DSC analysis of irradiated proteins from Crotalus durissus terrificus

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Oliveira, Karina Corleto de; Silva, Monica Nascimento da; Goncalves, Karina de Oliveira; Spencer, Patrick Jack; Nascimento, Nanci do

2011-01-01

Full text: Snake bites are a serious public health problem, especially in subtropical countries. In Brazil, the serum, the only effective treatment in case of snake bites, is produced in horses which, despite the large size, have a reduced lifespan due to the high toxicity of the antigen. It is known that ionizing radiation effects - direct and indirect - can modify the molecular structure, affecting the biological properties of proteins. Ionizing radiation has been employed to attenuate the toxicity of snake venoms, aiming to generate an improved antigen with low toxicity. Two proteins, purified from Crotalus durissus terrificus (Cdt) venom were tested in this work: crotoxin and crotamine. Crotoxin, the main toxic compound of Cdt venom, is a heterodimeric protein composed of two subunits: crotapotin and phospholipase A2. Crotamine is a highly basic polypeptide (pI - 10.3), with myotoxic activity and molecular weight of 4882 Da. It is composed of 42 amino acids residues and reticulated by three disulfide bonds. This study aimed to investigate the effects of radiation on crotoxin and crotamine using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). After isolation of the toxins by chromatographic techniques, they were irradiated with 2.0 kGy from 60 Co source. The thermodynamics analysis, carried out in a METTLER TOLEDO, DSC 822e calorimeter, showed that irradiation promoted changes of the calorimetric profile. These changes suggest that, although radiation induced structural modifications of the protein, denaturation was only partial, since transition states could still be detected, suggesting that some structural elements were still present after irradiation. Taken together, our data suggest that following irradiation, the molecules underwent conformational changes, and that the remaining structural elements displayed a lower enthalpy, clearly indicating that the previously described loss of toxicity of irradiated toxins can be mostly ascribed to structural changes

Clinical and hematological alterations in dogs during experimental envenomation with Crotalus durissus terrificus venom and treated with antiophidic serum

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R. M. B. Nogueira

2006-04-01

Full Text Available The present work aimed to evaluate the clinical and hematological aspects during experimental envenomation by Crotalus durissus terrificus in dogs treated with different antiophidic serum doses. Sixteen dogs were divided into two groups of eight animals each. Group I received 1mg/kg venom subcutaneously and 30mg antiophidic serum intravenously; Group II received 1mg/kg venom subcutaneously and 60mg antiophidic serum intravenously. In the clinical evaluation, we observed ataxia, moderate sedation, dilated pupils, sialorrhea, flaccid paralysis of mandibular muscles, and discreet edema at the site of venom inoculation. Evaluating red and white blood cells, we observed a decrease of hemoglobins, globular volume and erythrocytes, and an increase of plasmatic proteins, leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes. Clotting time increased and there was blood incoagulability with return to normal clotting time six hours after antiophidic serum administration. Animals treated with six antiophidic serum flasks had a faster recovery than the animals that received three serum flasks.

Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Cytokines Release in Mice Injected with Crotalus durissus terrificus Venom

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A. Hernández Cruz

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The effects of Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (Cdt were analyzed with respect to the susceptibility and the inflammatory mediators in an experimental model of severe envenomation. BALB/c female mice injected intraperitoneally presented sensibility to Cdt, with changes in specific signs, blood biochemical and inflammatory mediators. The venom induced reduction of glucose and urea levels and an increment of creatinine levels in serum from mice. Significant differences were observed in the time-course of mediator levels in sera from mice injected with Cdt. The maximum levels of IL-6, NO, IL-5, TNF, IL-4 and IL-10 were observed 15 min, 30 min, 1, 2 and 4 hours post-injection, respectively. No difference was observed for levels of IFN-γ. Taken together, these data indicate that the envenomation by Cdt is regulated both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine responses at time-dependent manner. In serum from mice injected with Cdt at the two first hours revealed of pro-inflammatory dominance. However, with an increment of time an increase of anti-inflammatory cytokines was observed and the balance toward to anti-inflammatory dominance. In conclusion, the observation that Cdt affects the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines provides further evidence for the role played by Cdt in modulating pro/anti-inflammatory cytokine balance.

Quadros clínico-patológicos do envenenamento ofídico por Crotalus durissus terrificus e Bothrops spp. em animais de produção

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Carlos Hubinger Tokarnia

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Foi realizada uma revisão dos quadros clínico-patológicos causados pelos venenos de Crotalus durissus terrificus e Bothrops spp. em bovinos, búfalos, ovinos equinos e suínos. Foram compilados os dados obtidos pela experimentação em animais de produção encontrados na literatura e os obtidos através de experimentação realizada por nossa equipe. Também foram revisados os casos naturais de envenenamento ofídico comunicados. Em dois Quadros foram lançados os mais importantes dados dessas revisões, que revelou diversos aspectos interessantes: 1 em nossos experimentos, o veneno de Crotalus durissus terrificus, quando injetado por via subcutânea em cavalos, causou um edema acentuado no local da aplicação, ao contrário do que tem sido observado em todas as outras espécies animais, aspecto não relatado na literatura; 2 em nossos experimentos, o veneno de diversas espécies de Bothrops, quando injetado por via subcutânea em bovinos, ovinos e equinos, não causou edema como em geral é relatado na literatura, e sim hemorragias subcutâneas acentuadas no local da aplicação. Nos casos não fatais este sangue era reabsorvido em poucos dias sem deixar sequelas. Exceção foi a reação ao veneno de Bothrops jararacussu, que causou edema nos ovinos experimentais, e tumefação acentuada que resultou em fístula com eliminação de líquido seroso nos equinos experimentais. O objetivo do presente estudo visa contribuir para o aperfeiçoamento do diagnóstico de acidentes ofídicos em animais de produção.

Perfil eletroforético das proteínas séricas de serpentes Crotalus durissus terrificus (cascavel criadas em cativeiro Serum protein electrophoresis profile of the rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus kept in captivity

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Joandes Henrique Fonteque

2009-06-01

Full Text Available As serpentes peçonhentas dos gêneros Bothrops e Crotalus têm sido mantidas em cativeiro visando à extração de venenos para a produção de imunobiológicos. O conhecimento da fisiologia desses animais e as alterações na concentração de proteínas e suas frações séricas são importantes para a identificação precoce de importantes enfermidades que cursam com estados de hipoproteinemia e hiperproteinemia. O objetivo do trabalho foi determinar a concentração de proteína total e o perfil eletroforético das proteínas séricas de serpentes Crotalus durissus terrificus (cascavel criadas em cativeiro. Foram colhidas amostras de sangue da veia coccígea ventral de 21 serpentes adultas e sadias, divididas em dois grupos: Grupo 1 de 12 machos com peso médio de 588,89±193,55g, e Grupo 2 de nove fêmeas com peso médio de 708,33±194,04g. A proteína total sérica foi determinada pelo método de refratometria e a eletroforese em gel de agarose. Obtiveram-se valores da proteína total sérica (g/dL de 4,51±0,50 para machos e de 4,82±0,72 para fêmeas, e para machos e fêmeas de 4,64±0,61. Foram identificadas pela eletroforese quatro frações protéicas (g/dL: albumina, a, b, g-globulinas e calculada a relação albumina:globulina. As serpentes fêmeas apresentaram maiores valores para as variáveis, albumina e para a relação albumina/globulina (AG diferindo significativamente (PThe poisonous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Bothrops have been kept in captivity with the purpose of extracting poison for the production of immunobiological. Knowledge of the physiology of these animals and serum proteins concentration changes are important for early identification of major diseases which lead to states of hypoproteinemia and hyperproteinemia. The objective was to determine the concentration of total protein and serum protein electrophoresis profile of Crotalus durissus terrificus (rattlesnake in captivity. Blood samples were taken from

Experimental envenomation with Crotalus durissus terrificus venom in dogs treated with antiophidic serum - part II: laboratory aspects, electrocardiogram and histopathology

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R. M. B. Nogueira

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The present work shows laboratory aspects, electrocardiogram and histopathology results during experimental envenomation by Crotalus durissus terrificus in dogs treated with antiophidic serum. Twenty-one dogs were divided into three groups of seven animals each. Group I received 1mg/kg venom (sc; Group II received 1mg/kg venom (sc, 50mg antiophidic serum (iv and fluid therapy including 0.9% NaCl solution (iv; and Group III received 1mg/kg venom (sc, 50mg antiophidic serum (iv and fluid therapy including 0.9% NaCl solution containing sodium bicarbonate diluted to the dose of 4mEq/kg. Urinalysis showed brown urine, proteinuria, occult blood and myoglobinuria. Respiratory acidosis and hypotension were also observed. At the venom inoculation site, there was discreet edema, popliteal lymph node response, musculature presenting whitish areas and necrotic myositis with myoregenerative activity. There was not evidence of electrocardiographical and biochemical alterations.

Isolation and characterization of delta toxin from the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus; Isolamento e caracterizacao da delta toxina do veneno de Crotalus durissus terrificus

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Campos, Lucelia de Almeida

2006-07-01

The Crotalus durissus terrificus venom has been so far described as being of low complexity, with four major components described: convulxin, gyroxin, crotoxin and crotamine. In recent studies, other components of this venom were characterized as, for example, an analgesic factor. In 1980, Vital Brazil predicted the existence of a toxin which could be involved in platelet aggregation, and named it delta toxin. However, this toxin has never been isolated or characterized. The aim of the present work was to purify and characterize this toxin. After FPLC size exclusion chromatography followed by reverse phase HPLC, an homogeneous fraction was obtained, with a molecular weight of 14,074.92 Da. When analyzed by SOS-PAGE, this toxin presented an anomalous behavior, with a molecular weight of 14 kDa, while in 2D gels, spots around 40 kDa and with an isoelectrical point between 4 and 5 were observed suggesting isoforms with glicosilation microheterogeneity. After trypsin digestion, the fragments were submitted to the swissprot databank showing high homology (43% coverage, 15 matching peptides) with trocarin, a prothrombin activator from Tropidechis carinatus. These data were further confirmed by aminoacid analysis. The toxin was tested for its ability to activate factor II and X using synthetic substrates. Our data indicate a direct activation of factor X. The same toxin also behaved as a potent direct platelet aggregation activator on washed platelets. Assays with specific inhibitors indicate that neither metalloproteinase, nor serinoproteinase or t lectin domains are involved in the aggregating activity, since EDTA, benzamidin and D-galactose did not inhibit the toxin. In the present work, we were able to identify, purify and characterize a new toxin from the brazilian rattlesnake. It behaved as predicted by Vital-Brazil and displayed direct factor X activating properties, also inducing platelet aggregation, even at low concentrations. Our data also indicate that it is

The comparison between the humoral response and the neutralizing capacity of sheep serum inoculated with natural venom and Co60 irradiated venom from Crotalus durissus terrificus (Laurenti, 1768)

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Netto, D.P.

2000-01-01

Crotalus durissus terrificus venom was irradiated with Co 60 to investigate the effects of antigen-irradiation on antivenom production in sheep. Twelve sheep were divided in two groups of 6. One group received irradiated, while the other received natural venom. Three doses of antigen were given at monthly intervals. The toxic activity of the venom was assessed by LD 50 in mice. Weekly blood samples were obtained to evaluate anti-crotalic serum titers by indirect ELISA, neutralization capacity, and serum potency. A complete blood count, plasma protein and fibrinogen concentration, and serum albumin and globulin were also determined. At end of the experiment, the animals were challenged with ovine LD 50 , without clinical abnormalities. (author)

The comparison between the humoral response and the neutralizing capacity of sheep serum inoculated with natural venom and Co{sup 60} irradiated venom from Crotalus durissus terrificus (Laurenti, 1768)

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Netto, D.P. [Universidade Estadual de Londrina, PR (Brazil). Centro de Ciencias Agrarias. Dept. de Medicina Veterinaria Preventiva]. E-mail: mnetto@uel.br

2000-07-01

Crotalus durissus terrificus venom was irradiated with Co{sup 60} to investigate the effects of antigen-irradiation on antivenom production in sheep. Twelve sheep were divided in two groups of 6. One group received irradiated, while the other received natural venom. Three doses of antigen were given at monthly intervals. The toxic activity of the venom was assessed by LD{sub 50} in mice. Weekly blood samples were obtained to evaluate anti-crotalic serum titers by indirect ELISA, neutralization capacity, and serum potency. A complete blood count, plasma protein and fibrinogen concentration, and serum albumin and globulin were also determined. At end of the experiment, the animals were challenged with ovine LD{sub 50}, without clinical abnormalities. (author)

Rabbit IgG antibodies against Phospholipase A2 from Crotalus durissus terrificus neutralize the lethal activity of the venom Los anticuerpos IgG de conejos anti-fosfolipasa A2 de Crotalus durissus terrificus neutralizan la actividad letal del veneno

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Juan P. Rodríguez

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Crotalus durissus terrificus (C.d.t. (South American rattlesnake venom possesses myotoxic and neurotoxic activities, both of which are also expressed by crotoxin, the principal toxin of this venom. Crotoxin contains a basic phospholipase A2 (PLA2 and a non toxic acidic protein, crotapotin. We have produced and investigated the ability of IgG antibodies raised in rabbits against PLA2 to neutralize the lethality of the whole venom. PLA2 was isolated by gel filtration chromatography (Sephadex G-75. Specific antibodies were obtained by subcutaneous and intramuscular inoculation of PLA2 (700 µg with Freund adjuvant. Groups of six mice (20 + 2 g were inoculated with 0.5 ml i.p. of C. d. t. venom (4 µg or a mixture of venom that had been preincubated with the desired volume of IgG antibodies. Mortality, recorded 24 and 48 h after inoculation, showed that IgG anti-PLA2 were more effective than anticrotalic serum in neutralizing the lethal activity. These results demonstrate that it could be possible to obtain an anti-venom made by specific antibodies with a high level of protection against the lethal component of C.d.t. venom, and/or the inclusion of these antibodies as a supplement in heterologous anti-venoms.El veneno de Crotalus durissus terrificus (C.d.t. (Cascabel de Sud América posee actividad miotóxica y neurotóxica, actividades que también exhibe el complejo crotoxina, principal componente tóxico de este veneno. El complejo crotoxina está constituido por una fosfolipasa A2 básica (PLA2 y una proteína acídica no tóxica, el crotapotín. En este trabajo se estudió la capacidad neutralizante de anticuerpos IgG anti-PLA2 sobre la letalidad inducida por el veneno entero. El antígeno PLA2, fue aislado por cromatografía de filtración en gel (Sephadex G-75. Se inocularon conejos machos por vía subcutánea e intramuscular, con 700 µg de PLA2 y adyuvante para la obtención de anticuerpos específicos. La capacidad neutralizante del

Rabdomióilise secundária a acidente ofídico crotálico (Crotalus durissus terrificus

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Renato Almeida Magalhães

1986-08-01

Full Text Available Relatam-se dois casos de rabdomiólise secundária a envenenamento produzido por Crotalus durissus terrificus. O diagnóstico da rabdomiólise baseou-se na mialgia intensa e generalizada apresentada pelos pacientes e na constatação de níveis séricos elevados de CPK, TGO e DHL. A confirmação do diagnóstico foi obtida no caso n.° 2 pela detecção de mioglobina no soro através de imunoeletroforese contra soro antimioglobina humana e por biópsia muscular. Esse paciente desenvolveu também, como complicação do envenenamento ofídico, quadro clínico e laboratorial de insuficiência renal aguda. Essa complicação foi atribuída à ação nefrotóxica e hemolítica do veneno crotálico e à hipotensão arterial apresentada pelo paciente, não se afastando a possibilidade de que a rabdomiólise tenha sido um fator contribuinte para a sua instalação. Foram constatadas hipocalcemla, hiperuricemia e hiperfosfatemia grave na fase oligúria da insuficiência renal aguda, alterações peculiares quando essa condição está associada à rabdomiólise.

Inhibition of proteases and phospholipases A2 from Bothrops atrox and Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venoms by ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and B-complex vitamins.

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Oliveira, Carlos H M; Simão, Anderson A; Trento, Marcus V C; César, Pedro H S; Marcussi, Silvana

2016-01-01

The enzyme inhibition by natural and/ or low-cost compounds may represent a valuable adjunct to traditional serotherapy performed in cases of snakebite, mainly with a view to mitigate the local effects of envenoming. The objective of this study was to evaluate possible interactions between vitamins and enzymes that comprise Bothrops atrox and Crotalus durissus terrificus venoms, in vitro. Proteolysis inhibition assays (substrates: azocasein, collagen, gelatin and fibrinogen), hemolysis, coagulation, hemagglutination were carried out using different proportions of vitamins in face of to inhibit minimum effective dose of each venom. The vitamins were responsible for reducing 100% of breaking azocasein by C.d.t. venom, thrombolysis induced by B. atrox and fibrinogenolysis induced by both venoms. It is suggested the presence of interactions between vitamin and the active site of enzymes, for example the interactions between hydrophobic regions present in the enzymes and vitamin E, as well as the inhibitions exercised by antioxidant mechanism.

Isolation and characterization of delta toxin from the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus

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Campos, Lucelia de Almeida

2006-01-01

The Crotalus durissus terrificus venom has been so far described as being of low complexity, with four major components described: convulxin, gyroxin, crotoxin and crotamine. In recent studies, other components of this venom were characterized as, for example, an analgesic factor. In 1980, Vital Brazil predicted the existence of a toxin which could be involved in platelet aggregation, and named it delta toxin. However, this toxin has never been isolated or characterized. The aim of the present work was to purify and characterize this toxin. After FPLC size exclusion chromatography followed by reverse phase HPLC, an homogeneous fraction was obtained, with a molecular weight of 14,074.92 Da. When analyzed by SOS-PAGE, this toxin presented an anomalous behavior, with a molecular weight of 14 kDa, while in 2D gels, spots around 40 kDa and with an isoelectrical point between 4 and 5 were observed suggesting isoforms with glicosilation microheterogeneity. After trypsin digestion, the fragments were submitted to the swissprot databank showing high homology (43% coverage, 15 matching peptides) with trocarin, a prothrombin activator from Tropidechis carinatus. These data were further confirmed by aminoacid analysis. The toxin was tested for its ability to activate factor II and X using synthetic substrates. Our data indicate a direct activation of factor X. The same toxin also behaved as a potent direct platelet aggregation activator on washed platelets. Assays with specific inhibitors indicate that neither metalloproteinase, nor serinoproteinase or t lectin domains are involved in the aggregating activity, since EDTA, benzamidin and D-galactose did not inhibit the toxin. In the present work, we were able to identify, purify and characterize a new toxin from the brazilian rattlesnake. It behaved as predicted by Vital-Brazil and displayed direct factor X activating properties, also inducing platelet aggregation, even at low concentrations. Our data also indicate that it is

Crotoxin, the major toxin from the rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus, inhibits ³H-choline uptake in guinea pig ileum

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L.S. Kattah

2000-09-01

Full Text Available We examined the effect of crotoxin, the neurotoxic complex from the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus, on the uptake of ³H-choline in minces of smooth muscle myenteric plexus from guinea pig ileum. In the concentration range used (0.03-1 µM and up to 10 min of treatment, crotoxin decreased ³H-choline uptake by 50-75% compared to control. This inhibition was time dependent and did not seem to be associated with the disruption of the neuronal membrane, because at least for the first 20 min of tissue exposure to the toxin (up to 1 µM the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH released into the supernatant were similar to those of controls. Higher concentrations of crotoxin or more extensive incubation times with this toxin resulted in elevation of LDH activity detected in the assay supernatant. The inhibitory effect of crotoxin on ³H-choline uptake seems to be associated with its phospholipase activity since the equimolar substitution of Sr2+ for Ca2+ in the incubation medium or the modification of the toxin with p-bromophenacyl bromide substantially decreased this effect. Our results show that crotoxin inhibits ³H-choline uptake with high affinity (EC25 = 10 ± 5 nM. We suggest that this inhibition could explain, at least in part, the blocking effect of crotoxin on neurotransmission.

Discovery of human scFvs that cross-neutralize the toxic effects of B. jararacussu and C. d. terrificus venoms.

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Silva, Luciano C; Pucca, Manuela B; Pessenda, Gabriela; Campos, Lucas B; Martinez, Edson Z; Cerni, Felipe A; Barbosa, José E

2018-01-01

Accidents involving venomous snakes are a public health problem worldwide, causing a large number of deaths per year. In Brazil, the majority of accidents are caused by the Bothrops and Crotalus genera, which are responsible for approximately 80% of severe envenoming cases. The cross-neutralization of snake venoms by antibodies is an important issue for development of more effective treatments. Our group has previously reported the construction of human monoclonal antibody fragments towards Bothrops jararacussu and Crotalus durissus terrificus' venoms. This study aimed to select human single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) that recognize both bothropic and crotalic crude venoms following venoms neutralizing capacity in vitro and in vivo. The cross-reactivity of Cro-Bothrumabs were demonstrated by ELISA and in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that a combination of scFvs neutralizes in vitro toxic activities (e.g. indirect hemolysis and plasma-clotting) of crotalic and bothropic venoms as well as prolonged survival time of envenomed animals. Our results may contribute to the development of the first human polyvalent antivenom against Bothrops jararacussu and Crotalus durissus terrificus venoms, overcoming some undesirable effects caused by conventional serotherapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aspectos morfológicos e ultraestruturais de células sanguíneas de Crotalus durissus terrificus

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Lívia M. Kindlovits

Full Text Available RESUMO: A avaliação hematológica, de importância comprovada como um meio auxiliar de diagnóstico ao clínico de pequenos animais domésticos, vem se tornando comum em animais selvagens não apenas para a clínica, mas para a avaliação do manejo e como estudo auxiliar para a fisiologia das várias espécies. Tendo em vista o aumento da demanda para a produção de várias drogas de importância farmacêutica, a criação de serpentes peçonhentas vem se tornando comum a ponto destes animais já serem reconhecidos como sendo de produção. O conhecimento do manejo e da clínica destes animais ainda é escasso e a mortalidade é elevada nos criatórios, tornando urgente a ampliação destes. Embora alguns estudos hematológicos já tenham sido realizados em cascavéis (Crotalus durissus os dados analisados ainda são insipientes, notadamente em relação à caracterização das células do sangue e poucos estudos em microscopia eletrônica foram realizados em serpentes. Com o objetivo de caracterizar as células sanguíneas morfologicamente, sob microscopia óptica e ultraestrutural, foram coletadas amostras de sangue de 52 de indivíduos da subespécie Crotalus durissus terrificus para a realização de esfregaços sanguíneos e avaliação ultraestrutural. Concluiu-se que a coloração hematológica de Giemsa permite a avaliação morfológica e a diferenciação das células sanguíneas em serpentes assim como a visualização de hemoparasitos. A avaliação ultraestrutural permite evidenciar as organelas celulares e a diferenciação entre as células, inclusive entre os tipos leucocitários, porém ainda são necessários outros estudos para que seja elucidada a hipótese da existência dos eosinófilos na espécie estudada assim como é necessária melhor caracterização dos grânulos dos azurófilos para que se confirme uma possível diferença entre os monócitos típicos e os azurófilos.

Humoral response and neutralization capacity of sheep serum inoculated with natural and Cobalt 60-irradiated Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (Laurenti, 1768)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Netto, D.P.; Alfieri, A.A.; Chiacchio, S.B.; Bicudo, P.L.; Nascimento, N.

2002-01-01

The aim of this work was to investigate antigen irradiation on crotalic antivenom and the capacity of sheep as serum producers. Twelve sheep in two groups of six were inoculated with Crotalus durissus terrificus venom. One group was inoculated with natural venom (N V) and the other with Cobalt 60 gamma-irradiated venom (Ir V). Three antigen doses were given to the animals at monthly intervals for immunization. The toxic activity of the venom was assessed by LD 50 determination in mice. Blood samples were collected weekly analyses of serum neutralization capacity and potency. At the end of the experiment, the animals were challenged with a LD 50 for sheep showed no signs of envenoming. These results showed that toxicity of the irradiated venom was 4.4 times less than the natural venom. The sera from the irradiated group neutralized LD 50 14.6 times, and the sera from the natural group 4.4 times. Sera from the irradiated group were five times more potent. The two groups did not present clinical alterations. The results of this study show the potential for using sheep in crotalic antivenom production. The use of irradiated venom in sheep immunization induces a powerful and lasting humoral immune response shown by both the in vitro neutralization and potency tests and by the indirect ELISA antibody level detection technique. (author)

Direct organogenesis of Mandevilla illustris (Vell) Woodson and effects of its aqueous extract on the enzymatic and toxic activities of Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom.

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Biondo, R; Soares, A M; Bertoni, B W; França, S C; Pereira, A M S

2004-03-01

In order to produce explants of Mandevilla illustris (Vell) Woodson for the "Cerrado in vitro", the Germplasm Bank of UNAERP, we carried out a micropropagation protocol using MS or MS/3 medium supplemented with different concentrations of 6-benzyladeninepurine (BA), Zeatin or 2-isopentenyladenine for nodal segment growth, and alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid, indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) or 1,4 dithiothreitol for rooting. For nodal segments, all the cytokinins tested yielded similar results. However, 2.22 micro M BA is more economical to use. MS/3 medium supplemented with 0.49 micro M IBA was the most appropriate medium for rooting, resulting in 29% rooted explants. The crude aqueous extract from the subterranean system (SS) of M. illustris was assayed for its inhibitory action on the enzymatic activity of Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom, isolated basic phospholipase A2 (CB) and crotoxin. It totally inhibited the phospholipase activity of crude Cdt venom and CB toxin and inhibited the phospholipase activity of crotoxin by 49%. The toxic action of both the crude venom and crotoxin was partially inhibited-there was a prolonged survival time and a 40.0% decrease in lethality.

Crotoxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus is able to down-modulate the acute intestinal inflammation in mice.

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Caroline de Souza Almeida

Full Text Available Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD is the result of dysregulation of mucosal innate and adaptive immune responses. Factors such as genetic, microbial and environmental are involved in the development of these disorders. Accordingly, animal models that mimic human diseases are tools for the understanding the immunological processes of the IBD as well as to evaluate new therapeutic strategies. Crotoxin (CTX is the main component of Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom and has an immunomodulatory effect. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the modulatory effect of CTX in a murine model of colitis induced by 2,4,6- trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS. The CTX was administered intraperitoneally 18 hours after the TNBS intrarectal instillation in BALB/c mice. The CTX administration resulted in decreased weight loss, disease activity index (DAI, macroscopic tissue damage, histopathological score and myeloperoxidase (MPO activity analyzed after 4 days of acute TNBS colitis. Furthermore, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were lower in colon tissue homogenates of TNBS-mice that received the CTX when compared with untreated TNBS mice. The analysis of distinct cell populations obtained from the intestinal lamina propria showed that CTX reduced the number of group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3 and Th17 population; CTX decreased IL-17 secretion but did not alter the frequency of CD4+Tbet+ T cells induced by TNBS instillation in mice. In contrast, increased CD4+FoxP3+ cell population as well as secretion of TGF-β, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 and lipoxin A4 (LXA4 was observed in TNBS-colitis mice treated with CTX compared with untreated TNBS-colitis mice. In conclusion, the CTX is able to modulate the intestinal acute inflammatory response induced by TNBS, resulting in the improvement of clinical status of the mice. This effect of CTX is complex and involves the suppression of the pro-inflammatory environment elicited by intrarectal instillation of TNBS due to the

Hematological changes in sheep inoculated with natural and Cobalt60-irradiated Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (Laurenti, 1768)

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Netto, D.P.; Alfieri, A.A.; Balarim, M.R.S.; Chiacchio, S.B.; Bicudo, P.L.; Nascimento, N.

2004-01-01

Natural (NV) and Cobalt 60 -irradiated (IrV) Crotalus durissus terrificus venom were used to evaluate serum production capacity of sheep and possible hematological and biochemical effects. Freeze-dried venom aliquots were diluted in acidified saline solution (NaCl 150 m M, p H 3.0) and irradiated by a Cobalt 60 source at a dose of 5.54 x 102 Gy/h and a concentration of 2.000 Gy. Twelve sheep were divided into two groups of six animals. One group received irradiated venom (IrV) and the other natural venom (NV). Three antigen doses (venom) were administered at monthly intervals. Blood samples were collected weekly for analysis of serum neutralization potency and capacity, complete blood count, total plasma protein, fibrinogen, albumin, and globulin. At the end of the experiment, the animals were challenged with a LD 50 for sheep and showed no signs of envenoming. The two groups did not present clinical alterations. Results of the total leukocyte count did not present interaction or time factor effect for both groups, but there was a different action between them, with the NV group presenting more cells than the IrV group. The leukocyte increase to 13,000/μl indicates that slight leucocytosis occurred in the week after the first inoculation in the NV group. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in the absolute count of segmented neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes but there were statistically significant oscillations in values at the different collecting times. The NV group presented an increase in the absolute neutrophil count after the first inoculation that persisted for 5 weeks. In the IrV group, the increase in neutrophils occurred only in the first week returning to normal in the following weeks. The alterations in the neutrophil count are indicative of systemic inflammatory response related to cytokine release; response was more marked in the N V group, showing its greater toxicity. (author)

Hematological changes in sheep inoculated with natural and Cobalt60-irradiated Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (Laurenti, 1768

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D. P. Netto

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Natural (NV and Cobalto60-irradiated (IrV Crotalus durissus terrificus venom were used to evaluate serum production capacity of sheep and possible hematological and biochemical effects. Freeze-dried venom aliquots were diluted in acidified saline solution (NaCl 150 mM, pH 3.0 and irradiated by a Cobalt 60 source at a dose of 5.54 x 102 Gy/h and a concentration of 2.000 Gy. Twelve sheep were divided into two groups of six animals. One group received irradiated venom (IrV and the other natural venom (NV. Three antigen doses (venom were administered at monthly intervals. Blood samples were collected weekly for analysis of serum neutralization potency and capacity, complete blood count (CBC, total plasma protein, fibrinogen, albumin, and globulin. At the end of the experiment, the animals were challenged with a LD50 for sheep and showed no signs of envenoming. The two groups did not present clinical alterations. Results of the total leukocyte count did not present interaction or time factor effect for both groups, but there was a different action between them, with the NV group presenting more cells than the IrV group. The leukocyte increase to 13,000/ml indicates that slight leukocytosis occurred in the week after the first inoculation in the NV group. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in the absolute count of segmented neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes but there were statistically significant oscillations in values at the different collecting times. The NV group presented an increase in the absolute neutrophil count after the first inoculation that persisted for 5 weeks. In the IrV group, the increase in neutrophils occurred only in the first week returning to normal in the following weeks. The alterations in the neutrophil count are indicative of systemic inflammatory response related to cytokine release; response was more marked in the NV group, showing its greater toxicity.

Phospholipase A2 isolated from the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus inactivates dengue virus and other enveloped viruses by disrupting the viral envelope.

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Vanessa Danielle Muller

Full Text Available The Flaviviridae family includes several virus pathogens associated with human diseases worldwide. Within this family, Dengue virus is the most serious threat to public health, especially in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Currently, there are no vaccines or specific antiviral drugs against Dengue virus or against most of the viruses of this family. Therefore, the development of vaccines and the discovery of therapeutic compounds against the medically most important flaviviruses remain a global public health priority. We previously showed that phospholipase A2 isolated from the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus was able to inhibit Dengue virus and Yellow fever virus infection in Vero cells. Here, we present evidence that phospholipase A2 has a direct effect on Dengue virus particles, inducing a partial exposure of genomic RNA, which strongly suggests inhibition via the cleavage of glycerophospholipids at the virus lipid bilayer envelope. This cleavage might induce a disruption of the lipid bilayer that causes a destabilization of the E proteins on the virus surface, resulting in inactivation. We show by computational analysis that phospholipase A2 might gain access to the Dengue virus lipid bilayer through the pores found on each of the twenty 3-fold vertices of the E protein shell on the virus surface. In addition, phospholipase A2 is able to inactivate other enveloped viruses, highlighting its potential as a natural product lead for developing broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.

Hematological changes in sheep inoculated with natural and Cobalt{sub 60}-irradiated Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (Laurenti, 1768)

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Netto, D.P.; Alfieri, A.A.; Balarim, M.R.S. [Universidade Estadual de Londrina, PR (Brazil). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia. Dept. de Medicina Veterinaria Preventiva]. E-mail: rnetto@uel.br; Chiacchio, S.B.; Bicudo, P.L. [UNESP, Botucatu, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia; Nascimento, N. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Supervisao de Radiobiologia

2004-07-01

Natural (NV) and Cobalt{sub 60}-irradiated (IrV) Crotalus durissus terrificus venom were used to evaluate serum production capacity of sheep and possible hematological and biochemical effects. Freeze-dried venom aliquots were diluted in acidified saline solution (NaCl 150 m M, p H 3.0) and irradiated by a Cobalt 60 source at a dose of 5.54 x 102 Gy/h and a concentration of 2.000 Gy. Twelve sheep were divided into two groups of six animals. One group received irradiated venom (IrV) and the other natural venom (NV). Three antigen doses (venom) were administered at monthly intervals. Blood samples were collected weekly for analysis of serum neutralization potency and capacity, complete blood count, total plasma protein, fibrinogen, albumin, and globulin. At the end of the experiment, the animals were challenged with a LD{sub 50} for sheep and showed no signs of envenoming. The two groups did not present clinical alterations. Results of the total leukocyte count did not present interaction or time factor effect for both groups, but there was a different action between them, with the NV group presenting more cells than the IrV group. The leukocyte increase to 13,000/{mu}l indicates that slight leucocytosis occurred in the week after the first inoculation in the NV group. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in the absolute count of segmented neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes but there were statistically significant oscillations in values at the different collecting times. The NV group presented an increase in the absolute neutrophil count after the first inoculation that persisted for 5 weeks. In the IrV group, the increase in neutrophils occurred only in the first week returning to normal in the following weeks. The alterations in the neutrophil count are indicative of systemic inflammatory response related to cytokine release; response was more marked in the N V group, showing its greater toxicity. (author)

Neuromuscular paralysis by the basic phospholipase A2 subunit of crotoxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom needs its acid chaperone to concurrently inhibit acetylcholine release and produce muscle blockage.

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Cavalcante, Walter L G; Noronha-Matos, José B; Timóteo, Maria A; Fontes, Marcos R M; Gallacci, Márcia; Correia-de-Sá, Paulo

2017-11-01

Crotoxin (CTX), a heterodimeric phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) neurotoxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom, promotes irreversible blockade of neuromuscular transmission. Indirect electrophysiological evidence suggests that CTX exerts a primary inhibitory action on transmitter exocytosis, yet contribution of a postsynaptic action of the toxin resulting from nicotinic receptor desensitization cannot be excluded. Here, we examined the blocking effect of CTX on nerve-evoked transmitter release measured directly using radioisotope neurochemistry and video microscopy with the FM4-64 fluorescent dye. Experiments were conducted using mice phrenic-diaphragm preparations. Real-time fluorescence video microscopy and liquid scintillation spectrometry techniques were used to detect transmitter exocytosis and nerve-evoked [ 3 H]-acetylcholine ([ 3 H]ACh) release, respectively. Nerve-evoked myographic recordings were also carried out for comparison purposes. Both CTX (5μg/mL) and its basic PLA 2 subunit (CB, 20μg/mL) had biphasic effects on nerve-evoked transmitter exocytosis characterized by a transient initial facilitation followed by a sustained decay. CTX and CB reduced nerve-evoked [ 3 H]ACh release by 60% and 69%, respectively, but only the heterodimer, CTX, decreased the amplitude of nerve-evoked muscle twitches. Data show that CTX exerts a presynaptic inhibitory action on ACh release that is highly dependent on its intrinsic PLA 2 activity. Given the high safety margin of the neuromuscular transmission, one may argue that the presynaptic block caused by the toxin is not enough to produce muscle paralysis unless a concurrent postsynaptic inhibitory action is also exerted by the CTX heterodimer. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Effects of ionizing radiation in crotamine from Crotalus durissus terrificus venous

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Costa, T.A. da.

1988-01-01

Ionizing radiations are sufficiently energetic and able to cleave any chemical bond. Molecules of substances present in solution have been shown either by direct or indirect action of ionizing radiations loss of biological activity. Crotamine obtained from C. d. terrificus venom by molecular exclusion cromatography was irradiated in aqueous solution of 1 mg/ml by gamma rays produced on a 60 Co source. Doses of 100 Gy, 2000 Gy and 5000 Gy (Dose rate = 1,14 x 10 3 Gy/h) in presence of O 2 were used for the comparison of properties of irradiated and non irradiated samples; the following assays were performed: determination of protein concentration, presence of free SH groups, SDS-Page and Ouchterlony's immunodiffusion. The Ellman's reaction for free SH groups was positive in the irradiated protein and negative one. The protein concentration was not altered up to the dose of 2000 Gy in relation to the native protein: at the dose of 5000 Gy was observed a loss of 55% of the proteic material. The SDS-PAGE analysis showed the formation of protein aggregates in the dose of 2000 Gy and 5000 Gy. A loss of the antigenic activity was observed both in the dose of 2000 Gy and 5000 Gy againt sera anticrotalic. Further studies was perfomed with crotamine irradiated at the dose of 2000 Gy in aqueous solution, O 2 absence and in presence of different concentrations of radioprotectors such as: cystein, sodium nitrate and tert-butanol. The level of the radioprotection to the toxin was estimated through the simple radical immunodiffusion technique. According to the technique the best radioprotective agent was cysteine. Since the antigenic determinants were preserved and in the SDS-PAGE analysis the crotamine structure was maintained entire like the non irradiated toxin. (author) [pt

Comparison of humoral immune response, neutralization capacity of anticrotalic serum in young ovines, clinical and weight evaluation between animals inoculated with Crotalus durissus terrificus venom, natural or Cobalt-60-irradiated

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira Junior, R.S.

2005-01-01

The Elisa technique was used to evaluate and compare the humoral immune response of young ovine to anticrotalic serum production. During serum production, the clinical and weight evaluation of the animals was performed. The parameters utilized were complete blood count, and dosage of urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, total proteins, albumin and globulin. The animals weight was verified fortnightly during the experiment. The neutralization capacity of the serum produced from the snake Crotalus durissus terrificus natural (NV) and Cobalt-60-irradiated venom (IrV) was evaluated by in vitro challenges. One group of six animals received natural venom, the second group received irradiated venom, and the third was the control group. The animals received six immunizations during 84 days with an interval of 14 days. There was a significant difference (p<5%) in the ELISA test for the profile of the antibodies produced by the experimental groups (NV< IrV). There was no significant difference (p<5%) for biochemical tests, complete blood count, and animals weight between the three groups tested. The group immunized with irradiated venom showed antibodies profile higher than the group immunized with natural venom. The neutralization capacity of the serum produced from the IrV was fivefold higher when compared to the serum produced with NV. The clinical and weight evaluation showed that the o vines in post-weaning phase did not have their physiological profiles altered, and showed an excellent increase in weight during the experimental period. These results indicate a new perspective for the utilization of o vines, aiming the commercial production of anticrotalic serum, which may be applied in the treatment of human and animal envenomation. The cost for its production may be reduced by the posterior utilization of hyperimmunized ovine in human feeding. (author)

Comparison of humoral immune response, neutralization capacity of anticrotalic serum in young ovines, clinical and weight evaluation between animals inoculated with Crotalus durissus terrificus venom, natural or Cobalt-60-irradiated

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Ferreira Junior, R.S. E-mail: rseabra@cevap.org.br

2005-07-01

The Elisa technique was used to evaluate and compare the humoral immune response of young ovine to anticrotalic serum production. During serum production, the clinical and weight evaluation of the animals was performed. The parameters utilized were complete blood count, and dosage of urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, total proteins, albumin and globulin. The animals weight was verified fortnightly during the experiment. The neutralization capacity of the serum produced from the snake Crotalus durissus terrificus natural (NV) and Cobalt-60-irradiated venom (IrV) was evaluated by in vitro challenges. One group of six animals received natural venom, the second group received irradiated venom, and the third was the control group. The animals received six immunizations during 84 days with an interval of 14 days. There was a significant difference (p<5%) in the ELISA test for the profile of the antibodies produced by the experimental groups (NV

Prevalence of Hepatozoon spp. (Apicomplexa, Hepatozoidae among recently captured Brazilian snakes Prevalência de Hepatozoon spp. (Apicomplexa, Hepatozoidae em serpentes recém-capturadas no Brasil

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L.H. O'Dwyer

2003-06-01

Full Text Available The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of Hepatozoon spp. infection in recently captured snakes from Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. Blood was collected from all snakes by ventral tail venipuncture. Blood smears were air dried, fixed with methanol, and stained with 10% Giemsa solution. The slides were microscopically examined for detection of hemoparasites by light microscopy at 250x magnification. A total of 238 snakes from 23 species were examined, of which 135 (56.7% were venomous and 103 (43.3% non-venomous snakes. The more numerous venomous species sampled were Crotalus durissus terrificus (n=108 and Bothrops jararaca (n=17 and non-venomous snakes were Oxyrhopus guibei (n=35, Boa constrictor amarali (n=18, and Waglerophis merremi (n=13. Hepatozoon spp. infection was detected in 39 (16.4% snakes. The prevalence in venomous and non-venomous snakes was 20.0% and 11.7%, respectively. The highest prevalences observed were 38.9% for Boa constrictor amarali, 35.3% for Bothrops jararaca, and 19.4% for Crotalus durissus terrificus.O presente estudo teve como objetivo determinar a prevalência da infecção por Hepatozoon spp. em serpentes recém-capturadas da região de Botucatu, São Paulo. O sangue foi coletado de todas as serpentes por punção da veia caudal. Os esfregaços foram secos ao ar, fixados com metanol e corados com solução de Giemsa a 10%. Examinaram-se 238 serpentes pertencentes a 23 espécies, das quais 135 (56,7% eram venenosas e 103 (43,3% não venenosas. As espécies venenosas mais representativas foram Crotalus durissus terrificus (n=108 e Bothrops jararaca (n=17 e as não venenosas foram Oxyrhopus guibei (n=35, Boa constrictor amarali (n=18 e Waglerophis merremi (n=13. A infecção por Hepatozoon spp. foi detectada em 39 (16,4% serpentes. As prevalências em serpentes venenosas e não venenosas foram 20,0% e 11,7%, respectivamente. As maiores prevalências foram 38,9% para Boa constrictor amarali, 35

Analysis of Brazilian snake venoms by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saiki, M.; Vasconcellos, M.B.A.; Rogero, J.R.; Cruz, M.C.G.

1991-01-01

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) has been applied to multielemental determinations of Brazilian snake venoms from the species: Bothrops jararacussu, Crotalus durissus terrificus and Bothrops jararaca. Concentrations of Br, Ca, Cl, Cs, K, Mg, Na, Rb, Sb, Se and Zn have been determined in lyophilized venoms by using short and long irradiations in the IEA-RI nuclear reactor under a thermal neutron flux of 10 11 to 10 13 n · cm -2 · s -1 . The reference materials NIST Bovine Liver 1577 and IUPAC Bowen's Kale were also analyzed simultaneously with the venoms to evaluate the accuracy and the reproducibility of the method. The concentrations of the elements found in snake venoms from different species were compared. The Crotalus durissus terrificus venoms presented high concentration of Se but low concentrations of Zn when these results are compared with those obtained from genera Bothrops venoms. (author) 9 refs.; 2 tabs

Internal dosimetry of radiopharmaceuticals derived of antitumor polypeptide isolated from venoms: Crotalus durissus terrifucus and Scorpaena plumieri;Dosimetria interna de radiofarmacos derivados de polipeptideos antitumorais isolados dos venenos de: Crotalus durissus terrificus e Scorpaena plumieri

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Andrade, Henrique Martins de

2009-07-01

The identification of new diagnostic and therapeutic agents capable of inhibiting tumor growth is essential for improving the prognosis of patients suffering from malignant tumors (glioma, breast and others). In this context, natural products (plants and animals) are a rich source of substances with potential antitumor. Despite knowledge of the etiology and pathology of tumors little progress has been observed in the area of diagnosis. Molecules of snake venoms have been shown to play an important role not only in the survival and proliferation of tumor cells but also in the process of tumor cell adhesion, migration and angiogenesis. Polypeptides isolated from the venom of the snake, Crotalus durissus terrificus, Crtx, and Scorpaena plumieri fish, SPGP, have antitumor activity against malignant tumors. It was shown that similar radio iodines Crtx and SPGP, {sup 125}I-Crtx and {sup 125}I-SPGP, can interact specifically with malignant tumors and induce cell death. Prototype-based radiopharmaceuticals Crtx and SPGP containing radioiodine 1311 were able to produce diagnostic images to accumulate specifically in the tumor site. The present study aimed at evaluating the potential radiological safety and diagnostic/therapeutic efficacy of {sup 131}I-Crtx {sup l31}I-SPGP and (evaluated from the biokinetic data in mice bearing Ehrlich tumor) were treated by the MIRD formalism to carry out internal dosimetry studies. Absorbed doses due to the uptake of {sup 131}I-Crtx and {sup 131}I-SPGP were determined in various organs of mice and implanted into the tumor. The results obtained for the animal model were extrapolated to humans by assuming a similar concentration ratio among the various tissues between mice and humans. In extrapolation, we used the masses of human organs of the phantom of Cristy/Eckerman. Both radiation penetrating and non penetrating of {sup 131}I on the tissue were considered in dose calculations. The absorbed dose in the bone marrow due to the

Is the population of Crotalus durissus (Serpentes, Viperidae) expanding in Brazil?

OpenAIRE

Duarte, Marcelo Ribeiro; Menezes, Frederico Alcântara

2013-01-01

Crotalus durissus are found from Mexico to northern Argentina in a highly disjunct distribution. According to some studies, this species is prone to occupy areas disturbed by human activities and floods comprise a plausible method of dispersal as inferred for some North American rattlesnakes. Based on the literature, it seems plausible that Crotalus durissus expanded their natural distribution in Brazil due to floods, but only in a few municipalities in Rio de Janeiro State. Data entries of B...

Effect of Mikania glomerata (Asteraceae leaf extract combined with anti-venom serum on experimental Crotalus durissus (Squamata: Viperidae envenomation in rats

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Rafael Stuani Floriano

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Crotalic envenomation represents the highest number of deaths when compared to other snakebite envenomations of medical interest. Crotalic venom has important characteristics such as neurotoxicity, myotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and clotting and hemolytic action. We evaluated the clinical and laboratory aspects of Crotalus durissus terrificus experimental envenomation in Wistar rats treated with antivenom and the aqueous extract of the plant Mikania glomerata. The animals were divided into three groups: Group C (control; Group VS-venom and antivenom; Group VSM-venom, antivenom and aqueous extract of M. glomerata. Crotalic poison caused clinical and laboratory alterations in Wistar mice. Significant linical alterations were: temperature decrease, edema in the venom inoculated member, sedation and a locomotion decrease in groups VS and VSM when compared with group C. A faster recovery from sedation was observed only for animals of group VSM when compared to VS. There was an increase in the number of leukocytes, neutrophils and creatine kinase in the VS and VSM groups, compared to group C. Wistar rats showed a high resistance to crotalic venom. Additional studies with different doses, time of treatment, different administration methods and histopathological and immunological studies are necessary to understand the action of M. glomerata in crotalic accidents. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (4: 929-937. Epub 2009 December 01.El envenamiento crotálico representa el número más alto de muertes cuando es comparado con envenenamientos por mordeduras de otras serpientes de interés médico. El veneno crotálico tiene importantes características de acción neurotóxica, miotoxicidad, nefrotoxicidad, coagulación y acción hemolítica. Este trabajo evaluó los aspectos clínicos y de laboratorio del envenenamiento experimental con el veneno de la serpiente Crotalus durissus terrificus en las ratas Wistar tratadas con suero antiofídico y extracto acuoso de M

Toxicity attenuation optimization of crotalic venom by gamma radiation and studies of its immunogenic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clissa, Patricia Bianca

1997-01-01

Literature data show that 2.0 kGy dose of gamma radiation, generated by 60 source, reduces the toxic activity of Crotalus durissus terrificus venom, without altering its immunogenic capacity. When crotoxin, main toxin from crotalic venom, was irradiated with the same dose, toxicity was also reduced and the immunogenicity was maintained. This fact was attributed to aggregates (compounds with high molecular weight generated during irradiation), that showed no toxicity but were able to induce the antibodies formation against native venom. Crotalus durissus terrificus venom was irradiated with 2.0, 3.0, 5.0 and 10.0 kGy doses and submitted to molecular exclusion chromatography, in order to find an efficient dose that produces large amounts of non toxic but still immunogenic aggregates. After being isolated, the products of irradiation were evaluated for the amount produced, molecular alteration, and toxic and immunogenic activities. These parameters were also analyzed for the whole venom irradiated. The results from different doses irradiated venom were compared with native one, and 2.0 kGy dose was confirmed to be the most efficient in the association of toxicity attenuation with maintenance of immunogenicity of the crotalic venom, while other doses, in spite of being efficient in the toxicity attenuation, they were not able to keep the immunogenicity property. So, the dose of 2.0 kGy could be used to immunize animals in order to improve anticrotalic sera production. (author)

Crotamine and crotoxin interact with tumor cells and trigger cell death

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soares, Marcella Araugio; Pujatti, Priscilla Brunelli; Santos, Raquel Gouvea dos; Dias, Consuelo Latorre Fortes; Chavez Olortegui, Carlos Delfin; Santos, Wagner Gouvea dos

2007-01-01

Crotoxin (Crtx) and Crotamine (Crota) are polypeptides isolated from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom (CV). Previous reports have been shown therapeutic effects of Crotalus durissus terrificus venom and Crtx on skin, breast and lung tumours, although, the mechanisms of this antitumoral effect are still unknown. The aim of this work was to investigate the antitumoral effect of Crtx and Crota on brain tumours cells (GH3 and RT2) in vitro and their capacity of interaction with these tumour cells membranes. Cell survival after Crtx and Crota treatment was evaluated by MTT assay in different times post-treatment and apoptosis was evaluated by DAPI staining. In order to evaluate the specific interaction of Crtx and Crota, these polypeptides were radiolabelled, using 125 I as radiotracer and binding assays were performed. The results were compared with the binding in nontumoral brain tissue. Crtx and Crota induced apoptosis on both tumour cells lineages but, Crota was more powerful than Crtx 90% and 20% cell death for RT2 cells; 80% and 20% cell death for GH3 cells, respectively). Both 125 I-Crtx and 125 I-Crota bound specifically in glioblastoma membranes. Nonetheless, CV polypeptides recognised glioblastoma cells with higher specificity than normal brain tissue. These results suggest that the Crtx and Crota interactions with the plasmatic membrane of tumour cells may be the first step of the cascade of signalling that trigger their antitumoral effect. (author)

Crotacetin, a novel snake venom C-type lectin, is homolog of convulxin

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G. Rádis-Baptista

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Snake venom (sv C-type lectins encompass a group of hemorrhagic toxins, which are able to interfere with hemostasis. They share significant similarity in their primary structures with C-type lectins of other animals, and also present a conserved carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD. A very well studied sv C-type lectin is the heterodimeric toxin, convulxin (CVX, from the venoms of South American rattlesnakes, Crotalus durissus terrificus and C. d. cascavella. It consists of two subunits, alfa (CVXalpha , 13.9 kDa and beta (CVXbeta , 12.6 kDa, joined by inter and intra-chain disulfide bounds, and is arranged in a tetrameric alpha4beta4 conformation. Convulxin is able to activate platelet and induce their aggregation by acting via p62/GPVI collagen receptor. Several cDNA precursors, homolog of CVX subunits, were cloned by PCR homology screening. As determined by computational analysis, one of them, named crotacetin beta subunit, was predicted as a polypeptide with a tridimensional conformation very similar to other subunits of convulxin-like snake toxins. Crotacetin was purified from C. durissus venoms by gel permeation and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. The heterodimeric crotacetin is expressed in the venoms of several C. durissus subspecies, but it is prevalent in the venom of C. durissus cascavella. As inferred from homology modeling, crotacetin induces platelet aggregation but noticeably exhibits antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Oral microbiota of Brazilian captive snakes

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MG Fonseca

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The present work aimed to determine the oral microbiotic composition of snakes from São José do Rio Preto city, São Paulo State, Brazil. Ten snake species, comprising the families Boidae, Colubridae, Elapidae and Viperidae, were submitted to microbiological examination of their oral cavity, which indicated positivity for all buccal samples. Gram-negative bacilli, gram-negative cocci bacilli, gram-positive bacilli and gram-positive cocci were isolated from the snakes. Among isolated bacterium species, the occurrence of coagulase-negative staphylococci in the buccal cavity of Crotalus durissus (Viperiade, Eunectes murinus (Boidae, Mastigodryas bifossatus (Colubridae and Bacillus subtilis, common to oral cavity of Bothrops alternatus (Viperidae and Phalotris mertensi (Colubridae, was detected. It was observed higher diversity of isolated bacteria from the oral cavity of Micrurus frontalis (Elapidae and Philodryas nattereri (Colubridae, as well as the prevalence of gram-positive baccillus and gram-positive cocci. The composition of the oral microbiota of the studied snakes, with or without inoculating fangs, is diverse and also related to the formation of abscesses at the bite site in the victims of the ophidian accidents, and to pathogenic processes in the snakes that host these microorganisms.

Effects of 60Co gamma radiation on crotamine

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Boni-Mitake M.

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Ionizing radiation can change the molecular structure and affect the biological properties of biomolecules. This has been employed to attenuate animal toxins. Crotamine is a strongly basic polypeptide (pI 10.3 from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom composed of 42 amino acid residues. It induces skeletal muscle spasms leading to a spastic paralysis of hind limbs in mice. The objective of the present study was to carry out a biochemical study and a toxic activity assay on native and irradiated crotamine. Crotamine was purified from C.d. terrificus venom by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration followed by ion-exchange chromatography, and irradiated at 2 mg/ml in 0.15 M NaCl with 2.0 kGy gamma radiation emitted by a 60Co source. The native and irradiated toxins were evaluated in terms of structure and toxic activity (LD50. Irradiation did not change the protein concentration, the electrophoretic profile or the primary structure of the protein although differences were shown by spectroscopic techniques. Gamma radiation reduced crotamine toxicity by 48.3%, but did not eliminate it.

Effects of {sup 60} Co gamma radiation on crotamine

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Boni-Mitake, M. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Dept. de Radioprotecao Ocupacional; Costa, H.; Spencer, P.J. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Dept. de Bioengenharia; Rogero, J.R [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Diretoria de Materiais; Vassilieff, V.S. [UNESP, Botucatu, SP (Brazil). Instituto de Biociencias. Ceatox - Centro de Assistencia Toxicologica]. E-mail: mbmitake@net.ipen.br

2001-12-01

Ionizing radiation can change the molecular structure and affect the biological properties of biomolecules. This has been employed to attenuate animal toxins. Crotamine is a strongly basic polypeptide (p I 10.3) from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom composed of 42 amino acid residues. It induces skeletal muscle spasms leading to a spastic paralysis of hind limbs in mice. The objective of the present study was to carry out a biochemical study and a toxic activity assay on native and irradiated crotamine. Crotamine was purified from C.d. terrificus venom by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration followed by ion-exchange chromatography, and irradiated at 2 mg/ml in 0.15 M NaCl with 2.0 kGy gamma radiation emitted by a 60 Co source. The native and irradiated toxins were evaluated in terms of structure and toxic activity (Ld50). Irradiation did not change the protein concentration, the electrophoretic profile or the primary structure of the protein although differences were shown by spectroscopic techniques. Gamma radiation reduced crotamine toxicity by 48.3%, but did not eliminate it. (author)

Effects of gamma radiation on isolated toxin of Crotalus durissus terrificus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza Filho, J.N.; Rogero, J.R.

