Identification and validation of non-coding RNA-mediated high expression of IQGAP3 in poor prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The primary reason for tumor-related deaths worldwide is lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The oncogene IQ motif-containing GTPase activating protein 3 (IQGAP3) is crucial for contributing to tumor initiation and progression. However, the precise function and molecular mechanism of IQGAP3 in LUAD remain unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the expression, prognosis, mechanism and tumor immunity associated with IQGAP3 in LUAD. METHODS: The relationship between IQGAP3 and the poor prognosis of LUAD was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. This analysis was further validated on lung cancer tissues and cell lines. The function of IQGAP3 was investigated by silencing it in LUAD cell lines. To predict microRNA (miRNA) and long non-coding RNA associated with IQGAP3, the starBase database was utilized, and the predictions were verified by enhancing the function of miRNA. Finally, the relationship between IQGAP3 and tumor immunity was evaluated using Spearman's correlation analysis. RESULTS: TCGA database revealed that higher levels of IQGAP3 were associated with advanced tumor stage, N stage and poor prognosis in LUAD patients. To confirm that, we conducted experiments on lung cancer tissues and cell lines and found that silencing IQGAP3 significantly inhibited tumor cell proliferation and migration. The expression of IQGAP3 showed a negative correlation with has-miR-101-3p and has-miR-135a-5p, whereas it showed a positive correlation with GSEC, AC005034.3 and TYMSOS. Furthermore, the introduction of miRNA-mimics into lung cancer cell resulted in a significant inhibition of cancer cell growth and migration. Following that, the level of IQGAP3 showed a positive correlation with the infiltration of immune cells in tumors. CONCLUSIONS: These results reveal that IQGAP3 significantly promotes LUAD progression and could serve as a prognostic biomarker for LUAD. Furthermore, IQGAP3 is most likely regulated by the GSEC/TYMSOS-hsa-miR-101-3p axis and the AC005034.3-hsa-miR-135a-5p axis in LUAD.

High Expression Level of TRIP6 is Correlated with Poor Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer and Promotes Tumor Cell Proliferation and Migration.

Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of health problems. More reliable molecular biomarkers for early diagnosis in CRC patients are needed. A crucial role for thyroid hormone receptor interacting protein 6 (TRIP6) is played in tumorigenesis and tumor growth. Our study aims to determine the diagnostic and prognostic roles of TRIP6 at CRC. TRIP6 gene expression levels were analyzed in this study from public databases. The relationship between TRIP6 expression and clinicopathological characteristics was explored by logistic regression analysis. Based on Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curves and receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) analysis, the prognostic and diagnostic values of TRIP6 were determined. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks analysis were performed using the STRING database. A Spearman's correlation analysis applied for examining the correlation between TRIP6 expression, immune cell infiltration, and immune checkpoint genes. Moreover, colony formation assay and transwell assay were used to investigate the functions of TRIP6. TRIP6 was highly expressed in CRC cancer tissues and cells. K-M survival analysis indicated that a high expression of TRIP6 was associated with poor prognosis. TRIP6 expression was obviously associated with immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint gene expression. For validation, the results of collected clinical CRC samples show that TRIP6 levels in CRC tumor tissue were higher than those of paired adjacent colorectal tissues. Additionally, in vitro experiments suggested that TRIP6 knockdown suppressed proliferation and migration in CRC cell line RKO. TRIP6 overexpression promoted the proliferation and migration of normal colon cell line NCM460. High TRIP6 expression is associated with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer and promotes tumor cell proliferation and migration which may be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and a promising therapeutic target for CRC, providing new insights into its role in CRC.

The role of WSC domain-containing protein encoding gene AOL_s00043g401 in the growth and nematode trapping of Arthrobotrys oligospora.

