenicol, levofloxacin, and vancomycin, but resistant to bactrim, oxacillin and penicillin G. The strain carries seven virulence-associated genes including hblA, hblC, hblD, nheA, nheB, nheC and entFM, which are involved in diarrhea-causing toxins production. After infecting mice, the isolated B. cereus strain was found to cause diarrhea in mice, and the expression levels of immunoglobulins and inflammatory factors in the intestinal mucosae of the challenged mice were significantly up-regulated. Gut microbiome analysis showed that the composition of gut microbial community in mice changed after infection with B. cereus. The abundance of the uncultured_bacterium_f_Muribaculaceae in Bacteroidetes, which is a marker of body health, was significantly decreased. On the other hand, the abundance of uncultured_bacterium_f_Enterobacteriaceae, which is an opportunistic pathogen in Proteobacteria and a marker of dysbacteriosis, was significantly increased and was significantly positively correlated with the concentrations of IgM and IgG. These results showed that the pathogenic B. cereus carrying diarrhea type virulence-associated gene can activate the immune system by altering the composition of gut microbiota upon infection.