1988-07-01

It is know that the ionizing radiation is able to change significantly the biological and antigenic behaviour of a toxin depending of the dose and radiation's conditions, probably by structural alterations caused by radiation. In this paper, the crotoxin, principal neurotoxin of the south american rattlesnake venom, was isolated using molecular exclusion cromatography with Sephadex G-75 and followed by precipitation of the isoeletric point. (pI 4.7.). Fractions in the concentration of 2 mg toxin/ml 0.85 % NaCl were irradiated in a source of 60 Co GAMMACELL with dose rate of 1100 Gy/hr using doses of 250,500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 Gy. It was determinated for this samples, the proteic concentration (Lowry's method), the antigenic capability using crotalic antiserum by the diffusion imunoassay (Ouch - terlony's method), the DL50 in mice and eletrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The results showed that the antigenic capability seems to be intact until dose of 1000 Gy. By the other hand, the LD50 in the same radiation dose increases more than two times when compared with the native sample. As the radiation dose increases, the solutions became turbid showing loss of protein probably by the presence of aggregates as can be seen by the determination of the proteic concentration and the eletrophoretic control. Other important changs were observed with the irrdiated samples in comparison with the native crotoxin that can given us additional information about dose-effect event. (author) [pt

Envenomations by Bothrops and Crotalus snakes induce the release of mitochondrial alarmins.

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Irene Zornetta

Full Text Available Skeletal muscle necrosis is a common manifestation of viperid snakebite envenomations. Venoms from snakes of the genus Bothrops, such as that of B. asper, induce muscle tissue damage at the site of venom injection, provoking severe local pathology which often results in permanent sequelae. In contrast, the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus, induces a clinical picture of systemic myotoxicity, i.e., rhabdomyolysis, together with neurotoxicity. It is known that molecules released from damaged muscle might act as 'danger' signals. These are known as 'alarmins', and contribute to the inflammatory reaction by activating the innate immune system. Here we show that the venoms of B. asper and C. d. terrificus release the mitochondrial markers mtDNA (from the matrix and cytochrome c (Cyt c from the intermembrane space, from ex vivo mouse tibialis anterior muscles. Cyt c was released to a similar extent by the two venoms whereas B. asper venom induced the release of higher amounts of mtDNA, thus reflecting hitherto some differences in their pathological action on muscle mitochondria. At variance, injection of these venoms in mice resulted in a different time-course of mtDNA release, with B. asper venom inducing an early onset increment in plasma levels and C. d. terrificus venom provoking a delayed release. We suggest that the release of mitochondrial 'alarmins' might contribute to the local and systemic inflammatory events characteristic of snakebite envenomations.

Evaluation of snake venom phospholipase A{sub 2}: hydrolysis of non-natural esters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pirolla, Renan A.S.; Baldasso, Paulo A.; Marangoni, Sergio; Moran, Paulo J.S.; Rodrigues, Jose Augusto R., E-mail: jaugusto@iqm.unicamp.b [University of Campinas (UNICAMP), SP (Brazil). Inst. of Chemistry. Dept. of Organic Chemistry

2011-07-01

Phospholipase A2 from the rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus was employed for the first time to test its enantioselectivity on the hydrolysis of different non-natural esters. It was observed that the structure of this small enzyme is restrictive in the choice of its lipase action with non-natural substrates. Two forms of the enzyme were used; free and as its cross-linked enzyme aggregate (CLEA). With all substrates, the free enzyme showed activity similar to the CLEA preparation. The advantage of the CLEA phospholipase is the possibility to reuse it in several consecutive reactions without a decrease of activity and selectivity with good but higher yields and ee than with the free enzyme. (author)

Avaliação da interação de compostos ativos hidratantes com modelo de biomembrana de Crotalus durissus por meio de calorimetria exploratória diferencial e espectroscopia RAMAN

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Telma Kaneko

2010-06-01

Full Text Available O objetivo foi verificar as alterações no estrato córneo em modelos alternativos de membrana após a aplicação de ativos hidratantes envolvendo métodos biofísicos. O modelo de biomembrana utilizado foi a muda de pele de Crotalus durissus e os ativos hidratantes foram: uréia, silício orgânico, extrato vegetal de Imperata cylindrica, reação de xilitol e glicose e componentes de NMF. Os resultados da avaliação das alterações do modelo por meio de Espectroscopia Raman com Transformada de Fourier sugerem que os ativos hidratantes confirmam segurança necessária, pois não alteraram de forma acentuada a estrutura do estrato córneo. Utilizando-se Calorimetria Exploratória Diferencial pode-se indicar que a solução de silício orgânico e o gel hidrofílico com uréia apresentaram melhor poder hidratante. Palavras-chave: Estrato córneo. Hidratação. Métodos biofísicos. Crotalus durissus. FT-Raman, DSC. ABSTRACT Study of the interaction of moisturizers with a Crotalus durissus biomembrane by differential scanning calorimetry and RAMAN spectroscopy The objective of this research was to use biophysical techniques to investigate the alterations induced in a biomembrane model of the stratum corneum by the application of moisturizers. The biomembrane was obtained from the skin shed by the rattlesnake Crotalus durissus and the active moisturizing compounds were: urea, dimethylsilanol hyaluronate, Imperata cylindrical plant extract, carbohydrates and natural moisturizing factors (NMF components. Results from FT-Raman spectroscopy suggested that the moisturizers were safe, since they did not promote modifications in the structure of the stratum corneum. Differential scanning calorimetry results indicated that the solution containing the organic silicon compound and the gel with urea showed the best hydrating effects on the stratum corneum. Keywords: Stratum corneum. Hydration. Biophysical techniques. Crotalus durissus. FT-Raman, DSC.

The adrenergic retulation of the cardiovascular system in the South American rattlesnake, Crotalus durissus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Galli, G.L.J.; Jensen, Nini Skovgaard; Abe, A.S.

2007-01-01

The present study investigates adrenergic regulation of the systemic and pulmonary circulations of the anaesthetised South American rattlesnake, Crotalus durissus. Haemodynamic measurements were made following bolus injections of adrenaline and adrenergic antagonists administered through a systemic...... arterial catheter. Adrenaline caused a marked systemic vasoconstriction that was abolished by phentolamine, indicating this response was mediated through α-adrenergic receptors. Injection of phentolamine gave rise to a pronounced vasodilatation (systemic conductance (Gsys) more than doubled), while...... injection of propranolol caused a systemic vasoconstriction, pointing to a potent α-adrenergic, and a weaker β-adrenergic tone in the systemic vasculature of Crotalus. Overall, the pulmonary vasculature was far less responsive to adrenergic stimulation than the systemic circulation. Adrenaline caused...

Influence of the main reactive species formed during the detoxication process of toxins by ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Murilo Casare da

2003-01-01

Ionizing radiation has been satisfactorily employed for venoms detoxification. In this report, the radiation was employed to verify the effects caused by the radiolysis products of water on two toxins (Crotoxin and Crotamine) purified from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom. These effects were analyzed using some substances called 'scavengers', those substances competes for specific reactive species hindering them to act on the toxins molecules. In order to study the possible structural damages caused on the toxins, UV spectra, fluorescence, mass spectrometry, enzymatic activity were employed. In addition, biochemical techniques were employed to evaluate the decrease of toxicity and the immunogenicity of toxins before and after the irradiation. Our results indicate that the irradiation promotes structural damages, even at low doses. These modifications lead to a gradual decrease in toxicity, however, the immunogenic properties of the toxins are preserved. (author)

Gamma radiation damage in crotamine (venom of Brazilian rattlesnake)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, T.A.; Rogero, J.R.

1988-01-01

Ionizing Radiations changes the molecular structure due to chemical bond destruction. These chemical alterations is able to change the biological properties of the macro-molecules. Crotamine was obtained from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom by molecular exclusion cromatography and irradiated in concentration of 2 mg/ml of NaCl 0,85% with gamma radiation produced by a 60 Co source. We used doses of 100 Gy, 250 Gy, 500 Gy, 1000 Gy and 2000 Gy (dose rate = 1,19.10 3 Gy/h). We performed the following experiments: presence of free SH groups, proteic concentration,SDS-PAGE and immunodifusion. Preliminary results showed an increase of the number of bands in SDS-PAGE suggesting the appearence of protein aggregates that proportional to the dose increasing. The immunodiffusion data showed no modification of the immunochemical activity against theButantan anti - sera. (author) [pt

Influence of the main reactive species formed during the detoxication process of toxins by ionizing radiation; Influencia das principais especies reativas formadas durante o processo de destoxicacao de toxinas por radiacao ionizante

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Silva, Murilo Casare da

2003-07-01

Ionizing radiation has been satisfactorily employed for venoms detoxification. In this report, the radiation was employed to verify the effects caused by the radiolysis products of water on two toxins (Crotoxin and Crotamine) purified from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom. These effects were analyzed using some substances called 'scavengers', those substances competes for specific reactive species hindering them to act on the toxins molecules. In order to study the possible structural damages caused on the toxins, UV spectra, fluorescence, mass spectrometry, enzymatic activity were employed. In addition, biochemical techniques were employed to evaluate the decrease of toxicity and the immunogenicity of toxins before and after the irradiation. Our results indicate that the irradiation promotes structural damages, even at low doses. These modifications lead to a gradual decrease in toxicity, however, the immunogenic properties of the toxins are preserved. (author)

Reactividad inmunoquímica de sueros anti- Caiman yacare y Caiman latirostris frente a sueros de diferentes especies

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de Roodt, Adolfo Rafael

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Se estudió la reactividad inmunoquímica entre los sueros de distintas especies de reptiles frente a sueros hiperinmunes experimentales anti-suero de Caiman yacare y anti-suero de Caiman latirostris. Los sueros que se probaron fueron los homólogos de Caiman yacare, Caiman latirostris y los heterólogos de Alligator missisipiensis, Tupinambis merinae, Tupinambis rufescens, Chelonoidis chilensis, Clelia rustica, Waglerophis merremii, Lystrophys dorbignyi, Phyton molurus, Boa constrictor occidentalis, Eunectes notaeus, Crotalus durissus terrificus, Bothrops alternatus, Bothrops diporus, Bothrops jararaca, Bothrops jararacussu, Bothrops moojeni, Pitangus sulphuratus y Gallus gallus. La reactividad inmunoquímica se determinó mediante las técnicas de doble inmunodifusión y ELISA, mostrándose importante entre los sueros de los crocodrílidos y baja entre estos y los de las otras especies de reptiles estudiadas. Se observó mayor reactividad entre los antisueros anti-Caiman respecto a los sueros de Caiman latirostris y Caiman yacare que frente al suero de Alligator missisipiensis. Además, se encontró una fuerte reactividad entre ambos sueros anti-Caiman y el de Gallus gallus poniendo en evidencia la fuerte reactividad entre los sueros de arcosaurios. In order to study the immunochemical reactivity among sera from different species of reptiles regarding sera from Caiman, the immunoreactivity of sera from reptiles against antisera to Caiman yacare or anti-Caiman latirostris sera was studied. These hiperimmune sera were tested against sera from Alligator missisipiensis, Tupinambis merinae, Tupinambis rufescens, Chelonoidis chilensis, Clelia rustica, Waglerophis merremii, Lystrophys dorbignyi, Phyton molurus, Boa constrictor occidentalis, Eunectes notaeus, Crotalus durissus terrificus, Bothrops alternatus, Bothrops neuwiedii, Bothrops jararaca, Bothrops jararacussu, Bothrops moojeni, Pitangus sulphuratus and Gallus gallus. The immunochemical

Daily and seasonal activity patterns of free range South-American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus).

Science.gov (United States)

Tozetti, Alexandro M; Martins, Marcio

2013-09-01

This study aimed at describing daily and seasonal variation in the activity of a population of South-American rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus) in a savanna like habitat (Cerrado) in Southeastern Brazil. Seasonal and daily activities of snakes were evaluated by the number of captures of snakes during road surveys, accidental encounters, and relocations by radio-tracking. Our results show that climatic variables such as air temperature and rainfall have little influence on the activity pattern of rattlesnakes. Our findings indicate that rattlesnakes spend most of the day resting and most of the night in ambush posture. The South-American rattlesnake is active throughout the year with a discrete peak in activity of males during the matting season. The possibility of maintaining activity levels even during the coldest and driest season can facilitate the colonization of several habitats in South America. This possibility currently facilitates the colonization of deforested areas by rattlesnakes.

Effects of ionizing radiation on crotoxin (toxin of Crotalus durissus terrificus venom): molecular studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza Filho, J.N. de.

1988-01-01

It is know that the ionizing radiation is able to change significantly the biological and antigenic response of a toxin depending of the dose and irradiation's conditions, probable by structural alterations caused by radiation. In this work, the crotoxin, principal neurotoxin of the South American rattlesnake venom, was isolated using molecular exclusion chromatography with Sephadex G-75 and follwed by precipitation on the isoelectric point. Fractions in the concentration of 2 mg of protein/m1 0.85% NaCl were irradiated in a source of sup(60)Co GAMMACELL with dose rate of 1100 Gy/h using doses of 250, 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 Gy. It was determinated for these samples, the proteic concentration (Lowry's method), the content sulphydryl (Ellman's method), the profile electrophoretic (SDS-PAGE), the toxicity by lethal dose 50% in mice and the antigenic response using crotalic antiserum by the diffusion imunoassay (Ouchterlony's method). The results showed the formation of aggregates and loss of protein in solution by precipitation. In the dose of 1000 Gy and higher it was possible to observe the presence of sulphydryl groups indicating the breakage of S-S bridges. The lethal dose 50% increased 2 times for the dose of 1000 Gy and 3.5 times for 1500 Gy shoding a detoxication. By the other hand, the antigenic response seems to be still intact at doses up to 1000 Gy. (author)

Molecular exclusion chromatographic analysis on 60Co irradiated rattlesnake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murata, Y.; Rogero, J.R.

1988-07-01

Ionizing radiations are sufficiently energetic to be able of breaking chemical bonds and as result of that molecules of substances present in the irradiated will be chemically changed and their biological properties affected also. In this paper the effects of gamma radiation of Co-60 on the rattlesnake venom were studied. A pool of positive crotamina Crotalus durissus terrificus venom was dissolved in 0,15 M NaCl and irradiated with Co-60. Doses of 100, 250, 500, 750, 1500 and 2000 Gy were applied at the dose rate of 1190 Gy/h. With doses over 500 Gy the solutions became turbid, suggesting the presence of aggregates and structural changes of the proteins. The concentration of proteins from the filtered solution was measured by the Lowry method. One ml samples were measured at 230 nm. The partition coefficients and the areas of the three main fraction obtained were calculated. (author) [pt

Effects of gamma radiation on snake venoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nascimento, N.; Spencer, P.J.; Andrade, H.F.; Guarnieri, M.C.; Rogero, J.R.

1998-01-01

Ionizing radiation is able to detoxify several venoms, including snake venoms, without affecting significantly their immunogenic properties. In order to elucidate this phenomena, we conceived a comparative pharmacological study between native and irradiated (2,000 Gy) crotoxin, the main toxin of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus. Crotoxin was isolated and purified by molecular exclusion chromatography, pI precipitation and, subsequently submitted to irradiation. Gel filtration of the irradiated toxin resulted in some high molecular weight aggregates formation. Crotoxin toxicity decreased two folds after irradiation, as determined by LD 50 in mice. Native and irradiated crotoxin biodistribution ocurred in the same general manner, with renal elimination. However, in contrast to irradiated crotoxin, the native form was initially retained in kidneys. A later concentration (2-3 hr) appeared in phagocytic mononuclear cells rich organs (liver and spleen) and neural junction rich organs (muscle and brain)

Daily and seasonal activity patterns of free range South-American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus

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ALEXANDRO M. TOZETTI

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at describing daily and seasonal variation in the activity of a population of South-American rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus in a savanna like habitat (Cerrado in Southeastern Brazil. Seasonal and daily activities of snakes were evaluated by the number of captures of snakes during road surveys, accidental encounters, and relocations by radio-tracking. Our results show that climatic variables such as air temperature and rainfall have little influence on the activity pattern of rattlesnakes. Our findings indicate that rattlesnakes spend most of the day resting and most of the night in ambush posture. The South-American rattlesnake is active throughout the year with a discrete peak in activity of males during the matting season. The possibility of maintaining activity levels even during the coldest and driest season can facilitate the colonization of several habitats in South America. This possibility currently facilitates the colonization of deforested areas by rattlesnakes.

{sup 131}I-CRTX internal dosimetry: animal model and human extrapolation

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Andrade, Henrique Martins de; Ferreira, Andrea Vidal; Soares, Marcella Araugio; Silveira, Marina Bicalho; Santos, Raquel Gouvea dos [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN-CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)], e-mail: hma@cdtn.br

2009-07-01

Snake venoms molecules have been shown to play a role not only in the survival and proliferation of tumor cells but also in the processes of tumor cell adhesion, migration and angiogenesis. {sup 125}I-Crtx, a radiolabeled version of a peptide derived from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom, specifically binds to tumor and triggers apoptotic signalling. At the present work, {sup 125}I-Crtx biokinetic data (evaluated in mice bearing Erlich tumor) were treated by MIRD formalism to perform Internal Dosimetry studies. Doses in several organs of mice were determinate, as well as in implanted tumor, for {sup 131}I-Crtx. Doses results obtained for animal model were extrapolated to humans assuming a similar concentration ratio among various tissues between mouse and human. In the extrapolation, it was used human organ masses from Cristy/Eckerman phantom. Both penetrating and non-penetrating radiation from {sup 131}I in the tissue were considered in dose calculations. (author)

131I-CRTX internal dosimetry: animal model and human extrapolation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade, Henrique Martins de; Ferreira, Andrea Vidal; Soares, Marcella Araugio; Silveira, Marina Bicalho; Santos, Raquel Gouvea dos

2009-01-01

Snake venoms molecules have been shown to play a role not only in the survival and proliferation of tumor cells but also in the processes of tumor cell adhesion, migration and angiogenesis. 125 I-Crtx, a radiolabeled version of a peptide derived from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom, specifically binds to tumor and triggers apoptotic signalling. At the present work, 125 I-Crtx biokinetic data (evaluated in mice bearing Erlich tumor) were treated by MIRD formalism to perform Internal Dosimetry studies. Doses in several organs of mice were determinate, as well as in implanted tumor, for 131 I-Crtx. Doses results obtained for animal model were extrapolated to humans assuming a similar concentration ratio among various tissues between mouse and human. In the extrapolation, it was used human organ masses from Cristy/Eckerman phantom. Both penetrating and non-penetrating radiation from 131 I in the tissue were considered in dose calculations. (author)

Vaginal microbiota in menopause

OpenAIRE

Martinus Tarina; Larisa Paramitha; Evita Halim Effendi; Shannaz Nadia Yusharyahya; Hanny Nilasari; Wresti Indriatmi

2016-01-01

The human vagina together with its resident, microbiota, comprise a dynamic ecosystem. Normal microbiota is dominated by Lactobacillus species, and pathogen microbiota such as Gardnerella species and Bacteroides species can occur due to decrease in Lactobacillus domination. Lactobacillus plays an essential role in keeping normal vaginal microbiota in balance. Vaginal microbiota adapts to pH change and hormonal value. Changes in the vaginal microbiota over a woman’s lifespan will influence the...

Intestinal microbiota pathogenesis and fecal microbiota transplantation for inflammatory bowel disease

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zi-Kai; Yang, Yun-Sheng; Chen, Ye; Yuan, Jing; Sun, Gang; Peng, Li-Hua

2014-01-01

The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The pathogenesis of IBD involves inappropriate ongoing activation of the mucosal immune system driven by abnormal intestinal microbiota in genetically predisposed individuals. However, there are still no definitive microbial pathogens linked to the onset of IBD. The composition and function of the intestinal microbiota and their metabolites are indeed disturbed in IBD patients. The special alterations of gut microbiota associated with IBD remain to be evaluated. The microbial interactions and host-microbe immune interactions are still not clarified. Limitations of present probiotic products in IBD are mainly due to modest clinical efficacy, few available strains and no standardized administration. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) may restore intestinal microbial homeostasis, and preliminary data have shown the clinical efficacy of FMT on refractory IBD or IBD combined with Clostridium difficile infection. Additionally, synthetic microbiota transplantation with the defined composition of fecal microbiota is also a promising therapeutic approach for IBD. However, FMT-related barriers, including the mechanism of restoring gut microbiota, standardized donor screening, fecal material preparation and administration, and long-term safety should be resolved. The role of intestinal microbiota and FMT in IBD should be further investigated by metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses combined with germ-free/human flora-associated animals and chemostat gut models. PMID:25356041

Gut Microbiota-brain Axis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Hong-Xing Wang; Yu-Ping Wang

2016-01-01

Objective:To systematically review the updated information about the gut microbiota-brain axis.Data Sources:All articles about gut microbiota-brain axis published up to July 18,2016,were identified through a literature search on PubMed,ScienceDirect,and Web of Science,with the keywords of"gut microbiota","gut-brain axis",and "neuroscience".Study Selection:All relevant articles on gut microbiota and gut-brain axis were included and carefully reviewed,with no limitation of study design.Results:It is well-recognized that gut microbiota affects the brain's physiological,behavioral,and cognitive functions although its precise mechanism has not yet been fully understood.Gut microbiota-brain axis may include gut microbiota and their metabolic products,enteric nervous system,sympathetic and parasympathetic branches within the autonomic nervous system,neural-immune system,neuroendocrine system,and central nervous system.Moreover,there may be five communication routes between gut microbiota and brain,including the gut-brain's neural network,neuroendocrine-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis,gut immune system,some neurotransmitters and neural regulators synthesized by gut bacteria,and barrier paths including intestinal mucosal barrier and blood-brain barrier.The microbiome is used to define the composition and functional characteristics of gut microbiota,and metagenomics is an appropriate technique to characterize gut microbiota.Conclusions:Gut microbiota-brain axis refers to a bidirectional information network between the gut microbiota and the brain,which may provide a new way to protect the brain in the near future.

Gut microbiota and obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Gérard, Philippe

2016-01-01

The human intestine harbors a complex bacterial community called the gut microbiota. This microbiota is specific to each individual despite the existence of several bacterial species shared by the majority of adults. The influence of the gut microbiota in human health and disease has been revealed in the recent years. Particularly, the use of germ-free animals and microbiota transplant showed that the gut microbiota may play a causal role in the development of obesity and associated metabolic disorders, and lead to identification of several mechanisms. In humans, differences in microbiota composition, functional genes and metabolic activities are observed between obese and lean individuals suggesting a contribution of the gut microbiota to these phenotypes. Finally, the evidence linking gut bacteria to host metabolism could allow the development of new therapeutic strategies based on gut microbiota modulation to treat or prevent obesity.

Geographic distribution and apparent decline of Crotalus durissus terrificus (Laurenti 1768; Serpentes, Viperidae) in Uruguay

OpenAIRE

Prigioni, Carlos M.; Borteiro, Claudio; Kolenc, Francisco; González, Enrique M.; Colina, Marcelo

2013-01-01

Herein, we make a comprehensive account of rattlesnake records in this country obtained from herpetological literature and other bibliographic sources, specimens accessioned in herpetological and non-specialized local collections, and new information gathered during field surveys. Asociación Herpetológica Argentina

EFECTO DEL AZUL DE METILENO EN LA HIPOTENSIÓN Y BRADICARDIA ASOCIADAS A LA ADMINISTRACIÓN DE UNA DOSIS LETAL DEL VENENO TOTAL DE CASCABEL VENEZOLANA (Crotalus durissus cumanensis) EN RATAS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Briceno, Elena; Zerpa, Hector; Ascanio, Elias

2010-01-01

The effects of pre treatment with methylene blue (MB) on the cardiovascular effect caused by the administration of total venom (TV) of Crotalus durissus cumanensis was studied in adult rats, allocated into two groups: group I, six rats treated with TV (single dose: 1.5 mg/kg, IV) and group II, si...

Internal dosimetry of radiopharmaceuticals derived of antitumor polypeptide isolated from venoms: Crotalus durissus terrifucus and Scorpaena plumieri

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade, Henrique Martins de

2009-01-01

The identification of new diagnostic and therapeutic agents capable of inhibiting tumor growth is essential for improving the prognosis of patients suffering from malignant tumors (glioma, breast and others). In this context, natural products (plants and animals) are a rich source of substances with potential antitumor. Despite knowledge of the etiology and pathology of tumors little progress has been observed in the area of diagnosis. Molecules of snake venoms have been shown to play an important role not only in the survival and proliferation of tumor cells but also in the process of tumor cell adhesion, migration and angiogenesis. Polypeptides isolated from the venom of the snake, Crotalus durissus terrificus, Crtx, and Scorpaena plumieri fish, SPGP, have antitumor activity against malignant tumors. It was shown that similar radio iodines Crtx and SPGP, 125 I-Crtx and 125 I-SPGP, can interact specifically with malignant tumors and induce cell death. Prototype-based radiopharmaceuticals Crtx and SPGP containing radioiodine 1311 were able to produce diagnostic images to accumulate specifically in the tumor site. The present study aimed at evaluating the potential radiological safety and diagnostic/therapeutic efficacy of 131 I-Crtx l31 I-SPGP and (evaluated from the biokinetic data in mice bearing Ehrlich tumor) were treated by the MIRD formalism to carry out internal dosimetry studies. Absorbed doses due to the uptake of 131 I-Crtx and 131 I-SPGP were determined in various organs of mice and implanted into the tumor. The results obtained for the animal model were extrapolated to humans by assuming a similar concentration ratio among the various tissues between mice and humans. In extrapolation, we used the masses of human organs of the phantom of Cristy/Eckerman. Both radiation penetrating and non penetrating of 131 I on the tissue were considered in dose calculations. The absorbed dose in the bone marrow due to the administration of 131 I-Crtx was 0.01 mGy/370

Does the maternal vaginal microbiota play a role in seeding the microbiota of neonatal gut and nose?

Science.gov (United States)

Sakwinska, O; Foata, F; Berger, B; Brüssow, H; Combremont, S; Mercenier, A; Dogra, S; Soh, S-E; Yen, J C K; Heong, G Y S; Lee, Y S; Yap, F; Meaney, M J; Chong, Y-S; Godfrey, K M; Holbrook, J D

2017-10-13

The acquisition and early maturation of infant microbiota is not well understood despite its likely influence on later health. We investigated the contribution of the maternal microbiota to the microbiota of infant gut and nose in the context of mode of delivery and feeding. Using 16S rRNA sequencing and specific qPCR, we profiled microbiota of 42 mother-infant pairs from the GUSTO birth cohort, at body sites including maternal vagina, rectum and skin; and infant stool and nose. In our study, overlap between maternal vaginal microbiota and infant faecal microbiota was minimal, while the similarity between maternal rectal microbiota and infant microbiota was more pronounced. However, an infant's nasal and gut microbiota were no more similar to that of its own mother, than to that of unrelated mothers. These findings were independent of delivery mode. We conclude that the transfer of maternal vaginal microbes play a minor role in seeding infant stool microbiota. Transfer of maternal rectal microbiota could play a larger role in seeding infant stool microbiota, but approaches other than the generally used analyses of community similarity measures are likely to be needed to quantify bacterial transmission. We confirmed the clear difference between microbiota of infants born by Caesarean section compared to vaginally delivered infants and the impact of feeding mode on infant gut microbiota. Only vaginally delivered, fully breastfed infants had gut microbiota dominated by Bifidobacteria. Our data suggest that reduced transfer of maternal vaginal microbial is not the main mechanism underlying the differential infant microbiota composition associated with Caesarean delivery. The sources of a large proportion of infant microbiota could not be identified in maternal microbiota, and the sources of seeding of infant gut and nasal microbiota remain to be elucidated.

Vaginal microbiota in menopause

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martinus Tarina

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The human vagina together with its resident, microbiota, comprise a dynamic ecosystem. Normal microbiota is dominated by Lactobacillus species, and pathogen microbiota such as Gardnerella species and Bacteroides species can occur due to decrease in Lactobacillus domination. Lactobacillus plays an essential role in keeping normal vaginal microbiota in balance. Vaginal microbiota adapts to pH change and hormonal value. Changes in the vaginal microbiota over a woman’s lifespan will influence the colonization of pathogenic microbes. They include changes in child, puberty, reproductive state, menopause, and postmenopause. Estrogen levels change will affect the colonization of pathogenic microbium, leading to genitourinary syndrome of menopause. Vulvovaginal atrophy is often found in postmenopausal women, and dominated by L. iners, Anaerococcus sp, Peptoniphilus sp, Prevotella sp, and Streptococcus sp. The normal vaginal microbiota’s imbalance in menopause will cause diseases such as bacterial vaginosis, and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis due to hormonal therapies. Changes in the vaginal microbiota due to bacterial vaginosis are characterized by decrease in H2O2-producing Lactobacillus. They are also caused by the increase in numbers and concentration of Gardnerella vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis, and other anaerob species such as Peptostreptococci, Prevotella spp, and Mobiluncus spp.

Neuropeptides, Microbiota, and Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Holzer, P

2016-01-01

The gut microbiota and the brain interact with each other through multiple bidirectional signaling pathways in which neuropeptides and neuroactive peptide messengers play potentially important mediator roles. Currently, six particular modes of a neuropeptide link are emerging. (i) Neuropeptides and neurotransmitters contribute to the mutual microbiota-host interaction. (ii) The synthesis of neuroactive peptides is influenced by microbial control of the availability of amino acids. (iii) The activity of neuropeptides is tempered by microbiota-dependent autoantibodies. (iv) Peptide signaling between periphery and brain is modified by a regulatory action of the gut microbiota on the blood-brain barrier. (v) Within the brain, gut hormones released under the influence of the gut microbiota turn into neuropeptides that regulate multiple aspects of brain activity. (vi) Cerebral neuropeptides participate in the molecular, behavioral, and autonomic alterations which the brain undergoes in response to signals from the gut microbiota. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fecal microbiota transplant

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... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007703.htm Fecal microbiota transplant To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) helps to replace some of the " ...

Microhabitat use by species of the genera Bothrops and Crotalus (Viperidae in semi-extensive captivity

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CA Gomes

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Many factors influence microhabitat including climate and the occurrence of predators, prey and suitable shelters. The influence of predators in a semi-extensive breeding system is minimized due to frequent monitoring of the area. This situation enables the independent analysis of such other variables as refuges and temperature. Some specimens of the Viperidae family are kept in a semi-extensive breeding system at the Butantan Institute for display and study. These animals are widely distributed in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, two biomes with distinct climatic characteristics. We compared the daily activity pattern and microhabitat use of the species Bothrops jararaca and Crotalus durissus terrificus. Our main questions were whether rattlesnakes and lancehead snakes respond to habitat selection differently in similar climatic conditions and if they choose similar microhabitats. Species of the genus Bothrops were frequently found under shelters regardless of the time of day. On the other hand, snakes of the genus Crotalus were frequently found sheltered during the early morning, then migrated to sunnier areas and returned to shelters in late afternoon.

The complementarity-determining region sequences in IgY antivenom hypervariable regions

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David Gitirana da Rocha

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled "Development of IgY antibodies against anti-snake toxins endowed with highly lethal neutralizing activity" (da Rocha et al., 2017 [1]. Complementarity-determining region (CDR sequences are variable antibody (Ab sequences that respond with specificity, duration and strength to identify and bind to antigen (Ag epitopes. B lymphocytes isolated from hens immunized with Bitis arietans (Ba and anti-Crotalus durissus terrificus (Cdt venoms and expressing high specificity, affinity and toxicity neutralizing antibody titers were used as DNA sources. The VLF1, CDR1, CDR2, VLR1 and CDR3 sequences were validated by BLASTp, and values corresponding to IgY VL and VH anti-Ba or anti-Cdt venoms were identified, registered [Gallus gallus IgY Fv Light chain (GU815099/Gallus gallus IgY Fv Heavy chain (GU815098] and used for molecular modeling of IgY scFv anti-Ba. The resulting CDR1, CDR2 and CDR3 sequences were combined to construct the three - dimensional structure of the Ab paratope.

Diet, gut microbiota and cognition.

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Proctor, Cicely; Thiennimitr, Parameth; Chattipakorn, Nipon; Chattipakorn, Siriporn C

2017-02-01

The consumption of a diet high in fat and sugar can lead to the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. In the human gut, the trillions of harmless microorganisms harboured in the host's gastrointestinal tract are called the 'gut microbiota'. Consumption of a diet high in fat and sugar changes the healthy microbiota composition which leads to an imbalanced microbial population in the gut, a phenomenon known as "gut dysbiosis". It has been shown that certain types of gut microbiota are linked to the pathogenesis of obesity. In addition, long-term consumption of a high fat diet is associated with cognitive decline. It has recently been proposed that the gut microbiota is part of a mechanistic link between the consumption of a high fat diet and the impaired cognition of an individual, termed "microbiota-gut-brain axis". In this complex relationship between the gut, the brain and the gut microbiota, there are several types of gut microbiota and host mechanisms involved. Most of these mechanisms are still poorly understood. Therefore, this review comprehensively summarizes the current evidence from mainly in vivo (rodent and human) studies of the relationship between diet, gut microbiota and cognition. The possible mechanisms that the diet and the gut microbiota have on cognition are also presented and discussed.

Pulmonary mechanic and lung histology induced by Crotalus durissus cascavella snake venom.

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Oliveira Neto, Joselito de; Silveira, João Alison de Moraes; Serra, Daniel Silveira; Viana, Daniel de Araújo; Borges-Nojosa, Diva Maria; Sampaio, Célia Maria Souza; Monteiro, Helena Serra Azul; Cavalcante, Francisco Sales Ávila; Evangelista, Janaina Serra Azul Monteiro

2017-10-01

This study have analyzed the pulmonary function in an experimental model of acute lung injury, induced by the Crotalus durissus cascavella venom (C. d. cascavella) (3.0 μg/kg - i.p), in pulmonary mechanic and histology at 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h after inoculation. The C. d. cascavella venom led to an increase in Newtonian Resistance (R N ), Tissue Resistance (G) and Tissue Elastance (H) in all groups when compared to the control, particularly at 12 h and 24 h. The Histeresivity (η) increased 6 h, 12 h and 24 h after inoculation. There was a decrease in Static Compliance (C ST ) at 6 h, 12 h and 24 h and inspiratory capacity (IC) at 3 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h. C. d. cascavella venom showed significant morphological changes such as atelectasis, emphysema, hemorrhage, polymorphonuclear inflammatory infiltrate, edema and congestion. After a challenge with methacholine (MCh), R N demonstrated significant changes at 6, 12 and 24 h. This venom caused mechanical and histopathological changes in the lung tissue; however, its mechanisms of action need further studies in order to better elucidate the morphofunctional lesions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gut Microbiota Signatures Predict Host and Microbiota Responses to Dietary Interventions in Obese Individuals

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Korpela, Katri; Flint, Harry J.; Johnstone, Alexandra M.; Lappi, Jenni; Poutanen, Kaisa; Dewulf, Evelyne; Delzenne, Nathalie; de Vos, Willem M.; Salonen, Anne

2014-01-01

Background Interactions between the diet and intestinal microbiota play a role in health and disease, including obesity and related metabolic complications. There is great interest to use dietary means to manipulate the microbiota to promote health. Currently, the impact of dietary change on the microbiota and the host metabolism is poorly predictable and highly individual. We propose that the responsiveness of the gut microbiota may depend on its composition, and associate with metabolic changes in the host. Methodology Our study involved three independent cohorts of obese adults (n = 78) from Belgium, Finland, and Britain, participating in different dietary interventions aiming to improve metabolic health. We used a phylogenetic microarray for comprehensive fecal microbiota analysis at baseline and after the intervention. Blood cholesterol, insulin and inflammation markers were analyzed as indicators of host response. The data were divided into four training set – test set pairs; each intervention acted both as a part of a training set and as an independent test set. We used linear models to predict the responsiveness of the microbiota and the host, and logistic regression to predict responder vs. non-responder status, or increase vs. decrease of the health parameters. Principal Findings Our models, based on the abundance of several, mainly Firmicute species at baseline, predicted the responsiveness of the microbiota (AUC  =  0.77–1; predicted vs. observed correlation  =  0.67–0.88). Many of the predictive taxa showed a non-linear relationship with the responsiveness. The microbiota response associated with the change in serum cholesterol levels with an AUC of 0.96, highlighting the involvement of the intestinal microbiota in metabolic health. Conclusion This proof-of-principle study introduces the first potential microbial biomarkers for dietary responsiveness in obese individuals with impaired metabolic health, and reveals the potential of

Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Disorders

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Kyu Yeon Hur

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Gut microbiota plays critical physiological roles in the energy extraction and in the control of local or systemic immunity. Gut microbiota and its disturbance also appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of diverse diseases including metabolic disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, cancer, etc. In the metabolic point of view, gut microbiota can modulate lipid accumulation, lipopolysaccharide content and the production of short-chain fatty acids that affect food intake, inflammatory tone, or insulin signaling. Several strategies have been developed to change gut microbiota such as prebiotics, probiotics, certain antidiabetic drugs or fecal microbiota transplantation, which have diverse effects on body metabolism and on the development of metabolic disorders.

Characterization of Gastric Microbiota in Twins.

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Dong, Quanjiang; Xin, Yongning; Wang, Lili; Meng, Xinying; Yu, Xinjuan; Lu, Linlin; Xuan, Shiying

2017-02-01

Contribution of host genetic backgrounds in the development of gastric microbiota has not been clearly defined. This study was aimed to characterize the biodiversity, structure and composition of gastric microbiota among twins. A total of four pairs of twins and eight unrelated individuals were enrolled in the study. Antral biopsies were obtained during endoscopy. The bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified and pyrosequenced. Sequences were analyzed for the composition, structure, and α and β diversities of gastric microbiota. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Fusobacteria were the most predominant phyla of gastric microbiota. Each individual, twins as well as unrelated individuals, harbored a microbiota of distinct composition. There was no evidence of additional similarity in the richness and evenness of gastric microbiota among co-twins as compared to unrelated individuals. Calculations of θ YC and PCoA demonstrated that the structure similarity of gastric microbial community between co-twins did not increase compared to unrelated individuals. In contrast, the structure of microbiota was altered enormously by Helicobacter pylori infection. These results suggest that host genetic backgrounds had little effect in shaping the gastric microbiota. This property of gastric microbiota could facilitate the studies discerning the role of microbiota from genetic grounds in the pathogenesis.

Rearing room affects the non-dominant chicken caecum microbiota, while diet affects the dominant microbiota

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Jane eLudvigsen

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The combined effect of environment and diet in shaping the gut microbiota remain largely unknown. This knowledge, however, is important for animal welfare and safe food production. For these reasons we determined the effect of experimental units on the chicken caecum microbiota for a full factorial experiment where we tested the combined effect of room, diet and antimicrobial treatment. By Illumina Deep sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we found that diet mainly affected the dominant microbiota, while the room as a proxy for environment had major effects on the non-dominant microbiota (p=0.006, Kruskal Wallis test. We therefore propose that the dominant and non-dominant microbiotas are shaped by different experimental units. These findings have implications both for our general understanding of the host-associated microbiota, and for setting up experiments related to specific targeting of pathogens.

The Human Microbiota in Early Life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Martin Steen

The bacteria that colonize the human body, our microbiota, can influence our health, both positively and negatively. The importance and functions of the microbiota in our intestinal tract have been the focus of several research projects and are widely published. However, there are great gaps in our...... knowledge concerning microbiota composition, development and function in other areas of human body. Lack of knowledge about the microbiota development in the airways is an example of such a deficiency. The work presented in this PhD thesis is based on the vast sample collection of the COPSAC2010 cohort......, with 700 mother-infant pairs. The objectives were to perform a detailed examination of the mothers’ vaginal microbiota, describe the early composition and development of the microbiota in the airways of their infants, and determine whether the infants’ microbiota are affected by that of their mothers...

The gut microbiota and metabolic disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arora, T; Bäckhed, Gert Fredrik

2016-01-01

The human gut microbiota has been studied for more than a century. However, of nonculture-based techniques exploiting next-generation sequencing for analysing the microbiota, development has renewed research within the field during the past decade. The observation that the gut microbiota......, as an environmental factor, contributes to adiposity has further increased interest in the field. The human microbiota is affected by the diet, and macronutrients serve as substrates for many microbially produced metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids and bile acids, that may modulate host metabolism. Obesity......-producing bacteria might be causally linked to type 2 diabetes. Bariatric surgery, which promotes long-term weight loss and diabetes remission, alters the gut microbiota in both mice and humans. Furthermore, by transferring the microbiota from postbariatric surgery patients to mice, it has been demonstrated...

Microbiota and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

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Sharma, Harsha; Tal, Reshef; Clark, Natalie A.; Segars, James H.

2014-01-01

Female genital tract microbiota play a crucial role in maintaining health. Disequilibrium of the microbiota has been associated with increased risk of pelvic infections. In recent years, culture-independent molecular techniques have expanded understanding of the composition of genital microbiota and the dynamic nature of the microbiota. There is evidence that upper genital tract may not be sterile and may harbor microflora in the physiologic state. The isolation of bacterial vaginosis-associated organisms in women with genital infections establishes a link between pelvic infections and abnormal vaginal flora. With the understanding of the composition of the microbiota in healthy and diseased states, the next logical step is to identify the function of the newly identified microbes. This knowledge will further expand our understanding of the causation of pelvic infections, which may lead to more effective prevention and treatment strategies. PMID:24390920

The Microbiota of the Human Skin.

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Egert, Markus; Simmering, Rainer

2016-01-01

The aim of this chapter is to sum up important progress in the field of human skin microbiota research that was achieved over the last years.The human skin is one of the largest and most versatile organs of the human body. Owing to its function as a protective interface between the largely sterile interior of the human body and the highly microbially contaminated outer environment, it is densely colonized with a diverse and active microbiota. This skin microbiota is of high importance for human health and well-being. It is implicated in several severe skin diseases and plays a major role in wound infections. Many less severe, but negatively perceived cosmetic skin phenomena are linked with skin microbes, too. In addition, skin microorganisms, in particular on the human hands, are crucial for the field of hygiene research. Notably, apart from being only a potential source of disease and contamination, the skin microbiota also contributes to the protective functions of the human skin in many ways. Finally, the analysis of structure and function of the human skin microbiota is interesting from a basic, evolutionary perspective on human microbe interactions.Key questions in the field of skin microbiota research deal with (a) a deeper understanding of the structure (species inventory) and function (physiology) of the healthy human skin microbiota in space and time, (b) the distinction of resident and transient skin microbiota members, (c) the distinction of beneficial skin microorganisms from microorganisms or communities with an adverse or sickening effect on their hosts, (d) factors shaping the skin microbiota and its functional role in health and disease, (e) strategies to manipulate the skin microbiota for therapeutic reasons.

The microbiota revolution: Excitement and caution.

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Rescigno, Maria

2017-09-01

Scientific progress is characterized by important technological advances. Next-generation DNA sequencing has, in the past few years, led to a major scientific revolution: the microbiome revolution. It has become possible to generate a fingerprint of the whole microbiota of any given environment. As it becomes clear that the microbiota affects several aspects of our lives, each new scientific finding should ideally be analyzed in light of these communities. For instance, animal experimentation should consider animal sources and husbandry; human experimentation should include analysis of microenvironmental cues that might affect the microbiota, including diet, antibiotic, and drug use, genetics. When analyzing the activity of a drug, we should remember that, according to the microbiota of the host, different drug activities might be observed, either due to modification or degradation by the microbiota, or because the microbiota changes the immune system of the host in a way that makes that drug more or less effective. This minireview will not be a comprehensive review on the interaction between the host and microbiota, but it will aim at creating awareness on why we should not forget the contribution of the microbiota in any single aspect of biology. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparison of the effect of Crotalus simus and Crotalus durissus ruruima venoms on the equine antibody response towards Bothrops asper venom: implications for the production of polyspecific snake antivenoms.

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Dos-Santos, Maria Cristina; Arroyo, Cynthia; Solano, Sergio; Herrera, María; Villalta, Mauren; Segura, Alvaro; Estrada, Ricardo; Gutiérrez, José María; León, Guillermo

2011-02-01

Antivenoms are preparations of immunoglobulins purified from the plasma of animals immunized with snake venoms. Depending on the number of venoms used during the immunization, antivenoms can be monospecific (if venom from a single species is used) or polyspecific (if venoms from several species are used). In turn, polyspecific antivenoms can be prepared by purifying antibodies from the plasma of animals immunized with a mixture of venoms, or by mixing antibodies purified from the plasma of animals immunized separately with single venom. The suitability of these strategies to produce polyspecific antibothropic-crotalic antivenoms was assessed using as models the venoms of Bothrops asper, Crotalus simus and Crotalus durissus ruruima. It was demonstrated that, when used as co-immunogen, C. simus and C. durissus ruruima venoms exert a deleterious effect on the antibody response towards different components of B. asper venom and in the neutralization of hemorrhagic and coagulant effect of this venom when compared with a monospecific B. asper antivenom. Polyspecific antivenoms produced by purifying immunoglobulins from the plasma of animals immunized with venom mixtures showed higher antibody titers and neutralizing capacity than those produced by mixing antibodies purified from the plasma of animals immunized separately with single venom. Thus, despite the deleterious effect of Crotalus sp venoms on the immune response against B. asper venom, the use of venom mixtures is more effective than the immunization with separate venoms for the preparation of polyspecific bothropic-crotalic antivenoms. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The gut microbiota in type 2 diabetes

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Nielsen, Trine; Allin, Kristine Højgaard; Pedersen, Oluf

2016-01-01

The exploration of the gut microbiota has intensified within the past decade with the introduction of cultivation-independent methods. By investigation of the gut bacterial genes, our understanding of the compositional and functional capability of the gut microbiome has increased. It is now widely...... recognized that the gut microbiota has profound effect on host metabolism and recently changes in the gut microbiota have been associated with type 2 diabetes. Animal models and human studies have linked changes in the gut microbiota to the induction of low-grade inflammation, altered immune response......, and changes in lipid and glucose metabolism. Several factors have been identified that might affect the healthy microbiota, potentially inducing a dysbiotic microbiota associated with a disease state. This increased understanding of the gut microbiota might potentially contribute to targeted intervention...

Gut microbiota in health and disease

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M.E. Icaza-Chávez

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Gut microbiota is the community of live microorganisms residing in the digestive tract. There are many groups of researchers worldwide that are working at deciphering the collective genome of the human microbiota. Modern techniques for studying the microbiota have made us aware of an important number of nonculturable bacteria and of the relation between the microorganisms that live inside us and our homeostasis. The microbiota is essential for correct body growth, the development of immunity, and nutrition. Certain epidemics affecting humanity such as asthma and obesity may possibly be explained, at least partially, by alterations in the microbiota. Dysbiosis has been associated with a series of gastrointestinal disorders that include non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. The present article deals with the nomenclature, modern study techniques, and functions of gut microbiota, and its relation to health and disease.

Gut bacterial microbiota and obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Million, M; Lagier, J-C; Yahav, D; Paul, M

2013-04-01

Although probiotics and antibiotics have been used for decades as growth promoters in animals, attention has only recently been drawn to the association between the gut microbiota composition, its manipulation, and obesity. Studies in mice have associated the phylum Firmicutes with obesity and the phylum Bacteroidetes with weight loss. Proposed mechanisms linking the microbiota to fat content and weight include differential effects of bacteria on the efficiency of energy extraction from the diet, and changes in host metabolism of absorbed calories. The independent effect of the microbiota on fat accumulation has been demonstrated in mice, where transplantation of microbiota from obese mice or mice fed western diets to lean or germ-free mice produced fat accumulation among recipients. The microbiota can be manipulated by prebiotics, probiotics, and antibiotics. Probiotics affect the microbiota directly by modulating its bacterial content, and indirectly through bacteriocins produced by the probiotic bacteria. Interestingly, certain probiotics are associated with weight gain both in animals and in humans. The effects are dependent on the probiotic strain, the host, and specific host characteristics, such as age and baseline nutritional status. Attention has recently been drawn to the association between antibiotic use and weight gain in children and adults. We herein review the studies describing the associations between the microbiota composition, its manipulation, and obesity. © 2013 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2013 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Let the Core Microbiota Be Functional.

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Lemanceau, Philippe; Blouin, Manuel; Muller, Daniel; Moënne-Loccoz, Yvan

2017-07-01

The microbial community that is systematically associated with a given host plant is called the core microbiota. The definition of the core microbiota was so far based on its taxonomic composition, but we argue that it should also be based on its functions. This so-called functional core microbiota encompasses microbial vehicles carrying replicators (genes) with essential functions for holobiont (i.e., plant plus microbiota) fitness. It builds up from enhanced horizontal transfers of replicators as well as from ecological enrichment of their vehicles. The transmission pathways of this functional core microbiota vary over plant generations according to environmental constraints and its added value for holobiont fitness. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Linking Gut Microbiota to Colorectal Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raskov, Hans; Burcharth, Jakob; Pommergaard, Hans-Christian

2017-01-01

Pre-clinical and clinical data produce mounting evidence that the microbiota is strongly associated with colorectal carcinogenesis. Dysbiosis may change the course of carcinogenesis as microbial actions seem to impact genetic and epigenetic alterations leading to dysplasia, clonal expansion...... and malignant transformation. Initiation and promotion of colorectal cancer may result from direct bacterial actions, bacterial metabolites and inflammatory pathways. Newer aspects of microbiota and colorectal cancer include quorum sensing, biofilm formation, sidedness and effects/countereffects of microbiota...... and probiotics on chemotherapy. In the future, targeting the microbiota will probably be a powerful weapon in the battle against CRC as gut microbiology, genomics and metabolomics promise to uncover important linkages between microbiota and intestinal health....

Influência da temperatura corporal de cascavéis (Crotalus durissus submetidas à anestesia com cetamina Influence of body temperature on rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus anesthetized with ketamine

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Adriano B. Carregaro

2009-12-01

Full Text Available O estudo objetivou verificar a influência da temperatura corporal nos parâmetros fisiológicos e nos períodos de indução e recuperação anestésicos de cascavéis (Crotalus durissus anestesiadas com cetamina. Os animais foram previamente submetidos à hipotermia (HIPO (The aim of the study was to verify the influence of the body temperature under physiological values and latency and recovery times on rattlesnakes anesthetized with ketamine. The animals were previously submitted to hypothermia (HYPO (<22°C and normothermia (30°C (NORMO and then, anesthetized with 80 mg/kg IM of ketamine. Latency and recovery times were evaluated by head tonus, muscular tonus and righting reflex. Heart rate (HR, time of apnea and body temperature were measured before and 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after ketamine administration. Blood gases parameters were measured before, 30 and 60 minutes. It was not observed difference on latency time in both groups. The recovery time was higher on HYPO (5,5 hours compared to NORMO (3,5 hours. HR was higher on NORMO compared to HYPO. Time of apnea was the same pattern on both groups. Compared to basal levels, time of apnea was shorter between 5 to 30 min on both groups. Respiratory acidosis was observed only at 0 min in NORMO. SvO2 was higher after 30 min, the same as with PvO2 in both groups. PvCO2 reduced after 30 min in both groups. It was evident that body temperature exerts intense influence on the recovery time on rattlesnakes anesthetized with ketamine.

Microbiota, Inflammation and Colorectal Cancer

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Cécily Lucas

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Colorectal cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, is a multifactorial disease involving genetic, environmental and lifestyle risk factors. In addition, increased evidence has established a role for the intestinal microbiota in the development of colorectal cancer. Indeed, changes in the intestinal microbiota composition in colorectal cancer patients compared to control subjects have been reported. Several bacterial species have been shown to exhibit the pro-inflammatory and pro-carcinogenic properties, which could consequently have an impact on colorectal carcinogenesis. This review will summarize the current knowledge about the potential links between the intestinal microbiota and colorectal cancer, with a focus on the pro-carcinogenic properties of bacterial microbiota such as induction of inflammation, the biosynthesis of genotoxins that interfere with cell cycle regulation and the production of toxic metabolites. Finally, we will describe the potential therapeutic strategies based on intestinal microbiota manipulation for colorectal cancer treatment.

Nutrition meets the microbiome: micronutrients and the microbiota.

Science.gov (United States)

Biesalski, Hans K

2016-05-01

There is increasing evidence that food is an important factor that influences and shapes the composition and configuration of the gut microbiota. Most studies have focused on macronutrients (fat, carbohydrate, protein) in particular and their effects on the gut microbiota. Although the microbiota can synthesize different water-soluble vitamins, the effects of vitamins synthesized within the microbiota on systemic vitamin status are unclear. Few studies exist on the shuttling of vitamins between the microbiota and intestine and the impact of luminal vitamins on the microbiota. Studying the interactions between vitamins and the microbiota may help to understand the effects of vitamins on the barrier function and immune system of the intestinal tract. Furthermore, understanding the impact of malnutrition, particularly low micronutrient supply, on microbiota development, composition, and metabolism may help in implementing new strategies to overcome the deleterious effects of malnutrition on child development. This article reviews data on the synthesis of different micronutrients and their effects on the human microbiota, and further discusses the consequences of malnutrition on microbiota composition. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

[Gut microbiota in health and disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Icaza-Chávez, M E

2013-01-01

Gut microbiota is the community of live microorganisms residing in the digestive tract. There are many groups of researchers worldwide that are working at deciphering the collective genome of the human microbiota. Modern techniques for studying the microbiota have made us aware of an important number of nonculturable bacteria and of the relation between the microorganisms that live inside us and our homeostasis. The microbiota is essential for correct body growth, the development of immunity, and nutrition. Certain epidemics affecting humanity such as asthma and obesity may possibly be explained, at least partially, by alterations in the microbiota. Dysbiosis has been associated with a series of gastrointestinal disorders that include non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, celiac disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. The present article deals with the nomenclature, modern study techniques, and functions of gut microbiota, and its relation to health and disease. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

The human microbiota associated with overall health.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Xiaofei; Wang, Zhujun; Zhang, Xuewu

2015-03-01

Human body harbors diverse microbes, the main components include bacteria, eukaryotes and viruses. Emerging evidences show that the human microbiota is intrinsically linked with overall health. The development of next-generation sequencing provides an unprecedented opportunity to investigate the complex microbial communities that are associated with the human body. Many factors like host genetics and environmental factors have a major impact on the composition and dynamic changes of human microbiota. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the relationship between human health and human microbiota (skin, nasal, throat, oral, vaginal and gut microbiota), then to focus on the factors modulating the composition of the microbiota and the future challenges to manipulate the microbiota for personalized health.

Microbiota-Brain-Gut Axis and Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Quigley, Eamonn M M

2017-10-17

The purposes of this review were as follows: first, to provide an overview of the gut microbiota and its interactions with the gut and the central nervous system (the microbiota-gut-brain axis) in health, second, to review the relevance of this axis to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, and, finally, to assess the potential for microbiota-targeted therapies. Work on animal models has established the microbiota-gut-brain axis as a real phenomenon; to date, the evidence for its operation in man has been limited and has been confronted by considerable logistical challenges. Animal and translational models have incriminated a disturbed gut microbiota in a number of CNS disorders, including Parkinson's disease; data from human studies is scanty. While a theoretical basis can be developed for the use of microbiota-directed therapies in neurodegenerative disorders, support is yet to come from high-quality clinical trials. In theory, a role for the microbiota-gut-brain axis is highly plausible; clinical confirmation is awaited.