Arthrobotrys oligospora is a model nematode-trapping fungus that has been extensively investigated to understand the interactions between fungi and nematodes. Nematode capture by A. oligospora is a complex process in which recognition of nematodes is generally believed to be mediated by lectins from the fungi. Lectins are a group of carbohydrate-binding proteins that widely exist in microorganisms and contain specific glycosylation recognition domains. In this work, we report the effect of a putative WSC domain-containing protein encoding gene AOL_s00043g401 (g401) on the growth and nematode-trapping of A. oligospora. The g401 gene was knocked out using the homologous recombination approach, and the △g401 mutant strain was then evaluated for its growth rate, conidial yield and germination rate, adaptation to environmental stresses, and nematocidal activity. Interestingly, the deletion of the putative lectin gene g401 had no significant effect on saprophytic growth, conidial yield and germination rate, responses to high salt, surfactant, and strong oxidative environments, as well as nematode-trapping efficiency of A. oligospora. We speculate that this phenomenon might have been caused by an intrinsic genetic compensation of the g401 in this fungus. For instance, more copies of WSC domain encoding genes or PQQ-DH domain encoding genes were found in the genome of A. oligospora. These findings provide further experimental evidence on the effect of lectin-related functional proteins in A. oligospora on nematode capture and will help further analyze their potential roles in the biological control of nematodes in the future.

Purification and antioxidant and anti-Inflammatory activity of extracellular polysaccharopeptide from sanghuang mushroom, Sanghuangporus lonicericola.

BACKGROUND: Sanghuang mushrooms are medicinal fungi widely used in eastern Asia. In this study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of a novel extracellular polysaccharopeptide, sanghuang extracellular polysaccharopeptide (SePSP) was investigated. The SePSP was purified from the submerged fermentation broth of a sanghuang mycelium, Sanghuangporus lonicericola strain CBS17, which was isolated from a wild sanghuang fruiting body. RESULTS: The SePSP was extracted using an ethanol precipitation procedure, followed by diethylaminoethanol (DEAE) anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. The mass ratio of the polysaccharide and peptide components in the purified SePSP was approximately 4.87:1. By determining its free radical scavenging abilities using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), the hydroxyl free radical, and the superoxide anion free radical, as well as its total reducing power, SePSP was shown to have strong concentration-dependent antioxidant activity in vitro. Further, SePSP effectively alleviated dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. Administration of 200 mg kg-1 SePSP by gavage for 7 days prevented body weight loss; significantly reduced the mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-1ß; increased mRNA level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the colon, and decreased the malondialdehyde concentration from 6.42 to 4.82 µmol L-1 in the blood in UC mice. CONCLUSION: The SePSP had strong concentration-dependent antioxidant activity in vitro and effectively alleviated DSS-induced UC in mice. The in vivo therapeutic efficacy in DSS-induced UC may be mediated by modulating the expression of inflammatory cytokines and inhibiting oxidative stress. The findings provide a scientific rationale for the use of bioactive nutraceuticals from sanghuang mushrooms to develop functional foods for the prevention and treatment of UC. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

A novel fungal beta-propeller phytase from nematophagous Arthrobotrys oligospora: characterization and potential application in phosphorus and mineral release for feed processing.

Phytases are widely utilized in feed industry to increase the utilization of phosphorus, minerals, and amino acids for improvement of animal and human nutrition. At present, all known ß-propeller phytases (BPP) have been generated from bacteria, particularly Bacillus. In this work we report for the first time a new fungal-derived BPP phytase. We identified a phytase highly differentially expressed only in the parasitic stage of a nematophagous fungus, Arhtrobotrys oliogospora, during the development of the 3D traps. We found that this phytase was homologous to the known bacterial BPP phytase, thus we referred the new phytase to Aophytase. The heterologous expression of codon-optimized Aophytase gene in Pichia pastoris was successfully investigated to yield recombinant Aophytase (r-Aophytase) with high specific enzyme activity of 74.71 U/mg, much higher than those of recombinant BPP phytases derived bacteria. The kinetic parameters of the r-Aophytase, the optimum pH and temperature, as well as the effects of surfactant, EDTA and different ions on its enzyme activity were further investigated. The potential utilization of r-Aophytase in feed processing was finally explored. We found that the optimal pH value was about 7.5, and the optimal temperature was 50 °C.; r-Aophytase significantly increased the release of inorganic phosphorus from soybean meal, and improved the release of soluble minerals from the durum wheat flour and finger millet flour. The findings indicate its potential utilization in the feed processing to ameliorate nutritional value of cereals and animal feed in the future.

