Fermented dietary fiber from soy sauce residue exerts antidiabetic effects through regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and gut microbiota-SCFAs-GPRs axis in type 2 diabetic mellitus mice.

The gut plays a crucial role in the development and progression of metabolic disorders, particularly in relation to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). While a high intake of dietary fiber is inversely associated with the risk of T2DM, the specific effects of various dietary fibers on T2DM are not fully understood. This study investigated the anti-diabetic properties of fermented dietary fiber (FDF) derived from soy sauce residue in T2DM mice, demonstrating its ability to lower blood glucose levels and ameliorate insulin resistance. Our findings revealed that FDF could enhance hepatic glucose metabolism via the IRS-1/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Additionally, the anti-diabetic effect of FDF was correlated with alterations in gut microbiota composition in T2DM mice, promoting a healthier gut environment. Specifically, FDF increased the abundance of beneficial flora such as Dubosiella, Butyricimonas, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Lactobacillus and Osillibacter, while reducing harmful bacteria including Bilophila, Parabacteroides and Enterorhabdus. Further analysis of microbial metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and bile acids (BAs), provided evidence of FDF's regulatory effects on cecal contents in T2DM mice. Importantly, FDF treatment significantly restored the G-protein-coupled receptors (GPRs) expression in the colon of T2DM mice. In conclusion, our study suggests that the anti-diabetic effects of FDF are associated with the regulation of both the liver-gut axis and the gut microbiota-SCFAs-GPRs axis.

Dietary nobiletin regulated cefuroxime- and levofloxacin-associated "gut microbiota-metabolism" imbalance and intestinal barrier dysfunction in mice.

Nobiletin (NOB) exhibits significant biological activities and may be a potential dietary treatment for antibiotic-associated gut dysbiosis. In this study, mice were gavaged with 0.2 mL day-1 of 12.5 g L-1 cefuroxime (LFX) and 10 g L-1 levofloxacin (LVX) for a duration of 10 days, accompanied by 0.05% NOB to investigate the regulatory effect and potential mechanisms of NOB on antibiotic-induced intestinal microbiota disorder and intestinal barrier dysfunction. Our results indicated that dietary NOB improved the pathology of intestinal epithelial cells and the intestinal permeability by upregulating the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins (TJs) and the number of goblet cells. Furthermore, dietary NOB reduced the levels of serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α and IL-1ß), thereby facilitating the restoration of the intestinal mucosal barrier. Additionally, dietary NOB increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria f_Lachnospiraceae and regulated the metabolic disorders of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and bile acids (BAs). Notably, NOB supplementation resulted in elevated levels of butyric acid and lithocholic acid (LCA), which contributed to the repair of the intestinal mucosal barrier function and the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis. Collectively, our results propose a healthy dietary strategy for the prevention or mitigation of antibiotic-associated gut dysbiosis by dietary NOB.

Dietary 5-demethylnobiletin attenuated dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice by inhibiting immune response and regulating gut microbiota.

This study investigated the preventive effect of 5-demethylnobiletin (5DN), a natural polymethoxyflavone found mainly in citrus fruits, on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice and explored its potential mechanisms. Our results indicated that dietary 5DN (0.05% w/w in diet) could alleviate colitis symptoms in DSS-treated mice by preventing body weight loss, reducing the disease activity index, decreasing the colon weight to colon length ratio, and lessening colon tissue damage. Additionally, 5DN inhibited the inflammatory response in colitis mice through decreasing the production of inflammatory cytokines. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that 5DN could reverse the DSS-induced decrease in the expression of claudin-1 and ZO-1 to improve the intestinal barrier function. Furthermore, 5DN altered gut microbiota dysbiosis in DSS-treated mice via up-regulating the level of probiotics (Roseburia) and down-regulating the level of pathogenic bacteria (Clostridium, Parabacteroides, and Sutterella). Taken together, these data provided a solid scientific basis for utilizing 5DN as a therapeutic candidate in colitis and related diseases.

Alkaline lysis-recombinase polymerase amplification combined with CRISPR/Cas12a assay for the ultrafast visual identification of pork in meat products.

The "Horsemeat Scandal" makes people pay more attention to the meat authenticity. However, expensive equipment, complicated operations, and professional personnel of current methods limit their field testing. In this study, CRISPR/Cas12a combined with recombinase polymerase amplification was used to establish a sensitive and rapid detection method for pig-derived component. The detection limit can reach to 10-3 ng for pig DNA and be completed within 30 min. Beef and pork binary mixture models under different processing conditions of raw meat, boiled, and high-pressure were tested. Combining with two different DNA extraction methods, the detection limits of pork are as low as 0.1% and 0.001% (w/w), respectively. After 125 commercial products are tested, the results are completely consistent with the Chinese national standard real-time PCR method. This method not only has better detectability, but also can quickly and conveniently realize the visual identification of pig-derived ingredients, thus is suitable for on-site detection.