Gross and histologic features of gastritis due to Ophidascaris arndti in tropical rattlesnakes ( Crotalus durissus

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É.M. Mello

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The tropical rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus is a snake of great importance for biomedical industry since its poison is used for the production of antiophidic serum and researches. Several conditions related to animal health, such as diseases and parasites, which can promote the reduction of poison production by these snakes should be investigated. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to characterize the gross and microscopic lesions related to the presence of Ophidascaris arndti in stomachs of tropical rattlesnakes. The gastrointestinal tract of thirty-five South American rattlesnakes captured in Southeastern region of Brazil were analyzed and nineteen animals showed infestation by the parasites, found in the small intestine and, especially, in the stomach of the hosts. Grossly, lesions were characterized by mucosal ulcers occasionally associated with hemorrhage. Microscopic alterations included histiocytic granulomas, fibrosis, necrosis, and hemorrhage. Based on these findings, the diagnosis of a parasitic granulomatous disease was made. The lesions may be related to the cause of death in captivity snakes, since the lesions can promote secondary infections by opportunistic bacteria. Moreover, the intense inflammatory response accompanied by fibrosis may be related to poor functioning of the gastric snakes, which it may exhibit frequent regurgitation of the food.

Microbiota dynamics in patients treated with fecal microbiota transplantation for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection.

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Yang Song

Full Text Available Clostridium difficile causes antibiotic-associated diarrhea and pseudomembraneous colitis and is responsible for a large and increasing fraction of hospital-acquired infections. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT is an alternate treatment option for recurrent C. difficile infection (RCDI refractory to antibiotic therapy. It has recently been discussed favorably in the clinical and scientific communities and is receiving increasing public attention. However, short- and long-term health consequences of FMT remain a concern, as the effects of the transplanted microbiota on the patient remain unknown. To shed light on microbial events associated with RCDI and treatment by FMT, we performed fecal microbiota analysis by 16S rRNA gene amplicon pyrosequencing of 14 pairs of healthy donors and RCDI patients treated successfully by FMT. Post-FMT patient and healthy donor samples collected up to one year after FMT were studied longitudinally, including one post-FMT patient with antibiotic-associated relapse three months after FMT. This analysis allowed us not only to confirm prior reports that RCDI is associated with reduced diversity and compositional changes in the fecal microbiota, but also to characterize previously undocumented post-FMT microbiota dynamics. Members of the Streptococcaceae, Enterococcaceae, or Enterobacteriaceae were significantly increased and putative butyrate producers, such as Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae were significantly reduced in samples from RCDI patients before FMT as compared to post-FMT patient and healthy donor samples. RCDI patient samples showed more case-specific variations than post-FMT patient and healthy donor samples. However, none of the bacterial groups were invariably associated with RCDI or successful treatment by FMT. Overall microbiota compositions in post-FMT patients, specifically abundances of the above-mentioned Firmicutes, continued to change for at least 16 weeks after FMT, suggesting that

Comparative study of native and irradiated crotoxin. Biochemical and pharmacological effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nascimento, N. do.

1991-01-01

Ionizing radiation is able to detoxify several venoms, including snake venom, without affecting significantly their antigenic and immunogenic properties. In order to elucidate this phenomena, we conceived a comparative biochemical and pharmacological study between native and gamma irradiated (2000Gy) crotoxin, main toxin of south american rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus. Crotoxin was isolated and purified from crude venom by molecular exclusion chromatography, pI precipitation and then irradiated. Immunodiffusion, electrophoresis and gel filtration showed that the molecular integrity was preserved after irradiation with some higher molecular weight aggregate formation and maintenance of its antigenic capacity. The antibodies induced by irradiated toxin had a similar titer to the antibodies induced by native crotoxin; however with higher protective effects in mice. Crotoxin toxicity became 15 times lower after irradiation, as determined by LD sub(50) in mice. Native and irradiated crotoxin biodistribution occurred with a similar general pattern, with renal elimination. In contrast to irradiated crotoxin, the native crotoxin is initially retained in kidneys. A later concentration (2-3hs) occurs in phagocyticmononuclear cells rich organs (liver and spleen) and neural junctions rich organs (muscle and brain). (author)

Biodistribution and SPECT imaging of 125/131I-crotoxin on mice bearing Ehrlich solid tumour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soares, Marcella Araugio; Santos, Raquel Gouvea dos; Silveira, Marina B.; Simal, Carlos

2009-01-01

The search of specific radiopharmaceuticals to be used in breast tumour diagnosis is relevant to complement the techniques applied in conventional medicine. Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (CV) and its main polypeptide, Crotoxin (Crtx), are natural source of several bioactive substances with therapeutical potential. The aim of this work was to evaluate the binding of Crtx with tumour targets in vivo, as well as, evaluate its applicability for breast tumours diagnosis. Crtx was labelled with 125/131 I using lactoperoxidase method and radiochemical analysis was performed by chromatography. 125 I-Crtx was used for biodistribution and pharmacokinetics studies on swiss mice bearing Ehrlich solid tumour, while 131 I-Crtx was used for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. Crtx presented specific binding sites on Ehrlich tumour cells and had a rapid blood clearance (T 1/2 = 201.1 min.). Intratumoral administration increased significantly the activity delivered into the tumour site (128-fold higher) and reduced the kidney burden (7.2-fold lower). 131 I-Crxt demonstrated to interact with tumour cells for until 72 hours allowing good quality images of tumour. Our results indicate the biotechnological potential of Crtx as template for radiopharmaceutical design for cancer diagnosis. (author)

Morphologic and morphometric analysis of Hepatozoon spp. (Apicomplexa, Hepatozoidae of snakes

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Moço Tatiana Cristina

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Hepatozoon species are the most abundant hemoparasites of snakes. Its identification has been based mainly on the morphologic characterization of the gamonts in the peripheral blood of the vertebrate host and also of the cysts found in the internal organs of the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Using a computerized image analysis system, we studied five species of Hepatozoon from recently captured snakes in Botucatu, State of São Paulo, Brazil, to evaluate the importance of the morphology and morphometry of the gamonts for the characterization of Hepatozoon species and to analyze the morphologic changes induced in the erythrocytes by the parasite. The studied species were H. terzii of Boa constrictor amarali, Hepatozoon sp. of Crotalus durissusterrificus, H. philodryasi of Philodryas patagoniensis, and H. migonei and H. cyclagrasi of Hydrodynastes gigas. We observed three different groups, one of them including the species H. terzii, H. philodryasi and Hepatozoon sp. of C. durissus terrificus; and the other two consisting of H. migonei and H. cyclagrasi. Degree of alterations in the erythrocytes was variable and it may be useful for characterization of Hepatozoon species.

Structural aspects of crotoxin modified by ionizing radiation; Aspectos estruturais da crotoxina modificada pela radiacao ionizante

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Karina Corleto de; Albero, Felipe Guimaraes; Zezell, Denise Maria; Spencer, Patrick Jack; Nascimento, Nanci do, E-mail: kcorleto@usp.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2010-03-15

Ionizing radiation has proven to be an excellent tool for reducing the toxicity of venoms and isolated toxins, resulting in better immunogens for serum production, the only effective treatment in case of snake bites, and contributing to the welfare of serum-producing animals. Since the action of gamma radiation of venoms and toxins has not been yet fully clarified from the structural point of view, we proposed in this paper, to characterize the crotoxin, a venom protein of the species Crotalus durissus terrificus by Circular Dichroism (CD) and Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. After chromatographic techniques, crotoxin was irradiated with 2.0 kGy ({sup 60}Co source). The CD spectra obtained of native and irradiated crotoxin solutions showed changes between the samples in characteristic regions of -sheet and-helix . The Infrared analyse showed expressive changes in the spectra of the native and irradiated crotoxin (amide I band region). These tests showed that crotoxin when subjected to gamma radiation, showed changes in their structural conformation compared with the samples in the native state. Such changes probably occur in the secondary structure and may explain its neurotoxic activity loss. (author)

Identification and functional analysis of a novel bradykinin inhibitory peptide in the venoms of New World Crotalinae pit vipers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James Graham, Robert Leslie; Graham, Ciaren; McClean, Stephen; Chen, Tianbao; O'Rourke, Martin; Hirst, David; Theakston, David; Shaw, Chris

2005-01-01

A novel undecapeptide has been isolated and structurally characterized from the venoms of three species of New World pit vipers from the subfamily, Crotalinae. These include the Mexican moccasin (Agkistrodon bilineatus), the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis), and the South American bushmaster (Lachesis muta). The peptide was purified from all three venoms using a combination of gel permeation chromatography and reverse-phase HPLC. Automated Edman degradation sequencing and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry established its peptide primary structure as: Thr-Pro-Pro-Ala-Gly-Pro-Asp-Val-Gly-Pro-Arg-OH, with a non-protonated molecular mass of 1063.18 Da. A synthetic replicate of the peptide was found to be an antagonist of bradykinin action at the rat vascular B2 receptor. This is the first bradykinin inhibitory peptide isolated from snake venom. Database searching revealed the peptide to be highly structurally related (10/11 residues) with a domain residing between the bradykinin-potentiating peptide and C-type natriuretic peptide domains of a recently cloned precursor from tropical rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) venom gland. BIP thus represents a novel biological entity from snake venom

Immunochemical aspects of crotoxim and its subunits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakazone, A.K.

1979-01-01

Crotamine and crotoxin with the subunits - phospholipase A and crotapotin - were obtained by purification from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom. Interaction studies of the subunits using crotalic antiserum, indicated that: crotoxin is formed of crotapotin and phospholipase A with the molar ratio of 1 to 1; using crotapotin 125 I the presence of a soluble complex was shown with the same antiserum. Immunological precipitation reactions demonstrated that crotapotin is antigenic: crotapotin and phospholipase A presented similar antigenic determinants; crotoxin antiserum reacted with each one of the submits; when the subunits are mixed to form synthetic crotoxin some antigenic determinants are masked in the process of interaction. Crotamine, interacted with crotapotin 1:1, without hidden antigenic determinants crotapotin antigenic site seems to be formed by, at least, one lysine. Enzimatical activity of phospholipase A apreared to be dependent on some reaction conditions when its arginine residues are blocked. Tyrosines of phospholipase A are more susceptible to labelling with 131 I than crotapotin. Gama irradiation of aqueous solutions of the subunits produced modifications in the ultraviolet spectra. A decrease of the enzymatic activity occured as a function of radiation dosis. Immunological activities of crotapotin and phospholipase A were not altered [pt

Faecal microbiota transplantation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Simon M D; Hansen, Mette Mejlby; Erikstrup, Christian

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is currently being established as a second-line treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. FMT is further being considered for other infectious and inflammatory conditions. Safe and reproducible methods for donor screening, laborat......BACKGROUND: Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is currently being established as a second-line treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. FMT is further being considered for other infectious and inflammatory conditions. Safe and reproducible methods for donor screening...

Human Gut Microbiota: Toward an Ecology of Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Selber-Hnatiw, Susannah; Rukundo, Belise; Ahmadi, Masoumeh; Akoubi, Hayfa; Al-Bizri, Hend; Aliu, Adelekan F.; Ambeaghen, Tanyi U.; Avetisyan, Lilit; Bahar, Irmak; Baird, Alexandra; Begum, Fatema; Ben Soussan, Hélène; Blondeau-Éthier, Virginie; Bordaries, Roxane; Bramwell, Helene; Briggs, Alicia; Bui, Richard; Carnevale, Matthew; Chancharoen, Marisa; Chevassus, Talia; Choi, Jin H.; Coulombe, Karyne; Couvrette, Florence; D'Abreau, Samantha; Davies, Meghan; Desbiens, Marie-Pier; Di Maulo, Tamara; Di Paolo, Sean-Anthony; Do Ponte, Sabrina; dos Santos Ribeiro, Priscyla; Dubuc-Kanary, Laure-Anne; Duncan, Paola K.; Dupuis, Frédérique; El-Nounou, Sara; Eyangos, Christina N.; Ferguson, Natasha K.; Flores-Chinchilla, Nancy R.; Fotakis, Tanya; Gado Oumarou H D, Mariam; Georgiev, Metodi; Ghiassy, Seyedehnazanin; Glibetic, Natalija; Grégoire Bouchard, Julien; Hassan, Tazkia; Huseen, Iman; Ibuna Quilatan, Marlon-Francis; Iozzo, Tania; Islam, Safina; Jaunky, Dilan B.; Jeyasegaram, Aniththa; Johnston, Marc-André; Kahler, Matthew R.; Kaler, Kiranpreet; Kamani, Cedric; Karimian Rad, Hessam; Konidis, Elisavet; Konieczny, Filip; Kurianowicz, Sandra; Lamothe, Philippe; Legros, Karina; Leroux, Sebastien; Li, Jun; Lozano Rodriguez, Monica E.; Luponio-Yoffe, Sean; Maalouf, Yara; Mantha, Jessica; McCormick, Melissa; Mondragon, Pamela; Narayana, Thivaedee; Neretin, Elizaveta; Nguyen, Thi T. T.; Niu, Ian; Nkemazem, Romeo B.; O'Donovan, Martin; Oueis, Matthew; Paquette, Stevens; Patel, Nehal; Pecsi, Emily; Peters, Jackie; Pettorelli, Annie; Poirier, Cassandra; Pompa, Victoria R.; Rajen, Harshvardhan; Ralph, Reginald-Olivier; Rosales-Vasquez, Josué; Rubinshtein, Daria; Sakr, Surya; Sebai, Mohammad S.; Serravalle, Lisa; Sidibe, Fily; Sinnathurai, Ahnjana; Soho, Dominique; Sundarakrishnan, Adithi; Svistkova, Veronika; Ugbeye, Tsolaye E.; Vasconcelos, Megan S.; Vincelli, Michael; Voitovich, Olga; Vrabel, Pamela; Wang, Lu; Wasfi, Maryse; Zha, Cong Y.; Gamberi, Chiara

2017-01-01

Composed of trillions of individual microbes, the human gut microbiota has adapted to the uniquely diverse environments found in the human intestine. Quickly responding to the variances in the ingested food, the microbiota interacts with the host via reciprocal biochemical signaling to coordinate the exchange of nutrients and proper immune function. Host and microbiota function as a unit which guards its balance against invasion by potential pathogens and which undergoes natural selection. Disturbance of the microbiota composition, or dysbiosis, is often associated with human disease, indicating that, while there seems to be no unique optimal composition of the gut microbiota, a balanced community is crucial for human health. Emerging knowledge of the ecology of the microbiota-host synergy will have an impact on how we implement antibiotic treatment in therapeutics and prophylaxis and how we will consider alternative strategies of global remodeling of the microbiota such as fecal transplants. Here we examine the microbiota-human host relationship from the perspective of the microbial community dynamics. PMID:28769880

Microbiota-induced obesity requires farnesoid X receptor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parséus, Ava; Sommer, Nina; Sommer, Felix

2017-01-01

weight gain and hepatic steatosis in an FXR-dependent manner, and the bile acid profiles and composition of faecal microbiota differed between Fxr-/- and wild-type mice. The obese phenotype in colonised wild-type mice was associated with increased beta-cell mass, increased adipose inflammation, increased...... microbiota and bile acid composition, beta-cell mass, accumulation of macrophages in adipose tissue, liver steatosis, and expression of target genes in adipose tissue and liver. We also transferred the microbiota of wild-type and Fxr-deficient mice to GF wild-type mice. RESULTS: The gut microbiota promoted...... steatosis and expression of genes involved in lipid uptake. By transferring the caecal microbiota from HFD-fed Fxr-/- and wild-type mice into GF mice, we showed that the obesity phenotype was transferable. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the gut microbiota promotes diet-induced obesity and associated...

Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Pathological States

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Yulan; Wang, Baohong; Wu, Junfang

2017-01-01

The human microbiota is an aggregate of microorganisms residing in the human body, mostly in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Our gut microbiota evolves with us and plays a pivotal role in human health and disease. In recent years, the microbiota has gained increasing attention due to its impact...... on host metabolism, physiology, and immune system development, but also because the perturbation of the microbiota may result in a number of diseases. The gut microbiota may be linked to malignancies such as gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. It may also be linked to disorders such as nonalcoholic...... fatty liver disease (NAFLD); obesity and diabetes, which are characterized as “lifestyle diseases” of the industrialized world; coronary heart disease; and neurological disorders. Although the revolution in molecular technologies has provided us with the necessary tools to study the gut microbiota more...

Enterotypes influence temporal changes in gut microbiota

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roager, Henrik Munch; Licht, Tine Rask; Kellebjerg Poulsen, Sanne

The human gut microbiota plays an important role for human health. The question is whether we can modulate the gut microbiota by changing diet. During a 6-month, randomised, controlled dietary intervention, the effect of consuming a diet following the New Nordic Diet recommendations (NND......) as opposed to Average Danish Diet (ADD) on the gut microbiota in humans (n=62) was investigated. Quantitative PCR analysis showed that the microbiota did not change significantly by the intervention. Nevertheless, by stratifying subjects into two enterotypes, distinguished by the Prevotella/Bacteroides ratio...... (P/B), we were able to detect significant changes in the gut microbiota composition resulting from the interventions. Subjects with a high-P/B experienced more pronounced changes in the gut microbiota composition than subjects with a low-P/B. The study is the first to indicate that enterotypes...

Microbiota in fermented feed and swine gut.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Cheng; Shi, Changyou; Zhang, Yu; Song, Deguang; Lu, Zeqing; Wang, Yizhen

2018-04-01

Development of alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) used in swine production requires a better understanding of their impacts on the gut microbiota. Supplementing fermented feed (FF) in swine diets as a novel nutritional strategy to reduce the use of AGP and feed price, can positively affect the porcine gut microbiota, thereby improving pig productivities. Previous studies have noted the potential effects of FF on the shift in benefit of the swine microbiota in different regions of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The positive influences of FF on swine gut microbiota may be due to the beneficial effects of both pre- and probiotics. Necessarily, some methods should be adopted to properly ferment and evaluate the feed and avoid undesired problems. In this mini-review, we mainly discuss the microbiota in both fermented feed and swine gut and how FF influences swine gut microbiota.

Influence of gut microbiota on neuropsychiatric disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Cenit, María Carmen; Sanz, Yolanda; Codoñer-Franch, Pilar

2017-08-14

The last decade has witnessed a growing appreciation of the fundamental role played by an early assembly of a diverse and balanced gut microbiota and its subsequent maintenance for future health of the host. Gut microbiota is currently viewed as a key regulator of a fluent bidirectional dialogue between the gut and the brain (gut-brain axis). A number of preclinical studies have suggested that the microbiota and its genome (microbiome) may play a key role in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, alterations in the gut microbiota composition in humans have also been linked to a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions, including depression, autism and Parkinson's disease. However, it is not yet clear whether these changes in the microbiome are causally related to such diseases or are secondary effects thereof. In this respect, recent studies in animals have indicated that gut microbiota transplantation can transfer a behavioral phenotype, suggesting that the gut microbiota may be a modifiable factor modulating the development or pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric conditions. Further studies are warranted to establish whether or not the findings of preclinical animal experiments can be generalized to humans. Moreover, although different communication routes between the microbiota and brain have been identified, further studies must elucidate all the underlying mechanisms involved. Such research is expected to contribute to the design of strategies to modulate the gut microbiota and its functions with a view to improving mental health, and thus provide opportunities to improve the management of psychiatric diseases. Here, we review the evidence supporting a role of the gut microbiota in neuropsychiatric disorders and the state of the art regarding the mechanisms underlying its contribution to mental illness and health. We also consider the stages of life where the gut microbiota is more susceptible to the effects of environmental stressors, and

Gut microbiota, low-grade inflammation, and metabolic syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Chassaing, Benoit; Gewirtz, Andrew T

2014-01-01

The intestinal tract is inhabited by a large diverse community of bacteria collectively referred to as the gut microbiota. Alterations in gut microbiota composition are associated with a variety of disease states including obesity, diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Transplant of microbiota from diseased persons (or mice) to germfree mice transfers some aspects of disease phenotype, indicating that altered microbiota plays a role in disease establishment and manifestation. There are myriad potential mechanisms by which alterations in gut microbiota might promote disease, including increasing energy harvest, production of toxic metabolites, and molecular mimicry of host proteins. However, our research indicates that an overarching mechanism by which an aberrant microbiota negatively impacts health is by driving chronic inflammation. More specifically, we hypothesize that the histopathologically evident gut inflammation that defines IBD is a severe but relatively rare outcome of an altered host-microbiota relationship, while a much more common consequence of such disturbances is "low-grade" inflammation characterized by elevated proinflammatory gene expression that associates with, and may promote, metabolic syndrome. In this context, a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases may stem from inability of the mucosal immune system to properly manage a stable healthy relationship with the gut microbiota. While one's ability to manage their gut microbiota is dictated in part by genetics, it can be markedly influenced by the composition of the microbiota one inherits from their early environment. Moreover, the host-microbiota relationship can be perturbed by instigator bacteria or dietary components, which may prove to play a role in promoting chronic inflammatory disease states.

Gut microbiota and the development of obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Boroni Moreira, A P; Fiche Salles Teixeira, T; do C Gouveia Peluzio, M; de Cássia Gonçalves Alfenas, R

2012-01-01

Advances in tools for molecular investigations have allowed deeper understanding of how microbes can influence host physiology. A very interesting field of research that has gained attention recently is the possible role of gut microbiota in the development of obesity and metabolic disorders. The aim of this review is to discuss mechanisms that explain the influence of gut microbiota on host metabolism. The gut microbiota is important for normal physiology of the host. However, differences in their composition may have different impacts on host metabolism. It has been shown that obese and lean subjects present different microbiota composition profile. These differences in microbiota composition may contribute to weight imbalance and impaired metabolism. The evidences from animal models suggest that it is possible that the microbiota of obese subjects has higher capacity to harvest energy from the diet providing substrates that can activate lipogenic pathways. In addition, microorganisms can also influence the activity of lipoprotein lipase interfering in the accumulation of triglycerides in the adipose tissue. The interaction of gut microbiota with the endocannabinoid system provides a route through which intestinal permeability can be altered. Increased intestinal permeability allows the entrance of endotoxins to the circulation, which are related to the induction of inflammation and insulin resistance in mice. The impact of the proposed mechanisms for humans still needs further investigations. However, the fact that gut microbiota can be modulated through dietary components highlights the importance to study how fatty acids, carbohydrates, micronutrients, prebiotics, and probiotics can influence gut microbiota composition and the management of obesity. Gut microbiota seems to be an important and promising target in the prevention and treatment of obesity and its related metabolic disturbances in future studies and in clinical practice.

Lymphoma Caused by Intestinal Microbiota

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitsuko L. Yamamoto

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The intestinal microbiota and gut immune system must constantly communicate to maintain a balance between tolerance and activation: on the one hand, our immune system should protect us from pathogenic microbes and on the other hand, most of the millions of microbes in and on our body are innocuous symbionts and some can even be beneficial. Since there is such a close interaction between the immune system and the intestinal microbiota, it is not surprising that some lymphomas such as mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma have been shown to be caused by the presence of certain bacteria. Animal models played an important role in establishing causation and mechanism of bacteria-induced MALT lymphoma. In this review we discuss different ways that animal models have been applied to establish a link between the gut microbiota and lymphoma and how animal models have helped to elucidate mechanisms of microbiota-induced lymphoma. While there are not a plethora of studies demonstrating a connection between microbiota and lymphoma development, we believe that animal models are a system which can be exploited in the future to enhance our understanding of causation and improve prognosis and treatment of lymphoma.

Omics approaches to study host-microbiota interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baarlen, van P.; Kleerebezem, M.; Wells, J.

2013-01-01

The intestinal microbiota has profound effects on our physiology and immune system and disturbances in the equilibrium between microbiota and host have been observed in many disorders. Here we discuss the possibilities to further our understanding of how microbiota impacts on human health and

Human Gut Microbiota: Toward an Ecology of Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susannah Selber-Hnatiw

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Composed of trillions of individual microbes, the human gut microbiota has adapted to the uniquely diverse environments found in the human intestine. Quickly responding to the variances in the ingested food, the microbiota interacts with the host via reciprocal biochemical signaling to coordinate the exchange of nutrients and proper immune function. Host and microbiota function as a unit which guards its balance against invasion by potential pathogens and which undergoes natural selection. Disturbance of the microbiota composition, or dysbiosis, is often associated with human disease, indicating that, while there seems to be no unique optimal composition of the gut microbiota, a balanced community is crucial for human health. Emerging knowledge of the ecology of the microbiota-host synergy will have an impact on how we implement antibiotic treatment in therapeutics and prophylaxis and how we will consider alternative strategies of global remodeling of the microbiota such as fecal transplants. Here we examine the microbiota-human host relationship from the perspective of the microbial community dynamics.

High-Fat Diet Induces Dysbiosis of Gastric Microbiota Prior to Gut Microbiota in Association With Metabolic Disorders in Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Cong; Cheng, Dandan; Peng, Chao; Li, Yanshu; Zhu, Yin; Lu, Nonghua

2018-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that high-fat diet (HFD) induced metabolic disorders are associated with dysbiosis of gut microbiota. However, no study has explored the effect of HFD on the gastric microbiota. This study established the HFD animal model to determine the impact of HFD on the gastric microbiota and its relationship with the alterations of gut microbiota. A total of 40 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly allocated to receive a standard chow diet (CD) or HFD for 12 weeks (12CD group and 12HFD group) and 24 weeks (24CD group and 24HFD group) ( n = 10 mice per group). Body weight and length were measured and Lee's index was calculated at different time points. The insulin sensitivity and serum levels of metabolic parameters including blood glucose, insulin and lipid were also evaluated. The gastric mucosa and fecal microbiota of mice were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The body weight was much heavier and the Lee's index was higher in 24HFD group than 12HFD. The insulin resistance and serum level of lipid were increased in 24HFD group compared to 12HFD, indicating the aggravation of metabolic disorders as HFD went on. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed dysbiosis of gastric microbiota with decreased community diversity while no significant alteration in gut microbiota after 12 weeks of HFD. The phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria tended to increase whereas Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia decrease in the gastric microbiota of 12HFD mice compared to 12CD. Moreover, a remarkable reduction of bacteria especially Akkermansia muciniphila , which has beneficial effects on host metabolism, was observed firstly in the stomach of 12HFD group and then in the gut of 24HFD group, indicating the earlier alterations of microbiota in stomach than gut after HFD. We also found structural segregation of microbiota in the stomach as well as gut between 12HFD and 24HFD group, which is accompanied by the aggregation of metabolic disorders. These data suggest that HFD

Host-microbiota interplay in mediating immune disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Felix, Krysta M; Tahsin, Shekha; Wu, Hsin-Jung Joyce

2018-04-01

To maintain health, the immune system must maintain a delicate balance between eliminating invading pathogens and avoiding immune disorders such as autoimmunity and allergies. The gut microbiota provide essential health benefits to the host, particularly by regulating immune homeostasis. Dysbiosis, an alteration and imbalance of the gut microbiota, is associated with the development of several autoimmune diseases in both mice and humans. In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding how certain factors, such as age and gender, affect the gut microbiota, which in turn can influence the development of autoimmune diseases. The age factor in microbiota-dependent immune disorders indicates a window of opportunity for future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. We also discuss unique commensal bacteria with strong immunomodulatory activity. Finally, we provide an overview of the potential molecular mechanisms whereby gut microbiota induce autoimmunity, as well as the evidence that gut microbiota trigger extraintestinal diseases by inducing the migration of gut-derived immune cells. Elucidating the interaction of gut microbiota and the host immune system will help us understand the pathogenesis of immune disorders, and provide us with new foundations to develop novel immuno- or microbe-targeted therapies. © 2017 New York Academy of Sciences.

Linking Microbiota to Human Diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Hao; Tremaroli, Valentina; Bäckhed, F

2015-01-01

The human gut microbiota encompasses a densely populated ecosystem that provides essential functions for host development, immune maturation, and metabolism. Alterations to the gut microbiota have been observed in numerous diseases, including human metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2...

Gut Microbiota in Cardiovascular Health and Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, W.H. Wilson; Kitai, Takeshi; Hazen, Stanley L

2017-01-01

Significant interest in recent years has focused on gut microbiota-host interaction because accumulating evidence has revealed that intestinal microbiota play an important role in human health and disease, including cardiovascular diseases. Changes in the composition of gut microbiota associated with disease, referred to as dysbiosis, have been linked to pathologies such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition to alterations in gut microbiota composition, the metabolic potential of gut microbiota has been identified as a contributing factor in the development of diseases. Recent studies revealed that gut microbiota can elicit a variety of effects on the host. Indeed, the gut microbiome functions like an endocrine organ, generating bioactive metabolites, that can impact host physiology. Microbiota interact with the host through a number of pathways, including the trimethylamine (TMA)/ trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) pathway, short-chain fatty acids pathway, and primary and secondary bile acids pathways. In addition to these “metabolism dependent” pathways, metabolism independent processes are suggested to also potentially contribute to CVD pathogenesis. For example, heart failure associated splanchnic circulation congestion, bowel wall edema and impaired intestinal barrier function are thought to result in bacterial translocation, the presence of bacterial products in the systemic circulation and heightened inflammatory state. These are believed to also contribute to further progression of heart failure and atherosclerosis. The purpose of the current review is to highlight the complex interplay between microbiota, their metabolites and the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. We will also discuss the roles of gut microbiota in normal physiology and the potential of modulating intestinal microbial inhabitants as novel therapeutic targets. PMID:28360349

Prebiotics and gut microbiota in chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Pourabedin, Mohsen; Zhao, Xin

2015-08-01

Prebiotics are non-digestible feed ingredients that are metabolized by specific members of intestinal microbiota and provide health benefits for the host. Fermentable oligosaccharides are best known prebiotics that have received increasing attention in poultry production. They act through diverse mechanisms, such as providing nutrients, preventing pathogen adhesion to host cells, interacting with host immune systems and affecting gut morphological structure, all presumably through modulation of intestinal microbiota. Currently, fructooligosaccharides, inulin and mannanoligosaccharides have shown promising results while other prebiotic candidates such as xylooligosaccharides are still at an early development stage. Despite a growing body of evidence reporting health benefits of prebiotics in chickens, very limited studies have been conducted to directly link health improvements to prebiotic-dependent changes in the gut microbiota. This article visits the current knowledge of the chicken gastrointestinal microbiota and reviews most recent publications related to the roles played by prebiotics in modulation of the gut microbiota and immune functions. Progress in this field will help us better understand how the gut microbiota contributes to poultry health and productivity, and support the development of new prebiotic products as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Rectal swabs for analysis of the intestinal microbiota.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andries E Budding

Full Text Available The composition of the gut microbiota is associated with various disease states, most notably inflammatory bowel disease, obesity and malnutrition. This underlines that analysis of intestinal microbiota is potentially an interesting target for clinical diagnostics. Currently, the most commonly used sample types are feces and mucosal biopsy specimens. Because sampling method, storage and processing of samples impact microbiota analysis, each sample type has its own limitations. An ideal sample type for use in routine diagnostics should be easy to obtain in a standardized fashion without perturbation of the microbiota. Rectal swabs may satisfy these criteria, but little is known about microbiota analysis on these sample types. In this study we investigated the characteristics and applicability of rectal swabs for gut microbiota profiling in a clinical routine setting in patients presenting with various gastro-intestinal disorders. We found that rectal swabs appeared to be a convenient means of sampling the human gut microbiota. Swabs can be performed on demand, whenever a patient presents; swab-derived microbiota profiles are reproducible, whether they are gathered at home by patients or by medical professionals in an outpatient setting and may be ideally suited for clinical diagnostics and large-scale studies.

Microbiota-Derived Metabolic Factors Reduce Campylobacteriosis in Mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiaolun; Winglee, Kathryn; Gharaibeh, Raad Z; Gauthier, Josee; He, Zhen; Tripathi, Prabhanshu; Avram, Dorina; Bruner, Steven; Fodor, Anthony; Jobin, Christian

2018-05-01

Campylobacter jejuni, a prevalent foodborne bacterial pathogen, exploits the host innate response to induce colitis. Little is known about the roles of microbiota in C jejuni-induced intestinal inflammation. We investigated interactions between microbiota and intestinal cells during C jejuni infection of mice. Germ-free C57BL/6 Il10 -/- mice were colonized with conventional microbiota and infected with a single dose of C jejuni (10 9 colony-forming units/mouse) via gavage. Conventional microbiota were cultured under aerobic, microaerobic, or anaerobic conditions and orally transplanted into germ-free Il10 -/- mice. Colon tissues were collected from mice and analyzed by histology, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunoblotting. Fecal microbiota and bile acids were analyzed with 16S sequencing and high-performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry, respectively. Introduction of conventional microbiota reduced C jejuni-induced colitis in previously germ-free Il10 -/- mice, independent of fecal load of C jejuni, accompanied by reduced activation of mammalian target of rapamycin. Microbiota transplantation and 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing experiments showed that Clostridium XI, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus were enriched in fecal samples from mice colonized with microbiota cultured in anaerobic conditions (which reduce colitis) compared with mice fed microbiota cultured under aerobic conditions (susceptible to colitis). Oral administration to mice of microbiota-derived secondary bile acid sodium deoxycholate, but not ursodeoxycholic acid or lithocholic acid, reduced C jejuni-induced colitis. Depletion of secondary bile acid-producing bacteria with antibiotics that kill anaerobic bacteria (clindamycin) promoted C jejuni-induced colitis in specific pathogen-free Il10 -/- mice compared with the nonspecific antibiotic nalidixic acid; colitis induction by antibiotics was associated with reduced level of luminal deoxycholate. We identified a

Faecal microbiota in lean and obese dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Handl, Stefanie; German, Alexander J; Holden, Shelley L; Dowd, Scot E; Steiner, Jörg M; Heilmann, Romy M; Grant, Ryan W; Swanson, Kelly S; Suchodolski, Jan S

2013-05-01

Previous work has shown obesity to be associated with changes in intestinal microbiota. While obesity is common in dogs, limited information is available about the role of the intestinal microbiota. The aim of this study was to investigate whether alterations in the intestinal microbiota may be associated with canine obesity. Using 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing and quantitative real-time PCR, we evaluated the composition of the faecal microbiota in 22 lean and 21 obese pet dogs, as well as in five research dogs fed ad libitum and four research dogs serving as lean controls. Firmicutes, Fusobacteria and Actinobacteria were the predominant bacterial phyla. The phylum Actinobacteria and the genus Roseburia were significantly more abundant in the obese pet dogs. The order Clostridiales significantly increased under ad libitum feeding in the research dogs. Canine intestinal microbiota is highly diverse and shows considerable interindividual variation. In the pet dogs, influence on the intestinal microbiota besides body condition, like age, breed, diet or lifestyle, might have masked the effect of obesity. The study population of research dogs was small, and further work is required before the role of the intestinal microbiota in canine obesity is clarified. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Pathological States

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Yulan Wang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The human microbiota is an aggregate of microorganisms residing in the human body, mostly in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT. Our gut microbiota evolves with us and plays a pivotal role in human health and disease. In recent years, the microbiota has gained increasing attention due to its impact on host metabolism, physiology, and immune system development, but also because the perturbation of the microbiota may result in a number of diseases. The gut microbiota may be linked to malignancies such as gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. It may also be linked to disorders such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD; obesity and diabetes, which are characterized as “lifestyle diseases” of the industrialized world; coronary heart disease; and neurological disorders. Although the revolution in molecular technologies has provided us with the necessary tools to study the gut microbiota more accurately, we need to elucidate the relationships between the gut microbiota and several human pathologies more precisely, as understanding the impact that the microbiota plays in various diseases is fundamental for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide the reader with an updated overview of the importance of the gut microbiota for human health and the potential to manipulate gut microbial composition for purposes such as the treatment of antibiotic-resistant Clostridium difficile (C. difficile infections. The concept of altering the gut community by microbial intervention in an effort to improve health is currently in its infancy. However, the therapeutic implications appear to be very great. Thus, the removal of harmful organisms and the enrichment of beneficial microbes may protect our health, and such efforts will pave the way for the development of more rational treatment options in the future.

Role of gut microbiota in atherosclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jonsson, Annika Lindskog; Bäckhed, Gert Fredrik

2017-01-01

describe three pathways by which microbiota might affect atherogenesis. First, local or distant infections might cause a harmful inflammatory response that aggravates plaque development or triggers plaque rupture. Second, metabolism of cholesterol and lipids by gut microbiota can affect the development...... of atherosclerotic plaques. Third, diet and specific components that are metabolized by gut microbiota can have various effects on atherosclerosis; for example, dietary fibre is beneficial, whereas the bacterial metabolite trimethylamine-N-oxide is considered harmful. Although specific bacterial taxa have been...... associated with atherosclerosis, which is supported by increasing mechanistic evidence, several questions remain to be answered to understand fully how the microbiota contributes to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Such knowledge might pave the way for novel diagnostics and therapeutics based...

Vaginal Microbiota.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendling, Werner

2016-01-01

The knowledge about the normal and abnormal vaginal microbiome has changed over the last years. Culturing techniques are not suitable any more for determination of a normal or abnormal vaginal microbiota. Non culture-based modern technologies revealed a complex and dynamic system mainly dominated by lactobacilli.The normal and the abnormal vaginal microbiota are complex ecosystems of more than 200 bacterial species influenced by genes, ethnic background and environmental and behavioral factors. Several species of lactobacilli per individuum dominate the healthy vagina. They support a defense system together with antibacterial substances, cytokines, defensins and others against dysbiosis, infections and care for an normal pregnancy without preterm birth.The numbers of Lactobacillus (L.) iners increase in the case of dysbiosis.Bacterial vaginosis (BV) - associated bacteria (BVAB), Atopobium vaginae and Clostridiales and one or two of four Gardnerella vaginalis - strains develop in different mixtures and numbers polymicrobial biofilms on the vaginal epithelium, which are not dissolved by antibiotic therapies according to guidelines and, thus, provoke recurrences.Aerobic vaginitis seems to be an immunological disorder of the vagina with influence on the microbiota, which is here dominated by aerobic bacteria (Streptococcus agalactiae, Escherichia coli). Their role in AV is unknown.Vaginal or oral application of lactobacilli is obviously able to improve therapeutic results of BV and dysbiosis.

The developing hypopharyngeal microbiota in early life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Martin Steen; Brejnrod, Asker Daniel; Roggenbuck, Michael

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: The airways of healthy humans harbor a distinct microbial community. Perturbations in the microbial community have been associated with disease, yet little is known about the formation and development of a healthy airway microbiota in early life. Our goal was to understand the establi......BACKGROUND: The airways of healthy humans harbor a distinct microbial community. Perturbations in the microbial community have been associated with disease, yet little is known about the formation and development of a healthy airway microbiota in early life. Our goal was to understand...... the establishment of the airway microbiota within the first 3 months of life. We investigated the hypopharyngeal microbiota in the unselected COPSAC2010 cohort of 700 infants, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of hypopharyngeal aspirates from 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months of age. RESULTS: Our analysis shows...... that majority of the hypopharyngeal microbiota of healthy infants belong to each individual's core microbiota and we demonstrate five distinct community pneumotypes. Four of these pneumotypes are dominated by the genera Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Moraxella, and Corynebacterium, respectively. Furthermore, we...

The Gut Microbiota of Marine Fish

Science.gov (United States)

Egerton, Sian; Culloty, Sarah; Whooley, Jason; Stanton, Catherine; Ross, R. Paul

2018-01-01

The body of work relating to the gut microbiota of fish is dwarfed by that on humans and mammals. However, it is a field that has had historical interest and has grown significantly along with the expansion of the aquaculture industry and developments in microbiome research. Research is now moving quickly in this field. Much recent focus has been on nutritional manipulation and modification of the gut microbiota to meet the needs of fish farming, while trying to maintain host health and welfare. However, the diversity amongst fish means that baseline data from wild fish and a clear understanding of the role that specific gut microbiota play is still lacking. We review here the factors shaping marine fish gut microbiota and highlight gaps in the research. PMID:29780377

Comprometimento respiratório secundário a acidente ofídico crotálico (Crotalus durissus Respiratory abnormalities following Crotalus durissus snakebite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Faria Santos Amaral

1991-08-01

Full Text Available São analisados três pacientes que apresentaram comprometimento da função respiratória após acidente por Crotalus durissus. As manifestações respiratórias surgiram nas primeiras 48 horas após a picada do ofídio e consistiram de dispnéia, taquipnéia, uso da musculatura acessória da respiração (casos 1 e 2 e batimento das aletas nasais (caso 2. Dois pacientes (casos 1 e 2 apresentaram insuficiência respiratória aguda. O diagnóstico desta complicação no caso 1 foi clínico pois o paciente apresentou apnéia. O paciente do caso 2, 24 horas após o acidente ofídico apresentou dificuldade respiratória intensa e períodos de apnéia sendo intubado, permanecendo em respiração espontânea. Houve agravamento dos sinais clínicos de insuficiência respiratória e a determinação de pH e gases do sangue arterial mostrou em relação ao exame inicial elevação da pressão parcial de gás carbônico (40 mmHg para 50,3 mm Hg caracterizando insuficiência ventilatória aguda. Ambos foram tratados com emprego de ventilação artificial mecânica, tendo o paciente do caso 1 permanecido no ventilador durante 33 dias e o do caso 2 durante 15 dias. Ambos desenvolveram insuficiência renal aguda, necessitaram de diálise peritoneal e recuperaram a função renal. A paciente do caso 3, apesar dos sintomas e sinais de comprometimento respiratório não apresentou alterações do pH e gases arteriais. Espirometria realizada 58 horas após o acidente mostrou capacidade vital forçada (CVF e volume espirado no primeiro segundo (VEF1 abaixo do previsto (60 e 67% respectivamente. As espirometrias realizadas nos dias subseqüentes evidenciaram melhora progressiva destes parâmetros. No 10º dia após o acidente constatou-se aumento de 20% da CVF e de 17% do VEF1 comparativamente ao exame inicial. A relação entre VEF1 e a CVF manteve-se praticamente inalterada e em valores próximos ao previsto, caracterizando distúrbio ventilatório do tipo

The Gut Microbiota in Host Metabolism and Pathogen Challenges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Jacob Bak

The human microbiota consists of a complex community of microbial cells that live on and inside each person in a close relationship with their host. The majority of the microbial cells are harboured by the gastro intestinal tract where 10-100 trillion bacteria reside. The microbiota is a dynamic...... community where both composition and function can be affected by changes in the local environment. With the microbiota containing ~150 times more genes than the human host, the microbiota provides a large modifiable “secondary genome” (metagenome). Within the last decade, changes in the gut microbiota...... composition has indeed been established as a factor contributing to the health of the host. Therefore, being able to understand, control and modify the gut microbiota is a promising way of improving health. The following thesis is based on four different projects investigating the murine gut microbiota...

Long-term effects on luminal and mucosal microbiota and commonly acquired taxa in faecal microbiota transplantation for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jalanka, Jonna; Mattila, Eero; Jouhten, Hanne; Hartman, Jorn; Vos, de Willem M.; Arkkila, Perttu; Satokari, Reetta

2016-01-01

Background: Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI). It restores the disrupted intestinal microbiota and subsequently suppresses C. difficile. The long-term stability of the intestinal microbiota and the recovery of

Microbiota intestinal en la salud y la enfermedad

OpenAIRE

M.E. Icaza-Chávez

2013-01-01

La microbiota intestinal es la comunidad de microorganismos vivos residentes en el tubo digestivo. Muchos grupos de investigadores a nivel mundial trabajan descifrando el genoma de la microbiota. Las técnicas modernas de estudio de la microbiota nos han acercado al conocimiento de un número importante de bacterias que no son cultivables, y de la relación entre los microorganismos que nos habitan y nuestra homeostasis. La microbiota es indispensable para el correcto crecimiento corporal, el de...

The gut microbiota, obesity and insulin resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Jian; Obin, Martin S; Zhao, Liping

2013-02-01

The human gut is densely populated by commensal and symbiotic microbes (the "gut microbiota"), with the majority of the constituent microorganisms being bacteria. Accumulating evidence indicates that the gut microbiota plays a significant role in the development of obesity, obesity-associated inflammation and insulin resistance. In this review we discuss molecular and cell biological mechanisms by which the microbiota participate in host functions that impact the development and maintenance of the obese state, including host ingestive behavior, energy harvest, energy expenditure and fat storage. We additionally explore the diverse signaling pathways that regulate gut permeability and bacterial translocation to the host and how these are altered in the obese state to promote the systemic inflammation ("metabolic endotoxemia") that is a hallmark of obesity and its complications. Fundamental to our discussions is the concept of "crosstalk", i.e., the biochemical exchange between host and microbiota that maintains the metabolic health of the superorganism and whose dysregulation is a hallmark of the obese state. Differences in community composition, functional genes and metabolic activities of the gut microbiota appear to distinguish lean vs obese individuals, suggesting that gut 'dysbiosis' contributes to the development of obesity and/or its complications. The current challenge is to determine the relative importance of obesity-associated compositional and functional changes in the microbiota and to identify the relevant taxa and functional gene modules that promote leanness and metabolic health. As diet appears to play a predominant role in shaping the microbiota and promoting obesity-associated dysbiosis, parallel initiatives are required to elucidate dietary patterns and diet components (e.g., prebiotics, probiotics) that promote healthy gut microbiota. How the microbiota promotes human health and disease is a rich area of investigation that is likely to generate

Role of the normal gut microbiota.

Science.gov (United States)

Jandhyala, Sai Manasa; Talukdar, Rupjyoti; Subramanyam, Chivkula; Vuyyuru, Harish; Sasikala, Mitnala; Nageshwar Reddy, D

2015-08-07

Relation between the gut microbiota and human health is being increasingly recognised. It is now well established that a healthy gut flora is largely responsible for overall health of the host. The normal human gut microbiota comprises of two major phyla, namely Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Though the gut microbiota in an infant appears haphazard, it starts resembling the adult flora by the age of 3 years. Nevertheless, there exist temporal and spatial variations in the microbial distribution from esophagus to the rectum all along the individual's life span. Developments in genome sequencing technologies and bioinformatics have now enabled scientists to study these microorganisms and their function and microbe-host interactions in an elaborate manner both in health and disease. The normal gut microbiota imparts specific function in host nutrient metabolism, xenobiotic and drug metabolism, maintenance of structural integrity of the gut mucosal barrier, immunomodulation, and protection against pathogens. Several factors play a role in shaping the normal gut microbiota. They include (1) the mode of delivery (vaginal or caesarean); (2) diet during infancy (breast milk or formula feeds) and adulthood (vegan based or meat based); and (3) use of antibiotics or antibiotic like molecules that are derived from the environment or the gut commensal community. A major concern of antibiotic use is the long-term alteration of the normal healthy gut microbiota and horizontal transfer of resistance genes that could result in reservoir of organisms with a multidrug resistant gene pool.

The gut microbiota and its relationship to diet and obesity

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Siobhan F.; Murphy, Eileen F.; Nilaweera, Kanishka; Ross, Paul R.; Shanahan, Fergus; O’Toole, Paul W.; Cotter, Paul D.

2012-01-01

Obesity develops from a prolonged imbalance of energy intake and energy expenditure. However, the relatively recent discovery that the composition and function of the gut microbiota impacts on obesity has lead to an explosion of interest in what is now a distinct research field. Here, research relating to the links between the gut microbiota, diet and obesity will be reviewed under five major headings: (1) the gut microbiota of lean and obese animals, (2) the composition of the gut microbiota of lean and obese humans, (3) the impact of diet on the gut microbiota, (4) manipulating the gut microbiota and (5) the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota can impact on weight gain. PMID:22572830

Host-microbiota interactions within the fish intestinal ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, T; Balcázar, J L; Ruiz-Zarzuela, I; Halaihel, N; Vendrell, D; de Blas, I; Múzquiz, J L

2010-07-01

Teleost fish are in direct contact with the aquatic environment, and are therefore in continual contact with a complex and dynamic microbiota, some of which may have implications for health. Mucosal surfaces represent the main sites in which environmental antigens and intestinal microbiota interact with the host. Thus, the gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) must develop mechanisms to discriminate between pathogenic and commensal microorganisms. Colonization of intestinal mucosal surfaces with a normal microbiota has a positive effect on immune regulatory functions of the gut, and disturbance in these immune regulatory functions by an imbalanced microbiota may contribute to the development of diseases. Significant attention has therefore been recently focused on the role of probiotics in the induction or restoration of a disturbed microbiota to its normal beneficial composition. Given this, this article explores the fascinating relationship between the fish immune system and the bacteria that are present in its intestinal microbiota, focusing on the bacterial effect on the development of certain immune responses.

Gastrointestinal Microbiota and Some Children Diseases: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thabata Koester Weber

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The bacterial colonization is defined immediately after birth, through direct contact with maternal microbiota and may be influenced during lactation. There is emerging evidence indicating that quantitative and qualitative changes on gut microbiota contribute to alterations in the mucosal activation of immune system leading to intra- or extra-intestinal diseases. A balance between pathogenic and beneficial microbiota throughout childhood and adolescence is important to gastrointestinal health, including protection against pathogens, inhibition of pathogens, nutrient processing (synthesis of vitamin K, stimulation of angiogenesis, and regulation of host fat storage. Probiotics can promote an intentional modulation of intestinal microbiota favoring the health of the host. This paper is a review about modulation of intestinal microbiota on prevention and adjuvant treatment of pediatric gastrointestinal diseases.

The small intestine microbiota, nutritional modulation and relevance for health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

El Aidy, Sahar; van den Bogert, Bartholomeus; Kleerebezem, Michiel

The intestinal microbiota plays a profound role in human health and extensive research has been dedicated to identify microbiota aberrations that are associated with disease. Most of this work has been targeting the large intestine and fecal microbiota, while the small intestine microbiota may also

Carbohydrates and the human gut microbiota.

Science.gov (United States)

Chassard, Christophe; Lacroix, Christophe

2013-07-01

Due to its scale and its important role in maintaining health, the gut microbiota can be considered as a 'new organ' inside the human body. Many complex carbohydrates are degraded and fermented by the human gut microbiota in the large intestine to both yield basic energy salvage and impact gut health through produced metabolites. This review will focus on the gut microbes and microbial mechanisms responsible for polysaccharides degradation and fermentation in the large intestine. Gut microbes and bacterial metabolites impact the host at many levels, including modulation of inflammation, and glucose and lipid metabolisms. A complex relationship occurs in the intestine between the human gut microbiota, diet and the host. Research on carbohydrates and gut microbiota composition and functionality is fast developing and will open opportunities for prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes and other related metabolic disorders through manipulation of the gut ecosystem.

Intestinal colonisation, microbiota and future probiotics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salminen, S.; Benno, Y.; Vos, de W.M.

2006-01-01

The human intestine is colonized by a large number of microorganisms, collectively termed microbiota, which support a variety of physiological functions. As the major part of the microbiota has not yet been cultured, molecular methods are required to determine microbial composition and the impact of

Mycotoxin: Its Impact on Gut Health and Microbiota

Science.gov (United States)

Liew, Winnie-Pui-Pui; Mohd-Redzwan, Sabran

2018-01-01

The secondary metabolites produced by fungi known as mycotoxins, are capable of causing mycotoxicosis (diseases and death) in human and animals. Contamination of feedstuffs as well as food commodities by fungi occurs frequently in a natural manner and is accompanied by the presence of mycotoxins. The occurrence of mycotoxins' contamination is further stimulated by the on-going global warming as reflected in some findings. This review comprehensively discussed the role of mycotoxins (trichothecenes, zearalenone, fumonisins, ochratoxins, and aflatoxins) toward gut health and gut microbiota. Certainly, mycotoxins cause perturbation in the gut, particularly in the intestinal epithelial. Recent insights have generated an entirely new perspective where there is a bi-directional relationship exists between mycotoxins and gut microbiota, thus suggesting that our gut microbiota might be involved in the development of mycotoxicosis. The bacteria–xenobiotic interplay for the host is highlighted in this review article. It is now well established that a healthy gut microbiota is largely responsible for the overall health of the host. Findings revealed that the gut microbiota is capable of eliminating mycotoxin from the host naturally, provided that the host is healthy with a balance gut microbiota. Moreover, mycotoxins have been demonstrated for modulation of gut microbiota composition, and such alteration in gut microbiota can be observed up to species level in some of the studies. Most, if not all, of the reported effects of mycotoxins, are negative in terms of intestinal health, where beneficial bacteria are eliminated accompanied by an increase of the gut pathogen. The interactions between gut microbiota and mycotoxins have a significant role in the development of mycotoxicosis, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma. Such knowledge potentially drives the development of novel and innovative strategies for the prevention and therapy of mycotoxin contamination and

Mycotoxin: Its Impact on Gut Health and Microbiota

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Winnie-Pui-Pui Liew

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The secondary metabolites produced by fungi known as mycotoxins, are capable of causing mycotoxicosis (diseases and death in human and animals. Contamination of feedstuffs as well as food commodities by fungi occurs frequently in a natural manner and is accompanied by the presence of mycotoxins. The occurrence of mycotoxins' contamination is further stimulated by the on-going global warming as reflected in some findings. This review comprehensively discussed the role of mycotoxins (trichothecenes, zearalenone, fumonisins, ochratoxins, and aflatoxins toward gut health and gut microbiota. Certainly, mycotoxins cause perturbation in the gut, particularly in the intestinal epithelial. Recent insights have generated an entirely new perspective where there is a bi-directional relationship exists between mycotoxins and gut microbiota, thus suggesting that our gut microbiota might be involved in the development of mycotoxicosis. The bacteria–xenobiotic interplay for the host is highlighted in this review article. It is now well established that a healthy gut microbiota is largely responsible for the overall health of the host. Findings revealed that the gut microbiota is capable of eliminating mycotoxin from the host naturally, provided that the host is healthy with a balance gut microbiota. Moreover, mycotoxins have been demonstrated for modulation of gut microbiota composition, and such alteration in gut microbiota can be observed up to species level in some of the studies. Most, if not all, of the reported effects of mycotoxins, are negative in terms of intestinal health, where beneficial bacteria are eliminated accompanied by an increase of the gut pathogen. The interactions between gut microbiota and mycotoxins have a significant role in the development of mycotoxicosis, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma. Such knowledge potentially drives the development of novel and innovative strategies for the prevention and therapy of mycotoxin

Diet strongly influences the gut microbiota of surgeonfishes

KAUST Repository

Miyake, Sou

2015-01-20

Intestinal tracts are among the most densely populated microbial ecosystems. Gut microbiota and their influence on the host have been well characterized in terrestrial vertebrates but much less so in fish. This is especially true for coral reef fishes, which are among the most abundant groups of vertebrates on earth. Surgeonfishes (family: Acanthuridae) are part of a large and diverse family of reef fish that display a wide range of feeding behaviours, which in turn has a strong impact on the reef ecology. Here, we studied the composition of the gut microbiota of nine surgeonfish and three nonsurgeonfish species from the Red Sea. High-throughput pyrosequencing results showed that members of the phylum Firmicutes, especially of the genus Epulopiscium, were dominant in the gut microbiota of seven surgeonfishes. Even so, there were large inter- and intraspecies differences in the diversity of surgeonfish microbiota. Replicates of the same host species shared only a small number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs), although these accounted for most of the sequences. There was a statistically significant correlation between the phylogeny of the host and their gut microbiota, but the two were not completely congruent. Notably, the gut microbiota of three nonsurgeonfish species clustered with some surgeonfish species. The microbiota of the macro- and microalgavores was distinct, while the microbiota of the others (carnivores, omnivores and detritivores) seemed to be transient and dynamic. Despite some anomalies, both host phylogeny and diet were important drivers for the intestinal microbial community structure of surgeonfishes from the Red Sea. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

New Insights into the Microbiota of Moth Pests.