Effect of postharvest UV-B or UV-C irradiation on phenolic compounds and their transcription of phenolic biosynthetic genes of table grapes.

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation has been related to the extension shelf-life and maintenance of postharvest quality in fruits. However, the comparison of UV-B and UV-C treatment on the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds of grape remain unclear. This study provides a comparison on the mechanism of phenolic secondary metabolism at the same dose of 3.6 kJ m-2 UV treatment. Total phenolic compounds, total flavonoid, total flavanol, and total anthocyanin content and antioxidant activities of grapes after UV-C treatments were higher than those of the control and UV-B treatment. Among the evaluated parameters of individual phenolic compounds, the content of trans-resveratrol showed the highest percentage increase after the UV application. The transcriptions of PAL, CHS, F3H, LAR, ANS and STS were higher in grapes treated by UV-C than in those treated by UV-B. The CHS, LAR, ANS and STS genes were more induced in UV-B treatment than in control group. The same applied dose of UV-B or UV-C irradiation have different impact on gene expression and phenolic metabolites synthesis. The UV-C irradiation stimulated a higher gene expression of the phenolic compounds biosynthesis and also induced a greater accumulation of these metabolites at the same applied dose.

Effect of bone marrow-derived CD11b(+)F4/80 (+) immature dendritic cells on the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in DBA/1 mice with collagen-induced arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of bone marrow-derived CD11b(+)F4/80(+) immature dendritic cells (BM CD11b(+)F4/80(+)iDC) on the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in DBA/1 mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). METHODS: BM CD11b(+)F4/80(+)iDC were induced with rmGM-CSF and rmIL-4, and were identified by the expressions of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2), indoleamine 2,3-deoxygenase (IDO), interleukin (IL)-10, transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 and mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR). CIA was established in DBA/1 mice by immunization with type II collagen. CIA mice were injected intravenously with BM CD11b(+)F4/80(+)iDC three times after immunization. The effect of BM CD11b(+)F4/80(+)iDC on CIA was evaluated by the arthritis index, joint histopathology, body weight, thymus index, thymocytes proliferation, IL-1ß, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-17, IL-10 and TGF-ß1 levels. RESULTS: BM CD11b(+)F4/80(+)iDC induced with rmGM-CSF and rmIL-4 expressed high levels of TLR-2, IDO, IL-10 and TGF-ß1. Infusion of BM CD11b(+)F4/80(+)iDC in CIA mice significantly reduced the arthritis index and pathological scores of joints, recovered the weight, decreased the thymus index and inhibited thymocyte proliferation. Levels of IL-1ß, TNF-α and IL-17 were decreased in BM CD11b(+)F4/80(+)iDC-treated mice. CONCLUSIONS: BM CD11b(+)F4/80(+)iDC can be induced successfully with rmGM-CSF and rmIL-4. BM CD11b(+)F4/80(+)iDC treatment can ameliorate the development and severity of CIA by regulating the balance between pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Bacillus paralicheniformis, an acetate-producing probiotic, alleviates ulcerative colitis via protecting the intestinal barrier and regulating the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) presents a challenging scenario in digestive health, characterized by recurrent inflammation that is often hard to manage. Bacteria capable of producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) play a pivotal role in mitigating UC symptoms, rendering them promising candidates for probiotic therapy. In this investigation, we assessed the impact of Bacillus paralicheniformis HMPM220325 on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced UC in mice. Genomic analysis of the strain revealed the presence of protease genes associated with acetate and butyrate synthesis, with acetic acid detected in its fermentation broth. Administration of B. paralicheniformis HMPM220325 to UC mice ameliorated pathological manifestations of the condition and restored intestinal barrier function. Furthermore, B. paralicheniformis HMPM220325 suppressed the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway and modulated the composition of the intestinal microbiota. These findings shed significant light on the potential of B. paralicheniformis as a probiotic candidate, offering a novel avenue for the prevention and therapeutic intervention of colitis.