Science.gov (United States)

Mereghetti, Valeria; Chouaia, Bessem; Montagna, Matteo

2017-11-18

In recent years, next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have helped to improve our understanding of the bacterial communities associated with insects, shedding light on their wide taxonomic and functional diversity. To date, little is known about the microbiota of lepidopterans, which includes some of the most damaging agricultural and forest pests worldwide. Studying their microbiota could help us better understand their ecology and offer insights into developing new pest control strategies. In this paper, we review the literature pertaining to the microbiota of lepidopterans with a focus on pests, and highlight potential recurrent patterns regarding microbiota structure and composition.

Cultured skin microbiota attracts malaria mosquitoes

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Takken Willem

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Host-seeking of the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto, is guided by human odours. The precise nature of the odours, and the composition of attractive blends of volatiles, remains largely unknown. Skin microbiota plays an important role in the production of human body odours. It is hypothesized that host attractiveness and selection of An. gambiae is affected by the species composition, density, and metabolic activity of the skin microbiota. A study is presented in which the production and constituency of volatile organic compounds (VOCs by human skin microbiota is examined and the behavioural responses of An. gambiae to VOCs from skin microbiota are investigated. Methods Blood agar plates incubated with skin microbiota from human feet or with a reference strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis were tested for their attractiveness to An. gambiae in olfactometer bioassays and indoor trapping experiments. Entrained air collected from blood agar plates incubated with natural skin microbiota or with S. epidermidis were analysed using GC-MS. A synthetic blend of the compounds identified was tested for its attractiveness to An. gambiae. Behavioural data were analysed by a χ2-test and GLM. GC-MS results were analysed by fitting an exponential regression line to test the effect of the concentration of bacteria. Results More An. gambiae were caught with blood agar plates incubated with skin bacteria than with sterile blood agar plates, with a significant effect of incubation time and dilution of the skin microbiota. When bacteria from the feet of four other volunteers were tested, similar effects were found. Fourteen putative attractants were found in the headspace of the skin bacteria. A synthetic blend of 10 of these was attractive to An. gambiae. Conclusions The discovery that volatiles produced by human skin microorganisms in vitro mediate An. gambiae host-seeking behaviour creates new opportunities for the

Effect of diet on the human gut microbiota

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bahl, Martin Iain

The gut microbiota plays an important role for humans in both health and disease. It is therefore important to understand how and to what extent choice of diet may influence the microbial community and the effects this has on the host. The variation in the normal human gut microbiota may however...... impede the discovery of correlations between dietary changes and compositional shifts in the microbiota by masking such effects. Although specific functional food ingredients, such as prebiotics, are known to have measurable effects on e.g. abundance of bifidobacteria, it is nevertheless clear...... that induced shifts in gut microbiota show large inter-individual variations. It thus seems plausible that knowing the microbiota composition could facilitate predictions as to how the community will react to dietary interventions thus moving towards some degree of personalised dietary recommendations. During...

Effects of synbiotics on ileal microbiota

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shunichiro Komatsu

2018-01-01

Interpretation & conclusions: The present analysis of a substantial number of samples from surgically resected intestines showed an abundance of obligate anaerobes as a characteristic feature of the ileal mucus microbiota. Our results also indicated that the synbiotics intervention induced a prominent reduction in Enterobacteriaceae in the ileal microbiota.

Interplay between gut microbiota and antibiotics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jesus Bello Gonzalez, de Teresita

2016-01-01

The human body is colonized by a vast number of microorganisms collectively defined as the microbiota. In the gut, the microbiota has important roles in health and disease, and can serve as a host of antibiotic resistance genes. Disturbances in the ecological balance, e.g. by antibiotics, can

The nasal cavity microbiota of healthy adults

OpenAIRE

Bassis, Christine M; Tang, Alice L; Young, Vincent B; Pynnonen, Melissa A

2014-01-01

Background The microbiota of the nares has been widely studied. However, relatively few studies have investigated the microbiota of the nasal cavity posterior to the nares. This distinct environment has the potential to contain a distinct microbiota and play an important role in health. Results We obtained 35,142 high-quality bacterial 16S rRNA-encoding gene sequence reads from the nasal cavity and oral cavity (the dorsum of the tongue and the buccal mucosa) of 12 healthy adult humans and dep...

Protease activated receptors (PARS) mediation in gyroxin biological activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Jose Alberto Alves da

2009-01-01

Gyroxin is a serine protease enzyme from the South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) venom; it is only partially characterized and has multiple activities. Gyroxin induces blood coagulation, blood pressure decrease and a neurotoxic behavior named barrel rotation. The mechanisms involved in this neurotoxic activity are not known. Whereas gyroxin is a member of enzymes with high potential to become a new drug with clinical applications such as thrombin, batroxobin, ancrod, tripsyn and kalicrein, it is important to find out how gyroxin works. The analysis on agarose gel electrophoresis and circular dichroism confirmed the molecules' integrity and purity. The gyroxin intravenous administration in mice proved its neurotoxicity (barrel rotation). In vivo studies employing intravital microscopy proved that gyroxin induces vasodilation with the participation of protease activated receptors (PARs), nitric oxide and Na+K+ATPase. The leukocytes' adherence and rolling counting indicated that gyroxin has no pro inflammatory activity. Gyroxin induced platelet aggregation, which was blocked by inhibitors of PAR1 and PAR4 receptors (SCH 79797 and tcY-NH 2 , respectively). Finally, it was proved that the gyroxin temporarily alter the permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB). Our study has shown that both the protease-activated receptors and nitric oxide are mediators involved in the biological activities of gyroxin. (author)

Protease activated receptors (PARS) mediation in gyroxin biological activity; Mediacao dos receptores ativados por proteases (PARs) em atividades biologicas da giroxina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Jose Alberto Alves da

2009-07-01

Gyroxin is a serine protease enzyme from the South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) venom; it is only partially characterized and has multiple activities. Gyroxin induces blood coagulation, blood pressure decrease and a neurotoxic behavior named barrel rotation. The mechanisms involved in this neurotoxic activity are not known. Whereas gyroxin is a member of enzymes with high potential to become a new drug with clinical applications such as thrombin, batroxobin, ancrod, tripsyn and kalicrein, it is important to find out how gyroxin works. The analysis on agarose gel electrophoresis and circular dichroism confirmed the molecules' integrity and purity. The gyroxin intravenous administration in mice proved its neurotoxicity (barrel rotation). In vivo studies employing intravital microscopy proved that gyroxin induces vasodilation with the participation of protease activated receptors (PARs), nitric oxide and Na+K+ATPase. The leukocytes' adherence and rolling counting indicated that gyroxin has no pro inflammatory activity. Gyroxin induced platelet aggregation, which was blocked by inhibitors of PAR1 and PAR4 receptors (SCH 79797 and tcY-NH{sub 2}, respectively). Finally, it was proved that the gyroxin temporarily alter the permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB). Our study has shown that both the protease-activated receptors and nitric oxide are mediators involved in the biological activities of gyroxin. (author)

Biodistribution and SPECT imaging of {sup 125/131}I-crotoxin on mice bearing Ehrlich solid tumour

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Soares, Marcella Araugio; Santos, Raquel Gouvea dos [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN/CNEN-MG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)], e-mail: marcellaaraugio@yahoo.com.br, e-mail: santosr@cdtn.br; Silveira, Marina B.; Simal, Carlos [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Faculdade de Medicina; Dias, Consuelo L. Fortes [Fundacao Ezequiel Dias (FUNED), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil)

2009-07-01

The search of specific radiopharmaceuticals to be used in breast tumour diagnosis is relevant to complement the techniques applied in conventional medicine. Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (CV) and its main polypeptide, Crotoxin (Crtx), are natural source of several bioactive substances with therapeutical potential. The aim of this work was to evaluate the binding of Crtx with tumour targets in vivo, as well as, evaluate its applicability for breast tumours diagnosis. Crtx was labelled with {sup 125/131}I using lactoperoxidase method and radiochemical analysis was performed by chromatography. {sup 125}I-Crtx was used for biodistribution and pharmacokinetics studies on swiss mice bearing Ehrlich solid tumour, while {sup 131}I-Crtx was used for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. Crtx presented specific binding sites on Ehrlich tumour cells and had a rapid blood clearance (T{sub 1/2}= 201.1 min.). Intratumoral administration increased significantly the activity delivered into the tumour site (128-fold higher) and reduced the kidney burden (7.2-fold lower). {sup 131}I-Crxt demonstrated to interact with tumour cells for until 72 hours allowing good quality images of tumour. Our results indicate the biotechnological potential of Crtx as template for radiopharmaceutical design for cancer diagnosis. (author)

Interaction between dietary lipids and gut microbiota regulates hepatic cholesterol metabolism

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Caesar, Robert; Nygren, Heli; Orešič, Matej

2016-01-01

The gut microbiota influences many aspects of host metabolism. We have previously shown that the presence of a gut microbiota remodels lipid composition. Here we investigated how interaction between gut microbiota and dietary lipids regulates lipid composition in the liver and plasma, and gene...... of most lipid classes differed between mice fed lard and fish oil. However, the gut microbiota also affected lipid composition. The gut microbiota increased hepatic levels of cholesterol and cholesteryl esters in mice fed lard, but not in mice fed fish oil. Serum levels of cholesterol and cholesteryl...... esters were not affected by the gut microbiota. Genes encoding enzymes involved in cholesterol biosynthesis were downregulated by the gut microbiota in mice fed lard and were expressed at a low level in mice fed fish oil independent of microbial status. In summary, we show that gut microbiota...

Microbial endocrinology: Host-microbiota neuroendocrine interactions influencing brain and behavior.

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Lyte, Mark

2014-01-01

The ability of microorganisms, whether present as commensals within the microbiota or introduced as part of a therapeutic regimen, to influence behavior has been demonstrated by numerous laboratories over the last few years. Our understanding of the mechanisms that are responsible for microbiota-gut-brain interactions is, however, lacking. The complexity of the microbiota is, of course, a contributing factor. Nonetheless, while microbiologists approaching the issue of microbiota-gut-brain interactions in the behavior well recognize such complexity, what is often overlooked is the equal complexity of the host neurophysiological system, especially within the gut which is differentially innervated by the enteric nervous system. As such, in the search for common mechanisms by which the microbiota may influence behavior one may look for mechanisms which are shared by both host and microbiota. Such interkingdom signaling can be found in the shared production of neurochemical mediators that are found in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. The study of the production and recognition of neurochemicals that are exactly the same in structure to those produced in the vertebrate organisms is known as microbial endocrinology. The examination of the microbiota from the vantage point of host-microbiota neuroendocrine interactions cannot only identify new microbial endocrinology-based mechanisms by which the microbiota can influence host behavior, but also lead to the design of interventions in which the composition of the microbiota may be modulated in order to achieve a specific microbial endocrinology-based profile beneficial to overall host behavior.

Unraveling the ties between irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal microbiota.

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Hong, Sung Noh; Rhee, Poong-Lyul

2014-03-14

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder. It is a multifactorial disorder. Intestinal microbiota may cause the pathogenesis of IBS by contributing to abnormal gastrointestinal motility, low-grade inflammation, visceral hypersensitivity, communication in the gut-brain axis, and so on. Previous attempts to identify the intestinal microbiota composition in IBS patients have yielded inconsistent and occasionally contradictory results. This inconsistency may be due to the differences in the molecular techniques employed, the sample collection and handling methods, use of single samples that are not linked to fluctuating symptoms, or other factors such as patients' diets and phenotypic characterizations. Despite these difficulties, previous studies found that the intestinal microbiota in some IBS patients was completely different from that in healthy controls, and there does appear to be a consistent theme of Firmicutes enrichment and reduced abundance of Bacteroides. Based on the differences in intestinal microbiota composition, many studies have addressed the roles of microbiota-targeted treatments, such as antibiotics and probiotics, in alleviating certain symptoms of IBS. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the associations between intestinal microbiota and IBS as well as the possible modes of action of intestinal microbiota in the pathogenesis of IBS. Improving the current level of understanding of host-microbiota interactions in IBS is important not only for determining the role of intestinal microbiota in IBS pathogenesis but also for therapeutic modulation of the microbiota.

Regulation of body fat mass by the gut microbiota

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Schéle, Erik; Grahnemo, Louise; Anesten, Fredrik

2016-01-01

New insight suggests gut microbiota as a component in energy balance. However, the underlying mechanisms by which gut microbiota can impact metabolic regulation is unclear. A recent study from our lab shows, for the first time, a link between gut microbiota and energy balance circuitries...

Intestinal Microbiota Influences Non-intestinal Related Autoimmune Diseases

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Opazo, Maria C.; Ortega-Rocha, Elizabeth M.; Coronado-Arrázola, Irenice; Bonifaz, Laura C.; Boudin, Helene; Neunlist, Michel; Bueno, Susan M.; Kalergis, Alexis M.; Riedel, Claudia A.

2018-01-01

The human body is colonized by millions of microorganisms named microbiota that interact with our tissues in a cooperative and non-pathogenic manner. These microorganisms are present in the skin, gut, nasal, oral cavities, and genital tract. In fact, it has been described that the microbiota contributes to balancing the immune system to maintain host homeostasis. The gut is a vital organ where microbiota can influence and determine the function of cells of the immune system and contributes to preserve the wellbeing of the individual. Several articles have emphasized the connection between intestinal autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn's disease with dysbiosis or an imbalance in the microbiota composition in the gut. However, little is known about the role of the microbiota in autoimmune pathologies affecting other tissues than the intestine. This article focuses on what is known about the role that gut microbiota can play in the pathogenesis of non-intestinal autoimmune diseases, such as Grave's diseases, multiple sclerosis, type-1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorders. Furthermore, we discuss as to how metabolites derived from bacteria could be used as potential therapies for non-intestinal autoimmune diseases. PMID:29593681

Microbiota intestinal en la salud y la enfermedad

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M.E. Icaza-Chávez

2013-10-01

Full Text Available La microbiota intestinal es la comunidad de microorganismos vivos residentes en el tubo digestivo. Muchos grupos de investigadores a nivel mundial trabajan descifrando el genoma de la microbiota. Las técnicas modernas de estudio de la microbiota nos han acercado al conocimiento de un número importante de bacterias que no son cultivables, y de la relación entre los microorganismos que nos habitan y nuestra homeostasis. La microbiota es indispensable para el correcto crecimiento corporal, el desarrollo de la inmunidad y la nutrición. Las alteraciones en la microbiota podrían explicar, por lo menos en parte, algunas epidemias de la humanidad como el asma y la obesidad. La disbiosis se ha asociado a una serie de trastornos gastrointestinales que incluyen el hígado graso no alcohólico, la enfermedad celíaca y el síndrome de intestino irritable. En el presente trabajo trataremos sobre la nomenclatura, las técnicas de estudio modernas, las funciones de la microbiota intestinal y la relación que tiene con la salud y la enfermedad.

Intestinal Microbiota Influences Non-intestinal Related Autoimmune Diseases

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Maria C. Opazo

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The human body is colonized by millions of microorganisms named microbiota that interact with our tissues in a cooperative and non-pathogenic manner. These microorganisms are present in the skin, gut, nasal, oral cavities, and genital tract. In fact, it has been described that the microbiota contributes to balancing the immune system to maintain host homeostasis. The gut is a vital organ where microbiota can influence and determine the function of cells of the immune system and contributes to preserve the wellbeing of the individual. Several articles have emphasized the connection between intestinal autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn's disease with dysbiosis or an imbalance in the microbiota composition in the gut. However, little is known about the role of the microbiota in autoimmune pathologies affecting other tissues than the intestine. This article focuses on what is known about the role that gut microbiota can play in the pathogenesis of non-intestinal autoimmune diseases, such as Grave's diseases, multiple sclerosis, type-1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorders. Furthermore, we discuss as to how metabolites derived from bacteria could be used as potential therapies for non-intestinal autoimmune diseases.

Manipulating the gut microbiota to maintain health and treat disease

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Karen P. Scott

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Background: The intestinal microbiota composition varies between healthy and diseased individuals for numerous diseases. Although any cause or effect relationship between the alterations in the gut microbiota and disease is not always clear, targeting the intestinal microbiota might offer new possibilities for prevention and/or treatment of disease. Objective: Here we review some examples of manipulating the intestinal microbiota by prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbial transplants. Results: Prebiotics are best known for their ability to increase the number of bifidobacteria. However, specific prebiotics could potentially also stimulate other species they can also stimulate other species associated with health, like Akkermansia muciniphila, Ruminococcus bromii, the Roseburia/Enterococcus rectale group, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Probiotics have beneficial health effects for different diseases and digestive symptoms. These effects can be due to the direct effect of the probiotic bacterium or its products itself, as well as effects of the probiotic on the resident microbiota. Probiotics can influence the microbiota composition as well as the activity of the resident microbiota. Fecal microbial transplants are a drastic intervention in the gut microbiota, aiming for total replacement of one microbiota by another. With numerous successful studies related to antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile infection, the potential of fecal microbial transplants to treat other diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and metabolic and cardiovascular disorders is under investigation. Conclusions: Improved knowledge on the specific role of gut microbiota in prevention and treatment of disease will help more targeted manipulation of the intestinal microbiota. Further studies are necessary to see the (long term effects for health of these interventions.

Antibiotics and specialized metabolites from the human microbiota.

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Mousa, Walaa K; Athar, Bilal; Merwin, Nishanth J; Magarvey, Nathan A

2017-11-15

Covering: 2000 to 2017Decades of research on human microbiota have revealed much of their taxonomic diversity and established their direct link to health and disease. However, the breadth of bioactive natural products secreted by our microbial partners remains unknown. Of particular interest are antibiotics produced by our microbiota to ward off invasive pathogens. Members of the human microbiota exclusively produce evolved small molecules with selective antimicrobial activity against human pathogens. Herein, we expand upon the current knowledge concerning antibiotics derived from human microbiota and their distribution across body sites. We analyze, using our in-house chem-bioinformatic tools and natural products database, the encoded antibiotic potential of the human microbiome. This compilation of information may create a foundation for the continued exploration of this intriguing resource of chemical diversity and expose challenges and future perspectives to accelerate the discovery rate of small molecules from the human microbiota.

Microbiota and Human Health: characterization techniques and transference.

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Del Campo-Moreno, Rosa; Alarcón-Cavero, Teresa; D'Auria, Giuseppe; Delgado-Palacio, Susana; Ferrer-Martínez, Manuel

2018-04-01

The human microbiota comprises all the microorganisms of our body, which can also be categorised as commensals, mutualists and pathogens according to their behaviour. Our knowledge of the human microbiota has considerably increased since the introduction of 16S rRNA next generation sequencing (16S rDNA gene). This technological breakthrough has seen a revolution in the knowledge of the microbiota composition and its implications in human health. This article details the different human bacterial ecosystems and the scientific evidence of their involvement in different diseases. The faecal microbiota transplant procedure, particularly used to treat recurrent diarrhoea caused by Clostridium difficile, and the methodological bases of the new molecular techniques used to characterise microbiota are also described. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

Metabolic Interaction of Helicobacter pylori Infection and Gut Microbiota

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Yao-Jong Yang

2016-02-01

Full Text Available As a barrier, gut commensal microbiota can protect against potential pathogenic microbes in the gastrointestinal tract. Crosstalk between gut microbes and immune cells promotes human intestinal homeostasis. Dysbiosis of gut microbiota has been implicated in the development of many human metabolic disorders like obesity, hepatic steatohepatitis, and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes (T2D. Certain microbes, such as butyrate-producing bacteria, are lower in T2D patients. The transfer of intestinal microbiota from lean donors increases insulin sensitivity in individuals with metabolic syndrome, but the exact pathogenesis remains unclear. H. pylori in the human stomach cause chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancers. H. pylori infection also induces insulin resistance and has been defined as a predisposing factor to T2D development. Gastric and fecal microbiota may have been changed in H. pylori-infected persons and mice to promote gastric inflammation and specific diseases. However, the interaction of H. pylori and gut microbiota in regulating host metabolism also remains unknown. Further studies aim to identify the H. pylori-microbiota-host metabolism axis and to test if H. pylori eradication or modification of gut microbiota can improve the control of human metabolic disorders.

Skin Microbiota Workshop: Multidisciplinary Perspectives, Challenges and Opportunities

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2014-12-08

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: This report details the outcome of the 1st Skin Microbiota Workshop, Boulder, CO, held on October 15th-16th 2012. The...Sep-2014 Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited Final Report: Skin Microbiota Workshop: Multidisciplinary Perspectives, Challenges and...Number of Papers published in peer-reviewed journals: Number of Papers published in non peer-reviewed journals: Final Report: Skin Microbiota Workshop

Water fleas require microbiota for survival, growth and reproduction.

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Sison-Mangus, Marilou P; Mushegian, Alexandra A; Ebert, Dieter

2015-01-01

Microbiota have diverse roles in the functioning of their hosts; experiments using model organisms have enabled investigations into these functions. In the model crustacean Daphnia, little knowledge exists about the effect of microbiota on host well being. We assessed the effect of microbiota on Daphnia magna by experimentally depriving animals of their microbiota and comparing their growth, survival and fecundity to that of their bacteria-bearing counterparts. We tested Daphnia coming from both lab-reared parthenogenetic eggs of a single genotype and from genetically diverse field-collected resting eggs. We showed that bacteria-free hosts are smaller, less fecund and have higher mortality than those with microbiota. We also manipulated the association by exposing bacteria-free Daphnia to a single bacterial strain of Aeromonas sp., and to laboratory environmental bacteria. These experiments further demonstrated that the Daphnia-microbiota system is amenable to manipulation under various experimental conditions. The results of this study have implications for studies of D. magna in ecotoxicology, ecology and environmental genomics.

Dysbiosis of gut microbiota and microbial metabolites in Parkinson's Disease.

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Sun, Meng-Fei; Shen, Yan-Qin

2018-04-26

Gut microbial dysbiosis and alteration of microbial metabolites in Parkinson's disease (PD) have been increasingly reported. Dysbiosis in the composition and abundance of gut microbiota can affect both the enteric nervous system and the central nervous system (CNS), indicating the existence of a microbiota-gut-brain axis and thereby causing CNS diseases. Disturbance of the microbiota-gut-brain axis has been linked to specific microbial products that are related to gut inflammation and neuroinflammation. Future directions should therefore focus on the exploration of specific gut microbes or microbial metabolites that contribute to the development of PD. Microbiota-targeted interventions, such as antibiotics, probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation, have been shown to favorably affect host health. In this review, recent findings regarding alterations and the role of gut microbiota and microbial metabolites in PD are summarized, and potential molecular mechanisms and microbiota-targeted interventions in PD are discussed. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Metagenomic Surveys of Gut Microbiota

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Rahul Shubhra Mandal

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Gut microbiota of higher vertebrates is host-specific. The number and diversity of the organisms residing within the gut ecosystem are defined by physiological and environmental factors, such as host genotype, habitat, and diet. Recently, culture-independent sequencing techniques have added a new dimension to the study of gut microbiota and the challenge to analyze the large volume of sequencing data is increasingly addressed by the development of novel computational tools and methods. Interestingly, gut microbiota maintains a constant relative abundance at operational taxonomic unit (OTU levels and altered bacterial abundance has been associated with complex diseases such as symptomatic atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and colorectal cancer. Therefore, the study of gut microbial population has emerged as an important field of research in order to ultimately achieve better health. In addition, there is a spontaneous, non-linear, and dynamic interaction among different bacterial species residing in the gut. Thus, predicting the influence of perturbed microbe–microbe interaction network on health can aid in developing novel therapeutics. Here, we summarize the population abundance of gut microbiota and its variation in different clinical states, computational tools available to analyze the pyrosequencing data, and gut microbe–microbe interaction networks.

Fecal microbiota variation across the lifespan of the healthy laboratory rat.

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Flemer, Burkhardt; Gaci, Nadia; Borrel, Guillaume; Sanderson, Ian R; Chaudhary, Prem P; Tottey, William; O'Toole, Paul W; Brugère, Jean-François

2017-09-03

Laboratory rats are commonly used in life science research as a model for human biology and disease, but the composition and development of their gut microbiota during life is poorly understood. We determined the fecal microbiota composition of healthy Sprague Dawley laboratory rats from 3 weeks to 2 y of age, kept under controlled environmental and dietary conditions. Additionally, we determined fecal short-chain fatty acid profiles, and we compared the rat fecal microbiota with that of mice and humans. Gut microbiota and to a lesser extent SCFAs profiles separated rats into 3 different clusters according to age: before weaning, first year of life (12- to 26-week-old animals) and second year of life (52- to 104-week-old). A core of 46 bacterial species was present in all rats but its members' relative abundance progressively decreased with age. This was accompanied by an increase of microbiota α-diversity, likely due to the acquisition of environmental microorganisms during the lifespan. Contrastingly, the functional profile of the microbiota across animal species became more similar upon aging. Lastly, the microbiota of rats and mice were most similar to each other but at the same time the microbiota profile of rats was more similar to that of humans than was the microbiota profile of mice. These data offer an explanation as to why germ-free rats are more efficient recipients and retainers of human microbiota than mice. Furthermore, experimental design should take into account dynamic changes in the microbiota of model animals considering that their changing gut microbiota interacts with their physiology.

Intestinal microbiota in pathophysiology and management of irritable bowel syndrome

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Lee, Kang Nyeong; Lee, Oh Young

2014-01-01

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder without any structural or metabolic abnormalities that sufficiently explain the symptoms, which include abdominal pain and discomfort, and bowel habit changes such as diarrhea and constipation. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial: visceral hypersensitivity, dysmotility, psychosocial factors, genetic or environmental factors, dysregulation of the brain-gut axis, and altered intestinal microbiota have all been proposed as possible causes. The human intestinal microbiota are composed of more than 1000 different bacterial species and 1014 cells, and are essential for the development, function, and homeostasis of the intestine, and for individual health. The putative mechanisms that explain the role of microbiota in the development of IBS include altered composition or metabolic activity of the microbiota, mucosal immune activation and inflammation, increased intestinal permeability and impaired mucosal barrier function, sensory-motor disturbances provoked by the microbiota, and a disturbed gut-microbiota-brain axis. Therefore, modulation of the intestinal microbiota through dietary changes, and use of antibiotics, probiotics, and anti-inflammatory agents has been suggested as strategies for managing IBS symptoms. This review summarizes and discusses the accumulating evidence that intestinal microbiota play a role in the pathophysiology and management of IBS. PMID:25083061

Intestinal microbiota in pathophysiology and management of irritable bowel syndrome.

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Lee, Kang Nyeong; Lee, Oh Young

2014-07-21

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder without any structural or metabolic abnormalities that sufficiently explain the symptoms, which include abdominal pain and discomfort, and bowel habit changes such as diarrhea and constipation. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial: visceral hypersensitivity, dysmotility, psychosocial factors, genetic or environmental factors, dysregulation of the brain-gut axis, and altered intestinal microbiota have all been proposed as possible causes. The human intestinal microbiota are composed of more than 1000 different bacterial species and 10(14) cells, and are essential for the development, function, and homeostasis of the intestine, and for individual health. The putative mechanisms that explain the role of microbiota in the development of IBS include altered composition or metabolic activity of the microbiota, mucosal immune activation and inflammation, increased intestinal permeability and impaired mucosal barrier function, sensory-motor disturbances provoked by the microbiota, and a disturbed gut-microbiota-brain axis. Therefore, modulation of the intestinal microbiota through dietary changes, and use of antibiotics, probiotics, and anti-inflammatory agents has been suggested as strategies for managing IBS symptoms. This review summarizes and discusses the accumulating evidence that intestinal microbiota play a role in the pathophysiology and management of IBS.

[Gut microbiota: Description, role and pathophysiologic implications].

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Landman, C; Quévrain, E

2016-06-01

The human gut contains 10(14) bacteria and many other micro-organisms such as Archaea, viruses and fungi. Studying the gut microbiota showed how this entity participates to gut physiology and beyond this to human health, as a real "hidden organ". In this review, we aimed to bring information about gut microbiota, its structure, its roles and its implication in human pathology. After bacterial colonization in infant, intestinal microbial composition is unique for each individual although more than 95% can be assigned to four major phyla. The use of culture independent methods and more recently the development of high throughput sequencing allowed to depict precisely gut microbiota structure and diversity as well as its alteration in diseases. Gut microbiota is implicated in the maturation of the host immune system and in many fundamental metabolic pathways including sugars and proteins fermentation and metabolism of bile acids and xenobiotics. Imbalance of gut microbial populations or dysbiosis has important functional consequences and is implicated in many digestive diseases (inflammatory bowel diseases, colorectal cancer, etc.) but also in obesity and autism. These observations have led to a surge of studies exploring therapeutics which aims to restore gut microbiota equilibrium such as probiotics or fecal microbiota transplantation. But recent research also investigates biological activity of microbial products which could lead to interesting therapeutics leads. Copyright © 2015 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Diet-induced extinction in the gut microbiota compounds over generations

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Sonnenburg, Erica D.; Smits, Samuel A.; Tikhonov, Mikhail; Higginbottom, Steven K.; Wingreen, Ned S.; Sonnenburg, Justin L.

2015-01-01

The gut is home to trillions of microbes that play a fundamental role in many aspects of human biology including immune function and metabolism 1,2. The reduced diversity of the Western microbiota compared to populations living traditional lifestyles presents the question of which factors have driven microbiota change during modernization. Microbiota accessible carbohydrates (MACs) found in dietary fiber, play a key role in shaping this microbial ecosystem, and are strikingly reduced in the Western diet relative to more traditional diets 3. Here we show that changes in the microbiota of mice consuming a low-MAC diet and harboring a human microbiota are largely reversible within a single generation, however over multiple generations a low-MAC diet results in a progressive loss of diversity, which is not recoverable upon the reintroduction of dietary MACs. To restore the microbiota to its original state requires the administration of missing taxa in combination with dietary MAC consumption. Our data illustrate that taxa driven to low abundance when dietary MACs are scarce are inefficiently transferred to the next generation and are at increased risk of becoming extinct within an isolated population. As more diseases are linked to the Western microbiota and the microbiota is targeted therapeutically, microbiota reprogramming may need to involve strategies that incorporate dietary MACs as well as taxa not currently present in the Western gut. PMID:26762459

Microbiome/microbiota and allergies.

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Inoue, Yuzaburo; Shimojo, Naoki

2015-01-01

Allergies are characterized by a hypersensitive immune reaction to originally harmless antigens. In recent decades, the incidence of allergic diseases has markedly increased, especially in developed countries. The increase in the frequency of allergic diseases is thought to be primarily due to environmental changes related to a westernized lifestyle, which affects the commensal microbes in the human body. The human gut is the largest organ colonized by bacteria and contains more than 1000 bacterial species, called the "gut microbiota." The recent development of sequencing technology has enabled researchers to genetically investigate and clarify the diversity of all species of commensal microbes. The collective genomes of commensal microbes are together called the "microbiome." Although the detailed mechanisms remain unclear, it has been proposed that the microbiota/microbiome, especially that in the gut, impacts the systemic immunity and metabolism, thus affecting the development of various immunological diseases, including allergies. In this review, we summarize the recent findings regarding the importance of the microbiome/microbiota in the development of allergic diseases and also the results of interventional studies using probiotics or prebiotics to prevent allergies.

Gut microbiota and malnutrition.

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Million, Matthieu; Diallo, Aldiouma; Raoult, Didier

2017-05-01

Malnutrition is the leading cause of death worldwide in children under the age of five, and is the focus of the first World Health Organization (WHO) Millennium Development Goal. Breastfeeding, food and water security are major protective factors against malnutrition and critical factors in the maturation of healthy gut microbiota, characterized by a transient bifidobacterial bloom before a global rise in anaerobes. Early depletion in gut Bifidobacterium longum, a typical maternal probiotic, known to inhibit pathogens, represents the first step in gut microbiota alteration associated with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Later, the absence of the Healthy Mature Anaerobic Gut Microbiota (HMAGM) leads to deficient energy harvest, vitamin biosynthesis and immune protection, and is associated with diarrhea, malabsorption and systemic invasion by microbial pathogens. A therapeutic diet and infection treatment may be unable to restore bifidobacteria and HMAGM. Besides refeeding and antibiotics, future trials including non-toxic missing microbes and nutrients necessary to restore bifidobacteria and HMAGM, including prebiotics and antioxidants, are warranted in children with severe or refractory disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction to the human gut microbiota.

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Thursby, Elizabeth; Juge, Nathalie

2017-05-16

The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract harbours a complex and dynamic population of microorganisms, the gut microbiota, which exert a marked influence on the host during homeostasis and disease. Multiple factors contribute to the establishment of the human gut microbiota during infancy. Diet is considered as one of the main drivers in shaping the gut microbiota across the life time. Intestinal bacteria play a crucial role in maintaining immune and metabolic homeostasis and protecting against pathogens. Altered gut bacterial composition (dysbiosis) has been associated with the pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases and infections. The interpretation of these studies relies on a better understanding of inter-individual variations, heterogeneity of bacterial communities along and across the GI tract, functional redundancy and the need to distinguish cause from effect in states of dysbiosis. This review summarises our current understanding of the development and composition of the human GI microbiota, and its impact on gut integrity and host health, underlying the need for mechanistic studies focusing on host-microbe interactions. © 2017 The Author(s).

Gut Microbiota in Obesity and Undernutrition.

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de Clercq, Nicolien C; Groen, Albert K; Romijn, Johannes A; Nieuwdorp, Max

2016-11-01

Malnutrition is the result of an inadequate balance between energy intake and energy expenditure that ultimately leads to either obesity or undernutrition. Several factors are associated with the onset and preservation of malnutrition. One of these factors is the gut microbiota, which has been recognized as an important pathophysiologic factor in the development and sustainment of malnutrition. However, to our knowledge, the extent to which the microbiota influences malnutrition has yet to be elucidated. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms via which the gut microbiota may influence energy homeostasis in relation to malnutrition. In addition, we discuss potential therapeutic modalities to ameliorate obesity or undernutrition. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Gut Microbiota: Association with NAFLD and Metabolic Disturbances

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E. Lau

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the hepatic expression of metabolic syndrome, being frequently associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. Recent lines of evidence have demonstrated a role of gut microbiota in insulin resistance, obesity, and associated metabolic disturbances, raising the interest in its relationship with NAFLD pathogenesis. Therefore, intestinal microbiota has emerged as a potential factor involved in NAFLD, through different pathways, including its influence in energy storage, lipid and choline metabolism, ethanol production, immune balance, and inflammation. The main objective of this review is to address the pathogenic association of gut microbiota to NAFLD. This comprehension may allow the development of integrated strategies to modulate intestinal microbiota in order to treat NAFLD.

The Vaginal Microbiota of Guinea Pigs

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Hafner, L. M.; Rush, C. M.; Timms, P.

2011-01-01

The vaginae of four guinea pigs were swabbed and samples cultured aerobically on horse blood agar, in 5 per cent carbon dioxide on MRS agar or anaerobically on anaerobic horse blood agar. Vaginal microbiota consisted almost exclusively of gram-positive bacteria including Corynebacterium, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus and Lactobacillus species.Keywords: guinea pigs, vaginal microbiota, vaginal vaccines.

Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in disease

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Simon Carding

2015-02-01

Full Text Available There is growing evidence that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is associated with the pathogenesis of both intestinal and extra-intestinal disorders. Intestinal disorders include inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, and coeliac disease, while extra-intestinal disorders include allergy, asthma, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.In many of these conditions, the mechanisms leading to disease development involves the pivotal mutualistic relationship between the colonic microbiota, their metabolic products, and the host immune system. The establishment of a ‘healthy’ relationship early in life appears to be critical to maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Whilst we do not yet have a clear understanding of what constitutes a ‘healthy’ colonic microbiota, a picture is emerging from many recent studies identifying particular bacterial species associated with a healthy microbiota. In particular, the bacterial species residing within the mucus layer of the colon, either through direct contact with host cells, or through indirect communication via bacterial metabolites, may influence whether host cellular homeostasis is maintained or whether inflammatory mechanisms are triggered. In addition to inflammation, there is some evidence that perturbations in the gut microbiota is involved with the development of colorectal cancer. In this case, dysbiosis may not be the most important factor, rather the products of interaction between diet and the microbiome. High-protein diets are thought to result in the production of carcinogenic metabolites from the colonic microbiota that may result in the induction of neoplasia in the colonic epithelium.Ever more sensitive metabolomics methodologies reveal a suite of small molecules produced in the microbiome which mimic or act as neurosignallers or neurotransmitters. Coupled with evidence that probiotic interventions may alter psychological endpoints in both humans and in

The gut microbiota, obesity and insulin resistance

Science.gov (United States)

The human gut is densely populated by commensal and symbiotic microbes (the "gut microbiota"), with the majority of the constituent microorganisms being bacteria. Accumulating evidence indicates that the gut microbiota plays a significant role in the development of obesity, obesity-associated inflam...

Chemical regulation of body feather microbiota in a wild bird.

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Jacob, Staffan; Sallé, Louis; Zinger, Lucie; Chaine, Alexis S; Ducamp, Christine; Boutault, Léa; Russell, Andrew F; Heeb, Philipp

2018-04-01

The microbiota has a broad range of impacts on host physiology and behaviour, pointing out the need to improve our comprehension of the drivers of host-microbiota composition. Of particular interest is whether the microbiota is acquired passively, or whether and to what extent hosts themselves shape the acquisition and maintenance of their microbiota. In birds, the uropygial gland produces oily secretions used to coat feathers that have been suggested to act as an antimicrobial defence mechanism regulating body feather microbiota. However, our comprehension of this process is still limited. In this study, we for the first time coupled high-throughput sequencing of the microbiota of both body feathers and the direct environment (i.e., the nest) in great tits with chemical analyses of the composition of uropygial gland secretions to examine whether host chemicals have either specific effects on some bacteria or nonspecific broad-spectrum effects on the body feather microbiota. Using a network approach investigating the patterns of co-occurrence or co-exclusions between chemicals and bacteria within the body feather microbiota, we found no evidence for specific promicrobial or antimicrobial effects of uropygial gland chemicals. However, we found that one group of chemicals was negatively correlated to bacterial richness on body feathers, and a higher production of these chemicals was associated with a poorer body feather bacterial richness compared to the nest microbiota. Our study provides evidence that chemicals produced by the host might function as a nonspecific broad-spectrum antimicrobial defence mechanism limiting colonization and/or maintenance of bacteria on body feathers, providing new insight about the drivers of the host's microbiota composition in wild organisms. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Predictive modeling of gingivitis severity and susceptibility via oral microbiota.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shi; Li, Rui; Zeng, Xiaowei; He, Tao; Zhao, Helen; Chang, Alice; Bo, Cunpei; Chen, Jie; Yang, Fang; Knight, Rob; Liu, Jiquan; Davis, Catherine; Xu, Jian

2014-09-01

Predictive modeling of human disease based on the microbiota holds great potential yet remains challenging. Here, 50 adults underwent controlled transitions from naturally occurring gingivitis, to healthy gingivae (baseline), and to experimental gingivitis (EG). In diseased plaque microbiota, 27 bacterial genera changed in relative abundance and functional genes including 33 flagellar biosynthesis-related groups were enriched. Plaque microbiota structure exhibited a continuous gradient along the first principal component, reflecting transition from healthy to diseased states, which correlated with Mazza Gingival Index. We identified two host types with distinct gingivitis sensitivity. Our proposed microbial indices of gingivitis classified host types with 74% reliability, and, when tested on another 41-member cohort, distinguished healthy from diseased individuals with 95% accuracy. Furthermore, the state of the microbiota in naturally occurring gingivitis predicted the microbiota state and severity of subsequent EG (but not the state of the microbiota during the healthy baseline period). Because the effect of disease is greater than interpersonal variation in plaque, in contrast to the gut, plaque microbiota may provide advantages in predictive modeling of oral diseases.

Characterization of Microbiota in Children with Chronic Functional Constipation.

Science.gov (United States)

de Meij, Tim G J; de Groot, Evelien F J; Eck, Anat; Budding, Andries E; Kneepkens, C M Frank; Benninga, Marc A; van Bodegraven, Adriaan A; Savelkoul, Paul H M

2016-01-01

Disruption of the intestinal microbiota is considered an etiological factor in pediatric functional constipation. Scientifically based selection of potential beneficial probiotic strains in functional constipation therapy is not feasible due to insufficient knowledge of microbiota composition in affected subjects. The aim of this study was to describe microbial composition and diversity in children with functional constipation, compared to healthy controls. Fecal samples from 76 children diagnosed with functional constipation according to the Rome III criteria (median age 8.0 years; range 4.2-17.8) were analyzed by IS-pro, a PCR-based microbiota profiling method. Outcome was compared with intestinal microbiota profiles of 61 healthy children (median 8.6 years; range 4.1-17.9). Microbiota dissimilarity was depicted by principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), diversity was calculated by Shannon diversity index. To determine the most discriminative species, cross validated logistic ridge regression was performed. Applying total microbiota profiles (all phyla together) or per phylum analysis, no disease-specific separation was observed by PCoA and by calculation of diversity indices. By ridge regression, however, functional constipation and controls could be discriminated with 82% accuracy. Most discriminative species were Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides ovatus, Bifidobacterium longum, Parabacteroides species (increased in functional constipation) and Alistipes finegoldii (decreased in functional constipation). None of the commonly used unsupervised statistical methods allowed for microbiota-based discrimination of children with functional constipation and controls. By ridge regression, however, both groups could be discriminated with 82% accuracy. Optimization of microbiota-based interventions in constipated children warrants further characterization of microbial signatures linked to clinical subgroups of functional constipation.

Role of Microbiota in Sexually Dimorphic Immunity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elderman, Marlies; de Vos, Paul; Faas, Marijke

2018-01-01

Sex differences in peripheral immune responses are well recognized. This is associated with sex differences in many immunological diseases. As the intestinal microbiota is known to influence the immune system, such sex differences in immune responses may be a consequence of sex-specific microbiota.

Ecological Restoration of Antibiotic-Disturbed Gastrointestinal Microbiota in Foregut and Hindgut of Cows

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Ji, Shoukun; Jiang, Tao; Yan, Hui; Guo, Chunyan; Liu, Jingjing; Su, Huawei; Alugongo, Gibson M.; Shi, Haitao; Wang, Yajing; Cao, Zhijun; Li, Shengli

2018-01-01

Antibiotically disturbed gastrointestinal microbiota needs a long period time to be restored to normal, which may cause a series of problems to the host. The understanding of restoration of the biased microbiota by antibiotics remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated the microbiota shift in foregut (rumen) and hindgut (rectum) of lactating cows after antibiotics exposure as well as after antibiotics withdrawal with (Microbiota transplantation, MT group) or without (Control, CON group) microbiota transplantation. We were able to demonstrate that microbiota in both foregut and hindgut significantly changed after 3 or 14 days of antibiotics exposure, and the changes persisted over long period of time (>18 days) after withdrawing the antibiotics. We further observed a faster restoration of microbiota in both foregut and hindgut of MT group than CON group, microbiota in foregut was mainly benefited from microbiota transplantation by restoring the alpha-diversity as well as within-group similarity, while microbiota in hindgut was primarily benefited from microbiota transplantation by reestablishing the co-occurrence network (nodes number, edges number, density, modularity as well as closeness centrality). These results together expanded our understanding of restoration of the biased microbiota by antibiotics, and may also be instructive to deal with the delayed microbiota restoration at least in cows. PMID:29594071

Oral microbiota in patients with atherosclerosis

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Fåk, Frida; Tremaroli, Valentina; Bergström, Göran

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Recent evidence suggests that the microbiota may be considered as an environmental factor that contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. Periodontal disease has been associated with cardio- and cerebrovascular events, and inflammation in the periodontium is suggested...... to increase the systemic inflammatory level of the host, which may in turn influence plaque composition and rupture. We previously showed that bacteria from the oral cavity and the gut could be found in atherosclerotic plaques. METHODS: To elucidate whether the oral microbiota composition differed between...... patients with asymptomatic and symptomatic atherosclerosis we performed pyrosequencing of the oral microbiota of 92 individuals including patients with asymptomatic and symptomatic atherosclerosis and control individuals without carotid plaques or previous stroke or myocardial infarction. RESULTS...

[Microbiota in women; clinical applications of probiotics].

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Álvarez-Calatayud, Guillermo; Suárez, Evaristo; Rodríguez, Juan Miguel; Pérez-Moreno, Jimena

2015-07-18

The main function of vaginal microbiota is to protect the mucosa against the colonization and growth of pathogenic microorganisms. This microbiota is modified by hormonal activity. Its maximum concentration and effectiveness occurs during the fertile period, where there is a predominance of lactobacilli. When it is reduced (microbiota dysbiosis) leads to bacterial vaginosis and candida vaginitis which are common diseases in women. Consequently, instillation of lactobacilli in the vagina has beneficial effects on the symptomatology and prognosis of these illnesses. Breast milk is one of the key factors in the development of gut microbiota of the infant. There is an enteric-breast circulation, which is higher at the end of pregnancy and during breastfeeding. This circulation could explain the modulation of the breast microbiota by using probiotics. It could have a positive impact not only for the health of the mother, who would reduce the incidence of mastitis, but also for their infant. The use of probiotics is a hopeful alternative in various gynecological pathologies. However, it's is necessary first some well-designed, randomized trials with standardized methods and with a significant number of patients in order to confirm its benefits and allow us its use in protocols. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

New frontiers in nanotoxicology: Gut microbiota/microbiome-mediated effects of engineered nanomaterials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pietroiusti, Antonio, E-mail: pietroiu@uniroma2.it; Magrini, Andrea; Campagnolo, Luisa

2016-05-15

It has been recently recognized that the gut microbiota, the community of organisms living within the gastrointestinal tract is an integral part of the human body, and that its genoma (the microbiome) interacts with the genes expressed by the cells of the host organism. Several important physiological functions require the cooperation of microbiota/microbiome, whose alterations play an important role in several human diseases. On this basis, it is probable that microbiota/microbiome may in part be involved in many biological effects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). There are still few reports on the possible toxicological effects of ENMs on microbiota/microbiome, and on their possible clinical consequences. Available data suggest that several ENMs, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), titanium dioxide, cerium dioxide, zinc oxide, nanosilica and nanosilver may affect the microbiota and that clinical disorders such as colitis, obesity and immunological dysfunctions might follow. On the other hand, other ENMs such as iron nanoparticles may show advantages over traditional iron-based supplemental treatment because they do not interfere with the microbiota/microbiome, and some ENM-based therapeutic interventions might be employed for treating intestinal infections, while sparing the microbiota. The final section of the review is focused on the possible future developments of the research in this field: new in vitro and in vivo models, possible biomarkers and new pathophysiological pathways are proposed and discussed, as well as the possibility that metabolic changes following ENMs/microbiota interactions might be exploited as a fingerprint of ENM exposure. The potential toxicological relevance of physico-chemical modifications of ENMs induced by the microbiota is also highlighted. - Highlights: • Interactions between ENMs and microbiota are largely unexplored. • Microbiota probably mediates several ENMs' biological actions. • ENMs/microbiota interactions

New frontiers in nanotoxicology: Gut microbiota/microbiome-mediated effects of engineered nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pietroiusti, Antonio; Magrini, Andrea; Campagnolo, Luisa

2016-01-01

It has been recently recognized that the gut microbiota, the community of organisms living within the gastrointestinal tract is an integral part of the human body, and that its genoma (the microbiome) interacts with the genes expressed by the cells of the host organism. Several important physiological functions require the cooperation of microbiota/microbiome, whose alterations play an important role in several human diseases. On this basis, it is probable that microbiota/microbiome may in part be involved in many biological effects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). There are still few reports on the possible toxicological effects of ENMs on microbiota/microbiome, and on their possible clinical consequences. Available data suggest that several ENMs, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), titanium dioxide, cerium dioxide, zinc oxide, nanosilica and nanosilver may affect the microbiota and that clinical disorders such as colitis, obesity and immunological dysfunctions might follow. On the other hand, other ENMs such as iron nanoparticles may show advantages over traditional iron-based supplemental treatment because they do not interfere with the microbiota/microbiome, and some ENM-based therapeutic interventions might be employed for treating intestinal infections, while sparing the microbiota. The final section of the review is focused on the possible future developments of the research in this field: new in vitro and in vivo models, possible biomarkers and new pathophysiological pathways are proposed and discussed, as well as the possibility that metabolic changes following ENMs/microbiota interactions might be exploited as a fingerprint of ENM exposure. The potential toxicological relevance of physico-chemical modifications of ENMs induced by the microbiota is also highlighted. - Highlights: • Interactions between ENMs and microbiota are largely unexplored. • Microbiota probably mediates several ENMs' biological actions. • ENMs/microbiota interactions

Effects of antibiotics on human microbiota and subsequent disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Keeney, Kristie M; Yurist-Doutsch, Sophie; Arrieta, Marie-Claire; Finlay, B Brett

2014-01-01

Although antibiotics have significantly improved human health and life expectancy, their disruption of the existing microbiota has been linked to significant side effects such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea, pseudomembranous colitis, and increased susceptibility to subsequent disease. By using antibiotics to break colonization resistance against Clostridium, Salmonella, and Citrobacter species, researchers are now exploring mechanisms for microbiota-mediated modulation against pathogenic infection, revealing potential roles for different phyla and family members as well as microbiota-liberated sugars, hormones, and short-chain fatty acids in regulating pathogenicity. Furthermore, connections are now being made between microbiota dysbiosis and a variety of different diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, atopy, and obesity. Future advances in the rapidly developing field of microbial bioinformatics will enable researchers to further characterize the mechanisms of microbiota modulation of disease and potentially identify novel therapeutics against disease.

Resident aerobic microbiota of the adult human nasal cavity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, TT; Kirkeby Nielsen, LP; Poulsen, Knud

2000-01-01

Recent evidence strongly suggests that the microbiota of the nasal cavity plays a crucial role in determining the reaction patterns of the mucosal and systemic immune system. However, little is known about the normal microbiota of the nasal cavity. The purpose of this study was to determine...... the microbiota in different parts of the nasal cavity and to develop and evaluate methods for this purpose. Samples were collected from 10 healthy adults by nasal washes and by swabbing of the mucosa through a sterile introduction device. Both methods gave results that were quantitatively and qualitatively...... reproducible, and revealed significant differences in the density of the nasal microbiota between individuals. The study revealed absence of gram-negative bacteria that are regular members of the commensal microbiota of the pharynx. Likewise, viridans type streptococci were sparsely represented. The nasal...

A systematic review of studies on the faecal microbiota in anorexia nervosa: future research may need to include microbiota from the small intestine.

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Schwensen, Hanna Ferløv; Kan, Carol; Treasure, Janet; Høiby, Niels; Sjögren, Magnus

2018-03-14

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a poorly understood and often chronic condition. Deviations in the gut microbiota have been reported to influence the gut-brain axis in other disorders. Therefore, if present in AN, it may impact on symptoms and illness progression. A review of the gut microbiota studies in AN is presented. A literature search on PubMed yielded 27 articles; 14 were selected and based on relevance, 9 articles were included. The findings were interpreted in the larger context of preclinical research and clinical observations. 8 out of 9 included studies analysed microbiota from faeces samples, while the last analysed a protein in plasma produced by the gut. Two studies were longitudinal and included an intervention (i.e., weight restoration), five were cross-sectional, one was a case report, and the last was a case series consisting of three cases. Deviations in abundance, diversity, and microbial composition of the faecal microbiota in AN were found. There are currently only a few studies on the gut microbiota in AN, all done on faeces samples, and not all describe the microbiota at the species level extensively. The Archaeon Methanobrevibacter smithii was increased in participants with a BMI study and specifically in AN patients in three studies. Methanobrevibacter smithii may, if detected, be a benchmark biomarker for future studies. We propose that microbiota samples could also be collected from the small intestine, where a major exchange of nutrients takes place and where the microbiota may have a biological impact on AN.

The vaginal microbiota, host defence and reproductive physiology.

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Smith, Steven B; Ravel, Jacques

2017-01-15

The interaction between the human host and the vaginal microbiota is highly dynamic. Major changes in the vaginal physiology and microbiota over a woman's lifetime are largely shaped by transitional periods such as puberty, menopause and pregnancy, while daily fluctuations in microbial composition observed through culture-independent studies are more likely to be the results of daily life activities and behaviours. The vaginal microbiota of reproductive-aged women is largely made up of at least five different community state types. Four of these community state types are dominated by lactic-acid producing Lactobacillus spp. while the fifth is commonly composed of anaerobes and strict anaerobes and is sometimes associated with vaginal symptoms. The production of lactic acid has been associated with contributing to the overall health of the vagina due to its direct and indirect effects on pathogens and host defence. Some species associated with non-Lactobacillus vaginal microbiota may trigger immune responses as well as degrade the host mucosa, processes that ultimately increase susceptibility to infections and contribute to negative reproductive outcomes such as infertility and preterm birth. Further studies are needed to better understand the functional underpinnings of how the vaginal microbiota affect host physiology but also how host physiology affects the vaginal microbiota. Understanding this fine-tuned interaction is key to maintaining women's reproductive health. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

Gut microbiota, immunity and disease: a complex relationship

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Michele M Kosiewicz

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Our immune system has evolved to recognize and eradicate pathogenic microbes. However, we have a symbiotic relationship with multiple species of bacteria that occupy the gut and comprise the natural commensal flora or microbiota. The microbiota is critically important for the breakdown of nutrients, and also assists in preventing colonization by potentially pathogenic bacteria. In addition, the gut commensal bacteria appears to be critical for the development of an optimally functioning immune system. Various studies have shown that individual species of the microbiota can induce very different types of immune cells (e.g., Th17 cells, Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and responses, suggesting that the composition of the microbiota can have an important influence on the immune response. Although the microbiota resides in the gut, it appears to have a significant impact on the systemic immune response. Indeed, specific gut commensal bacteria have been shown to affect disease development in organs other than the gut, and depending on the species, have been found to have a wide range of effects on diseases from induction and exacerbation to inhibition and protection. In this review, we will focus on the role that the gut microbiota plays in the development and progression of inflammatory/autoimmune disease, and we will also touch upon its role in allergy and cancer.

The vaginal microbiota, host defence and reproductive physiology

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Steven B

2016-01-01

Abstract The interaction between the human host and the vaginal microbiota is highly dynamic. Major changes in the vaginal physiology and microbiota over a woman's lifetime are largely shaped by transitional periods such as puberty, menopause and pregnancy, while daily fluctuations in microbial composition observed through culture‐independent studies are more likely to be the results of daily life activities and behaviours. The vaginal microbiota of reproductive‐aged women is largely made up of at least five different community state types. Four of these community state types are dominated by lactic‐acid producing Lactobacillus spp. while the fifth is commonly composed of anaerobes and strict anaerobes and is sometimes associated with vaginal symptoms. The production of lactic acid has been associated with contributing to the overall health of the vagina due to its direct and indirect effects on pathogens and host defence. Some species associated with non‐Lactobacillus vaginal microbiota may trigger immune responses as well as degrade the host mucosa, processes that ultimately increase susceptibility to infections and contribute to negative reproductive outcomes such as infertility and preterm birth. Further studies are needed to better understand the functional underpinnings of how the vaginal microbiota affect host physiology but also how host physiology affects the vaginal microbiota. Understanding this fine‐tuned interaction is key to maintaining women's reproductive health. PMID:27373840

Interactions between the microbiota and pathogenic bacteria in the gut.

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Bäumler, Andreas J; Sperandio, Vanessa

2016-07-07

The microbiome has an important role in human health. Changes in the microbiota can confer resistance to or promote infection by pathogenic bacteria. Antibiotics have a profound impact on the microbiota that alters the nutritional landscape of the gut and can lead to the expansion of pathogenic populations. Pathogenic bacteria exploit microbiota-derived sources of carbon and nitrogen as nutrients and regulatory signals to promote their own growth and virulence. By eliciting inflammation, these bacteria alter the intestinal environment and use unique systems for respiration and metal acquisition to drive their expansion. Unravelling the interactions between the microbiota, the host and pathogenic bacteria will produce strategies for manipulating the microbiota against infectious diseases.