Ginger exosome-like nanoparticle-derived miRNA therapeutics: A strategic inhibitor of intestinal inflammation.

INTRODUCTION: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) involve in destabilising messenger RNA or repressing translation of target molecules. Ginger-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (GELNs) play a crucial role in modulating intestinal inflammation. Moreover, GELNs contain highly heterogeneous miRNA. However, the role of miRNAs derived from GELNs in immunomodulation remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to elucidate the molecular basis of the unique biological effects mediated by miRNA derived from GELNs on macrophages. METHODS: GELNs were isolated using a combination of commercial exosome isolation kits and the differential centrifugation method, and the lipid composition of GELNs was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Subsequently, PKH26 labelled GELNs were taken up by macrophages. Furthermore, the modulation of inflammatory and immune responses by GELNs or osa-miR164d was assessed through the RNA-seq, RT-qPCR, online databases, and dual luciferase reporter assays to explore the underlying mechanisms of osa-miR164d. Biomimetic exosomes loaded with osa-miR164d were prepared using a microfluidic mixing device and systematically characterized. The therapeutic effects of osa-miR164d on relieving colitis were evaluated. RESULTS: We report for the first time that GELNs-derived osa-miR164d is a regulatory factor of reprogramming macrophage polarization, thereby inhibiting the intestinal inflammatory response. Mechanistically, osa-miR164d directly targets the 3'-UTRs of TAB1, which regulates macrophage polarization through the downregulation of NF-κB expression. In addition, We have designed a biomimetic exosome mimicking GELNs to deliver osa-miR164d (osa-miR164d-MGELNs). Notably, the osa-miR164d-MGELNs can efficiently reprogram macrophages to alleviate colitis-related symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our findings enhance the systematic understanding of how GELNs-derived osa-miR164d mediates cross-kingdom communication and provide an original engineering paradigm for mimicking GELNs to transfer miRNA.

CircASPH Enhances Exosomal STING to Facilitate M2 Macrophage Polarization in Colorectal Cancer.

Exosomes are considered a mediator of communication within the tumor microenvironment (TME), which modulates cancer progression through transmitting cargos between cancer cells and other cancer-related cells in TME. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged to be regulators in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression, but most of them have not been discussed in CRC. This study aims to investigate the role of circRNA aspartate beta-hydroxylase (circASPH) in CRC progression and its correlation with exosome-mediated TME. At first, we determined that circASPH was upregulated in CRC samples and cell lines. Functionally, the circASPH deficiency suppressed the malignant processes of CRC cells and also inhibited in vivo tumor growth via enhancing antitumor immunity. Mechanically, circASPH facilitated macrophage M2 polarization by upregulating exosomal stimulator of interferon genes (STING). CircASPH interacted with insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) to stabilize IGF2BP2 protein, therefore enhancing the stability of m6A-modified STING mRNA. In turn, coculture of STING-overexpressed macrophages recovered the suppression of silenced circASPH on the malignancy of CRC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Our study demonstrated that circASPH enhances exosomal STING to facilitate M2 macrophage polarization, which further accelerates CRC progression. The findings support circASPH as a promising therapeutic target for CRC treatment.

CircASPH is markedly overexpressed in CRC cell lines and promotes CRC progression. CircASPH deficiency inhibits in vivo tumor growth via enhancing antitumor immunity. CircASPH upregulates STING to enhance M2 macrophage polarization.

Alleviation effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract on inflammation and oxidative stress in a D-galactose-induced aging mouse model by modulating the gut microbiota.

Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) that prevents and alleviates the degenerative changes associated with aging has been receiving extensive attention. In our present work, the ageing model was induced by injection of 500 mg kg-1D-galactose daily for a period of eight weeks. The D-galactose-induced ageing mice model was used for evaluating the effect of GSPE on oxidative stress, inflammation levels and gut microbiota composition. D-Galactose induced oxidative damage and inflammation with a significant increase in malondialdehyde contents, myeloperoxidase activities and the levels of TNF-α and IL-1ß, as well as a reduction in the activities of glutathione peroxidase and reduced glutathione. Treatment with different doses of GSPE could significantly improve the antioxidant capacity and inflammation levels in the liver and brain, which is accompanied by increased Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Akkermansia, as well as decreased Helicobacter and Alistipes. In addition, the high-dose GSPE group exhibited greater potential to delay the ageing process than the low-dose group. Our results also showed that GSPE administration could downregulate the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway for inhibiting inflammation levels in the brain tissue. This study provided a novel strategy to target the gut microbiota with regard to the effect of GSPE administration on alleviating aging-induced alterations via the gut microbiota-liver axis and gut microbiota-brain axis.

Investigating the Alleviating Effects of Bacillus cereus Administration on Colitis through Gut Microbiota Modulation.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis is thought to exert a role in the progression of colitis. However, the precise standards for probiotic administration in alleviating colitis remain undefined. Most analysis methods rely on limited diversity and abundance of gut microorganisms. Therefore, observational studies cannot establish causation. In this study, we applied antibiotic-induced pseudo-germ-free mice to investigate the role of gut microbiota in regulating the probiotic effects of Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. This process allows for evaluating the bidirectional regulating effect of B. cereus supplementation on health and provides stable and reproducible results. Here, the detailed protocols for B. cereus cultivation, gavage operation, stool collection, and antibiotic clearance treatment on colitis mice are provided. The optimization methods are also applicable for other chronic inflammatory-associated disorders. The results showed that B. cereus administration decreased body weight loss, colon length shortening, disease activity index, and histopathological scores. However, treatment with antibiotics suppressed the positive effect of B. cereus on colitis. These results indicate that gut microbiota are needed for the alleviating effects of B. cereus on colitis. Therefore, exploring the beneficial effects of probiotics in this research is a promising approach for developing novel treatment strategies for alleviating the symptoms of chronic inflammatory-associated disorders.

Gut bacterial extracellular vesicles: important players in regulating intestinal microenvironment.

Intestinal microenvironment dysbiosis is one of the major causes of diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer. Microbiota-based strategies have excellent clinical potential in the treatment of repetitive and refractory diseases; however, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain elusive. Identification of the internal regulatory mechanism of the gut microbiome and the interaction mechanisms involving bacteria-host is essential to achieve precise control of the gut microbiome and obtain effective clinical data. Gut bacteria-derived extracellular vesicles (GBEVs) are lipid bilayer nanoparticles secreted by the gut microbiota and are considered key players in bacteria-bacteria and bacteria-host communication. This review focusses on the role of GBEVs in gut microbiota interactions and bacteria-host communication, and the potential clinical applications of GBEVs.

A ß-N-acetylhexosaminidase Amuc_2109 from Akkermansia muciniphila protects against dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice by enhancing intestinal barrier and modulating gut microbiota.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with the microbial composition of the gut and its metabolites. Akkermansia muciniphila is a probiotic that exerts a significant alleviative or therapeutic effect on host enteritis. This study was designed to determine the protective effect and potential mechanism underlying the secretion of ß-acetylaminohexosidase (Amuc_2109) by A. muciniphila against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. C57BL/6 mice were gavaged with Amuc_2109 for 21 days, and during the last seven days of treatment, they drank DSS dissolved in their drinking water to induce colitis. Our results showed that supplementation with Amuc_2109 improved DSS-induced colitis as evidenced by lowered disease activity index (DAI) scores, reduced weight loss, increased colon length, and inhibited oxidative stress. In addition, Amuc_2109 inhibited the overexpression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6) and the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in DSS-induced colitis. Furthermore, supplementation with Amuc_2109 also restored the mRNA expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, occludin, claudin-1). Further analysis of fecal microbial 16S rRNA sequences showed that Amuc_2109 reshaped the intestinal microbiota. While the anti-inflammatory effects of Amuc_2109 were only manifested with the wild-type protein, the anti-inflammatory effects were completely lost after the mutation of its key catalytic amino acids rendered Amuc_2109 inactive. In summary, these findings demonstrate the potential of Amuc_2109, as a therapeutic agent for ulcerative colitis. We posit that it will provide additional assistance in the prevention and treatment of mucus layer-related diseases such as ulcerative colitis.