Interactions between the microbiota and pathogenic bacteria in the gut

Science.gov (United States)

Bäumler, Andreas J.; Sperandio, Vanessa

2016-01-01

The microbiome has an important role in human health. Changes in the microbiota can confer resistance to or promote infection by pathogenic bacteria. Antibiotics have a profound impact on the microbiota that alters the nutritional landscape of the gut and can lead to the expansion of pathogenic populations. Pathogenic bacteria exploit microbiota-derived sources of carbon and nitrogen as nutrients and regulatory signals to promote their own growth and virulence. By eliciting inflammation, these bacteria alter the intestinal environment and use unique systems for respiration and metal acquisition to drive their expansion. Unravelling the interactions between the microbiota, the host and pathogenic bacteria will produce strategies for manipulating the microbiota against infectious diseases. PMID:27383983

[Research advances in the relationship between childhood malnutrition and gut microbiota].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui-Hui; Wen, Fei-Qiu; Wei, Ju-Rong

2016-11-01

Childhood malnutrition is an important disease threatening healthy growth of children worldwide. Gut microbiota has close links to food digestion, absorption and intestinal function. Current research considers that alterations in gut microbiota have been strongly implicated in childhood malnutrition. This review article addresses the latest understanding and evidence of interrelationship between gut microbiota and individual nutrition status, the changes of gut microbiota in different types of malnutrition, and the attribution of gut microbiota in the treatment and prognosis of malnutrition. It provides in depth understanding of childhood malnutrition from the perspective of microbiome.

Chemical ecology of interactions between human skin microbiota and mosquitoes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhulst, N.O.; Takken, W.; Dicke, M.; Schraa, G.; Smallegange, R.C.

2010-01-01

Microbiota on the human skin plays a major role in body odour production. The human microbial and chemical signature displays a qualitative and quantitative correlation. Genes may influence the chemical signature by shaping the composition of the microbiota. Recent studies on human skin microbiota,

Gut Microbiota, Obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Meiliana

2011-12-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The prevalence of obesity and related disorders such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes has vastly increased throughout the world. Recent insights have generated an entirely new perspective suggesting that our microbiota might be involved in the development of these disorders. This represents an area of scientific need, opportunity and challenge. The insights gleaned should help to address several pressing global health problems. CONTENT: Our bowels have two major roles: the digestion and absorption of nutrients and the maintenance of a barrier against the external environment. They fulfill these functions in the context of, and with the help from, tens of trillions of resident microbes, known as the gut microbiota. Studies have demonstrated that obesity and metabolic syndrome may be associated with profound microbiotal changes, and the induction of a metabolic syndrome phenotype through fecal transplants corroborates the important role of the microbiota in this disease. Dietary composition and caloric intake appear to swiftly regulate intestinal microbial composition and function. SUMMARY: The interaction of the intestinal microbial world with its host, and its mutual regulation, will become one of the important topics of biomedical research and will provide us with further insights at the interface of microbiota, metabolism, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. A better understanding of the interaction between certain diets and the human gut microbiome should help to develop new guidelines for feeding humans at various time points in their life, help to improve global human health, and establish ways to prevent or treat various food-related diseases. KEYWORDS: gut microbiota, obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes.

Effects of intrauterine contraception on the vaginal microbiota.

Science.gov (United States)

Bassis, Christine M; Allsworth, Jenifer E; Wahl, Heather N; Sack, Daniel E; Young, Vincent B; Bell, Jason D

2017-09-01

There have been conflicting reports of altered vaginal microbiota and infection susceptibility associated with contraception use. The objectives of this study were to determine if intrauterine contraception altered the vaginal microbiota and to compare the effects of a copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD) and a levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) on the vaginal microbiota. DNA was isolated from the vaginal swab samples of 76 women using Cu-IUD (n=36) or LNG-IUS (n=40) collected prior to insertion of intrauterine contraception (baseline) and at 6 months. A third swab from approximately 12 months following insertion was available for 69 (Cu-IUD, n=33; LNG-IUS, n=36) of these women. The V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA-encoding gene was amplified from the vaginal swab DNA and sequenced. The 16S rRNA gene sequences were processed and analyzed using the software package mothur to compare the structure and dynamics of the vaginal bacterial communities. The vaginal microbiota from individuals in this study clustered into 3 major vaginal bacterial community types: one dominated by Lactobacillus iners, one dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus and one community type that was not dominated by a single Lactobacillus species. Changes in the vaginal bacterial community composition were not associated with the use of Cu-IUD or LNG-IUS. Additionally, we did not observe a clear difference in vaginal microbiota stability with Cu-IUD versus LNG-IUS use. Although the vaginal microbiota can be highly dynamic, alterations in the community associated with the use of intrauterine contraception (Cu-IUD or LNG-IUS) were not detected over 12 months. We found no evidence that intrauterine contraception (Cu-IUD or LNG-IUS) altered the vaginal microbiota composition. Therefore, the use of intrauterine contraception is unlikely to shift the composition of the vaginal microbiota such that infection susceptibility is altered. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microbiota is immature in moderate and severe acute malnutrition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, Tahmeed

2014-01-01

Full text: Globally 19 million under-five children suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) while 51.5 million children have moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). These two conditions, together known as acute malnutrition, are responsible for 14.6% of all under-five deaths. Case fatality rate can be reduced with treatment of SAM, which however, is not readily available everywhere. Even with effective treatment, recovery can be slow and relapse not uncommon. Lack of nutrients is one of the causes of acute malnutrition but other factors including infections, inter- and intra-generational factors are also believed to play important roles in the etiology. The gut microbiota is another factor; however its relationship with nutritional interventions and therapeutic response is poorly understood. We studied the gut microbiota of children suffering from severe and moderate acute malnutrition in Bangladesh. Children with SAM were studied during the acute phase, nutritional rehabilitation and follow up in icddr,b Hospital, Dhaka. During the nutritional rehabilitation phase, the children were randomized to either RUTF or a combination of local diets (khichuri and halwa). Children with MAM were randomly selected from a birth cohort in a slum settlement and so were healthy controls. Gut microbiota were identified using 16S rRNA datasets generated from monthly fecal samples obtained from the healthy control children. ‘Relative microbiota maturity index’ and ‘microbiota-for-age Z-score’ were computed from a model developed from the age-discriminatory bacterial species identified in the healthy and acutely malnourished children. The index and the Z-score compare maturation of an acutely malnourished child’s fecal microbiota relative to healthy children of similar chronological age. Our results indicate that SAM is associated with relative immaturity of the gut microbiota. Moreover, treatment with either RUTF or the local diets is associated with incomplete recovery of

Weight gain after fecal microbiota transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Alang, Neha; Kelly, Colleen R

2015-01-01

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. We report a case of a woman successfully treated with FMT who developed new-onset obesity after receiving stool from a healthy but overweight donor. This case may stimulate further studies on the mechanisms of the nutritional-neural-microbiota axis and reports of outcomes in patients who have used nonideal donors for FMT.

Gut microbiota and obesity: role in aetiology and potential therapeutic target.

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Moran, Carthage P; Shanahan, Fergus

2014-08-01

Obesity is epidemic; chronic energy surplus is clearly important in obesity development but other factors are at play. Indigenous gut microbiota are implicated in the aetiopathogenesis of obesity and obesity-related disorders. Evidence from murine models initially suggested a role for the gut microbiota in weight regulation and the microbiota has been shown to contribute to the low grade inflammation that characterises obesity. The microbiota and its metabolites mediate some of the alterations of the microbiota-gut-brain axis, the endocannabinoid system, and bile acid metabolism, found in obesity-related disorders. Modulation of the gut microbiota is an attractive proposition for prevention or treatment of obesity, particularly as traditional measures have been sub-optimal. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gut Microbiota: From Microorganisms to Metabolic Organ Influencing Obesity.

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Stephens, Richard W; Arhire, Lidia; Covasa, Mihai

2018-05-01

This review summarizes the current understanding of the relationship between gut microbiota and the host as it pertains to the regulation of energy balance and obesity. The paper begins with a brief description of the gut microbiota environment, distribution, and its unique symbiotic relationship with the host. The way that enviromental factors influence microbiota composition and subsequent impact on the host are then described. Next, the mechanisms linking gut dysbiosis with obesity are discussed, and finally current challenges and limitations in understanding the role of gut microbiota in control of obesity are presented. Gut microbiota has been implicated in regulation of fat storage, as well as gut dysbiosis, thus contributing to the development of obesity, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. However, the underlying mechanisms of these processes are far from being clear and will require complex preclinical and clinical interdisciplinary studies of bacteria and host cell-to-cell interactions. There is a need for a better understanding of how changes in gut microbiota composition can impact energy balance and thus control weight gain. This may represent a promising avenue in the race to develop nonsurgical treatments for obesity. © 2018 The Obesity Society.

High fat diet drives obesity regardless the composition of gut microbiota in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabot, Sylvie; Membrez, Mathieu; Blancher, Florence; Berger, Bernard; Moine, Déborah; Krause, Lutz; Bibiloni, Rodrigo; Bruneau, Aurélia; Gérard, Philippe; Siddharth, Jay; Lauber, Christian L; Chou, Chieh Jason

2016-08-31

The gut microbiota is involved in many aspects of host physiology but its role in body weight and glucose metabolism remains unclear. Here we studied the compositional changes of gut microbiota in diet-induced obesity mice that were conventionally raised or received microbiota transplantation. In conventional mice, the diversity of the faecal microbiota was weakly associated with 1(st) week weight gain but transferring the microbiota of mice with contrasting weight gain to germfree mice did not change obesity development or feed efficiency of recipients regardless whether the microbiota was taken before or after 10 weeks high fat (HF) feeding. Interestingly, HF-induced glucose intolerance was influenced by microbiota inoculation and improved glucose tolerance was associated with a low Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio. Transplantation of Bacteroidetes rich microbiota compared to a control microbiota ameliorated glucose intolerance caused by HF feeding. Altogether, our results demonstrate that gut microbiota is involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism and the abundance of Bacteroidetes significantly modulates HF-induced glucose intolerance but has limited impact on obesity in mice. Our results suggest that gut microbiota is a part of complex aetiology of insulin resistance syndrome, individual microbiota composition may cause phenotypic variation associated with HF feeding in mice.

Individual diet has sex-dependent effects on vertebrate gut microbiota

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Bolnick, Daniel I.; Snowberg, Lisa K.; Hirsch, Philipp E.; Lauber, Christian L.; Org, Elin; Parks, Brian; Lusis, Aldons J.; Knight, Rob; Caporaso, J. Gregory; Svanbäck, Richard

2014-01-01

Vertebrates harbour diverse communities of symbiotic gut microbes. Host diet is known to alter microbiota composition, implying that dietary treatments might alleviate diseases arising from altered microbial composition (‘dysbiosis’). However, it remains unclear whether diet effects are general or depend on host genotype. Here we show that gut microbiota composition depends on interactions between host diet and sex within populations of wild and laboratory fish, laboratory mice and humans. Within each of two natural fish populations (threespine stickleback and Eurasian perch), among-individual diet variation is correlated with individual differences in gut microbiota. However, these diet–microbiota associations are sex dependent. We document similar sex-specific diet–microbiota correlations in humans. Experimental diet manipulations in laboratory stickleback and mice confirmed that diet affects microbiota differently in males versus females. The prevalence of such genotype by environment (sex by diet) interactions implies that therapies to treat dysbiosis might have sex-specific effects. PMID:25072318

The gut microbiota and obesity: from correlation to causality.

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Zhao, Liping

2013-09-01

The gut microbiota has been linked with chronic diseases such as obesity in humans. However, the demonstration of causality between constituents of the microbiota and specific diseases remains an important challenge in the field. In this Opinion article, using Koch's postulates as a conceptual framework, I explore the chain of causation from alterations in the gut microbiota, particularly of the endotoxin-producing members, to the development of obesity in both rodents and humans. I then propose a strategy for identifying the causative agents of obesity in the human microbiota through a combination of microbiome-wide association studies, mechanistic analysis of host responses and the reproduction of diseases in gnotobiotic animals.

[Oral microbiota: a promising predictor of human oral and systemic diseases].

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Xin, Xu; Junzhi, He; Xuedong, Zhou

2015-12-01

A human oral microbiota is the ecological community of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms found in human oral cavity. Oral microbiota exists mostly in the form of a biofilm and maintains a dynamic ecological equilibrium with the host body. However, the disturbance of this ecological balance inevitably causes oral infectious diseases, such as dental caries, apical periodontitis, periodontal diseases, pericoronitis, and craniofacial bone osteomyelitis. Oral microbiota is also correlated with many systemic diseases, including cancer, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and preterm birth. Hence, oral microbiota has been considered as a potential biomarker of human diseases. The "Human Microbiome Project" and other metagenomic projects worldwide have advanced our knowledge of the human oral microbiota. The integration of these metadata has been the frontier of oral microbiology to improve clinical translation. By reviewing recent progress on studies involving oral microbiota-related oral and systemic diseases, we aimed to propose the essential role of oral microbiota in the prediction of the onset, progression, and prognosis of oral and systemic diseases. An oral microbiota-based prediction model helps develop a new paradigm of personalized medicine and benefits the human health in the post-metagenomics era.

The Vaginal Microbiota and Urinary Tract Infection.

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Stapleton, Ann E

2016-12-01

The vagina is a key anatomical site in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in women, serving as a potential reservoir for infecting bacteria and a site at which interventions may decrease the risk of UTI. The vaginal microbiota is a dynamic and often critical factor in this pathogenic interplay, because changes in the characteristics of the vaginal microbiota resulting in the loss of normally protective Lactobacillus spp. increase the risk of UTI. These alterations may result from the influence of estrogen deficiency, antimicrobial therapy, contraceptives, or other causes. Interventions to reduce adverse effects on the vaginal microbiota and/or to restore protective lactobacilli may reduce the risks of UTI.

Gut Microbiota in Obesity and Undernutrition123

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Groen, Albert K; Romijn, Johannes A; Nieuwdorp, Max

2016-01-01

Malnutrition is the result of an inadequate balance between energy intake and energy expenditure that ultimately leads to either obesity or undernutrition. Several factors are associated with the onset and preservation of malnutrition. One of these factors is the gut microbiota, which has been recognized as an important pathophysiologic factor in the development and sustainment of malnutrition. However, to our knowledge, the extent to which the microbiota influences malnutrition has yet to be elucidated. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms via which the gut microbiota may influence energy homeostasis in relation to malnutrition. In addition, we discuss potential therapeutic modalities to ameliorate obesity or undernutrition. PMID:28140325

Could the gut microbiota reconcile the oral bioavailability conundrum of traditional herbs?

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Chen, Feng; Wen, Qi; Jiang, Jun; Li, Hai-Long; Tan, Yin-Feng; Li, Yong-Hui; Zeng, Nian-Kai

2016-02-17

A wealth of information is emerging about the impact of gut microbiota on human health and diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes. As we learn more, we find out the gut microbiota has the potential as new territory for drug targeting. Some novel therapeutic approaches could be developed through reshaping the commensal microbial structure using combinations of different agents. The gut microbiota also affects drug metabolism, directly and indirectly, particularly towards the orally administered drugs. Herbal products have become the basis of traditional medicines such as traditional Chinese medicine and also been being considered valuable materials in modern drug discovery. Of note, low oral bioavailability but high bioactivity is a conundrum not yet solved for some herbs. Since most of herbal products are orally administered, the herbs' constituents are inevitably exposed to the intestinal microbiota and the interplays between herbal constituents and gut microbiota are expected. Emerging explorations of herb-microbiota interactions have an opportunity to revolutionize the way we view herbal therapeutics. The present review aims to provide information regarding the health promotion and/or disease prevention by the interplay between traditional herbs with low bioavailability and gut microbiota through gut microbiota via two different types of mechanisms: (1) influencing the composition of gut microbiota by herbs and (2) metabolic reactions of herbal constituents by gut microbiota. The major data bases (PubMed and Web of Science) were searched using "gut microbiota", "intestinal microbiota", "gut flora", "intestinal flora", "gut microflora", "intestinal microflora", "herb", "Chinese medicine", "traditional medicine", or "herbal medicine" as keywords to find out studies regarding herb-microbiota interactions. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition, Volume I) was also used to collect the data of commonly used medicinal herbs and their quality

Handling stress may confound murine gut microbiota studies

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Cary R. Allen-Blevins

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background Accumulating evidence indicates interactions between human milk composition, particularly sugars (human milk oligosaccharides or HMO, the gut microbiota of human infants, and behavioral effects. Some HMO secreted in human milk are unable to be endogenously digested by the human infant but are able to be metabolized by certain species of gut microbiota, including Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (B. infantis, a species sensitive to host stress (Bailey & Coe, 2004. Exposure to gut bacteria like B. infantisduring critical neurodevelopment windows in early life appears to have behavioral consequences; however, environmental, physical, and social stress during this period can also have behavioral and microbial consequences. While rodent models are a useful method for determining causal relationships between HMO, gut microbiota, and behavior, murine studies of gut microbiota usually employ oral gavage, a technique stressful to the mouse. Our aim was to develop a less-invasive technique for HMO administration to remove the potential confound of gavage stress. Under the hypothesis that stress affects gut microbiota, particularly B. infantis, we predicted the pups receiving a prebiotic solution in a less-invasive manner would have the highest amount of Bifidobacteria in their gut. Methods This study was designed to test two methods, active and passive, of solution administration to mice and the effects on their gut microbiome. Neonatal C57BL/6J mice housed in a specific-pathogen free facility received increasing doses of fructooligosaccharide (FOS solution or deionized, distilled water. Gastrointestinal (GI tracts were collected from five dams, six sires, and 41 pups over four time points. Seven fecal pellets from unhandled pups and two pellets from unhandled dams were also collected. Qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR was used to quantify and compare the amount of Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Bacteroidetes, and

Cultivating Healthy Growth and Nutrition through the Gut Microbiota

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Subramanian, Sathish; Blanton, Laura; Frese, Steven A.; Charbonneau, Mark; Mills, David A.; Gordon, Jeffrey I.

2015-01-01

Microbiota assembly is perturbed in children with undernutrition, resulting in persistent microbiota immaturity that is not rescued by current nutritional interventions. Evidence is accumulating that this immaturity is causally related to the pathogenesis of undernutrition and its lingering sequelae. Preclinical models in which human gut communities are replicated in gnotobiotic mice have provided an opportunity to identify and predict the effects of different dietary ingredients on microbiota structure, expressed functions, and host biology. This capacity sets the stage for proof-of-concept tests designed to deliberately shape the developmental trajectory and configurations of microbiota in children representing different geographies, cultural traditions, and states of health. Developing these capabilities for microbial stewardship is timely given the global health burden of childhood undernutrition, the effects of changing eating practices brought about by globalization, and the realization that affordable nutritious foods need to be developed to enhance our capacity to cultivate healthier microbiota in populations at risk for poor nutrition. PMID:25815983

Gut microbiota modulation of chemotherapy efficacy and toxicity.

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Alexander, James L; Wilson, Ian D; Teare, Julian; Marchesi, Julian R; Nicholson, Jeremy K; Kinross, James M

2017-06-01

Evidence is growing that the gut microbiota modulates the host response to chemotherapeutic drugs, with three main clinical outcomes: facilitation of drug efficacy; abrogation and compromise of anticancer effects; and mediation of toxicity. The implication is that gut microbiota are critical to the development of personalized cancer treatment strategies and, therefore, a greater insight into prokaryotic co-metabolism of chemotherapeutic drugs is now required. This thinking is based on evidence from human, animal and in vitro studies that gut bacteria are intimately linked to the pharmacological effects of chemotherapies (5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide, irinotecan, oxaliplatin, gemcitabine, methotrexate) and novel targeted immunotherapies such as anti-PD-L1 and anti-CLTA-4 therapies. The gut microbiota modulate these agents through key mechanisms, structured as the 'TIMER' mechanistic framework: Translocation, Immunomodulation, Metabolism, Enzymatic degradation, and Reduced diversity and ecological variation. The gut microbiota can now, therefore, be targeted to improve efficacy and reduce the toxicity of current chemotherapy agents. In this Review, we outline the implications of pharmacomicrobiomics in cancer therapeutics and define how the microbiota might be modified in clinical practice to improve efficacy and reduce the toxic burden of these compounds.

The Microbiota, the Immune System and the Allograft

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Alegre, Maria-Luisa; Mannon, Roslyn B.; Mannon, Peter J.

2015-01-01

The microbiota represents the complex collections of microbial communities that colonize a host. In health, the microbiota is essential for metabolism, protection against pathogens and maturation of the immune system. In return, the immune system determines the composition of the microbiota. Altered microbial composition (dysbiosis) has been correlated with a number of diseases in humans. The tight reciprocal immune/microbial interactions complicate determining whether dysbiosis is a cause and/or a consequence of immune dysregulation and disease initiation or progression. However, a number of studies in germ-free and antibiotic-treated animal models support causal roles for intestinal bacteria in disease susceptibility. The role of the microbiota in transplant recipients is only starting to be investigated and its study is further complicated by putative contributions of both recipient and donor microbiota. Moreover, both flora may be affected directly or indirectly by immunosuppressive drugs and anti-microbial prophylaxis taken by transplant patients, as well as by inflammatory processes secondary to ischemia/reperfusion and allorecognition, and the underlying cause of end-organ failure. Whether the ensuing dysbiosis affects alloresponses and whether therapies aimed at correcting dysbiosis should be considered in transplant patients constitutes an exciting new field of research. PMID:24840316

Demonstration of Microbial Subgroups among Normal Vaginal Microbiota Data

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Lee, M.-L. T.

2011-01-01

In this study we identified subgroups of observations relating to the healthy vaginal microbiota. This microbiota resides in a dynamic environment that undergoes cyclic change during the menstrual cycle. Cluster analysis procedures were applied to divide a set of 226 normal microbiota observations into groups. Three subgroups containing 100, 65, and 61 observations were identified. Plots of principal components determined by canonical analysis were obtained to demonstrate graphically the clus...

Multi-level comparisons of cloacal, skin, feather and nest-associated microbiota suggest considerable influence of horizontal acquisition on the microbiota assembly of sympatric woodlarks and skylarks.

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van Veelen, H Pieter J; Falcao Salles, Joana; Tieleman, B Irene

2017-12-01

Working toward a general framework to understand the role of microbiota in animal biology requires the characterisation of animal-associated microbial communities and identification of the evolutionary and ecological factors shaping their variation. In this study, we described the microbiota in the cloaca, brood patch skin and feathers of two species of birds and the microbial communities in their nest environment. We compared patterns of resemblance between these microbial communities at different levels of biological organisation (species, individual, body part) and investigated the phylogenetic structure to deduce potential microbial community assembly processes. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon data of woodlarks (Lullula arborea) and skylarks (Alauda arvensis), we demonstrated that bird- and nest-associated microbiota showed substantial OTU co-occurrences and shared dominant taxonomic groups, despite variation in OTU richness, diversity and composition. Comparing host species, we uncovered that sympatric woodlarks and skylarks harboured similar microbiota, dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Acidobacteria. Yet, compared with the nest microbiota that showed little variation, each species' bird-associated microbiota displayed substantial variation. The latter could be partly (~ 20%) explained by significant inter-individual differences. The various communities of the bird's body (cloaca, brood patch skin and feathers) appeared connected with each other and with the nest microbiota (nest lining material and surface soil). Communities were more similar when the contact between niches was frequent or intense. Finally, bird microbiota showed significant phylogenetic clustering at the tips, but not at deeper branches of the phylogeny. Our interspecific comparison suggested that the environment is more important than phylogeny in shaping the bird-associated microbiotas. In addition, variation among individuals and among body parts

An overview on the interplay between nutraceuticals and gut microbiota.

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Catinean, Adrian; Neag, Maria Adriana; Muntean, Dana Maria; Bocsan, Ioana Corina; Buzoianu, Anca Dana

2018-01-01

Nowadays, growing attention was being given to the alternative ways to prevent or treat diseases. Nutraceuticals are used increasingly for this purpose. Many of these are being used as alternative therapy. Classic therapy with synthetic drugs, although very effective, has many side effects. The term "nutraceuticals" refers to the link between the nutritional and pharmaceutical domains. Also, lately, many studies have been done to investigate the role of microbiota in maintaining health. There is the hypothesis that some of the health benefits of nutraceuticals are due to their ability to change the microbiota. The aim of this review was to emphasize the link between the most commonly used nutraceuticals, the microbiota and the health benefits. We selected the articles in PubMed, published up to July 2017, that provided information about most used nutraceuticals, microbiota and health benefits. In this review, we incorporate evidence from various types of studies, including observational, in vitro and in vivo , clinical studies or animal experiments. The results demonstrate that many nutraceuticals change the composition of microbiota and can interfere with health status of the patients. There is evidence which sustains the importance of nutraceuticals in people's health through microbiota but further studies are needed to complete the assessment of nutraceuticals in health benefit as a consequence of microbiota's changing.

Host and Environmental Factors Affecting the Intestinal Microbiota in Chickens.

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Kers, Jannigje G; Velkers, Francisca C; Fischer, Egil A J; Hermes, Gerben D A; Stegeman, J A; Smidt, Hauke

2018-01-01

The initial development of intestinal microbiota in poultry plays an important role in production performance, overall health and resistance against microbial infections. Multiplexed sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicons is often used in studies, such as feed intervention or antimicrobial drug trials, to determine corresponding effects on the composition of intestinal microbiota. However, considerable variation of intestinal microbiota composition has been observed both within and across studies. Such variation may in part be attributed to technical factors, such as sampling procedures, sample storage, DNA extraction, the choice of PCR primers and corresponding region to be sequenced, and the sequencing platforms used. Furthermore, part of this variation in microbiota composition may also be explained by different host characteristics and environmental factors. To facilitate the improvement of design, reproducibility and interpretation of poultry microbiota studies, we have reviewed the literature on confounding factors influencing the observed intestinal microbiota in chickens. First, it has been identified that host-related factors, such as age, sex, and breed, have a large effect on intestinal microbiota. The diversity of chicken intestinal microbiota tends to increase most during the first weeks of life, and corresponding colonization patterns seem to differ between layer- and meat-type chickens. Second, it has been found that environmental factors, such as biosecurity level, housing, litter, feed access and climate also have an effect on the composition of the intestinal microbiota. As microbiota studies have to deal with many of these unknown or hidden host and environmental variables, the choice of study designs can have a great impact on study outcomes and interpretation of the data. Providing details on a broad range of host and environmental factors in articles and sequence data repositories is highly recommended. This creates opportunities to

Host and Environmental Factors Affecting the Intestinal Microbiota in Chickens

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Jannigje G. Kers

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The initial development of intestinal microbiota in poultry plays an important role in production performance, overall health and resistance against microbial infections. Multiplexed sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicons is often used in studies, such as feed intervention or antimicrobial drug trials, to determine corresponding effects on the composition of intestinal microbiota. However, considerable variation of intestinal microbiota composition has been observed both within and across studies. Such variation may in part be attributed to technical factors, such as sampling procedures, sample storage, DNA extraction, the choice of PCR primers and corresponding region to be sequenced, and the sequencing platforms used. Furthermore, part of this variation in microbiota composition may also be explained by different host characteristics and environmental factors. To facilitate the improvement of design, reproducibility and interpretation of poultry microbiota studies, we have reviewed the literature on confounding factors influencing the observed intestinal microbiota in chickens. First, it has been identified that host-related factors, such as age, sex, and breed, have a large effect on intestinal microbiota. The diversity of chicken intestinal microbiota tends to increase most during the first weeks of life, and corresponding colonization patterns seem to differ between layer- and meat-type chickens. Second, it has been found that environmental factors, such as biosecurity level, housing, litter, feed access and climate also have an effect on the composition of the intestinal microbiota. As microbiota studies have to deal with many of these unknown or hidden host and environmental variables, the choice of study designs can have a great impact on study outcomes and interpretation of the data. Providing details on a broad range of host and environmental factors in articles and sequence data repositories is highly recommended. This creates

Antibiotic-Induced Changes in the Intestinal Microbiota and Disease

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Becattini, Simone; Taur, Ying; Pamer, Eric G.

2016-01-01

The gut microbiota is a key player in many physiological and pathological processes occurring in humans. Recent investigations suggest that the efficacy of some clinical approaches depends on the action of commensal bacteria. Antibiotics are invaluable weapons to fight infectious diseases. However, by altering the composition and functions of the microbiota, they can also produce long-lasting deleterious effects for the host. The emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens raises concerns about the common, and at times inappropriate, use of antimicrobial agents. Here we review the most recently discovered connections between host pathophysiology, microbiota, and antibiotics highlighting technological platforms, mechanistic insights, and clinical strategies to enhance resistance to diseases by preserving the beneficial functions of the microbiota. PMID:27178527

The gut microbiota and metabolic disease: current understanding and future perspectives.

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Arora, T; Bäckhed, F

2016-10-01

The human gut microbiota has been studied for more than a century. However, of nonculture-based techniques exploiting next-generation sequencing for analysing the microbiota, development has renewed research within the field during the past decade. The observation that the gut microbiota, as an environmental factor, contributes to adiposity has further increased interest in the field. The human microbiota is affected by the diet, and macronutrients serve as substrates for many microbially produced metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids and bile acids, that may modulate host metabolism. Obesity predisposes towards type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Recently, it has been established that levels of butyrate-producing bacteria are reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes, whereas levels of Lactobacillus sp. are increased. Recent data suggest that the reduced levels of butyrate-producing bacteria might be causally linked to type 2 diabetes. Bariatric surgery, which promotes long-term weight loss and diabetes remission, alters the gut microbiota in both mice and humans. Furthermore, by transferring the microbiota from postbariatric surgery patients to mice, it has been demonstrated that an altered microbiota may contribute to the improved metabolic phenotype following this intervention. Thus, greater understanding of alterations of the gut microbiota, in combination with dietary patterns, may provide insights into how the gut microbiota contributes to disease progression and whether it can be exploited as a novel diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic target. © 2016 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

The interplay between the gut microbiota and the immune system.

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Geuking, Markus B; Köller, Yasmin; Rupp, Sandra; McCoy, Kathy D

2014-01-01

The impact of the gut microbiota on immune homeostasis within the gut and, importantly, also at systemic sites has gained tremendous research interest over the last few years. The intestinal microbiota is an integral component of a fascinating ecosystem that interacts with and benefits its host on several complex levels to achieve a mutualistic relationship. Host-microbial homeostasis involves appropriate immune regulation within the gut mucosa to maintain a healthy gut while preventing uncontrolled immune responses against the beneficial commensal microbiota potentially leading to chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Furthermore, recent studies suggest that the microbiota composition might impact on the susceptibility to immune-mediated disorders such as autoimmunity and allergy. Understanding how the microbiota modulates susceptibility to these diseases is an important step toward better prevention or treatment options for such diseases.

Core fecal microbiota of domesticated herbivorous ruminant, hindgut fermenters, and monogastric animals.

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O' Donnell, Michelle M; Harris, Hugh M B; Ross, R Paul; O'Toole, Paul W

2017-10-01

In this pilot study, we determined the core fecal microbiota composition and overall microbiota diversity of domesticated herbivorous animals of three digestion types: hindgut fermenters, ruminants, and monogastrics. The 42 animals representing 10 animal species were housed on a single farm in Ireland and all the large herbivores consumed similar feed, harmonizing two of the environmental factors that influence the microbiota. Similar to other mammals, the fecal microbiota of all these animals was dominated by the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla. The fecal microbiota spanning all digestion types comprised 42% of the genera identified. Host phylogeny and, to a lesser extent, digestion type determined the microbiota diversity in these domesticated herbivores. This pilot study forms a platform for future studies into the microbiota of nonbovine and nonequine domesticated herbivorous animals. © 2017 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Central Role of the Gut Microbiota in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases

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Caroline Marcantonio Ferreira

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The commensal microbiota is in constant interaction with the immune system, teaching immune cells to respond to antigens. Studies in mice have demonstrated that manipulation of the intestinal microbiota alters host immune cell homeostasis. Additionally, metagenomic-sequencing analysis has revealed alterations in intestinal microbiota in patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and obesity. Perturbations in the microbiota composition result in a deficient immune response and impaired tolerance to commensal microorganisms. Due to altered microbiota composition which is associated to some inflammatory diseases, several strategies, such as the administration of probiotics, diet, and antibiotic usage, have been utilized to prevent or ameliorate chronic inflammatory diseases. The purpose of this review is to present and discuss recent evidence showing that the gut microbiota controls immune system function and onset, development, and resolution of some common inflammatory diseases.

Probiotic Species in the Modulation of Gut Microbiota: An Overview

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Md. Abul Kalam Azad

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Probiotics are microbial strains that are beneficial to health, and their potential has recently led to a significant increase in research interest in their use to modulate the gut microbiota. The animal gut is a complex ecosystem of host cells, microbiota, and available nutrients, and the microbiota prevents several degenerative diseases in humans and animals via immunomodulation. The gut microbiota and its influence on human nutrition, metabolism, physiology, and immunity are addressed, and several probiotic species and strains are discussed to improve the understanding of modulation of gut microbiota. This paper provides a broad review of several Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., and other coliform bacteria as the most promising probiotic species and their role in the prevention of degenerative diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, malignancy, liver disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. This review also discusses a recent study of Saccharomyces spp. in which inflammation was prevented by promotion of proinflammatory immune function via the production of short-chain fatty acids. A summary of gut microbiota alteration with future perspectives is also provided.

Links between Dietary Protein Sources, the Gut Microbiota, and Obesity.

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Madsen, Lise; Myrmel, Lene S; Fjære, Even; Liaset, Bjørn; Kristiansen, Karsten

2017-01-01

The association between the gut microbiota and obesity is well documented in both humans and in animal models. It is also demonstrated that dietary factors can change the gut microbiota composition and obesity development. However, knowledge of how diet, metabolism and gut microbiota mutually interact and modulate energy metabolism and obesity development is still limited. Epidemiological studies indicate an association between intake of certain dietary protein sources and obesity. Animal studies confirm that different protein sources vary in their ability to either prevent or induce obesity. Different sources of protein such as beans, vegetables, dairy, seafood, and meat differ in amino acid composition. Further, the type and level of other factors, such as fatty acids and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) vary between dietary protein sources. All these factors can modulate the composition of the gut microbiota and may thereby influence their obesogenic properties. This review summarizes evidence of how different protein sources affect energy efficiency, obesity development, and the gut microbiota, linking protein-dependent changes in the gut microbiota with obesity.

Oral microbiota and cancer

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Jukka H. Meurman

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Inflammation caused by infections may be the most important preventable cause of cancer in general. However, in the oral cavity the role of microbiota in carcinogenesis is not known. Microbial populations on mouth mucosa differ between healthy and malignant sites and certain oral bacterial species have been linked with malignancies but the evidence is still weak in this respect. Nevertheless, oral microorganisms inevitably up-regulate cytokines and other inflammatory mediators that affect the complex metabolic pathways and may thus be involved in carcinogenesis. Poor oral health associates statistically with prevalence of many types of cancer, such as pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancer. Furthermore, several oral micro-organisms are capable of converting alcohol to carcinogenic acetaldehyde which also may partly explain the known association between heavy drinking, smoking, poor oral health and the prevalence of oral and upper gastrointestinal cancer. A different problem is the cancer treatment-caused alterations in oral microbiota which may lead to the emergence of potential pathogens and subsequent other systemic health problems to the patients. Hence clinical guidelines and recommendations have been presented to control oral microbiota in patients with malignant disease, but also in this area the scientific evidence is weak. More controlled studies are needed for further conclusion.

Gut Microbiota: Modulate its Complexity to Restore the Balance

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Fermín Mearin

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The importance of the gut microbiota to health is becoming more widely appreciated. The range of commensal microorganisms in healthy individuals and in patients with a variety of digestive diseases is under active investigation, and evidence is accumulating to suggest that both the diversity and balance of bacterial species are important for health. Disturbance of the balance of microorganisms – dysbiosis – is associated with obesity and a variety of diseases. Restoring the balance by modulating the microbiota through diet, probiotics, or drugs is now being developed as a potential treatment for digestive diseases. Rifaximin has been shown to increase levels of beneficial bacterial species without perturbing the overall composition of the microbiota in patients with a variety of digestive diseases, making it a ‘eubiotic’ rather than an antibiotic. Rifaximin has demonstrated clinical benefit in the treatment of symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease, where changes in the colonic microbiota contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease. Modulating the microbiota is also a promising treatment for some types of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS that have been linked to an overgrowth of coliform and Aeromonas species in the small intestine. Rifaximin has demonstrated efficacy in relieving symptoms and reducing relapses in diarrhoeal IBS in the TARGET-1, 2, and 3 trials, without reducing microbial diversity or increasing antimicrobial resistance. While many aspects of the balance of gut microbiota in disease are not yet fully understood, the new understanding of rifaximin as a modulator of gut microbiota may open up new treatment options in digestive disease.

Gut Microbiota and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Insights on Mechanisms and Therapy

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Junli Ma

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The gut microbiota plays critical roles in development of obese-related metabolic diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, type 2 diabetes(T2D, and insulin resistance(IR, highlighting the potential of gut microbiota-targeted therapies in these diseases. There are various ways that gut microbiota can be manipulated, including through use of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, antibiotics, and some active components from herbal medicines. In this review, we review the main roles of gut microbiota in mediating the development of NAFLD, and the advances in gut microbiota-targeted therapies for NAFLD in both the experimental and clinical studies, as well as the conclusions on the prospect of gut microbiota-targeted therapies in the future.

The lung tissue microbiota of mild and moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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Pragman, Alexa A; Lyu, Tianmeng; Baller, Joshua A; Gould, Trevor J; Kelly, Rosemary F; Reilly, Cavan S; Isaacson, Richard E; Wendt, Chris H

2018-01-09

Oral taxa are often found in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) lung microbiota, but it is not clear if this is due to a physiologic process such as aspiration or experimental contamination at the time of specimen collection. Microbiota samples were obtained from nine subjects with mild or moderate COPD by swabbing lung tissue and upper airway sites during lung lobectomy. Lung specimens were not contaminated with upper airway taxa since they were obtained surgically. The microbiota were analyzed with 16S rRNA gene qPCR and 16S rRNA gene hypervariable region 3 (V3) sequencing. Data analyses were performed using QIIME, SourceTracker, and R. Streptococcus was the most common genus in the oral, bronchial, and lung tissue samples, and multiple other taxa were present in both the upper and lower airways. Each subject's own bronchial and lung tissue microbiota were more similar to each other than were the bronchial and lung tissue microbiota of two different subjects (permutation test, p = 0.0139), indicating more within-subject similarity than between-subject similarity at these two lung sites. Principal coordinate analysis of all subject samples revealed clustering by anatomic sampling site (PERMANOVA, p = 0.001), but not by subject. SourceTracker analysis found that the sources of the lung tissue microbiota were 21.1% (mean) oral microbiota, 8.7% nasal microbiota, and 70.1% unknown. An analysis using the neutral theory of community ecology revealed that the lung tissue microbiota closely reflects the bronchial, oral, and nasal microbiota (immigration parameter estimates 0.69, 0.62, and 0.74, respectively), with some evidence of ecologic drift occurring in the lung tissue. This is the first study to evaluate the mild-moderate COPD lung tissue microbiota without potential for upper airway contamination of the lung samples. In our small study of subjects with COPD, we found oral and nasal bacteria in the lung tissue microbiota, confirming that

INTESTINAL MICROBIOTA IN DIGESTIVE DISEASES

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Maria do Carmo Friche PASSOS

2017-07-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT BACKGROUND In recent years, especially after the development of sophisticated metagenomic studies, research on the intestinal microbiota has increased, radically transforming our knowledge about the microbiome and its association with health maintenance and disease development in humans. Increasing evidence has shown that a permanent alteration in microbiota composition or function (dysbiosis can alter immune responses, metabolism, intestinal permeability, and digestive motility, thereby promoting a proinflammatory state. Such alterations can mainly impair the host’s immune and metabolic functions, thus favoring the onset of diseases such as diabetes, obesity, digestive, neurological, autoimmune, and neoplastic diseases. This comprehensive review is a compilation of the available literature on the formation of the complex intestinal ecosystem and its impact on the incidence of diseases such as obesity, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and digestive neoplasms. CONCLUSION: Alterations in the composition and function of the gastrointestinal microbiota (dysbiosis have a direct impact on human health and seem to have an important role in the pathogenesis of several gastrointestinal diseases, whether inflammatory, metabolic, or neoplastic ones.

Early-life disruption of amphibian microbiota decreases later-life resistance to parasites.

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Knutie, Sarah A; Wilkinson, Christina L; Kohl, Kevin D; Rohr, Jason R

2017-07-20

Changes in the early-life microbiota of hosts might affect infectious disease risk throughout life, if such disruptions during formative times alter immune system development. Here, we test whether an early-life disruption of host-associated microbiota affects later-life resistance to infections by manipulating the microbiota of tadpoles and challenging them with parasitic gut worms as adults. We find that tadpole bacterial diversity is negatively correlated with parasite establishment in adult frogs: adult frogs that had reduced bacterial diversity as tadpoles have three times more worms than adults without their microbiota manipulated as tadpoles. In contrast, adult bacterial diversity during parasite exposure is not correlated with parasite establishment in adult frogs. Thus, in this experimental setup, an early-life disruption of the microbiota has lasting reductions on host resistance to infections, which is possibly mediated by its effects on immune system development. Our results support the idea that preventing early-life disruption of host-associated microbiota might confer protection against diseases later in life.Early-life microbiota alterations can affect infection susceptibility later in life, in animal models. Here, Knutie et al. show that manipulating the microbiota of tadpoles leads to increased susceptibility to parasitic infection in adult frogs, in the absence of substantial changes in the adults' microbiota.

Role of the Microbiota in Immunity and inflammation

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Belkaid, Yasmine; Hand, Timothy

2014-01-01

The microbiota plays a fundamental role on the induction, training and function of the host immune system. In return, the immune system has largely evolved as a means to maintain the symbiotic relationship of the host with these highly diverse and evolving microbes. When operating optimally this immune system–microbiota alliance allows the induction of protective responses to pathogens and the maintenance of regulatory pathways involved in the maintenance of tolerance to innocuous antigens. However, in high-income countries overuse of antibiotics, changes in diet, and elimination of constitutive partners such as nematodes has selected for a microbiota that lack the resilience and diversity required to establish balanced immune responses. This phenomenon is proposed to account for some of the dramatic rise in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders in parts of the world where our symbiotic relationship with the microbiota has been the most affected. PMID:24679531

Antibiotic-Induced Changes in the Intestinal Microbiota and Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Becattini, Simone; Taur, Ying; Pamer, Eric G

2016-06-01

The gut microbiota is a key player in many physiological and pathological processes occurring in humans. Recent investigations suggest that the efficacy of some clinical approaches depends on the action of commensal bacteria. Antibiotics are invaluable weapons to fight infectious diseases. However, by altering the composition and functions of the microbiota, they can also produce long-lasting deleterious effects for the host. The emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens raises concerns about the common, and at times inappropriate, use of antimicrobial agents. Here we review the most recently discovered connections between host pathophysiology, microbiota, and antibiotics highlighting technological platforms, mechanistic insights, and clinical strategies to enhance resistance to diseases by preserving the beneficial functions of the microbiota. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Reciprocal Interactions between Polyphenols and Gut Microbiota and Effects on Bioaccessibility

Science.gov (United States)

Ozdal, Tugba; Sela, David A.; Xiao, Jianbo; Boyacioglu, Dilek; Chen, Fang; Capanoglu, Esra

2016-01-01

As of late, polyphenols have increasingly interested the scientific community due to their proposed health benefits. Much of this attention has focused on their bioavailability. Polyphenol–gut microbiota interactions should be considered to understand their biological functions. The dichotomy between the biotransformation of polyphenols into their metabolites by gut microbiota and the modulation of gut microbiota composition by polyphenols contributes to positive health outcomes. Although there are many studies on the in vivo bioavailability of polyphenols, the mutual relationship between polyphenols and gut microbiota is not fully understood. This review focuses on the biotransformation of polyphenols by gut microbiota, modulation of gut microbiota by polyphenols, and the effects of these two-way mutual interactions on polyphenol bioavailability, and ultimately, human health. PMID:26861391

Contribution of diet to the composition of the human gut microbiota.

Science.gov (United States)

Graf, Daniela; Di Cagno, Raffaella; Fåk, Frida; Flint, Harry J; Nyman, Margareta; Saarela, Maria; Watzl, Bernhard

2015-01-01

In the human gut, millions of bacteria contribute to the microbiota, whose composition is specific for every individual. Although we are just at the very beginning of understanding the microbiota concept, we already know that the composition of the microbiota has a profound impact on human health. A key factor in determining gut microbiota composition is diet. Preliminary evidence suggests that dietary patterns are associated with distinct combinations of bacteria in the intestine, also called enterotypes. Western diets result in significantly different microbiota compositions than traditional diets. It is currently unknown which food constituents specifically promote growth and functionality of beneficial bacteria in the intestine. The aim of this review is to summarize the recently published evidence from human in vivo studies on the gut microbiota-modulating effects of diet. It includes sections on dietary patterns (e.g. Western diet), whole foods, food constituents, as wells as food-associated microbes and their influence on the composition of human gut microbiota. The conclusions highlight the problems faced by scientists in this fast-developing field of research, and the need for high-quality, large-scale human dietary intervention studies.

The gut microbiota and inflammatory noncommunicable diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

West, Christina E; Renz, Harald; Jenmalm, Maria C

2015-01-01

Rapid environmental transition and modern lifestyles are likely driving changes in the biodiversity of the human gut microbiota. With clear effects on physiologic, immunologic, and metabolic processes in human health, aberrations in the gut microbiome and intestinal homeostasis have the capacity...... for neurodevelopment and mental health. These diverse multisystem influences have sparked interest in strategies that might favorably modulate the gut microbiota to reduce the risk of many NCDs. For example, specific prebiotics promote favorable intestinal colonization, and their fermented products have anti....... In human subjects it has been successfully used in cases of Clostridium difficile infection and IBD, although controlled trials are lacking for IBD. Here we discuss relationships between gut colonization and inflammatory NCDs and gut microbiota modulation strategies for their treatment and prevention....

Diet-microbiota interactions as moderators of human metabolism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonnenburg, Justin L; Bäckhed, Gert Fredrik

2016-01-01

It is widely accepted that obesity and associated metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, are intimately linked to diet. However, the gut microbiota has also become a focus for research at the intersection of diet and metabolic health. Mechanisms that link the gut microbiota with obesity...

Impact of delivery mode on the colostrum microbiota composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Toscano, Marco; De Grandi, Roberta; Peroni, Diego Giampietro; Grossi, Enzo; Facchin, Valentina; Comberiati, Pasquale; Drago, Lorenzo

2017-09-25

Breast milk is a rich nutrient with a temporally dynamic nature. In particular, numerous alterations in the nutritional, immunological and microbiological content occur during the transition from colostrum to mature milk. The objective of our study was to evaluate the potential impact of delivery mode on the microbiota of colostrum, at both the quantitative and qualitative levels (bacterial abundance and microbiota network). Twenty-nine Italian mothers (15 vaginal deliveries vs 14 Cesarean sections) were enrolled in the study. The microbiota of colostrum samples was analyzed by next generation sequencing (Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine). The colostrum microbiota network associated with Cesarean section and vaginal delivery was evaluated by means of the Auto Contractive Map (AutoCM), a mathematical methodology based on Artificial Neural Network (ANN) architecture. Numerous differences between Cesarean section and vaginal delivery colostrum were observed. Vaginal delivery colostrum had a significant lower abundance of Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Prevotella spp. when compared to Cesarean section colostrum samples. Furthermore, the mode of delivery had a strong influence on the microbiota network, as Cesarean section colostrum showed a higher number of bacterial hubs if compared to vaginal delivery, sharing only 5 hubs. Interestingly, the colostrum of mothers who had a Cesarean section was richer in environmental bacteria than mothers who underwent vaginal delivery. Finally, both Cesarean section and vaginal delivery colostrum contained a greater number of anaerobic bacteria genera. The mode of delivery had a large impact on the microbiota composition of colostrum. Further studies are needed to better define the meaning of the differences we observed between Cesarean section and vaginal delivery colostrum microbiota.

Human gut microbiota and healthy aging: Recent developments and future prospective.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Manish; Babaei, Parizad; Ji, Boyang; Nielsen, Jens

2016-10-27

The human gut microbiota alters with the aging process. In the first 2-3 years of life, the gut microbiota varies extensively in composition and metabolic functions. After this period, the gut microbiota demonstrates adult-like more stable and diverse microbial species. However, at old age, deterioration of physiological functions of the human body enforces the decrement in count of beneficial species (e.g. Bifidobacteria ) in the gut microbiota, which promotes various gut-related diseases (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease). Use of plant-based diets and probiotics/prebiotics may elevate the abundance of beneficial species and prevent gut-related diseases. Still, the connections between diet, microbes, and host are only partially known. To this end, genome-scale metabolic modeling can help to explore these connections as well as to expand the understanding of the metabolic capability of each species in the gut microbiota. This systems biology approach can also predict metabolic variations in the gut microbiota during ageing, and hereby help to design more effective probiotics/prebiotics.

Microbiota dysbiosis in select human cancers: Evidence of association and causality.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jie; Domingue, Jada C; Sears, Cynthia L

2017-08-01

The human microbiota is a complex ecosystem of diverse microorganisms consisting of bacteria, viruses, and fungi residing predominantly in epidermal and mucosal habitats across the body, such as skin, oral cavity, lung, intestine and vagina. These symbiotic communities in health, or dysbiotic communities in disease, display tremendous interaction with the local environment and systemic responses, playing a critical role in the host's nutrition, immunity, metabolism and diseases including cancers. While the profiling of normal microbiota in healthy populations is useful and necessary, more recent studies have focused on the microbiota associated with disease, particularly cancers. In this paper, we review current evidence on the role of the human microbiota in four cancer types (colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lung cancer) proposed as affected by both the oral and gut microbiota, and provide a perspective on current gaps in the knowledge of the microbiota and cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gut microbiota and obesity: lessons from the microbiome.

Science.gov (United States)

Cani, Patrice D

2013-07-01

The distal gut harbours microbial communities that outnumber our own eukaryotic cells. The contribution of the gut microbiota to the development of several diseases (e.g. obesity, type 2 diabetes, steatosis, cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases) is becoming clear, although the causality remains to be proven in humans. Global changes in the gut microbiota have been observed by a number of culture-dependent and culture-independent methods, and while the latter have mostly included 16S ribosomal RNA gene analyses, more recent studies have utilized DNA sequencing of whole-microbial communities. Altogether, these high-throughput methods have facilitated the identification of novel candidate bacteria and, most importantly, metabolic functions that might be associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. This review discusses the association between specific taxa and obesity, together with the techniques that are used to characterize the gut microbiota in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Recent results are discussed in the framework of the interactions between gut microbiota and host metabolism.

Deoxynivalenol, gut microbiota and immunotoxicity: A potential approach?

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Yuxiao; Peng, Zhao; Chen, Liangkai; Nüssler, Andreas K; Liu, Liegang; Yang, Wei

2018-02-01

Deoxynivalenol (DON, vomitoxin) is the most frequent mycotoxin in grains and grain products. DON contamination in fodder and food is a serious threat for health, since it impairs the immune and gastrointestinal systems of both human and animals. Gut microbiota seems to play a more and more important part in human and animals' health according to related researches. Previous studies implied some associations among gut microbiota, DON and immune system. For example, DON affects immune system as well as the composition and abundance of gut microbiota, and the latter influences immune system as well. In the present short review, we not only provide the available information about the toxic consequences of DON-induced immunotoxicity on different animals and cell lines and discuss its main possible molecule mechanisms, but also summarize research results concerning the role of gut microbiota in DON-induced immunotoxicity and gender differences, with the aim to find some potential therapeutic strategies to tackle DON-induced immunotoxicity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How informative is the mouse for human gut microbiota research?

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Thi Loan Anh; Vieira-Silva, Sara; Liston, Adrian; Raes, Jeroen

2015-01-01

The microbiota of the human gut is gaining broad attention owing to its association with a wide range of diseases, ranging from metabolic disorders (e.g. obesity and type 2 diabetes) to autoimmune diseases (such as inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes), cancer and even neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g. autism). Having been increasingly used in biomedical research, mice have become the model of choice for most studies in this emerging field. Mouse models allow perturbations in gut microbiota to be studied in a controlled experimental setup, and thus help in assessing causality of the complex host-microbiota interactions and in developing mechanistic hypotheses. However, pitfalls should be considered when translating gut microbiome research results from mouse models to humans. In this Special Article, we discuss the intrinsic similarities and differences that exist between the two systems, and compare the human and murine core gut microbiota based on a meta-analysis of currently available datasets. Finally, we discuss the external factors that influence the capability of mouse models to recapitulate the gut microbiota shifts associated with human diseases, and investigate which alternative model systems exist for gut microbiota research. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Comparison of the Fecal Microbiota in Feral and Domestic Goats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María G. Domínguez-Bello

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Animals have co-evolved with mutualistic microbial communities, known as the microbiota, which are essential for organ development and function. We hypothesize that modern animal husbandry practices exert an impact on the intestinal microbiota. In this study, we compared the structure of the fecal microbiota between feral and domestic goats using the G2 PhyloChip and assessed the presence of five tetracycline resistance genes [tet(M, tet(S, tet(O, tet(Q and tet(W] by PCR. Feces were collected from 10 goats: 5 domestic from a farm in the main island of Puerto Rico and 5 feral from the remote dry island of Mona. There were 42 bacterial phyla from 153 families detected in the goats’ feces. A total of 84 PhyloChip-OTUs were different in the fecal microbiota of feral and domestic goat. Both feral and domestic goats carried antibiotic resistance genes tet(O and tet(W, but domestic goats additionally carried tet(Q. Diet, host genetics and antibiotic exposure are likely determinant factors in shaping the intestinal microbiota and may explain the differences observed between feral and domestic goats fecal microbiota.

Feeding the microbiota-gut-brain axis: diet, microbiome, and neuropsychiatry.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandhu, Kiran V; Sherwin, Eoin; Schellekens, Harriët; Stanton, Catherine; Dinan, Timothy G; Cryan, John F

2017-01-01

The microbial population residing within the human gut represents one of the most densely populated microbial niche in the human body with growing evidence showing it playing a key role in the regulation of behavior and brain function. The bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and the brain, the microbiota-gut-brain axis, occurs through various pathways including the vagus nerve, the immune system, neuroendocrine pathways, and bacteria-derived metabolites. This axis has been shown to influence neurotransmission and the behavior that are often associated with neuropsychiatric conditions. Therefore, research targeting the modulation of this gut microbiota as a novel therapy for the treatment of various neuropsychiatric conditions is gaining interest. Numerous factors have been highlighted to influence gut microbiota composition, including genetics, health status, mode of birth, and environment. However, it is diet composition and nutritional status that has repeatedly been shown to be one of the most critical modifiable factors regulating the gut microbiota at different time points across the lifespan and under various health conditions. Thus the microbiota is poised to play a key role in nutritional interventions for maintaining brain health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Beyond gut feelings: how the gut microbiota regulates blood pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, Francine Z; Mackay, Charles R; Kaye, David M

2018-01-01

Hypertension is the leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and is estimated to cause 9.4 million deaths globally every year. The pathogenesis of hypertension is complex, but lifestyle factors such as diet are important contributors to the disease. High dietary intake of fruit and vegetables is associated with reduced blood pressure and lower cardiovascular mortality. A critical relationship between dietary intake and the composition of the gut microbiota has been described in the literature, and a growing body of evidence supports the role of the gut microbiota in the regulation of blood pressure. In this Review, we describe the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota and its metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids, trimethylamine N-oxide, and lipopolysaccharides, act on downstream cellular targets to prevent or contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension. These effects have a direct influence on tissues such as the kidney, the endothelium, and the heart. Finally, we consider the role of the gut microbiota in resistant hypertension, the possible intergenerational effect of the gut microbiota on blood pressure regulation, and the promising therapeutic potential of gut microbiota modification to improve health and prevent disease.

Evaluating the core microbiota in complex communities: A systematic investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Astudillo-García, Carmen; Bell, James J; Webster, Nicole S; Glasl, Bettina; Jompa, Jamaluddin; Montoya, Jose M; Taylor, Michael W

2017-04-01

The study of complex microbial communities poses unique conceptual and analytical challenges, with microbial species potentially numbering in the thousands. With transient or allochthonous microorganisms often adding to this complexity, a 'core' microbiota approach, focusing only on the stable and permanent members of the community, is becoming increasingly popular. Given the various ways of defining a core microbiota, it is prudent to examine whether the definition of the core impacts upon the results obtained. Here we used complex marine sponge microbiotas and undertook a systematic evaluation of the degree to which different factors used to define the core influenced the conclusions. Significant differences in alpha- and beta-diversity were detected using some but not all core definitions. However, findings related to host specificity and environmental quality were largely insensitive to major changes in the core microbiota definition. Furthermore, none of the applied definitions altered our perception of the ecological networks summarising interactions among bacteria within the sponges. These results suggest that, while care should still be taken in interpretation, the core microbiota approach is surprisingly robust, at least for comparing microbiotas of closely related samples. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

We Are Never Alone: Living with the Human Microbiota

OpenAIRE

da Silva, Gabriela Jorge; Domingues, Sara

2017-01-01

The human body is inhabited by millions of tiny living organisms, which, all together, are called the human microbiota. Bacteria are microbes found on the skin, in the nose, mouth, and especially in the gut. We acquire these bacteria during birth and the first years of life, and they live with us throughout our lives. The human microbiota is involved in healthy growth, in protecting the body from invaders, in helping digestion, and in regulating moods. Some changes in the microbiota may occur...

Characterization of the gut microbiota in leptin deficient obese mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellekilde, Merete; Krych, Lukasz; Hansen, Camilla Hartmann Friis

2014-01-01

Gut microbiota have been implicated as a relevant factor in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and its diversity might be a cause of variation in animal models of T2DM. In this study, we aimed to characterise the gut microbiota of a T2DM mouse model with a long term vision of being...... able to target the gut microbiota to reduce the number of animals used in experiments. Male B6.V-Lep(ob)/J mice were characterized according to a number of characteristics related to T2DM, inflammation and gut microbiota. All findings were thereafter correlated to one another in a linear regression...... model. The total gut microbiota profile correlated to glycated haemoglobin, and high proportions of Prevotellaceae and Lachnospiraceae correlated to impaired or improved glucose intolerance, respectively. In addition, Akkermansia muciniphila disappeared with age as glucose intolerance worsened. A high...

Intestinal Microbiota: Early Formation, Health Effects, and Correction Ways

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrey S. Yakushin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available An increase in the prevalence of diseases resulting from disorders of metabolism and immune system functions is largely due to disturbances in the intestinal microbiota composition at an early age. The review  considers the stages and conditions of the natural development of the  intestinal microbiota, starting from the intrauterine period. We  conducted the analysis of possible risk factors for the intestinal  microbiota composition disorders in the pre- and postnatal periods. The  results of modern studies on the association between the intestinal  microbiota composition in infancy and the development of «civilization  diseases» at older ages are given. A separate section is devoted to a  discussion of the efficacy and appropriateness of taking probiotic drugs for disease prevention.

Gut Microbiota and Lifestyle Interventions in NAFLD

Science.gov (United States)

Houghton, David; Stewart, Christopher J.; Day, Christopher P.; Trenell, Michael

2016-01-01

The human digestive system harbors a diverse and complex community of microorganisms that work in a symbiotic fashion with the host, contributing to metabolism, immune response and intestinal architecture. However, disruption of a stable and diverse community, termed “dysbiosis”, has been shown to have a profound impact upon health and disease. Emerging data demonstrate dysbiosis of the gut microbiota to be linked with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Although the exact mechanism(s) remain unknown, inflammation, damage to the intestinal membrane, and translocation of bacteria have all been suggested. Lifestyle intervention is undoubtedly effective at improving NAFLD, however, not all patients respond to these in the same manner. Furthermore, studies investigating the effects of lifestyle interventions on the gut microbiota in NAFLD patients are lacking. A deeper understanding of how different aspects of lifestyle (diet/nutrition/exercise) affect the host–microbiome interaction may allow for a more tailored approach to lifestyle intervention. With gut microbiota representing a key element of personalized medicine and nutrition, we review the effects of lifestyle interventions (diet and physical activity/exercise) on gut microbiota and how this impacts upon NAFLD prognosis. PMID:27023533

The role of gut microbiota in human metabolism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vrieze, A.

2013-01-01

This thesis supports the hypothesis that gut microbiota can be viewed as an ‘exteriorised organ’ that contributes to energy metabolism and the modulation of our immune system. Following Koch’s postulates, it has now been shown that gut microbiota are associated with metabolic disease and that these

High fat diet drives obesity regardless the composition of gut microbiota in mice

OpenAIRE

Rabot, Sylvie; Membrez, Mathieu; Blancher, Florence; Berger, Bernard; Moine, Deborah; Krause, Lutz; Bibiloni, Rodrigo; Bruneau, Aurelia; Gerard, Philippe; Siddharth, Jay; Lauber, Christian L.

2016-01-01

The gut microbiota is involved in many aspects of host physiology but its role in body weight and glucose metabolism remains unclear. Here we studied the compositional changes of gut microbiota in diet-induced obesity mice that were conventionally raised or received microbiota transplantation. In conventional mice, the diversity of the faecal microbiota was weakly associated with 1st week weight gain but transferring the microbiota of mice with contrasting weight gain to germfree mice did not...

The metabolism of the Antartic crytoendolithic microbiota

Science.gov (United States)

Vestal, J. Robie

1989-01-01

The carbon metabolism of the cryptoendolithic microbiota in sandstones from the Ross Desert region of Antarctica was studied in situ and in vitro. Organic and inorganic compounds were metabolized by the microbiota, with bicarbonate being metabolized maximally in the light. There was a linear response of photosynthesis to light up to 200 to 300 micromole photons/sq m/s. The community photosynthetic response to temperature was a minimum at -5 C, two optima at +5 and +15 C and a maximum at +35 C. Photosynthetic metabolism occurred maximally in the presence of liquid water, but could occur in an environment of water vapor. Biomass of the cryptoendolithic microbiota was measured as the amount of lipid phosphate present. The in situ biomass ranged from 1.92 to 3.26 g carbon/sq m of rock and 2 orders of magnitude less than epilithic lichen microbiota from Antarctica in a location 7 degrees more north in latitude. With these data, it was possible to calculate primary production and carbon turnover in this simple microbiota. Production values ranged from 0.108 to 4.41 mg carbon/sq m/yr, while carbon turnover values ranged from 576 to 23,520 years. These values are the lowest and longest yet recorded for any ecosystem on Earth. If life did evolve on Mars to the level of prokaryotes or primitive eukaryotes, the possibility that the organisms retreated, to the protection of the inside of the rock so that metabolism could continue during planetary cooling, cannot be overlooked.

Clinical Relevance of Gastrointestinal Microbiota During Pregnancy: A Primer for Nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Seon-Yoon; Ravel, Jacques; Regan, Mary

2018-01-01

Emerging evidence about the human microbiome, a collective term for all the microorganisms living in and on the human body, consistently demonstrates the critical influence it has on host physiology and disease risk. The microbiota in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has the most significant and far-reaching effect on human physiology. The maternal GI microbiota can decrease the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes by modulating energy extraction, glucose metabolism, vitamin production, and host immunity essential for optimal maternal and neonatal health. Moreover, the maternal GI microbiota is thought to influence colonization of the fetus and neonate that may predispose them to different health trajectories. This article provides a basic understanding about the influence of the structure of the maternal GI microbiota, the fundamental role it plays during pregnancy, and the factors that influence the structure, and subsequently function, of the GI microbiota in the general and pregnant population. While only a small number of studies have examined this topic during pregnancy, the preponderance of the evidence supports the need to clarify baseline structure and function of GI microbiota and its associations with pregnancy outcomes. In addition, the results from the studies conducted in the general population can be extrapolated to pregnancy in many cases. This knowledge is essential for clinicians who need to understand the implications of the microbiota for disease and wellness in order to address the care factors that may adversely influence the GI microbiota during pregnancy.

Characterization of Microbiota in Children with Chronic Functional Constipation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Meij, Tim G. J.; de Groot, Evelien F. J.; Eck, Anat; Budding, Andries E.; Kneepkens, C. M. Frank; Benninga, Marc A.; van Bodegraven, Adriaan A.; Savelkoul, Paul H. M.

2016-01-01

Disruption of the intestinal microbiota is considered an etiological factor in pediatric functional constipation. Scientifically based selection of potential beneficial probiotic strains in functional constipation therapy is not feasible due to insufficient knowledge of microbiota composition in

Impact of the gut microbiota on rodent models of human disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Axel Kornerup; Hansen, Camilla Hartmann Friis; Krych, Lukasz; Nielsen, Dennis Sandris

2014-12-21

Traditionally bacteria have been considered as either pathogens, commensals or symbionts. The mammal gut harbors 10(14) organisms dispersed on approximately 1000 different species. Today, diagnostics, in contrast to previous cultivation techniques, allow the identification of close to 100% of bacterial species. This has revealed that a range of animal models within different research areas, such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, allergy, behavior and colitis, are affected by their gut microbiota. Correlation studies may for some diseases show correlation between gut microbiota composition and disease parameters higher than 70%. Some disease phenotypes may be transferred when recolonizing germ free mice. The mechanistic aspects are not clear, but some examples on how gut bacteria stimulate receptors, metabolism, and immune responses are discussed. A more deeper understanding of the impact of microbiota has its origin in the overall composition of the microbiota and in some newly recognized species, such as Akkermansia muciniphila, Segmented filamentous bacteria and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, which seem to have an impact on more or less severe disease in specific models. Thus, the impact of the microbiota on animal models is of a magnitude that cannot be ignored in future research. Therefore, either models with specific microbiota must be developed, or the microbiota must be characterized in individual studies and incorporated into data evaluation.

Small Bowel Transit and Altered Gut Microbiota in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yang; Jin, Ye; Li, Jun; Zhao, Lei; Li, Zhengtian; Xu, Jun; Zhao, Fuya; Feng, Jing; Chen, Huinan; Fang, Chengyuan; Shilpakar, Rojina; Wei, Yunwei

2018-01-01

Disturbance of the gut microbiota is common in liver cirrhosis (LC) patients, the underlying mechanisms of which are yet to be unfolded. This study aims to explore the relationship between small bowel transit (SBT) and gut microbiota in LC patients. Cross-sectional design was applied with 36 LC patients and 20 healthy controls (HCs). The gut microbiota was characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio and the Microbial Dysbiosis index (MDI) were used to evaluate the severity of microbiota dysbiosis. The scintigraphy method was performed in patients to describe the objective values of SBT. Patients were then subdivided according to the Child-Pugh score (threshold = 5) or SBT value (threshold = 0.6) for microbiota analysis. LC patients were characterized by an altered gut microbiota; F/B ratios and MDI were higher than HC in both Child_5 (14.00 ± 14.69 vs. 2.86 ± 0.99, p gut microbiota between Child_ 5 and Child_5+ patients was inappreciable, but the SBT was relatively slower in Child_5+ patients (43 ± 26% vs. 80 ± 15%, p gut microbiota was observed between SBT_0.6- and SBT_0.6+ patients [Pr(> F ) = 0.0068, pMANOVA], with higher F/B ratios and MDI in SBT_0.6- patients (19.71 ± 16.62 vs. 7.33 ± 6.65, p gut microbiota abnormalities observed in patients with LC.

Composition, variability, and temporal stability of the intestinal microbiota of the elderly.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Claesson, Marcus J

2011-03-15

Alterations in the human intestinal microbiota are linked to conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and obesity. The microbiota also undergoes substantial changes at the extremes of life, in infants and older people, the ramifications of which are still being explored. We applied pyrosequencing of over 40,000 16S rRNA gene V4 region amplicons per subject to characterize the fecal microbiota in 161 subjects aged 65 y and older and 9 younger control subjects. The microbiota of each individual subject constituted a unique profile that was separable from all others. In 68% of the individuals, the microbiota was dominated by phylum Bacteroides, with an average proportion of 57% across all 161 baseline samples. Phylum Firmicutes had an average proportion of 40%. The proportions of some phyla and genera associated with disease or health also varied dramatically, including Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Faecalibacteria. The core microbiota of elderly subjects was distinct from that previously established for younger adults, with a greater proportion of Bacteroides spp. and distinct abundance patterns of Clostridium groups. Analyses of 26 fecal microbiota datasets from 3-month follow-up samples indicated that in 85% of the subjects, the microbiota composition was more like the corresponding time-0 sample than any other dataset. We conclude that the fecal microbiota of the elderly shows temporal stability over limited time in the majority of subjects but is characterized by unusual phylum proportions and extreme variability.

Links between Dietary Protein Sources, the Gut Microbiota, and Obesity

OpenAIRE

Lise Madsen; Lise Madsen; Lise Madsen; Lene S. Myrmel; Even Fjære; Bjørn Liaset; Karsten Kristiansen; Karsten Kristiansen

2017-01-01

The association between the gut microbiota and obesity is well documented in both humans and in animal models. It is also demonstrated that dietary factors can change the gut microbiota composition and obesity development. However, knowledge of how diet, metabolism and gut microbiota mutually interact and modulate energy metabolism and obesity development is still limited. Epidemiological studies indicate an association between intake of certain dietary protein sources and obesity. Animal stu...

Links between dietary protein sources, the gut microbiota, and obesity

OpenAIRE

Madsen, Lise; Myrmel, Lene S.; Fjære, Even; Liaset, Bjørn; Kristiansen, Karsten

2017-01-01

The association between the gut microbiota and obesity is well documented in both humans and in animal models. It is also demonstrated that dietary factors can change the gut microbiota composition and obesity development. However, knowledge of how diet, metabolism and gut microbiota mutually interact and modulate energy metabolism and obesity development is still limited. Epidemiological studies indicate an association between intake of certain dietary protein sources and obesity. Animal stu...

The human microbiota: novel targets for hospital-acquired infections and antibiotic resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Pettigrew, Melinda M; Johnson, J Kristie; Harris, Anthony D

2016-05-01

Hospital-acquired infections are increasing in frequency due to multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs), and the spread of MDROs has eroded our ability to treat infections. Health care professionals cannot rely solely on traditional infection control measures and antimicrobial stewardship to prevent MDRO transmission. We review research on the microbiota as a target for infection control interventions. We performed a literature review of key research findings related to the microbiota as a target for infection control interventions. These data are summarized and used to outline challenges, opportunities, and unanswered questions in the field. The healthy microbiota provides protective functions including colonization resistance, which refers to the microbiota's ability to prevent colonization and/or expansion of pathogens. Antibiotic use and other exposures in hospitalized patients are associated with disruptions of the microbiota that may reduce colonization resistance and select for antibiotic resistance. Novel methods to exploit protective mechanisms provided by an intact microbiota may provide the key to preventing the spread of MDROs in the health care setting. Research on the microbiota as a target for infection control has been limited. Epidemiologic studies will facilitate progress toward the goal of manipulating the microbiota for control of MDROs in the health care setting. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mucin-Microbiota Interaction During Postnatal Maturation of the Intestinal Ecosystem: Clinical Implications.

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Rokhsefat, Sana; Lin, Aifeng; Comelli, Elena M

2016-06-01

The mucus layer and gut microbiota interplay contributes to host homeostasis. The mucus layer serves as a scaffold and a carbon source for gut microorganisms; conversely, gut microorganisms, including mucin degraders, influence mucin gene expression, glycosylation, and secretion. Conjointly they shield the epithelium from luminal pathogens, antigens, and toxins. Importantly, the mucus layer and gut microbiota are established in parallel during early postnatal life. During this period, the development of gut microbiota and mucus layer is coupled with that of the immune system. Developmental changes of different mucin types can impact the age-dependent patterns of intestinal infection in terms of incidence and severity. Altered mucus layer, dysbiotic microbiota, and abnormal mucus-gut microbiota interaction have the potential for inducing systemic effects, and accompany several intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, and radiation-induced mucositis. Early life provides a pivotal window of opportunity to favorably modulate the mucus-microbiota interaction. The support of a health-compatible mucin-microbiota maturation in early life is paramount for long-term health and serves as an important opportunity for clinical intervention.

Gut microbiota modifications and weight gain in early life

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Emmanouil Angelakis

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Childhood and adolescent obesity is a significant public health concern and has been associated with cardiovascular disease and related metabolic sequelae later in life. In recent years, several studies have postulated an imbalance in the composition of the early life gut microbiota results in pediatric obesity and its associated diseases. The early life gut microbiota is influenced by several factors including the mode of delivery, prematurity, breastfeeding, and the use of antibiotics and probiotics. It has been proposed that, when given early in life, antibiotics and probiotics disrupt the gut microbiota and consequently its metabolic activity, promoting weight gain. Probiotics have increasingly been administrated to children and studies on the perinatal use of probiotics on low birth weight and healthy infants revealed significantly increased body length and weight later in life in comparison with infants who did not receive probiotic supplements. Similarly, exposure to antibiotics is very high perinatally and in the early periods of life and there is evidence that antibiotic treatment decreases the biodiversity of the early life gut microbiota. In addition, studies have revealed that antibiotic treatment during the first months of life is associated with being overweight later in life. In this paper we review the effects of the administration of probiotics and antibiotics in early life on the gut microbiota and discuss their effects on weight gain. Keywords: Gut microbiota, Obesity, Newborn, Antibiotics, Probiotics

Irritable bowel syndrome, the microbiota and the gut-brain axis

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Raskov, Hans; Burcharth, Jakob; Pommergaard, Hans-Christian

2016-01-01

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder and it is now evident that irritable bowel syndrome is a multi-factorial complex of changes in microbiota and immunology. The bidirectional neurohumoral integrated communication between the microbiota and the autonomous...... nervous system is called the gut-brain-axis, which integrates brain and GI functions, such as gut motility, appetite and weight. The gut-brain-axis has a central function in the perpetuation of irritable bowel syndrome and the microbiota plays a critical role. The purpose of this article is to review...... recent research concerning the epidemiology of irritable bowel syndrome, influence of microbiota, probiota, gut-brain-axis, and possible treatment modalities on irritable bowel syndrome....

Diet-dependent modular dynamic interactions of the equine cecal microbiota

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Kristoffersen, Camilla; Jensen, Rasmus Bovbjerg; Avershina, Ekaterina

2016-01-01

Knowledge on dynamic interactions in microbiota is pivotal for understanding the role of bacteria in the gut. We herein present comprehensive dynamic models of the horse cecal microbiota, which include short-chained fatty acids, carbohydrate metabolic networks, and taxonomy. Dynamic models were...... diets. We observed marked differences in the microbial dynamic interaction patterns for Fibrobacter succinogenes, Lachnospiraceae, Streptococcus, Treponema, Anaerostipes, and Anaerovibrio between the two diet groups. Fluctuations and microbiota interactions were the most pronounced for the starch rich...... sugars for the starch-rich diet and monosaccharides for the fiber-rich diet. In conclusion, diet may not only affect the composition of the cecal microbiota, but also dynamic interactions and metabolic cross-feeding....

Metagenomics and development of the gut microbiota in infants

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Vallès, Y.; Gosalbes, M. J.; de Vries, Lisbeth Elvira

2012-01-01

Clin Microbiol Infect 2012; 18 (Suppl. 4): 21–26 The establishment of a balanced intestinal microbiota is essential for numerous aspects of human health, yet the microbial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract of infants is both complex and highly variable among individuals. In addition......, the gastrointestinal tract microbiota is often exposed to antibiotics, and may be an important reservoir of resistant strains and of transferable resistance genes from early infancy. We are investigating by means of diverse metagenomic approaches several areas of microbiota development in infants, including...

The gut microbiota, environment and diseases of modern society.

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Kelsen, Judith R; Wu, Gary D

2012-01-01

The human gut microbiota is a complex community that provides important metabolic functions to the host. Consequently, alterations in the gut microbiota have been associated with the pathogenesis of several human diseases associated with a disturbance in metabolism, particularly those that have been increasing in incidence over the last several decades including obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis. In this review, we explore how advances in deep DNA sequencing technology have provided us a greater understanding of the factors that influence that composition of the gut microbiota and its possible links to the pathogenesis of these diseases.

Spatial organization of the gastrointestinal microbiota in urban Canada geese

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Drovetski, Sergei V.; O'Mahoney, Michael; Ransome, Emma J.; Matterson, Kenan O.; Lim, Haw Chuan; Chesser, Terry; Graves, Gary R.

2018-01-01

Recent reviews identified the reliance on fecal or cloacal samples as a significant limitation hindering our understanding of the avian gastrointestinal (gut) microbiota and its function. We investigated the microbiota of the esophagus, duodenum, cecum, and colon of a wild urban population of Canada goose (Branta canadensis). From a population sample of 30 individuals, we sequenced the V4 region of the 16S SSU rRNA on an Illumina MiSeq and obtained 8,628,751 sequences with a median of 76,529 per sample. These sequences were assigned to 420 bacterial OTUs and a single archaeon. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes accounted for 90% of all sequences. Microbiotas from the four gut regions differed significantly in their richness, composition, and variability among individuals. Microbial communities of the esophagus were the most distinctive whereas those of the colon were the least distinctive, reflecting the physical downstream mixing of regional microbiotas. The downstream mixing of regional microbiotas was also responsible for the majority of observed co-occurrence patterns among microbial families. Our results indicate that fecal and cloacal samples inadequately represent the complex patterns of richness, composition, and variability of the gut microbiota and obscure patterns of co-occurrence of microbial lineages.

Characterization of the Vaginal Microbiota of Ewes and Cows Reveals a Unique Microbiota with Low Levels of Lactobacilli and Near-Neutral pH

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Swartz, Jeffrey D.; Lachman, Medora; Westveer, Kelsey; O’Neill, Thomas; Geary, Thomas; Kott, Rodney W.; Berardinelli, James G.; Hatfield, Patrick G.; Thomson, Jennifer M.; Roberts, Andy; Yeoman, Carl J.

2014-01-01

Although a number of common reproductive disorders in livestock involve bacterial infection, very little is known about their normal vaginal microbiota. Therefore, we sought to determine the species composition of sheep and cattle vaginal microbiota. Twenty Rambouillet ewes and twenty crossbred cows varying in age and reproductive status were sampled by ectocervicovaginal lavage. We amplified and sequenced the V3–V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) contents yielding a total of 907,667 high-quality reads. Good’s Coverage estimates indicated that we obtained data on 98 ± 0.01% of the total microbial genera present in each sample. Cow and ewe vaginal microbiota displayed few differences. Cow microbiota exhibited greater (P ≤ 0.05) α-diversity compared to the ewe microbiota. Both livestock species differed (P ≤ 0.05) from all previously reported vaginal communities. While bacteria were numerically dominant, Archaea were detected in 95% of cow and ewe samples, mainly of the order Desulfurococcales. Both ewes and cows were predominately colonized by the bacterial phyla Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and Proteobacteria. The most abundant genera were Aggregatibacter spp., and Streptobacillus spp. Lactobacillus spp. were detected in 80% of ewe and 90% of cow samples, but only at very low abundances. Bacteria previously described from culture-based studies as common to the cow and ewe vaginal tract, except for Escherichia, were variably present, and only in low abundance. Ewe and cow pH differed (P ≤ 0.05), with means (±SD) of 6.7 ± 0.38 and 7.3 ± 0.63, respectively. In conclusion, 16S rRNA sequencing of cow and ewe vaginal ectocervicovaginal lavages showed that cow and ewe vaginal microbiota differ from culture-led results, revealing a microbiota distinct from previously described vaginal ecosystems. PMID:26664918

[Gut microbiota and immune crosstalk in metabolic disease].

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Burcelin, Rémy

2017-01-01

The aim of the review is to discuss about the role played by the defence crosstalk between the gut microbiota and the intestinal immune system, in the development of metabolic disease focusing on obesity and diabetes. Starting from physiological and pathological stand points and based on the latest published data, this review is addressing how the concept of the hologenome theory of evolution can drive the fate of metabolic disease. The notion of "metabolic infection" to explain the "metabolic inflammation" is discussed. This imply comments about the process of bacterial translocation and impaired intestinal immune defense against commensals. Eventually this review sets the soil for personalized medicine. The monthly increase in the number of publications on the gut microbiota to intestinal immune defense and the control of metabolism demonstrate the importance of this field of investigation. The notion of commensal as "self or non-self" has to be reevaluated in the light of the current data. Furthermore, data demonstrate the major role played by short chain fatty acids, secondary bile acids, LPS, peptidoglycans, indole derivatives, and other bacteria-related molecules on the shaping of cells involved in the intestinal protection against commensals is now becoming a central player in the incidence of metabolic diseases. The literature demonstrates that the onset of metabolic diseases and some specific co-morbidities can be explained by a gut microbiota to intestinal immune system crosstalk. Therefore, one should now consider this avenue of investigation as a putative source of biomarkers and therapeutic targets to personalize the treatment of metabolic disease and its co-morbidities. Gut microbiota is considered as a major regulator of metabolic disease. This reconciles the notion of metabolic inflammation and the epidemic development of the disease. In addition to evidence showing that a specific gut microbiota characterizes patients with obesity, type 2 diabetes

Commensal Homeostasis of Gut Microbiota-Host for the Impact of Obesity

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Pengyi Zhang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Gut microbiota and their metabolites have been linked to a series of chronic diseases such as obesity and other metabolic dysfunctions. Obesity is an increasingly serious international health issue that may lead to a risk of insulin resistance and other metabolic diseases. The relationship between gut microbiota and the host is both interdependent and relatively independent. In this review, the causality of gut microbiota and its role in the pathogenesis and intervention of obesity is comprehensively presented to include human genotype, enterotypes, interactions of gut microbiota with the host, microbial metabolites, and energy homeostasis all of which may be influenced by dietary nutrition. Diet can enhance, inhibit, or even change the composition and functions of the gut microbiota. The metabolites they produce depend upon the dietary substrates provided, some of which have indispensable functions for the host. Therefore, diet is a key factor that maintains or not a healthy commensal relationship. In addition, the specific genotype of the host may impact the phylogenetic compositions of gut microbiota through the production of host metabolites. The commensal homeostasis of gut microbiota is favored by a balance of microbial composition, metabolites, and energy. Ultimately the desired commensal relationship is one of mutual support. This article analyzes the clues that result in patterns of commensal homeostasis. A deeper understanding of these interactions is beneficial for developing effective prevention, diagnosis, and personalized therapeutic strategies to combat obesity and other metabolic diseases. The idea we discuss is meant to improve human health by shaping or modulating the beneficial gut microbiota.

Impact of nasopharyngeal microbiota on the development of respiratory tract diseases.

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Esposito, S; Principi, N

2018-01-01

Knowledge of whether and how respiratory microbiota composition can prime the immune system and provide colonisation resistance, limiting consecutive pathobiont overgrowth and infections, is essential to improving the prevention and therapy of respiratory disorders. Modulation of dysbiotic ecosystems or reconstitution of missing microbes might be a possible measure to reduce respiratory diseases. The aim of this review is to analyse the role of nasopharyngeal microbiota in the development of respiratory tract disease in paediatric-age subjects. PubMed was used to search for all studies published over the last 15 years using the following key words: "microbiota" or "microbioma" and "nasopharyngeal" or "respiratory" or "nasal" and "children" or "paediatric" or "infant". Analysis of the literature showed that respiratory microbiota can regulate health and disease development in the respiratory tract. Like the gut microbiota, the respiratory microbiota is established at birth, and early respiratory microbiota composition determines bacterial succession patterns and respiratory health in children. Protective and dangerous bacteria have been identified, and this can be considered the base for developing new approaches to diseases that respond poorly to traditional interventions. Reconstitution of missing microbes can be achieved by the administration of pre- and probiotics. Modulation of respiratory microbiota by favouring colonisation of the upper respiratory tract by beneficial commensals can interfere with the proliferation and activity of resident pathobionts and is a possible new measure to reduce the risk of disease. However, further studies are needed because a deeper understanding of these and related issues can be transferred to clinical practice.

Molecular Characterization of the Human Stomach Microbiota in Gastric Cancer Patients

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Guoqin Yu

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Helicobacter pylori (Hp is the primary cause of gastric cancer but we know little of its relative abundance and other microbes in the stomach, especially at the time of gastric cancer diagnosis. Here we characterized the taxonomic and derived functional profiles of gastric microbiota in two different sets of gastric cancer patients, and compared them with microbial profiles in other body sites. Paired non-malignant and tumor tissues were sampled from 160 gastric cancer patients with 80 from China and 80 from Mexico. The 16S rRNA gene V3–V4 region was sequenced using MiSeq platform for taxonomic profiles. PICRUSt was used to predict functional profiles. Human Microbiome Project was used for comparison. We showed that Hp is the most abundant member of gastric microbiota in both Chinese and Mexican samples (51 and 24%, respectively, followed by oral-associated bacteria. Taxonomic (phylum-level profiles of stomach microbiota resembled oral microbiota, especially when the Helicobacter reads were removed. The functional profiles of stomach microbiota, however, were distinct from those found in other body sites and had higher inter-subject dissimilarity. Gastric microbiota composition did not differ by Hp colonization status or stomach anatomic sites, but did differ between paired non-malignant and tumor tissues in either Chinese or Mexican samples. Our study showed that Hp is the dominant member of the non-malignant gastric tissue microbiota in many gastric cancer patients. Our results provide insights on the gastric microbiota composition and function in gastric cancer patients, which may have important clinical implications.

Interactions between the microbiota and pathogenic bacteria in the gut

OpenAIRE

Bäumler, Andreas J.; Sperandio, Vanessa

2016-01-01

The microbiome has an important role in human health. Changes in the microbiota can confer resistance to or promote infection by pathogenic bacteria. Antibiotics have a profound impact on the microbiota that alters the nutritional landscape of the gut and can lead to the expansion of pathogenic populations. Pathogenic bacteria exploit microbiota-derived sources of carbon and nitrogen as nutrients and regulatory signals to promote their own growth and virulence. By eliciting inflammation, thes...

Gut bacteria that prevent growth impairments transmitted by microbiota from malnourished children

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Undernourished children exhibit impaired development of their gut microbiota. Transplanting microbiota from 6- and 18-month-old healthy or undernourished Malawian donors into young germ-free mice that were fed a Malawian diet revealed that immature microbiota from undernourished infants and children...

Diet, Microbiota, Obesity, and NAFLD: A Dangerous Quartet

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Machado, Mariana Verdelho; Cortez-Pinto, Helena

2016-01-01

Recently, the importance of the gut-liver-adipose tissue axis has become evident. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic disease of a systemic metabolic disorder that radiates from energy-surplus induced adiposopathy. The gut microbiota has tremendous influences in our whole-body metabolism, and is crucial for our well-being and health. Microorganisms precede humans in more than 400 million years and our guest flora evolved with us in order to help us face aggressor microorganisms, to help us maximize the energy that can be extracted from nutrients, and to produce essential nutrients/vitamins that we are not equipped to produce. However, our gut microbiota can be disturbed, dysbiota, and become itself a source of stress and injury. Dysbiota may adversely impact metabolism and immune responses favoring obesity and obesity-related disorders such as insulin resistance/diabetes mellitus and NAFLD. In this review, we will summarize the latest evidence of the role of microbiota/dysbiota in diet-induced obesity and NAFLD, as well as the potential therapeutic role of targeting the microbiota in this set. PMID:27043550

Comparison of the distal gut microbiota from people and animals in Africa.

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Ellis, Richard J; Bruce, Kenneth D; Jenkins, Claire; Stothard, J Russell; Ajarova, Lilly; Mugisha, Lawrence; Viney, Mark E

2013-01-01

The gut microbiota plays a key role in the maintenance of healthy gut function as well as many other aspects of health. High-throughput sequence analyses have revealed the composition of the gut microbiota, showing that there is a core signature to the human gut microbiota, as well as variation in its composition between people. The gut microbiota of animals is also being investigated. We are interested in the relationship between bacterial taxa of the human gut microbiota and those in the gut microbiota of domestic and semi-wild animals. While it is clear that some human gut bacterial pathogens come from animals (showing that human--animal transmission occurs), the extent to which the usually non-pathogenic commensal taxa are shared between humans and animals has not been explored. To investigate this we compared the distal gut microbiota of humans, cattle and semi-captive chimpanzees in communities that are geographically sympatric in Uganda. The gut microbiotas of these three host species could be distinguished by the different proportions of bacterial taxa present. We defined multiple operational taxonomic units (OTUs) by sequence similarity and found evidence that some OTUs were common between human, cattle and chimpanzees, with the largest number of shared OTUs occurring between chimpanzees and humans, as might be expected with their close physiological similarity. These results show the potential for the sharing of usually commensal bacterial taxa between humans and other animals. This suggests that further investigation of this phenomenon is needed to fully understand how it drives the composition of human and animal gut microbiotas.

Functional Metagenomic Investigations of the Human Intestinal Microbiota

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moore, Aimee M.; Munck, Christian; Sommer, Morten Otto Alexander

2011-01-01

The human intestinal microbiota encode multiple critical functions impacting human health, including metabolism of dietary substrate, prevention of pathogen invasion, immune system modulation, and provision of a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes accessible to pathogens. The complexity...... microorganisms, but relatively recently applied to the study of the human commensal microbiota. Metagenomic functional screens characterize the functional capacity of a microbial community, independent of identity to known genes, by subjecting the metagenome to functional assays in a genetically tractable host....... Here we highlight recent work applying this technique to study the functional diversity of the intestinal microbiota, and discuss how an approach combining high-throughput sequencing, cultivation, and metagenomic functional screens can improve our understanding of interactions between this complex...

Under Pressure: Interactions between Commensal Microbiota and the Teleost Immune System

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Cecelia Kelly

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Commensal microorganisms inhabit every mucosal surface of teleost fish. At these surfaces, microorganisms directly and indirectly shape the teleost immune system. This review provides a comprehensive overview of how the microbiota and microbiota-derived products influence both the mucosal and systemic immune system of fish. The cross talk between the microbiota and the teleost immune system shifts significantly under stress or disease scenarios rendering commensals into opportunists or pathogens. Lessons learnt from germ-free fish models as well as from oral administration of live probiotics to fish highlight the vast impact that microbiota have on immune development, antibody production, mucosal homeostasis, and resistance to stress. Future studies should dissect the specific mechanisms by which different members of the fish microbiota and the metabolites they produce interact with pathogens, with other commensals, and with the teleost immune system.

Microbiota and immunity: from preclinical data to clinical practice

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Eleonora Giannetti

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The intestinal microbiota is composed of 1013-1014 microorganisms, with at least 100 times as many genes as our genome, the microbiome. Its composition is specific for each individual, changes among individuals and also shows an intra-individual variability during life. Although the gastrointestinal microbial communities of adults are often believed to be stable, there is evidence that, even though at lower rates than in childhood, they change with time, and effects of this variability on health have not been determined yet. The interaction between microbiota and environment is close and widely demonstrated. Gut flora composition is deeply influenced by a number of factors, including diet, age, medications, illness, stress and lifestyle. Intestinal microflora has protective, metabolic and trophic functions. Commensal microbiota can deeply influence the development of the gut mucosal immune system, modulating the maturation of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue and preventing exogenous pathogen intrusion, by stimulation of the immune system and by direct interaction with pathogenic bacteria. The increasing amount of preclinical studies regarding the interaction between intestinal microbiota and immune system and the multiple observations of altered microbiota in human diseases have paved the way for a number of clinical trials aimed at verifying the potential benefits deriving from the manipulation of the microbial ensemble. Several probiotic bacteria have been assessed for their potential applicability in human diseases, albeit with different levels of success. In conclusion, the gut microbiota codevelops with the immune system beginning at birth. The development of the microbiota and its interactions with the cellular populations of the bowel provide a substantial contribution to shaping the structure and dynamic operations of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Manipulation of the microbiota, particularly through the administration of

Characterization of the vaginal microbiota of ewes and cows reveals a unique microbiota with low levels of lactobacilli and near-neutral pH

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Human vaginal microbiota affect reproductive performance and perinatal health. Although a number of common reproductive disorders in livestock involve bacterial infection, very little is known about their normal vaginal microbiota. Therefore, we sought to determine the species composition of sheep a...

Thermal processing of food reduces gut microbiota diversity of the host and triggers adaptation of the microbiota: evidence from two vertebrates.

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Zhang, Zhimin; Li, Dapeng

2018-05-31

Adoption of thermal processing of the diet drives human evolution and gut microbiota diversity changes in a dietary habit-dependent manner. However, whether thermal processing of food triggers gut microbial variation remains unknown. Herein, we compared the microbiota of non-thermally processed and thermally processed food (NF and TF) and investigated gut microbiota associated with NF and TF in catfish Silurus meridionalis and C57BL/6 mice to assess effects of thermal processing of food on gut microbiota and to further identify the differences in host responses. We found no differences in overall microbial composition and structure in the pairwise NF and TF, but identified differential microbial communities between food and gut. Both fish and mice fed TF had significantly lower gut microbial diversity than those fed NF. Moreover, thermal processing of food triggered the changes in their microbial communities. Comparative host studies further indicated host species determined gut microbial assemblies, even if fed with the same food. Fusobacteria was the most abundant phylum in the fish, and Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes dominated in the mice. Besides the consistent reduction of Bacteroidetes and the balanced Protebacteria, the response of other dominated gut microbiota in the fish and mice to TF was taxonomically opposite at the phylum level, and those further found at the genus level. Our results reveal that thermal processing of food strongly contributes to the reduction of gut microbial diversity and differentially drives microbial alterations in a host-dependent manner, suggesting specific adaptations of host-gut microbiota in vertebrates responding to thermal processing of food. These findings open a window of opportunity to understand the decline in gut microbial diversity and the community variation in human evolution and provide new insights into the host-specific microbial assemblages associated with the use of processing techniques in food preparation in

Changes of saliva microbiota in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients under chemoradiation therapy.

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Xu, Yuan; Teng, Fei; Huang, Shi; Lin, Zhengmei; Yuan, Xiao; Zeng, Xiaowei; Yang, Fang

2014-02-01

A growing body of evidence has implicated human oral microbiota in the aetiology of oral and systemic diseases. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), an epithelial-originated malignancy, has a complex aetiology not yet fully understood. Chemoradiation therapy of NPC can affect oral microbiota and is usually accompanied by plaque accumulation. Thus, the study aimed to understand the diversity, divergence and development of the oral microbiota in NPC patients and their associated treatment, which might provide useful insights into disease aetiology and treatment side effects. A longitudinal study was designed that included three Chinese adults with NPC. Saliva samples were collected at three time points: prior to the chemoradiation treatment (carcinoma baseline, or CB), 7 months post-treatment (carcinoma-after-therapy phase 1 or CA1) and 12 months post-treatment (carcinoma-after-therapy phase 2 or CA2). Pyrosequencing of the bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) V1-V3 hypervariable region was employed to characterise the microbiota. Saliva samples of three healthy subjects from our former study were employed as healthy controls. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA), Metastats and random forest prediction models were used to reveal the key microbial members associated with NPC and its treatment programme. (1) In total, 412 bacterial species from at least 107 genera and 13 phyla were found in the saliva samples of the NPC patients. (2) PCoA revealed that not only were the microbiota from NPC patients distinct from those of healthy controls (p<0.001) but also that separation was found on the saliva microbiota between pre- and post-therapy (p<0.001) in the NPC samples. (3) At the genus level and the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) level, Streptococcus was found with lower abundance in NPC samples. (4) Chemoradiation therapy did not incur similar changes in microbiota structure among the three NPC patients; the microbiota in one of them stayed largely steady, while those in the

Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium exploits inflammation to compete with the intestinal microbiota.

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Bärbel Stecher

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Most mucosal surfaces of the mammalian body are colonized by microbial communities ("microbiota". A high density of commensal microbiota inhabits the intestine and shields from infection ("colonization resistance". The virulence strategies allowing enteropathogenic bacteria to successfully compete with the microbiota and overcome colonization resistance are poorly understood. Here, we investigated manipulation of the intestinal microbiota by the enteropathogenic bacterium Salmonella enterica subspecies 1 serovar Typhimurium (S. Tm in a mouse colitis model: we found that inflammatory host responses induced by S. Tm changed microbiota composition and suppressed its growth. In contrast to wild-type S. Tm, an avirulent invGsseD mutant failing to trigger colitis was outcompeted by the microbiota. This competitive defect was reverted if inflammation was provided concomitantly by mixed infection with wild-type S. Tm or in mice (IL10(-/-, VILLIN-HA(CL4-CD8 with inflammatory bowel disease. Thus, inflammation is necessary and sufficient for overcoming colonization resistance. This reveals a new concept in infectious disease: in contrast to current thinking, inflammation is not always detrimental for the pathogen. Triggering the host's immune defence can shift the balance between the protective microbiota and the pathogen in favour of the pathogen.

Human colorectal mucosal microbiota correlates with its host niche physiology revealed by endomicroscopy.

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Wang, Ai-Hua; Li, Ming; Li, Chang-Qing; Kou, Guan-Jun; Zuo, Xiu-Li; Li, Yan-Qing

2016-02-26

The human gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of health, but how the microbiota interacts with the host at the colorectal mucosa is poorly understood. We proposed that confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) might help to untangle this relationship by providing in vivo physiological information of the mucosa. We used CLE to evaluate the in vivo physiology of human colorectal mucosa, and the mucosal microbiota was quantified using 16 s rDNA pyrosequencing. The human mucosal microbiota agglomerated to three major clusters dominated by Prevotella, Bacteroides and Lactococcus. The mucosal microbiota clusters did not significantly correlate with the disease status or biopsy sites but closely correlated with the mucosal niche physiology, which was non-invasively revealed by CLE. Inflammation tilted two subnetworks within the mucosal microbiota. Infiltration of inflammatory cells significantly correlated with multiple components in the predicted metagenome, such as the VirD2 component of the type IV secretory pathway. Our data suggest that a close correlation exists between the mucosal microbiota and the colorectal mucosal physiology, and CLE is a clinically available tool that can be used to facilitate the study of the in vivo correlation between colorectal mucosal physiology and the mucosal microbiota.

Application of NMR-based metabolomics to the study of gut microbiota in obesity.

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Calvani, Riccardo; Brasili, Elisa; Praticò, Giulia; Sciubba, Fabio; Roselli, Marianna; Finamore, Alberto; Marini, Federico; Marzetti, Emanuele; Miccheli, Alfredo

2014-01-01

Lifestyle habits, host gene repertoire, and alterations in the intestinal microbiota concur to the development of obesity. A great deal of research has recently been focused on investigating the role gut microbiota plays in the pathogenesis of metabolic dysfunctions and increased adiposity. Altered microbiota can affect host physiology through several pathways, including enhanced energy harvest, and perturbations in immunity, metabolic signaling, and inflammatory pathways. A broad range of "omics" technologies is now available to help decipher the interactions between the host and the gut microbiota at detailed genetic and functional levels. In particular, metabolomics--the comprehensive analysis of metabolite composition of biological fluids and tissues--could provide breakthrough insights into the links among the gut microbiota, host genetic repertoire, and diet during the development and progression of obesity. Here, we briefly review the most insightful findings on the involvement of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of obesity. We also discuss how metabolomic approaches based on nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy could help understand the activity of gut microbiota in relation to obesity, and assess the effects of gut microbiota modulation in the treatment of this condition.

Understanding the Molecular Mechanisms of the Interplay Between Herbal Medicines and Gut Microbiota.

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Xu, Jun; Chen, Hu-Biao; Li, Song-Lin

2017-09-01

Herbal medicines (HMs) are much appreciated for their significant contribution to human survival and reproduction by remedial and prophylactic management of diseases. Defining the scientific basis of HMs will substantiate their value and promote their modernization. Ever-increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota plays a crucial role in HM therapy by complicated interplay with HM components. This interplay includes such activities as: gut microbiota biotransforming HM chemicals into metabolites that harbor different bioavailability and bioactivity/toxicity from their precursors; HM chemicals improving the composition of gut microbiota, consequently ameliorating its dysfunction as well as associated pathological conditions; and gut microbiota mediating the interactions (synergistic and antagonistic) between the multiple chemicals in HMs. More advanced experimental designs are recommended for future study, such as overall chemical characterization of gut microbiota-metabolized HMs, direct microbial analysis of HM-targeted gut microbiota, and precise gut microbiota research model development. The outcomes of such research can further elucidate the interactions between HMs and gut microbiota, thereby opening a new window for defining the scientific basis of HMs and for guiding HM-based drug discovery. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Research advances in association between childhood obesity and gut microbiota].

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Gao, Xiao-Lin; Wan, Chao-Min

2017-03-01

In recent years, more and more studies have noted the close association between gut microbiota and the development and progression of obesity. Gut microbiota may act on obesity by increasing energy intake, affecting the secretion of intestinal hormones, inducing chronic systemic inflammation, and producing insulin resistance. This article reviews the association between childhood obesity and gut microbiota, as well as possible mechanisms, in an attempt to provide a reference for the etiology, prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.

Interrelations between the microbiotas in the litter and in the intestines of commercial broiler chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Cressman, Michael D; Yu, Zhongtang; Nelson, Michael C; Moeller, Steven J; Lilburn, Michael S; Zerby, Henry N

2010-10-01

The intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens and the microbiota in the litter have been well studied, but the interactions between these two microbiotas remain to be determined. Therefore, we examined their reciprocal effects by analyzing the intestinal microbiotas of broilers reared on fresh pine shavings versus reused litter, as well as the litter microbiota over a 6-week cycle. Composite ileal mucosal and cecal luminal samples from birds (n = 10) reared with both litter conditions (fresh versus reused) were collected at 7, 14, 21, and 42 days of age. Litter samples were also collected at days 7, 14, 21, and 42. The microbiotas were profiled and compared within sample types based on litter condition using PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). The microbiotas were further analyzed using 16S rRNA gene clone libraries constructed from microbiota DNA extracted from both chick intestinal and litter samples collected at day 7. Results showed significant reciprocal effects between the microbiotas present in the litter and those in the intestines of broilers. Fresh litter had more environmental bacteria, while reused litter contained more bacteria of intestinal origin. Lactobacillus spp. dominated the ileal mucosal microbiota of fresh-litter chicks, while a group of bacteria yet to be classified within Clostridiales dominated in the ileal mucosal microbiota in the reused-litter chicks. The Litter condition (fresh versus reused) seemed to have a more profound impact on the ileal microbiota than on the cecal microbiota. The data suggest that the influence of fresh litter on ileal microbiota decreased as broilers grew, compared with temporal changes observed under reused-litter rearing conditions.

Intestinal Microbiota of White Shrimp Penaeus vannamei Under Intensive Cultivation Conditions in Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Gainza, Oreste; Ramírez, Carolina; Ramos, Alfredo Salinas; Romero, Jaime

2018-04-01

The goal of the study was to characterize the intestinal tract bacterial microbiota composition of Penaeus vannamei in intensive commercial ponds in Ecuador, comparing two shrimp-farming phases: nursery and harvest. Bacterial microbiota was examined by sequencing amplicons V2-V3 of the 16S rRNA using Ion Torrent technology. Archaea sequences were detected in both phases. Sequence analyses revealed quantitative and qualitative differences between the nursery phase and the harvest phase in shrimp intestinal microbiota composition. The main differences were observed at the phylum level during the nursery phase, and the prevailing phyla were CKC4 (37.3%), Proteobacteria (29.8%), Actinobacteria (11.6%), and Firmicutes (10.1%). In the harvest phase, the prevailing phyla were Proteobacteria (28.4%), Chloroflexi (19.9%), and Actinobacteria (15.1%). At the genus level, microbiota from the nursery phase showed greater relative abundances of CKC4 uncultured bacterium (37%) and Escherichia-Shigella (18%). On the contrary, in the microbiota of harvested shrimp, the prevailing genera were uncultured Caldilinea (19%) and Alphaproteobacteria with no other assigned rate (10%). The analysis of similarity ANOSIM test (beta diversity) indicated significant differences between the shrimp microbiota for these two farming phases. Similarly, alfa-diversity analysis (Chao1) indicated that the microbiota at harvest was far more diverse than the microbiota during the nursery phase, which showed a homogeneous composition. These results suggest that shrimp microbiota diversify their composition during intensive farming. The present work offers the most detailed description of the microbiota of P. vannamei under commercial production conditions to date.

Gut Microbiota and Body Weight – A Review

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Ioana Duca

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The link between gut microbiota and insulin resistance has an important clinical impact, people affected by dysbiosis having a predisposition for developing: obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cancers, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. Dysbiosis may lead through chronic inflammation to obesity and metabolic syndrome. We carried out a systematic review of the studies dedicated to the role of gut microbiota in weight gain and obesity. A systematic literature search of recent data published in electronic databases, was performed, using as search phrase: "gut microbiome and body weight and obesity". Studies that contained no data about the influence of gut microbiota changes on obesity were excluded. Western diet, antibiotic use in childhood, excessive maternal pre-pregnancy weight, Cesarean delivery, and testosterone deficiency are triggers of the alteration of microbiota and subsequently the appearance of obesity. Predominance of Firmicutes and anaerobic genera, changes in the mycobiome and viral intestinal population are implied in the etiology of obesity. Prebiotics, polyphenols, different herbs, medication (antidiabetics, calcium, physical exercise, rich fibre intake and bariatric surgery are the most important therapeutic options. Personalized dietary treatments, antiviral agents and mycobiome manipulation would represent the new target in treating obesity. Any change of the quantitative and qualitative composition of microbiota has influence on the components of metabolic syndrome, so any management strategy for the treatment or prevention of obesity in children and adulthood should have the microbiome as target.

Diet dominates host genotype in shaping the murine gut microbiota

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Carmody, Rachel N.; Gerber, Georg K.; Luevano, Jesus M.; Gatti, Daniel M.; Somes, Lisa; Svenson, Karen L.; Turnbaugh, Peter J.

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Mammals exhibit marked inter-individual variations in their gut microbiota, but it remains unclear if this is primarily driven by host genetics or by extrinsic factors like dietary intake. To address this, we examined the effect of dietary perturbations on the gut microbiota of five inbred mouse strains, mice deficient for genes relevant to host-microbial interactions (MyD88−/−, NOD2−/−, ob/ob, and Rag1−/−), and >200 outbred mice. In each experiment, consumption of a high-fat, high-sugar diet reproducibly altered the gut microbiota despite differences in host genotype. The gut microbiota exhibited a linear dose response to dietary perturbations, taking an average of 3.5 days for each diet-responsive bacterial groups to reach a new steady state. Repeated dietary shifts demonstrated that most changes to the gut microbiota are reversible, while also uncovering bacteria whose abundance depends on prior consumption. These results emphasize the dominant role that diet plays in shaping inter-individual variations in host-associated microbial communities. PMID:25532804

Anti-obesity effects of gut microbiota are associated with lactic acid bacteria.

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Tsai, Yueh-Ting; Cheng, Po-Ching; Pan, Tzu-Ming

2014-01-01

The prevalence of obesity is rapidly becoming endemic in industrialized countries and continues to increase in developing countries worldwide. Obesity predisposes people to an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Recent studies have described an association between obesity and certain gut microbiota, suggesting that gut microbiota might play a critical role in the development of obesity. Although probiotics have many beneficial health effects in humans and animals, attention has only recently been drawn to manipulating the gut microbiota, such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), to influence the development of obesity. In this review, we first describe the causes of obesity, including the genetic and environmental factors. We then describe the relationship between the gut microbiota and obesity, and the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota influence energy metabolism and inflammation in obesity. Lastly, we focus on the potential role of LAB in mediating the effects of the gut microbiota in the development of obesity.

Embracing the gut microbiota: the new frontier for inflammatory and infectious diseases

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van den Elsen, Lieke WJ; Poyntz, Hazel C; Weyrich, Laura S; Young, Wayne; Forbes-Blom, Elizabeth E

2017-01-01

The gut microbiota provides essential signals for the development and appropriate function of the immune system. Through this critical contribution to immune fitness, the gut microbiota has a key role in health and disease. Recent advances in the technological applications to study microbial communities and their functions have contributed to a rapid increase in host–microbiota research. Although it still remains difficult to define a so-called ‘normal' or ‘healthy' microbial composition, alterations in the gut microbiota have been shown to influence the susceptibility of the host to different diseases. Current translational research combined with recent technological and computational advances have enabled in-depth study of the link between microbial composition and immune function, addressing the interplay between the gut microbiota and immune responses. As such, beneficial modulation of the gut microbiota is a promising clinical target for many prevalent diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic abnormalities such as obesity, reduced insulin sensitivity and low-grade inflammation, allergy and protective immunity against infections. PMID:28197336

Influence of gut microbiota on immunological maturation in infancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Rikke Brandt; Pedersen, Susanne Brix; Frøkiær, Hanne

Maturation and function of the immune system is highly influenced by the establishment of the microbiota in the gut, which in turn, particularly in infancy, is influenced by factors such as maternal microbiota and the environment, including diet. Studies have shown that although lymph nodes...

The gut microbiota plays a protective role in the host defence against pneumococcal pneumonia.

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Schuijt, Tim J; Lankelma, Jacqueline M; Scicluna, Brendon P; de Sousa e Melo, Felipe; Roelofs, Joris J T H; de Boer, J Daan; Hoogendijk, Arjan J; de Beer, Regina; de Vos, Alex; Belzer, Clara; de Vos, Willem M; van der Poll, Tom; Wiersinga, W Joost

2016-04-01

Pneumonia accounts for more deaths than any other infectious disease worldwide. The intestinal microbiota supports local mucosal immunity and is increasingly recognised as an important modulator of the systemic immune system. The precise role of the gut microbiota in bacterial pneumonia, however, is unknown. Here, we investigate the function of the gut microbiota in the host defence against Streptococcus pneumoniae infections. We depleted the gut microbiota in C57BL/6 mice and subsequently infected them intranasally with S. pneumoniae. We then performed survival and faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments and measured parameters of inflammation and alveolar macrophage whole-genome responses. We found that the gut microbiota protects the host during pneumococcal pneumonia, as reflected by increased bacterial dissemination, inflammation, organ damage and mortality in microbiota-depleted mice compared with controls. FMT in gut microbiota-depleted mice led to a normalisation of pulmonary bacterial counts and tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-10 levels 6 h after pneumococcal infection. Whole-genome mapping of alveolar macrophages showed upregulation of metabolic pathways in the absence of a healthy gut microbiota. This upregulation correlated with an altered cellular responsiveness, reflected by a reduced responsiveness to lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid. Compared with controls, alveolar macrophages derived from gut microbiota-depleted mice showed a diminished capacity to phagocytose S. pneumoniae. This study identifies the intestinal microbiota as a protective mediator during pneumococcal pneumonia. The gut microbiota enhances primary alveolar macrophage function. Novel therapeutic strategies could exploit the gut-lung axis in bacterial infections. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Microbiota of kefir grains

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Tomislav Pogačić

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Kefir grains represent the unique microbial community consisting of bacteria, yeasts, and sometimes filamentous moulds creating complex symbiotic community. The complexity of their physical and microbial structures is the reason that the kefir grains are still not unequivocally elucidated. Microbiota of kefir grains has been studied by many microbiological and molecular approaches. The development of metagenomics, based on the identification without cultivation, is opening new possibilities for identification of previously nonisolated and non-identified microbial species from the kefir grains. Considering recent studies, there are over 50 microbial species associated with kefir grains. The aim of this review is to summarise the microbiota composition of kefir grains. Moreover, because of technological and microbiological significance of the kefir grains, the paper provides an insight into the microbiological and molecular methods applied to study microbial biodiversity of kefir grains.