Investigation of construction and characterization of carboxymethyl chitosan - sodium alginate nanoparticles to stabilize Pickering emulsion hydrogels for curcumin encapsulation and accelerating wound healing.

Limitations in compatibility and effectiveness in delivering bioactive compounds often make it prohibitively difficult to apply Pickering emulsions in wound dressing. In this research, we prepared Pickering emulsion composite hydrogels based on carboxymethyl chitosan - sodium alginate (CMCS-SA) nanoparticles (NPs) stabilized Pickering emulsions, poloxamer 407 (PLX), and curcumin (CUR). CMCS-SA NPs were prepared and used to stabilize Pickering emulsion. The stability of Pickering emulsion improved with the increase of the concentration of NPs, and was highly sensitive to ionic strength change. This Pickering emulsion remained stable at various temperatures. After curcumin were introduced into the emulsion, 0.6% CMCS-SA NPs Pickering emulsion showed controlled release of curcumin in vitro. The CMCS-SA-PLX-CUR hydrogels also exhibited smooth surface and dense structure. This composite hydrogels has antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, the CMCS-SA-PLX-CUR hydrogels improved wound healing and increased expression of Ki67 and CD31. RT-qPCR results indicated that the mRNA levels of α-SMA and TGF-ß1 in the CMCS-SA-PLX-CUR group were downregulated, while the mRNA levels of TGF-ß3 increased. The present study suggests that the potentials of CMCS-SA-PLX-CUR hydrogels are promising in protecting bioactive components and wound care management.

The fucose-specific lectin gene AOL_s00054g276 affects trap formation and nematocidal activity of the nematophagous fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora.

Nematode-trapping fungi are natural enemies of nematodes in nature. Arthrobotrys oligospora, a typical nematode-trapping fungus with a clear genetic background, can capture and infect nematodes by forming adhesive three-dimensional networks. Lectins, a class of glycoproteins containing glycosyl-specific recognition domains, play an important role in biological recognition. However, the fucose-specific lectins have rarely been studied regarding the process of preying on nematodes. In this study, we characterized the biological role of the fucose-specific lectin-encoding gene AOL_s00054g276 (g276) in A. oligospora. The gene g276 was first deleted based on homologous recombination, then the phenotype and nematocidal activity of the Δg276 mutant was evaluated. The results showed that the deletion of gene g276 delayed trap formation and weakened its nematocidal activity; however, mycelial growth, conidia production, conidial germination rates and adaption to environmental stresses were not affected. Our results suggest that the fucose-specific lectin-encoding gene g276 might be associated with the morphogenesis of this fungus, and its deletion resulted in a significantly low density of three-dimensional traps (P < 0.05) and a significantly low nematode-trapping efficiency (P < 0.001). These findings provide a basis for further elucidating the mechanism of A. oligospora preying on nematodes and lay a foundation for the development and utilization of fungal-derived lectins for nematode control in the future.

Probiotic Bacillus cereus Alleviates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice through Improvement of the Intestinal Barrier Function, Anti-Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota Modulation.

Dysbiosis leads to continuous progress of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, current therapeutic approaches for IBD have limited efficacy and are associated with various side effects. This study focused on exploring the positive effect of a new Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) strain (HMPM18123) in a colitis mouse model and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. The colitis symptoms were alleviated by the B. cereus administration as evidenced by decreased body weight loss, colon length shortening, disease activity index score, and histopathological score. The B. cereus mitigated intestinal epithelial barrier damage by upregulating tight junction protein expression. Moreover, B. cereus exerted anti-inflammatory effects by regulating macrophage polarization and suppressing the TLR4-NF-κB-NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathways. B. cereus also rebalanced the damaged gut microbiota. Thus, the molecular mechanism of alleviating colitis by B. cereus treatment involved the regulation of the TLR4-NF-κB-NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathways in intestinal mucosal barriers by modulating gut microbiota composition.

The role of Jacalin-related lectin gene AOL_s00083g511 in the development and pathogenicity of the nematophagous fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora.