An overview on the interplay between nutraceuticals and gut microbiota

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Adrian Catinean

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background Nowadays, growing attention was being given to the alternative ways to prevent or treat diseases. Nutraceuticals are used increasingly for this purpose. Many of these are being used as alternative therapy. Classic therapy with synthetic drugs, although very effective, has many side effects. The term “nutraceuticals” refers to the link between the nutritional and pharmaceutical domains. Also, lately, many studies have been done to investigate the role of microbiota in maintaining health. There is the hypothesis that some of the health benefits of nutraceuticals are due to their ability to change the microbiota. The aim of this review was to emphasize the link between the most commonly used nutraceuticals, the microbiota and the health benefits. Methods We selected the articles in PubMed, published up to July 2017, that provided information about most used nutraceuticals, microbiota and health benefits. In this review, we incorporate evidence from various types of studies, including observational, in vitro and in vivo, clinical studies or animal experiments. Results The results demonstrate that many nutraceuticals change the composition of microbiota and can interfere with health status of the patients. Discussion There is evidence which sustains the importance of nutraceuticals in people’s health through microbiota but further studies are needed to complete the assessment of nutraceuticals in health benefit as a consequence of microbiota’s changing.

Immune homeostasis, dysbiosis and therapeutic modulation of the gut microbiota.

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Peterson, C T; Sharma, V; Elmén, L; Peterson, S N

2015-03-01

The distal gut harbours ∼10(13) bacteria, representing the most densely populated ecosystem known. The functional diversity expressed by these communities is enormous and relatively unexplored. The past decade of research has unveiled the profound influence that the resident microbial populations bestow to host immunity and metabolism. The evolution of these communities from birth generates a highly adapted and highly personalized microbiota that is stable in healthy individuals. Immune homeostasis is achieved and maintained due in part to the extensive interplay between the gut microbiota and host mucosal immune system. Imbalances of gut microbiota may lead to a number of pathologies such as obesity, type I and type II diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer (CRC) and inflammaging/immunosenscence in the elderly. In-depth understanding of the underlying mechanisms that control homeostasis and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota represents an important step in our ability to reliably modulate the gut microbiota with positive clinical outcomes. The potential of microbiome-based therapeutics to treat epidemic human disease is of great interest. New therapeutic paradigms, including second-generation personalized probiotics, prebiotics, narrow spectrum antibiotic treatment and faecal microbiome transplantation, may provide safer and natural alternatives to traditional clinical interventions for chronic diseases. This review discusses host-microbiota homeostasis, consequences of its perturbation and the associated challenges in therapeutic developments that lie ahead. © 2014 British Society for Immunology.

Streptococcus pneumoniae Colonization Is Required To Alter the Nasal Microbiota in Cigarette Smoke-Exposed Mice.

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Shen, Pamela; Whelan, Fiona J; Schenck, L Patrick; McGrath, Joshua J C; Vanderstocken, Gilles; Bowdish, Dawn M E; Surette, Michael G; Stämpfli, Martin R

2017-10-01

Smokers have nasal microbiota dysbiosis, with an increased frequency of colonizing bacterial pathogens. It is possible that cigarette smoke increases pathogen acquisition by perturbing the microbiota and decreasing colonization resistance. However, it is difficult to disentangle microbiota dysbiosis due to cigarette smoke exposure from microbiota changes caused by increased pathogen acquisition in human smokers. Using an experimental mouse model, we investigated the impact of cigarette smoke on the nasal microbiota in the absence and presence of nasal pneumococcal colonization. We observed that cigarette smoke exposure alone did not alter the nasal microbiota composition. The microbiota composition was also unchanged at 12 h following low-dose nasal pneumococcal inoculation, suggesting that the ability of the microbiota to resist initial nasal pneumococcal acquisition was not impaired in smoke-exposed mice. However, nasal microbiota dysbiosis occurred as a consequence of established high-dose nasal pneumococcal colonization at day 3 in smoke-exposed mice. Similar to clinical reports on human smokers, an enrichment of potentially pathogenic bacterial genera such as Fusobacterium , Gemella , and Neisseria was observed. Our findings suggest that cigarette smoke exposure predisposes to pneumococcal colonization independent of changes to the nasal microbiota and that microbiota dysbiosis observed in smokers may occur as a consequence of established pathogen colonization. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium exploits inflammation to modify swine intestinal microbiota.

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Rosanna eDrumo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is an important zoonotic gastrointestinal pathogen responsible for foodborne disease worldwide. It is a successful enteric pathogen because it has developed virulence strategies allowing it to survive in a highly inflamed intestinal environment exploiting inflammation to overcome colonization resistance provided by intestinal microbiota. In this study, we used piglets featuring an intact microbiota, which naturally develop gastroenteritis, as model for salmonellosis. We compared the effects on the intestinal microbiota induced by a wild type and an attenuated S. Typhimurium in order to evaluate whether the modifications are correlated with the virulence of the strain. This study showed that Salmonella alters microbiota in a virulence-dependent manner. We found that the wild type S. Typhimurium induced inflammation and a reduction of specific protecting microbiota species (SCFA-producing bacteria normally involved in providing a barrier against pathogens. Both these effects could contribute to impair colonization resistance, increasing the host susceptibility to wild type S. Typhimurium colonization. In contrast, the attenuated S. Typhimurium, which is characterized by a reduced ability to colonize the intestine, and by a very mild inflammatory response, was unable to successfully sustain competition with the microbiota.

Site-specific programming of the host epithelial transcriptome by the gut microbiota

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sommer, Felix; Nookaew, Intawat; Sommer, Nina

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: The intestinal epithelium separates us from the microbiota but also interacts with it and thus affects host immune status and physiology. Previous studies investigated microbiota-induced responses in the gut using intact tissues or unfractionated epithelial cells, thereby limiting....... The microbial impact on host gene expression was highly site specific, as epithelial responses to the microbiota differed between cell fractions. Specific transcriptional regulators were enriched in each fraction. In general, the gut microbiota induced a more rapid response in the colon than in the ileum...

Intestinal Microbiota and Celiac Disease: Cause, Consequence or Co-Evolution?

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María Carmen Cenit

2015-08-01

Full Text Available It is widely recognized that the intestinal microbiota plays a role in the initiation and perpetuation of intestinal inflammation in numerous chronic conditions. Most studies report intestinal dysbiosis in celiac disease (CD patients, untreated and treated with a gluten-free diet (GFD, compared to healthy controls. CD patients with gastrointestinal symptoms are also known to have a different microbiota compared to patients with dermatitis herpetiformis and controls, suggesting that the microbiota is involved in disease manifestation. Furthermore, a dysbiotic microbiota seems to be associated with persistent gastrointestinal symptoms in treated CD patients, suggesting its pathogenic implication in these particular cases. GFD per se influences gut microbiota composition, and thus constitutes an inevitable confounding factor in studies conducted in CD patients. To improve our understanding of whether intestinal dysbiosis is the cause or consequence of disease, prospective studies in healthy infants at family risk of CD are underway. These studies have revealed that the CD host genotype selects for the early colonizers of the infant’s gut, which together with environmental factors (e.g., breast-feeding, antibiotics, etc. could influence the development of oral tolerance to gluten. Indeed, some CD genes and/or their altered expression play a role in bacterial colonization and sensing. In turn, intestinal dysbiosis could promote an abnormal response to gluten or other environmental CD-promoting factors (e.g., infections in predisposed individuals. Here, we review the current knowledge of host-microbe interactions and how host genetics/epigenetics and environmental factors shape gut microbiota and may influence disease risk. We also summarize the current knowledge about the potential mechanisms of action of the intestinal microbiota and specific components that affect CD pathogenesis.

Intestinal microbiota composition in fishes is influenced by host ecology and environment.

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Wong, Sandi; Rawls, John F

2012-07-01

The digestive tracts of vertebrates are colonized by complex assemblages of micro-organisms, collectively called the gut microbiota. Recent studies have revealed important contributions of gut microbiota to vertebrate health and disease, stimulating intense interest in understanding how gut microbial communities are assembled and how they impact host fitness (Sekirov et al. 2010). Although all vertebrates harbour a gut microbiota, current information on microbiota composition and function has been derived primarily from mammals. Comparisons of different mammalian species have revealed intriguing associations between gut microbiota composition and host diet, anatomy and phylogeny (Ley et al. 2008b). However, mammals constitute fish. In this issue, Sullam et al. (2012) make an important contribution toward identifying factors determining gut microbiota composition in fishes. The authors conducted a detailed meta-analysis of 25 bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequence libraries derived from the intestines of different fish species. To provide a broader context for their analysis, they compared these data sets to a large collection of 16S rRNA gene sequence data sets from diverse free-living and host-associated bacterial communities. Their results suggest that variation in gut microbiota composition in fishes is strongly correlated with species habitat salinity, trophic level and possibly taxonomy. Comparison of data sets from fish intestines and other environments revealed that fish gut microbiota compositions are often similar to those of other animals and contain relatively few free-living environmental bacteria. These results suggest that the gut microbiota composition of fishes is not a simple reflection of the micro-organisms in their local habitat but may result from host-specific selective pressures within the gut (Bevins & Salzman 2011).

New frontiers in nanotoxicology: Gut microbiota/microbiome-mediated effects of engineered nanomaterials.

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Pietroiusti, Antonio; Magrini, Andrea; Campagnolo, Luisa

2016-05-15

It has been recently recognized that the gut microbiota, the community of organisms living within the gastrointestinal tract is an integral part of the human body, and that its genoma (the microbiome) interacts with the genes expressed by the cells of the host organism. Several important physiological functions require the cooperation of microbiota/microbiome, whose alterations play an important role in several human diseases. On this basis, it is probable that microbiota/microbiome may in part be involved in many biological effects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). There are still few reports on the possible toxicological effects of ENMs on microbiota/microbiome, and on their possible clinical consequences. Available data suggest that several ENMs, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), titanium dioxide, cerium dioxide, zinc oxide, nanosilica and nanosilver may affect the microbiota and that clinical disorders such as colitis, obesity and immunological dysfunctions might follow. On the other hand, other ENMs such as iron nanoparticles may show advantages over traditional iron-based supplemental treatment because they do not interfere with the microbiota/microbiome, and some ENM-based therapeutic interventions might be employed for treating intestinal infections, while sparing the microbiota. The final section of the review is focused on the possible future developments of the research in this field: new in vitro and in vivo models, possible biomarkers and new pathophysiological pathways are proposed and discussed, as well as the possibility that metabolic changes following ENMs/microbiota interactions might be exploited as a fingerprint of ENM exposure. The potential toxicological relevance of physico-chemical modifications of ENMs induced by the microbiota is also highlighted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: A Review of Emerging Indications Beyond Relapsing Clostridium difficile Toxin Colitis.

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Jung Lee, Woo; Lattimer, Lakshmi D N; Stephen, Sindu; Borum, Marie L; Doman, David B

2015-01-01

The symbiotic relationship between gut microbiota and humans has been forged over many millennia. This relationship has evolved to establish an intimate partnership that we are only beginning to understand. Gut microbiota were once considered pathogenic, but the concept of gut microbiota and their influence in human health is undergoing a major paradigm shift, as there is mounting evidence of their impact in the homeostasis of intestinal development, metabolic activities, and the immune system. The disruption of microbiota has been associated with many gastrointestinal and nongastrointestinal diseases, and the reconstitution of balanced microbiota has been postulated as a potential therapeutic strategy. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), a unique method to reestablish a sustained balance in the disrupted microbiota of diseased intestine, has demonstrated great success in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection and has gained increasing acceptance in clinical use. The possibility of dysfunctional micro-biota playing a causative role in other gastrointestinal and nongas-trointestinal diseases, therefore, has also been raised, and there are an increasing number of studies supporting this hypothesis. FMT is emerging as a feasible therapeutic option for several diseases; however, its efficacy remains in question, given the lack of clinical trial data. Altering microbiota with FMT holds great promise, but much research is needed to further define FMT's therapeutic role and optimize the microbiota delivery system.

Impact of Diet on Human Intestinal Microbiota and Health

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salonen, A.; Vos, de W.M.

2014-01-01

Our intestinal microbiota is involved in the breakdown and bioconversion of dietary and host components that are not degraded and taken up by our own digestive system. The end products generated by our microbiota fuel our enterocytes and support growth but also have signaling functions that generate

[Intestinal microbiota and cardiometabolic risk: mechanisms and diet modulation].

Science.gov (United States)

Moraes, Ana Carolina Franco de; Silva, Isis Tande da; Almeida-Pititto, Bianca de; Ferreira, Sandra Roberta G

2014-06-01

The gut microbiota obtained after birth is composed of a large range of bacteria that play different roles in the human host, such as nutrient uptake, protection against pathogens and immune modulation. The intestinal bacterial content is not completely known, but it is influenced by internal, and mainly by external factors, which modulate its composition and function. Studies indicate that the gut microbiota differs in lean and obese individuals, and in individuals with different food habits. There is evidence that the relationship between diet, inflammation, insulin resistance, and cardiometabolic risk are, in part, mediated by the composition of intestinal bacteria. Knowledge about the gut microbiota may result in different strategies to manipulate bacterial populations and promote health. This review discusses the relevance of understanding the role of dietary factors or patterns in the composition of the microbiota, as well as pathophysiological mechanisms of chronic metabolic diseases, and the potential of prebiotics and probiotics on the cardiometabolic risk profile.

Therapeutic implications of manipulating and mining the microbiota.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Shanahan, Fergus

2009-09-01

The gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as a health asset but occasionally is a contributor to the pathogenesis of both gastrointestinal and certain extra-intestinal disorders. This is driving research interest, the pace of which has been greatly facilitated by new molecular technologies for studying mixed microbial populations, including the non-cultivable sector. In addition, it appears that elements of a modern lifestyle such as diet, domestic hygiene, urbanization, antibiotic usage and family size, may represent proxy markers of environmental influence on the composition of the microbiota colonizing the host in early life. While manipulation of the microbiota has become a therapeutic strategy in certain clinical disorders, the prospect of mining host-microbe-dietary interactions for novel drug discovery may become an even more intriguing reality.

Vaginal microbiota and viral sexually transmitted diseases.

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Nardis, C; Mosca, L; Mastromarino, P

2013-01-01

Healthy vaginal microbiota is an important biological barrier to pathogenic microorganisms. When this predominantly Lactobacillus community is disrupted, decreased in abundance and replaced by different anaerobes, bacterial vaginosis (BV) may occur. BV is associated with prevalence and incidence of several sexually transmitted infections. This review provides background on BV, discusses the epidemiologic data to support a role of altered vaginal microbiota for acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases and analyzes mechanisms by which lactobacilli could counteract sexually transmitted viral infections.

Fecal Microbiota in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Its Relation to Inflammation.

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Kolho, Kaija-Leena; Korpela, Katri; Jaakkola, Tytti; Pichai, Madharasi V A; Zoetendal, Erwin G; Salonen, Anne; de Vos, Willem M

2015-06-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is considered to result from interplay between host and intestinal microbiota. While IBD in adults has shown to be associated with marked changes in the intestinal microbiota, there are only a few studies in children, and particularly studies focusing on therapeutic responses are lacking. Hence, this prospective study addressed the intestinal microbiota in pediatric IBD especially related to the level of inflammation. In total, 68 pediatric patients with IBD and 26 controls provided stool and blood samples in a tertiary care hospital and 32 received anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (anti-TNF-α). Blood inflammatory markers and fecal calprotectin levels were determined. The intestinal microbiota was characterized by phylogenetic microarray and qPCR analysis. The microbiota varied along a gradient of increasing intestinal inflammation (indicated by calprotectin levels), which was associated with reduced microbial richness, abundance of butyrate producers, and relative abundance of Gram-positive bacteria (especially Clostridium clusters IV and XIVa). A significant association between microbiota composition and inflammation was indicated by a set of bacterial groups predicting the calprotectin levels (area under curve (AUC) of 0.85). During the induction of anti-TNF-α, the microbial diversity and similarity to the microbiota of controls increased in the responder group by week 6, but not in the non-responders (PEubacterium rectale and Bifidobacterium spp. predicted the response to anti-TNF-α medication. Intestinal microbiota represents a potential biomarker for correlating the level of inflammation and therapeutic responses to be further validated.

The Oral Microbiota.

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Arweiler, Nicole B; Netuschil, Lutz

2016-01-01

The oral microbiota represents an important part of the human microbiota, and includes several hundred to several thousand diverse species. It is a normal part of the oral cavity and has an important function to protect against colonization of extrinsic bacteria which could affect systemic health. On the other hand, the most common oral diseases caries, gingivitis and periodontitis are based on microorganisms. While (medical) research focused on the planktonic phase of bacteria over the last 100 years, it is nowadays generally known, that oral microorganisms are organised as biofilms. On any non-shedding surfaces of the oral cavity dental plaque starts to form, which meets all criteria for a microbial biofilm and is subject to the so-called succession. When the sensitive ecosystem turns out of balance - either by overload or weak immune system - it becomes a challenge for local or systemic health. Therefore, the most common strategy and the golden standard for the prevention of caries, gingivitis and periodontitis is the mechanical removal of this biofilms from teeth, restorations or dental prosthesis by regular toothbrushing.

Acclimation and Institutionalization of the Mouse Microbiota Following Transportation

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Dan R. Montonye

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Using animal models, the gut microbiota has been shown to play a critical role in the health and disease of many organ systems. Unfortunately, animal model studies often lack reproducibility when performed at different institutions. Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that the gut microbiota of mice can vary with a number of husbandry factors leading us to speculate that differing environments may alter gut microbiota, which in turn may influence animal model phenotypes. As an extension of these studies, we hypothesized that the shipping of mice from a mouse producer to an institution will result in changes in the type, relative abundance, and functional composition of the gut microbiota. Furthermore, we hypothesized that mice will develop a microbiota unique to the institution and facility in which they are housed. To test these hypotheses, mice of two strains (C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ, two age groups (4 week and 8 week old, and originating from two types of housing (research animal facility under conventional housing and production facilities under maximum barrier housing were obtained from The Jackson Laboratory. Fecal samples were collected the day prior to shipping, immediately upon arrival, and then on days 2, 5, 7, and weeks 2, 4, and 9 post-arrival. Following the first post-arrival fecal collection, mice were separated into 2 groups and housed at different facilities at our institution while keeping their caging, diet, and husbandry practices the same. DNA was extracted from the collected fecal pellets and 16S rRNA amplicons were sequenced in order to characterize the type and relative abundance of gut bacteria. Principal component analysis (PCA and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA demonstrated that both the shipping and the institution and facility in which mice were housed altered the gut microbiota. Phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt predicted

Acclimation and Institutionalization of the Mouse Microbiota Following Transportation.

Science.gov (United States)

Montonye, Dan R; Ericsson, Aaron C; Busi, Susheel B; Lutz, Cathleen; Wardwell, Keegan; Franklin, Craig L

2018-01-01

Using animal models, the gut microbiota has been shown to play a critical role in the health and disease of many organ systems. Unfortunately, animal model studies often lack reproducibility when performed at different institutions. Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that the gut microbiota of mice can vary with a number of husbandry factors leading us to speculate that differing environments may alter gut microbiota, which in turn may influence animal model phenotypes. As an extension of these studies, we hypothesized that the shipping of mice from a mouse producer to an institution will result in changes in the type, relative abundance, and functional composition of the gut microbiota. Furthermore, we hypothesized that mice will develop a microbiota unique to the institution and facility in which they are housed. To test these hypotheses, mice of two strains (C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ), two age groups (4 week and 8 week old), and originating from two types of housing (research animal facility under conventional housing and production facilities under maximum barrier housing) were obtained from The Jackson Laboratory. Fecal samples were collected the day prior to shipping, immediately upon arrival, and then on days 2, 5, 7, and weeks 2, 4, and 9 post-arrival. Following the first post-arrival fecal collection, mice were separated into 2 groups and housed at different facilities at our institution while keeping their caging, diet, and husbandry practices the same. DNA was extracted from the collected fecal pellets and 16S rRNA amplicons were sequenced in order to characterize the type and relative abundance of gut bacteria. Principal component analysis (PCA) and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) demonstrated that both the shipping and the institution and facility in which mice were housed altered the gut microbiota. Phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) predicted differences in

Recovery of the gut microbiome following fecal microbiota transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Seekatz, Anna M; Aas, Johannes; Gessert, Charles E; Rubin, Timothy A; Saman, Daniel M; Bakken, Johan S; Young, Vincent B

2014-06-17

Clostridium difficile infection is one of the most common health care-associated infections, and up to 40% of patients suffer from recurrence of disease following standard antibiotic therapy. Recently, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been successfully used to treat recurrent C. difficile infection. It is hypothesized that FMT aids in recovery of a microbiota capable of colonization resistance to C. difficile. However, it is not fully understood how this occurs. Here we investigated changes in the fecal microbiota structure following FMT in patients with recurrent C. difficile infection, and imputed a hypothetical functional profile based on the 16S rRNA profile using a predictive metagenomic tool. Increased relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and decreased abundance of Proteobacteria were observed following FMT. The fecal microbiota of recipients following transplantation was more diverse and more similar to the donor profile than the microbiota prior to transplantation. Additionally, we observed differences in the imputed metagenomic profile. In particular, amino acid transport systems were overrepresented in samples collected prior to transplantation. These results suggest that functional changes accompany microbial structural changes following this therapy. Further identification of the specific community members and functions that promote colonization resistance may aid in the development of improved treatment methods for C. difficile infection. Within the last decade, Clostridium difficile infection has surpassed other bacterial infections to become the leading cause of nosocomial infections. Antibiotic use, which disrupts the gut microbiota and its capability in providing colonization resistance against C. difficile, is a known risk factor in C. difficile infection. In particular, recurrent C. difficile remains difficult to treat with standard antibiotic therapy. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has provided a successful treatment method for

The commensal microbiota and the development of human disease - an introduction.

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Marsh, Philip D

2015-01-01

Humans have co-evolved with microorganisms, and both exist in a symbiotic or mutualistic relationship. We are colonised by a diverse, resident microbiota, which develop into structurally and functionally organised biofilms. The resident microorganisms gain a secure, warm, nutritious habitat from the host and, in return, contribute to the development of many important host functions. The resident microbiota of each habitat is natural and provides important benefits for the host including immunological priming, down-regulation of excessive pro-inflammatory responses, regulation of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems, and prevention of colonisation by exogenous microbes. The biological properties of each habitat determine which microorganisms can colonise and grow, and dictate which will be major or minor components of the resident microbiota of a site. This results in different surfaces having distinct but characteristic microbiotas. This relationship between the resident microbiota and the host is dynamic and, on occasions, this symbiotic relationship breaks down due to, for example, changes in lifestyle, immune status or following broad spectrum antibiotic therapy. This 'dysbiosis' can result in previously minor components of the microbiota out-competing the normally dominant and beneficial bacteria, thereby increasing the risk of disease. Such perturbations have been associated with a number of clinical disorders such as obesity, allergy, and a variety of inflammatory diseases, including periodontal diseases. A better understanding of the delicate balance between the host and its resident microbiota could lead to novel approaches to the promotion of health and the prevention of dysbiosis.

Impact of the resident microbiota on the nutritional phenotype of Drosophila melanogaster.

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Emma V Ridley

Full Text Available Animals are chronically infected by benign and beneficial microorganisms that generally promote animal health through their effects on the nutrition, immune function and other physiological systems of the host. Insight into the host-microbial interactions can be obtained by comparing the traits of animals experimentally deprived of their microbiota and untreated animals. Drosophila melanogaster is an experimentally tractable system to study host-microbial interactions.The nutritional significance of the microbiota was investigated in D. melanogaster bearing unmanipulated microbiota, demonstrated by 454 sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons to be dominated by the α-proteobacterium Acetobacter, and experimentally deprived of the microbiota by egg dechorionation (conventional and axenic flies, respectively. In axenic flies, larval development rate was depressed with no effect on adult size relative to conventional flies, indicating that the microbiota promotes larval growth rates. Female fecundity did not differ significantly between conventional and axenic flies, but axenic flies had significantly reduced metabolic rate and altered carbohydrate allocation, including elevated glucose levels.We have shown that elimination of the resident microbiota extends larval development and perturbs energy homeostasis and carbohydrate allocation patterns of of D. melanogaster. Our results indicate that the resident microbiota promotes host nutrition and interacts with the regulation of host metabolism.

Zebrafish Axenic Larvae Colonization with Human Intestinal Microbiota.

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Arias-Jayo, Nerea; Alonso-Saez, Laura; Ramirez-Garcia, Andoni; Pardo, Miguel A

2018-04-01

The human intestine hosts a vast and complex microbial community that is vital for maintaining several functions related with host health. The processes that determine the gut microbiome composition are poorly understood, being the interaction between species, the external environment, and the relationship with the host the most feasible. Animal models offer the opportunity to understand the interactions between the host and the microbiota. There are different gnotobiotic mice or rat models colonized with the human microbiota, however, to our knowledge, there are no reports on the colonization of germ-free zebrafish with a complex human intestinal microbiota. In the present study, we have successfully colonized 5 days postfertilization germ-free zebrafish larvae with the human intestinal microbiota previously extracted from a donor and analyzed by high-throughput sequencing the composition of the transferred microbial communities that established inside the zebrafish gut. Thus, we describe for first time which human bacteria phylotypes are able to colonize the zebrafish digestive tract. Species with relevant interest because of their linkage to dysbiosis in different human diseases, such as Akkermansia muciniphila, Eubacterium rectale, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Prevotella spp., or Roseburia spp. have been successfully transferred inside the zebrafish digestive tract.

Gut microbiota may have influence on glucose and lipid metabolism

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Mikkelsen, Kristian Hallundbæk; Nielsen, Morten Frost; Tvede, Michael

2013-01-01

and that prebiotics, antibiotics or faecal transplantation can alter glucose and lipid metabolism. This paper summarizes the latest research regarding the association between gut microbiota, diabetes and obesity and some of the mechanisms by which gut bacteria may influence host metabolism.......New gene sequencing-based techniques and the large worldwide sequencing capacity have introduced a new era within the field of gut microbiota. Animal and human studies have shown that obesity and type 2 diabetes are associated with changes in the composition of the gut microbiota...

Gut microbiota may have influence on glucose and lipid metabolism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Kristian Hallundbæk; Nielsen, Morten Frost; Tvede, Michael

2013-01-01

New gene sequencing-based techniques and the large worldwide sequencing capacity have introduced a new era within the field of gut microbiota. Animal and human studies have shown that obesity and type 2 diabetes are associated with changes in the composition of the gut microbiota...... and that prebiotics, antibiotics or faecal transplantation can alter glucose and lipid metabolism. This paper summarizes the latest research regarding the association between gut microbiota, diabetes and obesity and some of the mechanisms by which gut bacteria may influence host metabolism....

Gut Immune Maturation Depends on Colonization with a Host-Specific Microbiota

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Chung, Hachung; Pamp, Sünje J.; Hill, Jonathan A.; Surana, Neeraj K.; Edelman, Sanna M.; Troy, Erin B.; Reading, Nicola C.; Villablanca, Eduardo J.; Wang, Sen; Mora, Jorge R.; Umesaki, Yoshinori; Mathis, Diane; Benoist, Christophe; Relman, David A.; Kasper, Dennis L.

2012-01-01

SUMMARY Gut microbial induction of host immune maturation exemplifies host-microbe mutualism. We colonized germ-free (GF) mice with mouse microbiota (MMb) or human microbiota (HMb) to determine whether small intestinal immune maturation depends on a coevolved host-specific microbiota. Gut bacterial numbers and phylum abundance were similar in MMb and HMb mice, but bacterial species differed, especially the Firmicutes. HMb mouse intestines had low levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, few proliferating T cells, few dendritic cells, and low antimicrobial peptide expression–all characteristics of GF mice. Rat microbiota also failed to fully expand intestinal T cell numbers in mice. Colonizing GF or HMb mice with mouse-segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) partially restored T cell numbers, suggesting that SFB and other MMb organisms are required for full immune maturation in mice. Importantly, MMb conferred better protection against Salmonella infection than HMb. A host-specific microbiota appears to be critical for a healthy immune system. PMID:22726443

Evidence That the Microbiota Counteracts Male Outbreeding Strategy by Inhibiting Sexual Signaling in Females

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Chloe Heys

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The microbiota is increasingly being recognized as having important impacts on many host biological processes. However, evidence of its effects on animal communication and breeding strategy is lacking. In this three-factorial study, we show that females were more willing to mate with related males, with relatedness likely being assessed through the microbiota. By contrast, male mating investment is concurrently determined by both the relatedness and microbiota status of the female. When the microbiota in female Drosophila melanogaster is altered by an antibiotic, male investment in sperm number increased when mating with unrelated females compared to related ones. Contrastingly, the presence of an intact microbiota in females canceled this male outbreeding strategy. As a consequence, the microbiota, when intact, decreased the fitness of the mating couple. Furthermore, we showed that female sexual signaling (cuticular hydrocarbons, with regards to kin recognition, significantly interacts with microbiota. Interestingly, the interaction is significant for hydrocarbons expressed by both sexes, but not for female-specific compounds. Taken together, our results suggest that microbiota can influence kin recognition by disfavoring male outbreeding strategies, likely by inhibiting key olfactory sexual signaling. This represents the first evidence of a host outbreeding strategy counteracted by their microbiota.

Rett Syndrome: A Focus on Gut Microbiota

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Elisa Borghi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Rett syndrome (RTT is an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 1 in 10,000 live female births. Changes in microbiota composition, as observed in other neurological disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, may account for several symptoms typically associated with RTT. We studied the relationship between disease phenotypes and microbiome by analyzing diet, gut microbiota, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA production. We enrolled eight RTT patients and 10 age- and sex-matched healthy women, all without dietary restrictions. The microbiota was characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and SCFAs concentration was determined by gas chromatographic analysis. The RTT microbiota showed a lower α diversity, an enrichment in Bacteroidaceae, Clostridium spp., and Sutterella spp., and a slight depletion in Ruminococcaceae. Fecal SCFA concentrations were similar, but RTT samples showed slightly higher concentrations of butyrate and propionate, and significant higher levels in branched-chain fatty acids. Daily caloric intake was similar in the two groups, but macronutrient analysis showed a higher protein content in RTT diets. Microbial function prediction suggested in RTT subjects an increased number of microbial genes encoding for propionate and butyrate, and amino acid metabolism. A full understanding of these critical features could offer new, specific strategies for managing RTT-associated symptoms, such as dietary intervention or pre/probiotic supplementation.

Alterações hematológicas em bovinos submetidos ao envenenamento crotálico

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P. M. Ferreira

2005-03-01

Full Text Available RESUMO: O quadro clínico observado ao exame do animal acidentado pela cascavél sul americana (Crotalus durissus terrificus , portadora de veneno contendo quantidades significativas da toxina crotamina, é de difícil diferenciação clínica com outras doenças. Com o objetivo de se estabelecer alterações hematológicas que auxiliem o diagnóstico desta condição mórbida, cinco fêmeas bovinas mestiças, com idade variando entre dois e três anos, foram inoculadas com veneno crotálico do tipo crotamina positivo, utilizando a dose de 0,03 mg por quilo de pêso vivo, na região glútea, por via intramuscular. Colheu-se amostras de sangue para realizar os exames laboratoriais antes e a cada duas horas após a inoculação, até a morte dos animais. Verificou-se que: o número de hemácias, o volume corpuscular médio ( VCM , a hemoglobina corpuscular média ( HCM , os números de leucócitos totais, de linfócitos, de neutrófilos e de monócitos, tiveram aumentos significativos e que os números de leucócitos totais apresentaram comportamento atípico, caracterizado por leucocitoses com valores atingindo até 60.000 celulas/mm,3 a cada seis horas, alternadas por quedas para em torno de 13.000 células/mm3. Pelo exposto, concluiu-se que a observação destas alterações poderá auxiliar o estabelecimento do diagnóstico desta afecção nos bovinos. PALAVRAS CHAVE: Envenenamento crotálico; hemograma; bovinos. SUMMARY: The clinical findings observed at examination of an animal attacked by South American rattle snake (Crotalus durissus terrificus , that has poison containing significative crotamine toxin quantites are difficult to distinguish from other diseases. With the aim of establishing haematological parameters of diagnostic value for this condition diagnosis, five crossbred female cattle, from two to three years old, were inoculated with

Microbiota conjuntival em pacientes com alergia ocular Conjunctival microbiota in patients with ocular allergy

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Alexandre Mattoso Libório

2005-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a presença de microbiota aeróbia da conjuntiva de portadores de alergia ocular e comparar a um grupo controle. MÉTODOS: Foram examinados 133 pacientes no período de abril a junho de 2001 divididos em 2 grupos. O grupo A foi composto de 63 portadores de conjuntivite alérgica (sem uso de medicação e o grupo B de 70 pacientes do ambulatório geral (controle. Foram coletadas amostras do fundo de saco conjuntival do olho direito de todos os pacientes e o material foi semeado em meios sólidos de cultura (ágar sangue, chocolate e Sabouraud. RESULTADOS: No grupo A, 30 culturas (47,7% foram positivas e no grupo B, 6 (8,6%. Sete bactérias foram isoladas no grupo A e 4 no B. A análise estatística revelou associação significante entre a positividade dos cultivos e conjuntivite alérgica. CONCLUSÃO: Microbiota bacteriana foi mais freqüentemente encontrada nos pacientes com alergia ocular.PURPOSE: To evaluate de presence of conjunctival aerobic microbiota in patients with ocular allergy as compared to a control group. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-three patients were evaluated from April to June 2001 and divided into 2 groups. Sixty-three patients with allergic conjunctivitis (without medication were in group A and 70 patients from the general outpatient clinic were in group B (control group. Samples from the conjunctival sac of the right eye were collected and cultured in solid media (blood, chocolate and Sabouraud agar. RESULTS: In group A, 30 cultures (47.7% were positive and 6 (8.6% in group B. Seven bacteria were isolated from group A and 4 from group B. Statistical analysis revealed significant association between positive cultures and allergic conjunctivitis. CONCLUSION: Bacterial microbiota was more frequently found in patients with ocular allergy.

Impact of Gut Microbiota on Obesity, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk.

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Miele, Luca; Giorgio, Valentina; Alberelli, Maria Adele; De Candia, Erica; Gasbarrini, Antonio; Grieco, Antonio

2015-12-01

Gut microbiota has been recently established to have a contributory role in the development of cardiometabolic disorders, such as atherosclerosis, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Growing interest has focused on the modulation of gut microbiota as a therapeutic strategy in cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. In this paper, we have reviewed the impact of gut microbiota on metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease risk, focusing on the newest findings in this field.

Effects of predation stress and food ration on perch gut microbiota.

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Zha, Yinghua; Eiler, Alexander; Johansson, Frank; Svanbäck, Richard

2018-02-06

Gut microbiota provide functions of importance to influence hosts' food digestion, metabolism, and protection against pathogens. Factors that affect the composition and functions of gut microbial communities are well studied in humans and other animals; however, we have limited knowledge of how natural food web factors such as stress from predators and food resource rations could affect hosts' gut microbiota and how it interacts with host sex. In this study, we designed a two-factorial experiment exposing perch (Perca fluviatilis) to a predator (pike, Esox lucius), and different food ratios, to examine the compositional and functional changes of perch gut microbiota based on 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. We also investigated if those changes are host sex dependent. We showed that overall gut microbiota composition among individual perch significantly responded to food ration and predator presence. We found that species richness decreased with predator presence, and we identified 23 taxa from a diverse set of phyla that were over-represented when a predator was present. For example, Fusobacteria increased both at the lowest food ration and at predation stress conditions, suggesting that Fusobacteria are favored by stressful situations for the host. In concordance, both food ration and predation stress seemed to influence the metabolic repertoire of the gut microbiota, such as biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites, metabolism of cofactors, and vitamins. In addition, the identified interaction between food ration and sex emphasizes sex-specific responses to diet quantity in gut microbiota. Collectively, our findings emphasize an alternative state in gut microbiota with responses to changes in natural food webs depending on host sex. The obtained knowledge from this study provided us with an important perspective on gut microbiota in a food web context.

Linking the microbiota, chronic disease and the immune system

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Hand, Timothy W.; Vujkovic-Cvijin, Ivan; Ridaura, Vanessa K.; Belkaid, Yasmine

2016-01-01

Chronic inflammatory diseases are the most important causes of mortality in the world today and are on the rise. We now know that immune-driven inflammation is critical in the etiology of these diseases, though the environmental triggers and cellular mechanisms that lead to their development are still mysterious. Many chronic inflammatory diseases are associated with significant shifts in the microbiota towards inflammatory configurations, which can affect the host both by inducing local and systemic inflammation and by alterations in microbiota-derived metabolites. This review discusses recent findings suggesting that shifts in the microbiota may contribute to chronic disease via effects on the immune system. PMID:27623245

Selective inbreeding does not increase gut microbiota similarity in BALB/c mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pang, Wanyong; Stradiotto, Damiano; Krych, Lukasz

2012-01-01

microbiota. BALB/cCrl mice were, however, found to have a mean heterozygosity of only 0.8% in their genome, and selection of breeders with a high similarity in the gut microbiota for three generations did not change the overall gut microbiota similarity, which was 66% in the P generation and 66%, 64% and 63...

Diversity and metabolic potential of the microbiota associated with a soil arthropod.

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Bahrndorff, Simon; de Jonge, Nadieh; Hansen, Jacob Kjerulf; Lauritzen, Jannik Mørk Skovgaard; Spanggaard, Lasse Holt; Sørensen, Mathias Hamann; Yde, Morten; Nielsen, Jeppe Lund

2018-02-06

Springtails are important members of the soil fauna and play a key role in plant litter decomposition, for example through stimulation of the microbial activity. However, their interaction with soil microorganisms remains poorly understood and it is unclear which microorganisms are associated to the springtail (endo) microbiota. Therefore, we assessed the structure of the microbiota of the springtail Orchesella cincta (L.) using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Individuals were sampled across sites in the field and the microbiota and in particular the endomicrobiota were investigated. The microbiota was dominated by the families of Rickettsiaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Comamonadaceae and at the genus level the most abundant genera included Rickettsia, Chryseobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Stenotrophomonas. Microbial communities were distinct for the interior of the springtails for measures of community diversity and exhibited structure according to collection sites. Functional analysis of the springtail bacterial community suggests that abundant members of the microbiota may be associated with metabolism including decomposition processes. Together these results add to the understanding of the microbiota of springtails and interaction with soil microorganisms including their putative functional roles.

Long-term monitoring of the human intestinal microbiota composition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rajilic-Stojanovic, M.; Heilig, G.H.J.; Tims, S.; Zoetendal, E.G.; Vos, de W.M.

2013-01-01

The microbiota that colonizes the human intestinal tract is complex and its structure is specific for each of us. In this study we expand the knowledge about the stability of the subject-specific microbiota and show that this ecosystem is stable in short-term intervals (¿10 years). The faecal

The gut microbiota influence behavior in the subchronic PCP induced animal model of schizophrenia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Bettina Merete Pyndt; Redrobe, Paul; Brønnum Pedersen, Tina

The gut microbiota has major impact on the individual. Here we show that the gut microbiota influence behavior in the subchronic PCP induced animal model of schizophrenia. The gut microbiota were changed in the group treated subchronic with PCP, and restoration coincided with normalisation...... of memory performance in lister hooded rats. Furthermore the individual gut microbiota correlated to the individual behavior abserved in the tests conducted. In conclusion results show an influence of the gut microbiota on behavior in this model, and therefore it might be relavant to include the information...

Composition and Predicted Metabolic Capacity of Upper and Lower Airway Microbiota of Healthy Dogs in Relation to the Fecal Microbiota.

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Ericsson, Aaron C; Personett, Alexa R; Grobman, Megan E; Rindt, Hansjorg; Reinero, Carol R

2016-01-01

The upper and lower airways of healthy humans are reported to harbor stable and consistent bacterial populations, and the composition of these communities is altered in individuals affected with several respiratory diseases. Data regarding the presence of airway microbiota in other animals are scant and a better understanding of the composition and metabolic function of such bacterial populations is essential for the development of novel therapeutic and diagnostic modalities for use in both veterinary and human medicine. Based on targeted next-generation sequencing of feces and samples collected at multiple levels of the airways from 16 healthy female dogs, we demonstrate that canine airways harbor a topographically continuous microbiota with increasing relative abundance of proteobacterial species from the upper to lower airways. The lung-associated microbiota, as assessed via bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), was the most consistent between dogs and was dominated by three distinct taxa, two of which were resolved to the species level and one to the level of family. The gene content of the nasal, oropharyngeal, and lung-associated microbiota, predicted using the Phylogenetic Investigations into Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) software, provided information regarding the glyoxylate and citrate cycle metabolic pathways utilized by these bacterial populations to colonize such nutrient-poor, low-throughput environments. These data generated in healthy subjects provide context for future analysis of diseased canine airways. Moreover, as dogs have similar respiratory anatomy, physiology, and immune systems as humans, are exposed to many of the same environmental stimuli, and spontaneously develop similar respiratory diseases, these data support the use of dogs as a model species for prospective studies of the airway microbiota, with findings translatable to the human condition.

[Diet and gut microbiota: two sides of the same coin?

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Schiumerini, Ramona; Pasqui, Francesca; Festi, Davide

2018-01-01

Gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem, resident in the digestive tract, exerting multiple functions that can have a significant impact on the pathophysiology of the host organism. The composition and functions of this "superorganism" are influenced by many factors, and among them, the host's dietary habits seem to have a significant effect. Dietary changes in the evolution of human history and in the different stages of life of the human subjects are responsible for qualitative and functional modification of gut microbiota. At the same time, the different dietary models adopted in worldwide geographic areas take into account the inter-individual differences concerning composition and microbial function. This close relationship between diet, gut microbiota and host seems, in fact, to be responsible for the protection or predisposition to develop several metabolic, immunological, neoplastic and functional diseases. Thus, several studies have evaluated the impact of diet and lifestyle modification strategies on gut microbiota composition and functions which, in turn, seems to affect the effectiveness of such therapeutic measures. Gut microbiota manipulation strategies, as complementary to dietary modifications, represent a fascinating field of research, even if consolidated data are still lacking.

A novel peptide from the ACEI/BPP-CNP precursor in the venom of Crotalus durissus collilineatus.

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Higuchi, Shigesada; Murayama, Nobuhiro; Saguchi, Ken-ichi; Ohi, Hiroaki; Fujita, Yoshiaki; da Silva, Nelson Jorge; de Siqueira, Rodrigo José Bezerra; Lahlou, Saad; Aird, Steven D

2006-10-01

In crotaline venoms, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors [ACEIs, also known as bradykinin potentiating peptides (BPPs)], are products of a gene coding for an ACEI/BPP-C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) precursor. In the genes from Bothrops jararaca and Gloydius blomhoffii, ACEI/BPP sequences are repeated. Sequencing of a cDNA clone from venom glands of Crotalus durissus collilineatus showed that two ACEIs/BPPs are located together at the N-terminus, but without repeats. An additional sequence for CNP was unexpectedly found at the C-terminus. Homologous genes for the ACEI/BPP-CNP precursor suggest that most crotaline venoms contain both ACEIs/BPPs and CNP. The sequence of ACEIs/BPPs is separated from the CNP sequence by a long spacer sequence. Previously, there was no evidence that this spacer actually coded any expressed peptides. Aird and Kaiser (1986, unpublished) previously isolated and sequenced a peptide of 11 residues (TPPAGPDVGPR) from Crotalus viridis viridis venom. In the present study, analysis of the cDNA clone from C. d. collilineatus revealed a nearly identical sequence in the ACEI/BPP-CNP spacer. Fractionation of the crude venom by reverse phase HPLC (C(18)), and analysis of the fractions by mass spectrometry (MS) indicated a component of 1020.5 Da. Amino acid sequencing by MS/MS confirmed that C. d. collilineatus venom contains the peptide TPPAGPDGGPR. Its high proline content and paired proline residues are typical of venom hypotensive peptides, although it lacks the usual N-terminal pyroglutamate. It has no demonstrable hypotensive activity when injected intravenously in rats; however, its occurrence in the venoms of dissimilar species suggests that its presence is not accidental. Evidence suggests that these novel toxins probably activate anaphylatoxin C3a receptors.

Gut Microbiota in Human Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and a Mouse Model of Lupus.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Xin M; Edwards, Michael R; Mu, Qinghui; Yu, Yang; Vieson, Miranda D; Reilly, Christopher M; Ahmed, S Ansar; Bankole, Adegbenga A

2018-02-15

Gut microbiota dysbiosis has been observed in a number of autoimmune diseases. However, the role of the gut microbiota in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a prototypical autoimmune disease characterized by persistent inflammation in multiple organs of the body, remains elusive. Here we report the dynamics of the gut microbiota in a murine lupus model, NZB/W F1, as well as intestinal dysbiosis in a small group of SLE patients with active disease. The composition of the gut microbiota changed markedly before and after the onset of lupus disease in NZB/W F1 mice, with greater diversity and increased representation of several bacterial species as lupus progressed from the predisease stage to the diseased stage. However, we did not control for age and the cage effect. Using dexamethasone as an intervention to treat SLE-like signs, we also found that a greater abundance of a group of lactobacilli (for which a species assignment could not be made) in the gut microbiota might be correlated with more severe disease in NZB/W F1 mice. Results of the human study suggest that, compared to control subjects without immune-mediated diseases, SLE patients with active lupus disease possessed an altered gut microbiota that differed in several particular bacterial species (within the genera Odoribacter and Blautia and an unnamed genus in the family Rikenellaceae ) and was less diverse, with increased representation of Gram-negative bacteria. The Firmicutes / Bacteroidetes ratios did not differ between the SLE microbiota and the non-SLE microbiota in our human cohort. IMPORTANCE SLE is a complex autoimmune disease with no known cure. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota has been reported for both mice and humans with SLE. In this emerging field, however, more studies are required to delineate the roles of the gut microbiota in different lupus-prone mouse models and people with diverse manifestations of SLE. Here, we report changes in the gut microbiota in NZB/W F1 lupus-prone mice and a

Abnormal vaginal microbiota may be associated with poor reproductive outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haahr, T.

2016-01-01

primers were specific for four common Lactobacillus spp., G. vaginalis and A. vaginae. Results: The prevalence of BV defined by Nugent score was 21% (27/130), whereas the prevalence of an abnormal vaginal microbiota was 28% (36/130) defined by qPCR with high concentrations of G. vaginalis and/or A....... vaginae. The qPCR diagnostic approach had a sensitivity and specificity of 93% and 93% for Nugent-defined BV. Eighty-four patients completed IVF treatment. The overall clinical pregnancy rate was 35% (29/84). Interestingly, only 9% (2/22) with qPCR defined abnormal vaginal microbiota obtained a clinical...... pregnancy (P = 0.004). Wider implications: If a negative correlation between abnormal vaginal microbiota and the clinical pregnancy rate is corroborated, patients could be screened and subsequently treated for abnormal vaginal microbiota prior to fertility treatment....

Gut microbiota modulates alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety in mice.

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Xiao, Hui-Wen; Ge, Chang; Feng, Guo-Xing; Li, Yuan; Luo, Dan; Dong, Jia-Li; Li, Hang; Wang, Haichao; Cui, Ming; Fan, Sai-Jun

2018-05-01

Excessive alcohol consumption remains a major public health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. Accumulative experimental evidence has suggested an important involvement of gut microbiota in the modulation of host's immunological and neurological functions. However, it is previously unknown whether enteric microbiota is implicated in the formation of alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety. Using a murine model of chronic alcoholism and withdrawal, we examined the impact of alcohol consumption on the possible alterations of gut microbiota as well as alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety and behavior changes. The 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that alcohol consumption did not alter the abundance of bacteria, but markedly changed the composition of gut microbiota. Moreover, the transplantation of enteric microbes from alcohol-fed mice to normal healthy controls remarkably shaped the composition of gut bacteria, and elicited behavioral signs of alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we further confirmed that the expression of genes implicated in alcohol addiction, BDNF, CRHR1 and OPRM1, was also altered by transplantation of gut microbes from alcohol-exposed donors. Collectively, our findings suggested a possibility that the alterations of gut microbiota composition might contribute to the development of alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety, and reveal potentially new etiologies for treating alcohol addiction. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Card9 mediates susceptibility to intestinal pathogens through microbiota modulation and control of bacterial virulence.

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Lamas, Bruno; Michel, Marie-Laure; Waldschmitt, Nadine; Pham, Hang-Phuong; Zacharioudaki, Vassiliki; Dupraz, Louise; Delacre, Myriam; Natividad, Jane M; Costa, Gregory Da; Planchais, Julien; Sovran, Bruno; Bridonneau, Chantal; Six, Adrien; Langella, Philippe; Richard, Mathias L; Chamaillard, Mathias; Sokol, Harry

2017-08-08

In association with innate and adaptive immunity, the microbiota controls the colonisation resistance against intestinal pathogens. Caspase recruitment domain 9 ( CARD9 ), a key innate immunity gene, is required to shape a normal gut microbiota. Card9 -/- mice are more susceptible to the enteric mouse pathogen Citrobacter rodentium that mimics human infections with enteropathogenic and enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli . Here, we examined how CARD9 controls C. rodentium infection susceptibility through microbiota-dependent and microbiota-independent mechanisms. C. rodentium infection was assessed in conventional and germ-free (GF) wild-type (WT) and Card9 -/- mice. To explore the impact of Card9 -/- microbiota in infection susceptibility, GF WT mice were colonised with WT (WT→GF) or Card9 -/- ( Card9 -/- →GF) microbiota before C. rodentium infection. Microbiota composition was determined by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Inflammation severity was determined by histology score and lipocalin level. Microbiota-host immune system interactions were assessed by quantitative PCR analysis. CARD9 controls pathogen virulence in a microbiota-independent manner by supporting a specific humoral response. Higher susceptibility to C. rodentium -induced colitis was observed in Card9 -/- →GF mice. The microbiota of Card9 -/- mice failed to outcompete the monosaccharide-consuming C. rodentium , worsening the infection severity. A polysaccharide-enriched diet counteracted the ecological advantage of C. rodentium and the defective pathogen-specific antibody response in Card9 -/- mice. CARD9 modulates the susceptibility to intestinal infection by controlling the pathogen virulence in a microbiota-dependent and microbiota-independent manner. Genetic susceptibility to intestinal pathogens can be overridden by diet intervention that restores humoural immunity and a competing microbiota. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017

Microbial endocrinology and the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

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Lyte, Mark

2014-01-01

Microbial endocrinology is defined as the study of the ability of microorganisms to both produce and recognize neurochemicals that originate either within the microorganisms themselves or within the host they inhabit. As such, microbial endocrinology represents the intersection of the fields of microbiology and neurobiology. The acquisition of neurochemical-based cell-to-cell signaling mechanisms in eukaryotic organisms is believed to have been acquired due to late horizontal gene transfer from prokaryotic microorganisms. When considered in the context of the microbiota's ability to influence host behavior, microbial endocrinology with its theoretical basis rooted in shared neuroendocrine signaling mechanisms provides for testable experiments with which to understand the role of the microbiota in host behavior and as importantly the ability of the host to influence the microbiota through neuroendocrine-based mechanisms.

The role of gut microbiota in metabolic regulation

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Ekaterina N. Kravchuk

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Obesity and metabolic syndrome are among the major problems of modern society. The increase in obesity is associated with a corresponding increase in type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. A huge amount of scientific research has been devoted to the development of methods to reduce obesity and its complications. In recent years, attention has shifted towards studying the intestinal microbiota not only as a possible component of the pathological process but also as a target of therapeutic intervention. Recent evidence, primarily from investigations in animal models, suggests that the intestinal microbiota affects nutrient acquisition and energy regulation. This review will discuss the role of the intestinal microbiota in metabolic processes as well as the latest developments on the improvement of disturbances specific to obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Changes in the gut microbiota of cloned and non-cloned control pigs during development of obesity: gut microbiota during development of obesity in cloned pigs.

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Pedersen, Rebecca; Andersen, Anders Daniel; Mølbak, Lars; Stagsted, Jan; Boye, Mette

2013-02-07

Obesity induced by a high-caloric diet has previously been associated with changes in the gut microbiota in mice and in humans. In this study, pigs were cloned to minimize genetic and biological variation among the animals with the aim of developing a controlled metabolomic model suitable for a diet-intervention study. Cloning of pigs may be an attractive way to reduce genetic influences when investigating the effect of diet and obesity on different physiological sites. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the changes in the composition of the gut microbiota of cloned vs. non-cloned pigs during development of obesity by a high-fat/high-caloric diet. Furthermore, we investigated the association between diet-induced obesity and the relative abundance of the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in the fecal-microbiota. The fecal microbiota from obese cloned (n = 5) and non-cloned control pigs (n= 6) was investigated biweekly over a period of 136 days, by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and quantitative real time PCR (qPCR). A positive correlation was observed between body-weight at endpoint and percent body-fat in cloned (r=0.9, Pmicrobiota between the cloned pigs or between cloned and non-cloned control pigs. Body-weight correlated positively with the relative abundance of Firmicutes in both cloned (r=0.37; Pgut microbiota in neither the obese nor the lean state. Diet-induced obesity was associated with an increase in the relative abundance of Firmicutes over time. Our results suggest that cloned pigs are not a more suitable animal model for gut microbiota-obesity related studies than non-cloned pigs. This study is the first to evaluate if cloned pigs provide a better animal model than conventional pigs in diet-intervention, obesity and gut microbiota research.

Gut instincts: microbiota as a key regulator of brain development, ageing and neurodegeneration

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Dinan, Timothy G.

2016-01-01

Abstract There is a growing realisation that the gut–brain axis and its regulation by the microbiota may play a key role in the biological and physiological basis of neurodevelopmental, age‐related and neurodegenerative disorders. The routes of communication between the microbiota and brain are being unravelled and include the vagus nerve, gut hormone signalling, the immune system, tryptophan metabolism or by way of microbial metabolites such as short chain fatty acids. The importance of early life gut microbiota in shaping future health outcomes is also emerging. Disturbances of this composition by way of antibiotic exposure, lack of breastfeeding, infection, stress and the environmental influences coupled with the influence of host genetics can result in long‐term effects on physiology and behaviour, at least in animal models. It is also worth noting that mode of delivery at birth influences microbiota composition with those born by Caesarean section having a distinctly different microbiota in early life to those born per vaginum. At the other extreme of life, ageing is associated with a narrowing in microbial diversity and healthy ageing correlates with a diverse microbiome. Recently, the gut microbiota has been implicated in a variety of conditions including depression, autism, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. There is still considerable debate as to whether or not the gut microbiota changes are core to the pathophysiology of such conditions or are merely epiphenomenal. It is plausible that such neuropsychiatric disorders might be treated in the future by targeting the microbiota either by microbiota transplantation, antibiotics or psychobiotics. PMID:27641441

Diversity of vaginal microbiota increases by the time of labor onset

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Avershina, Ekaterina; Slangsvold, Silje; Simpson, Melanie Rae; Storrø, Ola; Johnsen, Roar; Øien, Torbjørn; Rudi, Knut

2017-01-01

Vaginal microbiota is an important early source of bacterial colonization for newborns. However, only a few small studies have investigated the composition of vaginal microbiota during labor. In this work, we analyzed vaginal swabs collected at 36 weeks gestation and at the onset of labor from 256 women participating in a randomized placebo-controlled study of probiotic supplementation for the prevention of atopic dermatitis in offspring. Although individuals’ vaginal microbiota was stable ov...