Arthrobotrys oligospora is a model species of nematophagous fungi and has great potential for the biological control of nematode diseases. Lectin is a protein that binds to carbohydrates and their complexes with high specificity, which mediates recognition events in various physiological and pathological processes. This study aimed to investigate the role of the Jacalin-related lectin (JRL) gene, AOL_s00083g511, in A. oligospora development. Through a homology recombination approach, we obtained the AOL_s00083g511 knockout mutant strain (Ag511). Next, the biological characteristics of the Ag511 mutant strain, including growth rate, conidia germination rate, adaptation to environmental stresses, and nematocidal activity, were compared with those of the wild-type (WT) strain. The results showed that the JRL gene AOL_s00083g511 did not affect fungal growth, conidia germination, 3D-trap formation, and the ability of A. oligospora to prey on nematodes significantly. We speculate that this phenomenon may be caused by a loss of the key ß1-ß2 loops in the AOL_ s00083g511-encoded JRL domain and an intrinsic genetic compensation of AOL_s00083g511 in this fungus. The growth rates of both strains on high salt or surfactant media were similar; however, in the strong oxidation medium, the growth rate of the Ag511 mutant was significantly lower than that of the WT strain, indicating that AOL_s00083g511 might play a role in oxidative stress resistance. These findings provide a basis for further analysis of the related functions of the JRL gene in A. oligospora and their potential roles in the biological control of nematodes in the future.

Synbiotic supplementation containing Bifidobacterium infantis and xylooligosaccharides alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease whose prevalence is increasing globally. A synbiotic has probiotic and prebiotic components and is regarded as a promising candidate for alleviating UC-associated inflammation. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is an additive efficacy between the probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis (B. infantis) and the prebiotic xylooligosaccharide (XOS) against UC. C57BL/6 mice were treated with B. infantis, XOS, or synbiotic (combination of B. infantis and XOS) for 21 d. During the final 7 d of treatment, the mice were administered dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) dissolved in drinking water to induce colitis. All treatments decreased the disease activity index (DAI) and pathological scores, and synbiotic treatment was more efficacious than either the probiotic or prebiotic alone. Compared with the DSS-induced colitis group, all treatment groups significantly downregulated the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1ß, and synbiotic treatment significantly upregulated the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the colon tissues. Furthermore, all treatments significantly reduced the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome mRNA level in the colon tissues. All treatments significantly inhibited oxidative stress and increased zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin, and claudin-1 tight junction (TJ) molecule mRNA levels in the colon tissues. Therefore, the observed efficacy of synbiotics against colitis may be explained by the additive combination of the direct anti-inflammatory effects of the probiotic and prebiotic components and their ability to fortify colonic epithelial barrier integrity. Our findings suggest that a synbiotic is a promising dietary supplement or functional food for the effective management of UC.

Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis through intestinal barrier improvement, oxidative stress reduction, and inflammatory cytokines and gut microbiota modulation.

It is widely believed that grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Dietary supplementation with GSPE has been reported to alleviate colitis signs in mice, but the mechanisms involved require further exploration. The present study investigated how the oral administration of GSPE ameliorates colitis signs and reduces colitis-associated inflammation. C57BL/6 mice were treated with GSPE for 21 days. During the final 7 days of treatment, the mice were administered dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) dissolved in drinking water to induce experimental colitis. We found that GSPE treatment improved DSS-induced colitis, which was evidenced by decreases in disease activity index (DAI) scores, pathological scores, and oxidative stress and increases in zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin, and claudin-1 mRNA levels of colon tissue. Notably, the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1ß were significantly downregulated as a result of GSPE treatment in colon tissues. GSPE treatment also reduced NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome mRNA levels of colon tissue. Furthermore, an analysis of 16S rRNA sequences showed that GSPE rebalanced the DSS-damaged gut microbiota, including reducing Bacteroidetes, Dubosiella, and Veillonella, increasing Verrucomicrobia and Akkermansia, and elevating the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio. In conclusion, GSPE supplementation alleviates DSS-induced colitis by modulating inflammatory cytokines and oxidation stress, maintaining the intestinal barrier, and improving the microbial community. These results indicate that GSPE might be a new dietary strategy for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.