The role of tissue-specific microbiota in initial establishment success of Pacific oysters.

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Lokmer, Ana; Kuenzel, Sven; Baines, John F; Wegner, Karl Mathias

2016-03-01

Microbiota can have positive and negative effects on hosts depending on the environmental conditions. Therefore, it is important to decipher host-microbiota-environment interactions, especially under natural conditions exerting (a)biotic stress. Here, we assess the relative importance of microbiota in different tissues of Pacific oyster for its successful establishment in a new environment. We transplanted oysters from the Southern to the Northern Wadden Sea and controlled for the effects of resident microbiota by administering antibiotics to half of the oysters. We then followed survival and composition of haemolymph, mantle, gill and gut microbiota in local and translocated oysters over 5 days. High mortality was recorded only in non-antibiotic-treated translocated oysters, where high titres of active Vibrio sp. in solid tissues indicated systemic infections. Network analyses revealed the highest connectivity and a link to seawater communities in the haemolymph microbiota. Since antibiotics decreased modularity and increased connectivity of the haemolymph-based networks, we propose that community destabilization in non-treated translocated oysters could be attributed to interactions between resident and external microbiota, which in turn facilitated passage of vibrios into solid tissues and invoked disease. These interactions of haemolymph microbiota with the external and internal environment may thus represent an important component of oyster fitness. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Human Gut Microbiota

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Harmsen, Hermie J. M.; de Goffau, Marcus. C.; Schwiertz, A

2016-01-01

The microbiota in our gut performs many different essential functions that help us to stay healthy. These functions include vitamin production, regulation of lipid metabolism and short chain fatty acid production as fuel for epithelial cells and regulation of gene expression. There is a very

Symbiotic and antibiotic interactions between gut commensal microbiota and host immune system

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Mantas Kazimieras Malys

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The human gut commensal microbiota forms a complex population of microorganisms that survive by maintaining a symbiotic relationship with the host. Amongst the metabolic benefits it brings, formation of adaptive immune system and maintenance of its homeostasis are functions that play an important role. This review discusses the integral elements of commensal microbiota that stimulate responses of different parts of the immune system and lead to health or disease. It aims to establish conditions and factors that contribute to gut commensal microbiota's transformation from symbiotic to antibiotic relationship with human. We suggest that the host-microbiota relationship has been evolved to benefit both parties and any changes that may lead to disease, are not due to unfriendly properties of the gut microbiota but due to host genetics or environmental changes such as diet or infection.

The role of the adaptive immune system in regulation of gut microbiota.

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Kato, Lucia M; Kawamoto, Shimpei; Maruya, Mikako; Fagarasan, Sidonia

2014-07-01

The gut nourishes rich bacterial communities that affect profoundly the functions of the immune system. The relationship between gut microbiota and the immune system is one of reciprocity. The microbiota contributes to nutrient processing and the development, maturation, and function of the immune system. Conversely, the immune system, particularly the adaptive immune system, plays a key role in shaping the repertoire of gut microbiota. The fitness of host immune system is reflected in the gut microbiota, and deficiencies in either innate or adaptive immunity impact on diversity and structures of bacterial communities in the gut. Here, we discuss the mechanisms that underlie this reciprocity and emphasize how the adaptive immune system via immunoglobulins (i.e. IgA) contributes to diversification and balance of gut microbiota required for immune homeostasis. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Alteration of Nasopharyngeal and Oropharyngeal Microbiota in Children with MPP and Non-MPP

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Zhiwei Lu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background: In recent years, the morbidity of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP has increased significantly in China. A growing number of studies indicate that imbalanced respiratory microbiota is associated with various respiratory diseases. Methods: We enrolled 119 children, including 60 pneumonia patients and 59 healthy children. Nasopharyngeal (NP and oropharyngeal (OP sampling was performed for 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA gene analysis of all children. Sputum and OP swabs were obtained from patients for pathogen detection. Results: Both the NP and OP microbiota of patients differ significantly from that of healthy children. Diseased children harbor lower microbial diversity and a simpler co-occurrence network in NP and OP. In pneumonia patients, NP and OP microbiota showed greater similarities between each other, suggesting transmission of NP microbiota to the OP. Aside from clinically detected pathogens, NP and OP microbiota analysis has also identified possible pathogens in seven cases with unknown infections. Conclusion: NP and OP microbiota in MPP and non-MPP are definitely similar. Respiratory infection generates imbalanced NP microbiota, which has the potential to transmit to OP. Microbiota analysis also promises to compliment the present means of detecting respiratory pathogens.

Comparative Analysis of the Gut Microbiota Composition between Captive and Wild Forest Musk Deer

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Yimeng Li

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The large and complex gut microbiota in animals has profound effects on feed utilization and metabolism. Currently, gastrointestinal diseases due to dysregulated gut microbiota are considered important factors that limit growth of the captive forest musk deer population. Compared with captive forest musk deer, wild forest musk deer have a wider feeding range with no dietary limitations, and their gut microbiota are in a relatively natural state. However, no reports have compared the gut microbiota between wild and captive forest musk deer. To gain insight into the composition of gut microbiota in forest musk deer under different food-source conditions, we employed high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing technology to investigate differences in the gut microbiota occurring between captive and wild forest musk deer. Both captive and wild forest musk deer showed similar microbiota at the phylum level, which consisted mainly of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, although significant differences were found in their relative abundances between both groups. α-Diversity results showed that no significant differences occurred in the microbiota between both groups, while β-diversity results showed that significant differences did occur in their microbiota compositions. In summary, our results provide important information for improving feed preparation for captive forest musk deer and implementing projects where captive forest musk deer are released into the wild.

Early fecal microbiota composition in children who later develop celiac disease and associated autoimmunity.

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Rintala, Anniina; Riikonen, Iiris; Toivonen, Anne; Pietilä, Sami; Munukka, Eveliina; Pursiheimo, Juha-Pekka; Elo, Laura L; Arikoski, Pekka; Luopajärvi, Kristiina; Schwab, Ursula; Uusitupa, Matti; Heinonen, Seppo; Savilahti, Erkki; Eerola, Erkki; Ilonen, Jorma

2018-04-01

Several studies have reported that the intestinal microbiota composition of celiac disease (CD) patients differs from healthy individuals. The possible role of gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of the disease is, however, not known. Here, we aimed to assess the possible differences in early fecal microbiota composition between children that later developed CD and healthy controls matched for age, sex and HLA risk genotype. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to examine the fecal microbiota of 27 children with high genetic risk of developing CD. Nine of these children developed the disease by the age of 4 years. Stool samples were collected at the age of 9 and 12 months, before any of the children had developed CD. The fecal microbiota composition of children who later developed the disease was compared with the microbiota of the children who did not have CD or associated autoantibodies at the age of 4 years. Delivery mode, early nutrition, and use of antibiotics were taken into account in the analyses. No statistically significant differences in the fecal microbiota composition were found between children who later developed CD (n = 9) and the control children without disease or associated autoantibodies (n = 18). Based on our results, the fecal microbiota composition at the age of 9 and 12 months is not associated with the development of CD. Our results, however, do not exclude the possibility of duodenal microbiota changes or a later microbiota-related trigger for the disease.

Dietary Factors Modulate Colonic Tumorigenesis Through the Interaction of Gut Microbiota and Host Chloride Channels.

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Zhang, Yong; Kang, Chao; Wang, Xiao-Lan; Zhou, Min; Chen, Meng-Ting; Zhu, Xiao-Hui; Liu, Kai; Wang, Bin; Zhang, Qian-Yong; Zhu, Jun-Dong; Mi, Man-Tian

2018-03-01

In recent decades, the association among diet, gut microbiota, and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been established. Gut microbiota and associated metabolites, such as bile acids and butyrate, are now known to play a key role in CRC development. The aim of this study is to identify that the progression to CRC is influenced by cholic acid, sodium butyrate, a high-fat diet, or different dose of dihydromyricetin (DMY) interacted with gut microbiota. An AOM/DSS (azoxymethan/dextran sodium sulfate) model is established to study the gut microbiota compsition before and after tumor formation during colitis-induced tumorigenesis. All above dietary factors profoundly influence the composition of gut microbiota and host colonic tumorigenesis. In addition, mice with DMY-modified initial microbiota display different degrees of chemically induced tumorigenesis. Mechanism analysis reveals that gut microbiota-associated chloride channels participated in colon tumorigenesis. Gut microbiota changes occur in the hyperproliferative stage before tumor formation. Gut microbiota and host chloride channels, both of which are regulated by dietary factors, are associated with CRC development. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Gut microbiota modulation of chemotherapy efficacy and toxicity

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Alexander, James L.; Wilson, Ian D.; Teare, Julian; Marchesi, Julian Roberto; Nicholson, Jeremy K.; Kinross, James M.

2017-01-01

Evidence is growing that the gut microbiota modulates the host response to chemotherapeutic drugs, with three main clinical outcomes: facilitation of drug efficacy; abrogation and compromise of anticancer effects; and mediation of toxicity. The implication is that gut microbiota are critical to the development of personalized cancer treatment strategies and, therefore, a greater insight into prokaryotic co-metabolism of chemotherapeutic drugs is now required. This thinking is based on evidenc...

Microbiota intestinal, probióticos y prebióticos

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Carlos David Castañeda Guillot

2017-12-01

Full Text Available La microbiota intestinal es el elemento fundamental del “Ecosistema Intestinal”, cuyas acciones tienen un efecto beneficioso para la salud, al participar de forma activa en los procesos de digestión de nutrientes asociado a sus mecanismos sobre la homeostasis y la inmunidad del intestino. Los probióticos y prebióticos juegan un rol decisivo en la modulación de la microbiota intestinal y han demostrado sus beneficios para el tratamiento de distintas enfermedades intestinales y extra-intestinales. Se realizó una búsqueda en bases documentales de PubMed, SciELO y Latindex de publicaciones relacionadas con la microbiota intestinal, probióticos y prebióticos hasta el 30 junio 2017. Son actualizados los criterios relacionados con las funciones de la microbiota intestinal, el proceso de implantación a partir del nacimiento, el desarrollo acelerado en su composición, los distintos factores que influencian en su diversidad y estabilidad para mantener un estado de eubiosis en el curso de la vida. El desequlibrio de la misma (disbiosis es un elemento de importancia en la producción de afecciones intestinales y extra-intestinales agudas y crónicas. Se revisaron los probióticos y prebióticos, sus ventajas, tipos, indicaciones y las formas de obtención de los prebióticos. El papel de la microbiota intestinal como órgano metabólico por sus múltiples funciones, en especial la homeostasis e inmunidad intestinal y sus beneficios para la salud son revisados. La participación de los probióticos y prebióticos como terapéutica y sus efectos en enfermedades intestinales y extra-intestinales relacionadas con la microbiota y su modulación son examinados por su importancia en la práctica médica.

Alternation of Gut Microbiota in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

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Mei Luo

2017-11-01

Full Text Available One-third of the world's population has been infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis, a primary pathogen of the mammalian respiratory system, while about 10% of latent infections progress to active tuberculosis (TB, indicating that host and environmental factors may determine the outcomes such as infection clearance/persistence and treatment prognosis. The gut microbiota is essential for development of host immunity, defense, nutrition and metabolic homeostasis. Thus, the pattern of gut microbiota may contribute to M. tuberculosis infection and prognosis. In current study we characterized the differences in gut bacterial communities in new tuberculosis patients (NTB, recurrent tuberculosis patients (RTB, and healthy control. The abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE showed the diversity index of the gut microbiota in the patients with recurrent tuberculosis was increased significantly compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05. At the phyla level, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, which contain many pathogenic species, were significantly enriched in the feces RTB patients. Conversely, phylum Bacteroidetes, containing a variety of beneficial commensal organisms, was reduced in the patients with the recurrent tuberculosis compared to healthy controls. The Gram-negative genus Prevotella of oral origin from phylum of Bacteroidetes and genus Lachnospira from phylum of Firmicutes were significantly decreased in both the new and recurrent TB patient groups, compared with the healthy control group (p < 0.05. We also found that there was a positive correlation between the gut microbiota and peripheral CD4+ T cell counts in the patients. This study, for the first time, showed associations between gut microbiota with tuberculosis and its clinical outcomes. Maintaining eubiosis, namely homeostasis of gut microbiota, may be beneficial for host recovery and prevention of recurrence of M. tuberculosis infection.

Immunomodulation by Gut Microbiota: Role of Toll-Like Receptor Expressed by T Cells

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Mariagrazia Valentini

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A close relationship exists between gut microbiota and immune responses. An imbalance of this relationship can determine local and systemic immune diseases. In fact the immune system plays an essential role in maintaining the homeostasis with the microbiota that normally resides in the gut, while, at the same time, the gut microbiota influences the immune system, modulating number and function of effector and regulatory T cells. To achieve this aim, mutual regulation between immune system and microbiota is achieved through several mechanisms, including the engagement of toll-like receptors (TLRs, pathogen-specific receptors expressed on numerous cell types. TLRs are able to recognize ligands from commensal or pathogen microbiota to maintain the tolerance or trigger the immune response. In this review, we summarize the latest evidences about the role of TLRs expressed in adaptive T cells, to understand how the immune system promotes intestinal homeostasis, fights invasion by pathogens, and is modulated by the intestinal microbiota.

Reframing the Teenage Wasteland: Adolescent Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis.

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McVey Neufeld, Karen-Anne; Luczynski, Pauline; Dinan, Timothy G; Cryan, John F

2016-04-01

Human adolescence is arguably one of the most challenging periods of development. The young adult is exposed to a variety of stressors and environmental stimuli on a backdrop of significant physiological change and development, which is especially apparent in the brain. It is therefore unsurprising that many psychiatric disorders are first observable during this time. The human intestine is inhabited by trillions of microorganisms, and evidence from both preclinical and clinical research focusing on the established microbiota-gut-brain axis suggests that the etiology and pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders may be influenced by intestinal dysbiosis. Provocatively, many if not all of the challenges faced by the developing teen have a documented impact on these intestinal commensal microbiota. In this review, we briefly summarize what is known about the developing adolescent brain and intestinal microbiota, discuss recent research investigating the microbiota-gut-brain axis during puberty, and propose that pre- and probiotics may prove useful in both the prevention and treatment of psychiatric disorders specifically benefitting the young adult. © The Author(s) 2016.

The airway microbiota in early cystic fibrosis lung disease.

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Frayman, Katherine B; Armstrong, David S; Grimwood, Keith; Ranganathan, Sarath C

2017-11-01

Infection plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. Over the past two decades, the application of molecular and extended culture-based techniques to microbial analysis has changed our understanding of the lungs in both health and disease. CF lung disease is a polymicrobial disorder, with obligate and facultative anaerobes recovered alongside traditional pathogens in varying proportions, with some differences observed to correlate with disease stage. While healthy lungs are not sterile, differences between the lower airway microbiota of individuals with CF and disease-controls are already apparent in childhood. Understanding the evolution of the CF airway microbiota, and its relationship with clinical treatments and outcome at each disease stage, will improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of CF lung disease and potentially inform clinical management. This review summarizes current knowledge of the early development of the respiratory microbiota in healthy children and then discusses what is known about the airway microbiota in individuals with CF, including how it evolves over time and where future research priorities lie. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Human Gut Microbiota Predicts Susceptibility to Vibrio cholerae Infection.

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Midani, Firas S; Weil, Ana A; Chowdhury, Fahima; Begum, Yasmin A; Khan, Ashraful I; Debela, Meti D; Durand, Heather K; Reese, Aspen T; Nimmagadda, Sai N; Silverman, Justin D; Ellis, Crystal N; Ryan, Edward T; Calderwood, Stephen B; Harris, Jason B; Qadri, Firdausi; David, Lawrence A; LaRocque, Regina C

2018-04-12

Cholera is a public health problem worldwide and the risk factors for infection are only partially understood. We prospectively studied household contacts of cholera patients to compare those who were infected with those who were not. We constructed predictive machine learning models of susceptibility using baseline gut microbiota data. We identified bacterial taxa associated with susceptibility to Vibrio cholerae infection and tested these taxa for interactions with V. cholerae in vitro. We found that machine learning models based on gut microbiota predicted V. cholerae infection as well as models based on known clinical and epidemiological risk factors. A 'predictive gut microbiota' of roughly 100 bacterial taxa discriminated between contacts who developed infection and those who did not. Susceptibility to cholera was associated with depleted levels of microbes from the phylum Bacteroidetes. By contrast, a microbe associated with cholera by our modeling framework, Paracoccus aminovorans, promoted the in vitro growth of V. cholerae. Gut microbiota structure, clinical outcome, and age were also linked. These findings support the hypothesis that abnormal gut microbial communities are a host factor related to V. cholerae susceptibility.

Microbiota e barreira intestinal: implicações para obesidade

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Alynne Moniellen Oliveira

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A epidemia da obesidade é considerada um importante problema de saúde pública na sociedade ocidental, pois ela relaciona-se à comorbidades como síndrome metabólica, diabetes mellitus e hipertensão. A microbiota intestinal pode contribuir para o desenvolvimento da obesidade através do aumento da extração energética dos componentes da dieta, da lipogênese, da permeabilidade intestinal e da endotoxemia, mediada especialmente pelos lipopolissacarídeos. Estudos tem demonstrado diferenças na composição da microbiota intestinal entre indivíduos obesos e magros. Ao que parece, o aumento na proporção de Firmicutes em relação a Bacteroidetes parece estar presente na obesidade, podendo ser alterada a medida que ocorre perda de peso. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo é revisar a literatura acerca dos mecanismos que relacionam a microbiota e a barreira intestinal ao desenvolvimento ou agravamento da obesidade. Palavras-chave: Obesidade; microbioma gastrointestinal; microbiota; permeabilidade intestinal

The role of the intestinal microbiota in pneumonia and sepsis

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Lankelma, J.M.

2017-01-01

Humans carry with them trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi that are collectively called the human microbiota. The intestinal microbiota fulfills essential functions in human physiology and has recently been suggested as a potential therapeutic target for several diseases. This thesis focuses on

Interpretation of microbiota-based diagnostics by explaining individual classifier decisions

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Eck, A.; Zintgraf, L.M.; de Groot, E.F.J.; de Meij, T.G.J.; Cohen, T.S.; Savelkoul, P.H.M.; Welling, M.; Budding, A.E.

2017-01-01

Background The human microbiota is associated with various disease states and holds a great promise for non-invasive diagnostics. However, microbiota data is challenging for traditional diagnostic approaches: It is high-dimensional, sparse and comprises of high inter-personal variation. State of the

Effect of diet on the intestinal microbiota and its activity

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Zoetendal, E.G.; Vos, de W.M.

2014-01-01

AB Purpose of review: To summarize and discuss recent findings concerning diet-microbiota-health relations. Recent findings: Mouse and other model animal studies have provided detailed insight into host-microbiota interactions, but cannot be extrapolated easily to humans that have different dietary

Enrichment and immobilization of sulfide removal microbiota applied for environmental biological remediation of aquaculture area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Yang-Guo; Zheng, Yu; Tian, Weijun; Bai, Jie; Feng, Gong; Guo, Liang; Gao, Mengchun

2016-01-01

To remove sulfide in the deteriorating aquaculture sediment and water, sulfide-oxidizing microbiota was enriched from Jiaozhou Bay, China, by using sulfide-rich medium. Composition and structure of microbial communities in the enrichments were investigated by 16S rDNA molecular biotechniques. Results showed that microbial community structure continuously shifted and the abundance of sulfate reducing bacteria, i.e., Desulfobacterium, Desulfococcus and Desulfobacca apparently declined. Several halophile genera, Vibrio, Marinobacter, Pseudomonas, Prochlorococcus, Pediococcus and Thiobacillus predominated finally in the microbiota. The enriched microbiota was capable of removing a maximum of 1000 mg/L sulfide within 12 h with 10% inoculum at pH 7.0, 20–30 °C. After immobilized, the microbiota presented excellent resistance to impact and could completely remove 600 mg/L sulfide in 12 h. Moreover, the immobilized microbiota recovered well even recycled for five times. In conclusion, the immobilized sulfide-removing microbiota showed a quite promising application for biological restoring of sulfide-rich aquaculture environment. - Highlights: • A sulfide-oxidizing microbiota successfully enriched from aquaculture sediment. • Microbiota dominated by Vibrio, Marinobacter, Pseudomonas and Thiobacillus spp. • Sulfide-oxidizing microbiota removed sulfide at an average rate of 100 mg/(L·h). • Immobilized microbiota removed over 85% of sulfide even recycled for five times.

The role of adaptive immunity as an ecological filter on the gut microbiota in zebrafish.

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Stagaman, Keaton; Burns, Adam R; Guillemin, Karen; Bohannan, Brendan Jm

2017-07-01

All animals live in intimate association with communities of microbes, collectively referred to as their microbiota. Certain host traits can influence which microbial taxa comprise the microbiota. One potentially important trait in vertebrate animals is the adaptive immune system, which has been hypothesized to act as an ecological filter, promoting the presence of some microbial taxa over others. Here we surveyed the intestinal microbiota of 68 wild-type zebrafish, with functional adaptive immunity, and 61 rag1 - zebrafish, lacking functional B- and T-cell receptors, to test the role of adaptive immunity as an ecological filter on the intestinal microbiota. In addition, we tested the robustness of adaptive immunity's filtering effects to host-host interaction by comparing the microbiota of fish populations segregated by genotype to those containing both genotypes. The presence of adaptive immunity individualized the gut microbiota and decreased the contributions of neutral processes to gut microbiota assembly. Although mixing genotypes led to increased phylogenetic diversity in each, there was no significant effect of adaptive immunity on gut microbiota composition in either housing condition. Interestingly, the most robust effect on microbiota composition was co-housing within a tank. In all, these results suggest that adaptive immunity has a role as an ecological filter of the zebrafish gut microbiota, but it can be overwhelmed by other factors, including transmission of microbes among hosts.

Diet-Intestinal Microbiota Axis in Osteoarthritis: A Possible Role

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Yusheng Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Intestinal microbiota is highly involved in host physiology and pathology through activity of the microbiome and its metabolic products. Osteoarthritis (OA is a common form of arthritis characterized by articular cartilage destruction and osteophyte formation. Although various person-level risk factors, such as age, sex, and obesity, have been proposed for the pathogenesis of OA, the underlying links between these person-level factors and OA are still enigmatic. Based on the current understanding in the crosstalk between intestinal microbiota and these risk factors, intestinal microbiota could be considered as a major hidden risk factor that provides a unifying mechanism to explain the involvement of these person-level risk factors in OA.

The NLR Protein NLRP6 Does Not Impact Gut Microbiota Composition

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Paul Lemire

2017-12-01

Full Text Available NLRP6 is a Nod-like receptor expressed in the intestinal epithelium. Previous studies reported a protective role for NLRP6 against intestinal injury and colitis-associated carcinogenesis via the regulation and establishment of a healthy microbiota. However, these results were not obtained using littermate animals, leaving the possibility that the pro-colitogenic microbiota phenotype associated with knockout (KO mice was stochastically acquired and genotype independent. Here, we analyzed the microbiota at three intestinal locations from Nlrp6−/− and wild-type (WT littermates, either co-caged or individually caged after weaning. Our results demonstrate that NLRP6 does not significantly influence the intestinal microbiota at homeostasis, and they support a previously reported sex-biased microbial community structure. Moreover, WT and Nlrp6−/− littermate mice displayed comparable sensitivity to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS-induced colitis, although increased sensitivity was noted in KO females. Our results clarify the role of NLRP6 in microbiota and colitis control, and they highlight the importance of analyzing littermate animals in such studies.

Helminth burden and ecological factors associated with alterations in wild host gastrointestinal microbiota

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Newbold, Lindsay K.; Burthe, Sarah J.; Oliver, Anna E.

2017-01-01

Infection by gastrointestinal helminths of humans, livestock and wild animals is common, but the impact of such endoparasites on wild hosts and their gut microbiota represents an important overlooked component of population dynamics. Wild host gut microbiota and endoparasites occupy the same...... to quantify helminth infection in situ. Microbiota from the significantly distinct proventriculus (site of infection), cloacal and faecal gastrointestinal tract microbiomes were characterised using 16S rRNA gene-targeted high-throughput sequencing. We found increasingly strong associations between helminth...... infection and microbiota composition progressing away from the site of infection, observing a pronounced dysbiosis in microbiota when samples were partitioned into high- and low-burden groups. We posit this dysbiosis is predominately explained by helminths inducing an anti-inflammatory environment...

Group B Streptococcus and the Vaginal Microbiota.

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Rosen, Geoffrey H; Randis, Tara M; Desai, Purnahamsi V; Sapra, Katherine J; Ma, Bing; Gajer, Pawel; Humphrys, Michael S; Ravel, Jacques; Gelber, Shari E; Ratner, Adam J

2017-09-15

Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus [GBS]) is an important neonatal pathogen and emerging cause of disease in adults. The major risk factor for neonatal disease is maternal vaginal colonization. However, little is known about the relationship between GBS and vaginal microbiota. Vaginal lavage samples from nonpregnant women were tested for GBS, and amplicon-based sequencing targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA V3-V4 region was performed. Four hundred twenty-eight of 432 samples met the high-quality read threshold. There was no relationship between GBS carriage and demographic characteristics, α-diversity, or overall vaginal microbiota community state type (CST). Within the non-Lactobacillus-dominant CST IV, GBS positive status was significantly more prevalent in CST IV-A than CST IV-B. Significant clustering by GBS status was noted on principal coordinates analysis, and 18 individual taxa were found to be significantly associated with GBS carriage by linear discriminant analysis. After adjusting for race/ethnicity, 4 taxa were positively associated with GBS, and 6 were negatively associated. Vaginal microbiota CST and α-diversity are not related to GBS status. However, specific microbial taxa are associated with colonization of this important human pathogen, highlighting a potential role for the microbiota in promotion or inhibition of GBS colonization. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Breaking paradigms. Intestinal microbiota transplantation: Preliminar report].

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Zamudio-Tiburcio, Álvaro; Bermúdez-Ruiz, Héctor; Lezama-Guzmán, Hugo Ricardo; Guevara-Ortigoza, María Del Pilar; Islas-Solares, Elena; Sosa-López, Francisco Antonio

2017-12-01

In the fourth century, during the Chinese Dong Jin dynasty, the doctor Ge Hong described good results after the oral administration of a suspension prepared from human faeces in patients with severe diarrhoea or food poisoning. Faecal microbiota transplantation has been used for five years in order to treat different diseases in addition to the severe diarrhoea caused by Clostridium difficile 1 . This paper aims to confirm that intestinal microbiota transplantation succeeds in reducing the negative impact of diseases such as severe diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, allergies, metabolic syndrome and others and that it is not only indicated for severe diarrhoea caused by C. difficile. This preliminary study included six patients who underwent faecal microbiota transplantation, aged 83, 76, 66, 37 and 36 years (four men and two women). An improvement in symptoms of 70% was observed. The methodology and criteria to be followed with donors are described and the results are listed in three tables. The methodology followed for the microbiota transplant is the same as that reported by other researchers for the treatment of C. difficile diarrhoea and other diseases. The discussion addresses the issues raised in other parts of the world in handling different pathologic entities, as well as genetic advances. The conclusions show encouraging results. Copyright © 2017 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Interactions of Dihydromyricetin, a Flavonoid from Vine Tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) with Gut Microbiota.

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Fan, Li; Zhao, Xinyuan; Tong, Qing; Zhou, Xiya; Chen, Jing; Xiong, Wei; Fang, Jianguo; Wang, Wenqing; Shi, Chunyang

2018-05-01

Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is the main bioactive constituent in vine tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata), which was predominantly distributed in the gastrointestinal tract and showed poor oral bioavailability. Our aim was to systematically investigate the interactions of DMY with gut microbiota. Through the metabolism study of DMY by fecal microflora in vitro, it was found that DMY could be metabolized into three metabolites by fecal microflora via reduction and dehydroxylation pathways, and the dehydroxylation metabolite was the dominant one. Meanwhile, in order to consider the influence of gut microbiota metabolism on the pharmacokinetics of DMY, the pharmacokinetics of DMY in control and pseudo-germ-free rats were compared. It was shown that area under the curve (AUC) could only slightly increase, however, peak concentration (C max ) could significantly increase in the pseudo-germ-free rats compared with the control rats, which indicated the gut microbiota metabolism played an important role in the pharmacokinetics of DMY. In addition, the long-term influence of DMY on gut microbiota composition by using 16S rRNA pyrosequencing was further investigated. And it was found that DMY could markedly alter the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota and modulate the gut microbiota composition. The present findings will be helpful for the future development and clinical application of DMY. The gut microbiota plays an important role in the pharmacokinetics of flavonoids. As well, the long-term supplements of flavonoids could alter the gut microbiota composition in turn. The study aims to clarify the mutual interaction of DMY with gut microbiota, which may lead to new information with respect to the mechanism study and clinical application of DMY. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Variation in the Gut Microbiota of Termites (Tsaitermes ampliceps) Against Different Diets.

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Su, Lijuan; Yang, Lele; Huang, Shi; Li, Yan; Su, Xiaoquan; Wang, Fengqin; Bo, Cunpei; Wang, En Tao; Song, Andong

2017-01-01

Termites are well recognized for their thriving on recalcitrant lignocellulosic diets through nutritional symbioses with gut-dwelling microbiota; however, the effects of diet changes on termite gut microbiota are poorly understood, especially for the lower termites. In this study, we employed high-throughput 454 pyrosequencing of 16S V1-V3 amplicons to compare gut microbiotas of Tsaitermes ampliceps fed with lignin-rich and lignin-poor cellulose diets after a 2-week-feeding period. As a result, the majority of bacterial taxa were shared across the treatments with different diets, but their relative abundances were modified. In particular, the relative abundance was reduced for Spirochaetes and it was increased for Proteobacteria and Bacteroides by feeding the lignin-poor diet. The evenness of gut microbiota exhibited a significant difference in response to the diet type (filter paper diets corn stover diets < wood diets), while their richness was constant, which may be related to the lower recalcitrance of this biomass to degradation. These results have important implications for sampling and analysis strategies to probe the lignocellulose degradation features of termite gut microbiota and suggest that the dietary lignocellulose composition could cause shifting rapidly in the termite gut microbiota.

Pyrosequencing analysis of the microbiota of kusaya gravy obtained from Izu Islands.

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Fujii, Tateo; Kyoui, Daisuke; Takahashi, Hajime; Kuda, Takashi; Kimura, Bon; Washizu, Yukio; Emoto, Eiji; Hiramoto, Tadahiro

2016-12-05

Kusaya is a salted, dried fish product traditionally produced on the Izu Islands in Japan. Fish are added to kusaya gravy repeatedly and intermittently, and used over several hundred years, which makes unique microbiota and unique flavors. In this study, we performed a metagenomic analysis to compare the composition of the microbiota of kusaya gravy between different islands. Twenty samples obtained from a total of 13 manufacturers on three islands (Hachijojima, Niijima, and Oshima Islands) were analyzed. The statistical analysis revealed that the microbiota in kusaya gravy maintain a stable composition regardless of the production steps, and that the microbiota are characteristic to the particular islands. The bacterial taxa common to all of the samples were not necessarily the dominant ones. On the other hand, the genera Halanaerobium and Tissierella were found to be characteristic to the microbiota of one or two islands. Because these genera are known to be present in the natural environment, it is likely that the bacterial strains peculiar to an island had colonized kusaya gravy for many years. The results of this study revealed an influence of geographical conditions on the microbiota in fermented food. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gut Microbiota-Immune System Crosstalk and Pancreatic Disorders

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D. Pagliari

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Gut microbiota is key to the development and modulation of the mucosal immune system. It plays a central role in several physiological functions, in the modulation of inflammatory signaling and in the protection against infections. In healthy states, there is a perfect balance between commensal and pathogens, and microbiota and the immune system interact to maintain gut homeostasis. The alteration of such balance, called dysbiosis, determines an intestinal bacterial overgrowth which leads to the disruption of the intestinal barrier with systemic translocation of pathogens. The pancreas does not possess its own microbiota, and it is believed that inflammatory and neoplastic processes affecting the gland may be linked to intestinal dysbiosis. Increasing research evidence testifies a correlation between intestinal dysbiosis and various pancreatic disorders, but it remains unclear whether dysbiosis is the cause or an effect. The analysis of specific alterations in the microbiome profile may permit to develop novel tools for the early detection of several pancreatic disorders, utilizing samples, such as blood, saliva, and stools. Future studies will have to elucidate the mechanisms by which gut microbiota is modulated and how it tunes the immune system, in order to be able to develop innovative treatment strategies for pancreatic disorders.

Influence of the microbiota and probiotics in obesity.

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Fontané, Laia; Benaiges, David; Goday, Albert; Llauradó, Gemma; Pedro-Botet, Juan

2018-05-24

Gut microbiota plays a key role in the control of body weight. In the present review the different ways in which it can modify the energy homeostasis of the host are exposed, based on its capacity to modify the metabolism of the individual and its contribution in the energy consumption regulation. With the current evidence, it is not clear what microbiota profile is associated with the presence of obesity, although in animal models it seems to be related to a higher proportion of bacteria of the Firmicutes phylum, to the detriment of those of the Bacteroidetes phylum. Other factors clearly involved would be the diversity in the gut microbiota or its possible functional changes. More studies in humans are needed to clarify how dysbiosis can influence weight control. On the other hand, probiotics directly affect the gut microbiota, modulating its composition and, possibly, its functionality. A large number of studies in humans have evaluated the impact of probiotics on obesity. Although this intervention may have a potentially beneficial effect, more effort is needed to clarify which strains of probiotics should be recommended, at what dose and for how long. Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Composition and Predicted Metabolic Capacity of Upper and Lower Airway Microbiota of Healthy Dogs in Relation to the Fecal Microbiota.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aaron C Ericsson

Full Text Available The upper and lower airways of healthy humans are reported to harbor stable and consistent bacterial populations, and the composition of these communities is altered in individuals affected with several respiratory diseases. Data regarding the presence of airway microbiota in other animals are scant and a better understanding of the composition and metabolic function of such bacterial populations is essential for the development of novel therapeutic and diagnostic modalities for use in both veterinary and human medicine. Based on targeted next-generation sequencing of feces and samples collected at multiple levels of the airways from 16 healthy female dogs, we demonstrate that canine airways harbor a topographically continuous microbiota with increasing relative abundance of proteobacterial species from the upper to lower airways. The lung-associated microbiota, as assessed via bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF, was the most consistent between dogs and was dominated by three distinct taxa, two of which were resolved to the species level and one to the level of family. The gene content of the nasal, oropharyngeal, and lung-associated microbiota, predicted using the Phylogenetic Investigations into Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt software, provided information regarding the glyoxylate and citrate cycle metabolic pathways utilized by these bacterial populations to colonize such nutrient-poor, low-throughput environments. These data generated in healthy subjects provide context for future analysis of diseased canine airways. Moreover, as dogs have similar respiratory anatomy, physiology, and immune systems as humans, are exposed to many of the same environmental stimuli, and spontaneously develop similar respiratory diseases, these data support the use of dogs as a model species for prospective studies of the airway microbiota, with findings translatable to the human condition.

Streptomyces effect on the bacterial microbiota associated to Crassostrea sikamea oyster.

Science.gov (United States)

García Bernal, M; Trabal Fernández, N; Saucedo Lastra, P E; Medina Marrero, R; Mazón-Suástegui, J M

2017-03-01

To determine the composition and diversity of the microbiota associated to Crassostrea sikamea treated during 30 days with Streptomyces strains N7 and RL8. DNA was extracted from oysters followed by 16S rRNA gene amplification and pyrosequencing. The highest and lowest species diversity richness was observed in the initial and final control group, whereas Streptomyces-treated oysters exhibited intermediate values. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum (81·4-95·1%), followed by Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. The genera Anderseniella, Oceanicola, Roseovarius, Ruegeria, Sulfitobacter, Granulosicoccus and Marinicella encompassed the core microbiota of all experimental groups. The genus Bacteriovorax was detected in all groups except in the final control and the depurated N7, whereas Vibrio remained undetected in all Streptomyces-treated groups. RL8 was the only group that harboured the genus Streptomyces in its microbiota. Principal component analysis showed that Streptomyces strains significantly changed oyster microbiota with respect to the initial and final control. Crassostrea sikamea treated with Streptomyces showed high species diversity and a microbiota composition shift, characterized by keeping the predator genus Bacteriovorax and decreasing the pathogenic Vibrio. This is the first culture-independent study showing the effect of Streptomyces over the oyster microbiota. It also sheds light about the potential use of Streptomyces to improve mollusc health and safety for consumers after the depuration process. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Changes in the gut microbiota of cloned and non-cloned control pigs during development of obesity: gut microbiota during development of obesity in cloned pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Rebecca; Andersen, Anders Daniel; Mølbak, Lars

2013-01-01

Background Obesity induced by a high-caloric diet has previously been associated with changes in the gut microbiota in mice and in humans. In this study, pigs were cloned to minimize genetic and biological variation among the animals with the aim of developing a controlled metabolomic model...... suitable for a diet-intervention study. Cloning of pigs may be an attractive way to reduce genetic influences when investigating the effect of diet and obesity on different physiological sites. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the changes in the composition of the gut microbiota of cloned vs....... non-cloned pigs during development of obesity by a high-fat/high-caloric diet. Furthermore, we investigated the association between diet-induced obesity and the relative abundance of the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in the fecal-microbiota. The fecal microbiota from obese cloned (n = 5) and non...

Estrogen protection against EAE modulates the microbiota and mucosal-associated regulatory cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Benedek, Gil; Zhang, Jun; Nguyen, Ha; Kent, Gail; Seifert, Hilary A; Davin, Sean; Stauffer, Patrick; Vandenbark, Arthur A; Karstens, Lisa; Asquith, Mark; Offner, Halina

2017-09-15

Sex hormones promote immunoregulatory effects on multiple sclerosis. In the current study we evaluated the composition of the gut microbiota and the mucosal-associated regulatory cells in estrogen or sham treated female mice before and after autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induction. Treatment with pregnancy levels of estrogen induces changes in the composition and diversity of gut microbiota. Additionally, estrogen prevents EAE-associated changes in the gut microbiota and might promote the enrichment of bacteria that are associated with immune regulation. Our results point to a possible cross-talk between the sex hormones and the gut microbiota, which could promote neuroprotection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Unraveling piglet gut microbiota dynamics in response to feed additives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perez-Gutierrez, O.N.

2010-01-01

Keywords: GI tract, microbiota, pig, PITChip, weaning

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract of pigs is colonized by a dense and metabolically active microbiota, comprising mainly bacteria, that have not only a commensal but a symbiotic (beneficial for both) relationship with the host. These

Community and genomic analysis of the human small intestine microbiota

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bogert, van den B.

2013-01-01

Our intestinal tract is densely populated by different microbes, collectively called microbiota, of which the majority are bacteria. Research focusing on the intestinal microbiota often use fecal samples as a representative of the bacteria that inhabit the end of the large intestine.

Pre-pregnancy weight, gestational weight gain, and the gut microbiota of mothers and their infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanislawski, Maggie A; Dabelea, Dana; Wagner, Brandie D; Sontag, Marci K; Lozupone, Catherine A; Eggesbø, Merete

2017-09-04

Recent evidence supports that the maternal gut microbiota impacts the initial infant gut microbiota. Since the gut microbiota may play a causal role in the development of obesity, it is important to understand how pre-pregnancy weight and gestational weight gain (GWG) impact the gut microbiota of mothers at the time of delivery and their infants in early life. In this study, we performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing on gut microbiota samples from 169 women 4 days after delivery and from the 844 samples of their infants at six timepoints during the first 2 years of life. We categorized the women (1) according to pre-pregnancy body mass index into overweight/obese (OW/OB, BMI ≥ 25) or non-overweight/obese (BMI gut microbiota. Maternal OW/OB was associated with lower maternal alpha diversity. Maternal pre-pregnancy OW/OB and excessive GWG were associated with taxonomic differences in the maternal gut microbiota, including taxa from the highly heritable family Christensenellaceae, the genera Lachnospira, Parabacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Blautia. These maternal characteristics were not associated with overall differences in the infant gut microbiota over the first 2 years of life. However, the presence of specific OTUs in maternal gut microbiota at the time of delivery did significantly increase the odds of presence in the infant gut at age 4-10 days for many taxa, and these included some lean-associated taxa. Our results show differences in maternal gut microbiota composition at the time of delivery by pre-pregnancy weight and GWG, but these changes were only associated with limited compositional differences in the early life gut microbiota of their infants. Further work is needed to determine the degree to which these maternal microbiota differences at time of birth with OW/OB and GWG may affect the health of the infant over time and by what mechanism.

Contentious host-microbiota relationship in inflammatory bowel disease--can foes become friends again?

Science.gov (United States)

Satokari, Reetta

2015-01-01

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic debilitating disorders of unknown etiology, consisting of two main conditions, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Major advances have recently taken place in human genetic studies of IBD and over 160 risk loci for these two diseases have been uncovered. These genetic data highlight a key role for genes that code for immunological and epithelial barrier functions. Environmental factors also make substantial contributions to the pathogenesis of IBD and account for the growing incidence of the diseases around the world. Intestinal microbiota creates resistance to infection, provides nutrients, and educates the immune system and in many ways has a significant impact on human health. Aberrant microbiota composition and decreased diversity (dysbiotic microbiota) are key etiopathological events in IBD. Dysbiotic microbiota can lead to loss of normal, regulatory immune effects in the gut mucosa. This may play a central role in the development and perpetuation of chronic inflammation. Further, the expression of specific innate immune receptors that recognize microbes is altered in the IBD epithelium. Therefore, the combination of host side epithelial barrier functions and the presence of dysbiotic microbiota in the gut together promote inflammation. New therapeutic options targeting microbiota are currently considered for IBD and they may, in the future, provide means to reverse the pathogenic host-microbiota relationship into a symbiotic one. In this review, the focus is on the intestinal microbiota and host-microbe interactions in IBD.

Intraindividual variation in core microbiota in peri-implantitis and periodontitis

Science.gov (United States)

Maruyama, Noriko; Maruyama, Fumito; Takeuchi, Yasuo; Aikawa, Chihiro; Izumi, Yuichi; Nakagawa, Ichiro

2014-01-01

The oral microbiota change dramatically with each part of the oral cavity, even within the same mouth. Nevertheless, the microbiota associated with peri-implantitis and periodontitis have been considered the same. To improve our knowledge of the different communities of complex oral microbiota, we compared the microbial features between peri-implantitis and periodontitis in 20 patients with both diseases. Although the clinical symptoms of peri-implantitis were similar to those of periodontitis, the core microbiota of the diseases differed. Correlation analysis revealed the specific microbial co-occurrence patterns and found some of the species were associated with the clinical parameters in a disease-specific manner. The proportion of Prevotella nigrescens was significantly higher in peri-implantitis than in periodontitis, while the proportions of Peptostreptococcaceae sp. and Desulfomicrobium orale were significantly higher in periodontitis than in peri-implantitis. The severity of the peri-implantitis was also species-associated, including with an uncultured Treponema sp. that correlated to 4 clinical parameters. These results indicate that peri-implantitis and periodontitis are both polymicrobial infections with different causative pathogens. Our study provides a framework for the ecologically different bacterial communities between peri-implantitis and periodontitis, and it will be useful for further studies to understand the complex microbiota and pathogenic mechanisms of oral polymicrobial diseases. PMID:25308100

Pathophysiological role of host microbiota in the development of obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobyliak, Nazarii; Virchenko, Oleksandr; Falalyeyeva, Tetyana

2016-04-23

Overweight and obesity increase the risk for a number of diseases, namely, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, premature death, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as well as different types of cancer. Approximately 1.7 billion people in the world suffer from being overweight, most notably in developed countries. Current research efforts have focused on host and environmental factors that may affect energy balance. It was hypothesized that a microbiota profile specific to an obese host with increased energy-yielding behavior may exist. Consequently, the gut microbiota is becoming of significant research interest in relation to obesity in an attempt to better understand the aetiology of obesity and to develop new methods of its prevention and treatment. Alteration of microbiota composition may stimulate development of obesity and other metabolic diseases via several mechanisms: increasing gut permeability with subsequent metabolic inflammation; increasing energy harvest from the diet; impairing short-chain fatty acids synthesis; and altering bile acids metabolism and FXR/TGR5 signaling. Prebiotics and probiotics have physiologic functions that contribute to the health of gut microbiota, maintenance of a healthy body weight and control of factors associated with obesity through their effects on mechanisms that control food intake, body weight, gut microbiota and inflammatory processes.

Intestinal barrier: A gentlemen's agreement between microbiota and immunity.

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Caricilli, Andrea Moro; Castoldi, Angela; Câmara, Niels Olsen Saraiva

2014-02-15

Our body is colonized by more than a hundred trillion commensals, represented by viruses, bacteria and fungi. This complex interaction has shown that the microbiome system contributes to the host's adaptation to its environment, providing genes and functionality that give flexibility of diet and modulate the immune system in order not to reject these symbionts. In the intestine, specifically, the microbiota helps developing organ structures, participates of the metabolism of nutrients and induces immunity. Certain components of the microbiota have been shown to trigger inflammatory responses, whereas others, anti-inflammatory responses. The diversity and the composition of the microbiota, thus, play a key role in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and explain partially the link between intestinal microbiota changes and gut-related disorders in humans. Tight junction proteins are key molecules for determination of the paracellular permeability. In the context of intestinal inflammatory diseases, the intestinal barrier is compromised, and decreased expression and differential distribution of tight junction proteins is observed. It is still unclear what is the nature of the luminal or mucosal factors that affect the tight junction proteins function, but the modulation of the immune cells found in the intestinal lamina propria is hypothesized as having a role in this modulation. In this review, we provide an overview of the current understanding of the interaction of the gut microbiota with the immune system in the development and maintenance of the intestinal barrier.

The Effect of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation on a Child with Tourette Syndrome

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Huijun Zhao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Tourette syndrome is a neuropsychiatric disorder with onset in childhood. New therapies are needed to effectively manage and treat this condition. Gut microbiota can affect central physiology and function via the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Here, we report a case in which fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT is used to treat a child with Tourette syndrome, whose symptoms ameliorated dramatically in the following eight weeks.

[New approaches to oral cavity opportunistic microbiota study].

Science.gov (United States)

Tets, G V; Vikina, D S; Vecherkovskaia, M F; Domorad, A A; Kharlamova, V V; Tets, V V

2013-01-01

Identification of some bacteria of the oral microbiota in humans including opportunistic pathogens capable of causing infections of various locations is a challenging problem for dentistry. Lack of knowledge on oral microbiota is the result of the absence of appropriate culture technique for isolation of pure cultures of those bacteria. The paper presents the study on mixed oral microbial biofilms with isolation and identification of insufficiently explored or still unknown aerobic opportunistic bacteria.

Interspecific variations in the gastrointestinal microbiota in penguins

OpenAIRE

Dewar, Meagan L; Arnould, John P Y; Dann, Peter; Trathan, Phil; Groscolas, Rene; Smith, Stuart

2013-01-01

Despite the enormous amount of data available on the importance of the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota in vertebrate (especially mammals), information on the GI microbiota of seabirds remains incomplete. As with many seabirds, penguins have a unique digestive physiology that enables them to store large reserves of adipose tissue, protein, and lipids. This study used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing to characterize the interspecific vari...

Impact of the Gut Microbiota on Intestinal Immunity Mediated by Tryptophan Metabolism

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Jing; Xu, Kang; Liu, Hongnan; Liu, Gang; Bai, Miaomiao; Peng, Can; Li, Tiejun; Yin, Yulong

2018-01-01

The gut microbiota influences the health of the host, especially with regard to gut immune homeostasis and the intestinal immune response. In addition to serving as a nutrient enhancer, L-tryptophan (Trp) plays crucial roles in the balance between intestinal immune tolerance and gut microbiota maintenance. Recent discoveries have underscored that changes in the microbiota modulate the host immune system by modulating Trp metabolism. Moreover, Trp, endogenous Trp metabolites (kynurenines, serotonin, and melatonin), and bacterial Trp metabolites (indole, indolic acid, skatole, and tryptamine) have profound effects on gut microbial composition, microbial metabolism, the host's immune system, the host-microbiome interface, and host immune system–intestinal microbiota interactions. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediates the regulation of intestinal immunity by Trp metabolites (as ligands of AhR), which is beneficial for immune homeostasis. Among Trp metabolites, AhR ligands consist of endogenous metabolites, including kynurenine, kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid, and cinnabarinic acid, and bacterial metabolites, including indole, indole propionic acid, indole acetic acid, skatole, and tryptamine. Additional factors, such as aging, stress, probiotics, and diseases (spondyloarthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer), which are associated with variability in Trp metabolism, can influence Trp–microbiome–immune system interactions in the gut and also play roles in regulating gut immunity. This review clarifies how the gut microbiota regulates Trp metabolism and identifies the underlying molecular mechanisms of these interactions. Increased mechanistic insight into how the microbiota modulates the intestinal immune system through Trp metabolism may allow for the identification of innovative microbiota-based diagnostics, as well as appropriate nutritional supplementation of Trp to prevent or alleviate intestinal inflammation

Modulation of Gut Microbiota in the Management of Metabolic Disorders: The Prospects and Challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omotayo O. Erejuwa

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The gut microbiota plays a number of important roles including digestion, metabolism, extraction of nutrients, synthesis of vitamins, prevention against pathogen colonization, and modulation of the immune system. Alterations or changes in composition and biodiversity of the gut microbiota have been associated with many gastrointestinal tract (GIT disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer. Recent evidence suggests that altered composition and diversity of gut microbiota may play a role in the increased prevalence of metabolic diseases. This review article has two main objectives. First, it underscores approaches (such as probiotics, prebiotics, antimicrobial agents, bariatric surgery, and weight loss strategies and their prospects in modulating the gut microbiota in the management of metabolic diseases. Second, it highlights some of the current challenges and discusses areas of future research as it relates to the gut microbiota and metabolic diseases. The prospect of modulating the gut microbiota seems promising. However, considering that research investigating the role of gut microbiota in metabolic diseases is still in its infancy, more rigorous and well-designed in vitro, animal and clinical studies are needed.

Comparative analysis of vaginal microbiota sampling using 16S rRNA gene analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Virtanen, Seppo; Kalliala, Ilkka; Nieminen, Pekka; Salonen, Anne

2017-01-01

Molecular methods such as next-generation sequencing are actively being employed to characterize the vaginal microbiota in health and disease. Previous studies have focused on characterizing the biological variation in the microbiota, and less is known about how factors related to sampling contribute to the results. Our aim was to investigate the impact of a sampling device and anatomical sampling site on the quantitative and qualitative outcomes relevant for vaginal microbiota research. We sampled 10 Finnish women representing diverse clinical characteristics with flocked swabs, the Evalyn® self-sampling device, sterile plastic spatulas and a cervical brush that were used to collect samples from fornix, vaginal wall and cervix. Samples were compared on DNA and protein yield, bacterial load, and microbiota diversity and species composition based on Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. We quantified the relative contributions of sampling variables versus intrinsic variables in the overall microbiota variation, and evaluated the microbiota profiles using several commonly employed metrics such as alpha and beta diversity as well as abundance of major bacterial genera and species. The total DNA yield was strongly dependent on the sampling device and to a lesser extent on the anatomical site of sampling. The sampling strategy did not affect the protein yield or the bacterial load. All tested sampling methods produced highly comparable microbiota profiles based on MiSeq sequencing. The sampling method explained only 2% (p-value = 0.89) of the overall microbiota variation, markedly surpassed by intrinsic factors such as clinical status (microscopy for bacterial vaginosis 53%, p = 0.0001), bleeding (19%, p = 0.0001), and the variation between subjects (11%, p-value 0.0001). The results indicate that different sampling strategies yield comparable vaginal microbiota composition and diversity. Hence, past and future vaginal microbiota studies employing different

Stable engraftment of human microbiota into mice with a single oral gavage following antibiotic conditioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Staley, Christopher; Kaiser, Thomas; Beura, Lalit K; Hamilton, Matthew J; Weingarden, Alexa R; Bobr, Aleh; Kang, Johnthomas; Masopust, David; Sadowsky, Michael J; Khoruts, Alexander

2017-08-01

Human microbiota-associated (HMA) animal models relying on germ-free recipient mice are being used to study the relationship between intestinal microbiota and human disease. However, transfer of microbiota into germ-free animals also triggers global developmental changes in the recipient intestine, which can mask disease-specific attributes of the donor material. Therefore, a simple model of replacing microbiota into a developmentally mature intestinal environment remains highly desirable. Here we report on the development of a sequential, three-course antibiotic conditioning regimen that allows sustained engraftment of intestinal microorganisms following a single oral gavage with human donor microbiota. SourceTracker, a Bayesian, OTU-based algorithm, indicated that 59.3 ± 3.0% of the fecal bacterial communities in treated mice were attributable to the donor source. This overall degree of microbiota engraftment was similar in mice conditioned with antibiotics and germ-free mice. Limited surveys of systemic and mucosal immune sites did not show evidence of immune activation following introduction of human microbiota. The antibiotic treatment protocol described here followed by a single gavage of human microbiota may provide a useful, complimentary HMA model to that established in germ-free facilities. The model has the potential for further in-depth translational investigations of microbiota in a variety of human disease states.

Digestive tract microbiota in healthy volunteers Microbiota no trato digestivo em voluntários saudáveis

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Bruno Zilberstein

2007-02-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to standardize the methods of sample collection of mucus from the digestive tract and to determine the microbiota in healthy volunteers from Brazil, collecting samples from the mouth, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon, and rectum. METHODS: Microbiota of selected healthy volunteers from the oral cavity (n=10, the esophagus (n=10, the upper digestive tract (n=20, and the lower digestive tract (n=24 were evaluated through distinct collection methods. Collection methods took into account the different sites, using basic scraping and swabbing techniques, stimulated saliva from the oral cavity, irrigation-aspiration with sterile catheters especially designed for the esophagus, a probe especially designed for upper digestive tract, and a special catheter for the lower digestive tract. RESULTS: (i Mixed microbiota were identified in the oral cavity, predominantly Gram-positive aerobic and anaerobic cocci; (ii transitional flora mainly in the esophagus; (iii Veillonella sp, Lactobacillus sp, and Clostridium sp in the stomach and duodenum; (iv in the jejunum and upper ileum, we observed Bacteroides sp, Proteus sp, and Staphylococcus sp, in addition to Veillonella sp; (v in the colon, the presence of "nonpathogenic" anaerobic bacteria Veillonella sp (average 10(5 UFC indicates the existence of a low oxidation-reduction potential environment, which suggests the possibility of adoption of these bacteria as biological markers of total digestive tract health. CONCLUSIONS: The collection methods were efficient in obtaining adequate samples from each segment of the total digestive tract to reveal the normal microbiota. These procedures are safe and easily reproducible for microbiological studies.OBJETIVO: Padronizar os métodos de coleta do muco do trato digestivo e determinar a microbiota, em voluntários saudáveis no Brasil, coletando amostras da boca, esôfago, estômago, duodeno, jejunos e íleo, c

IMPACT OF MICROBIOTA ON RESISTANCE TO OCULAR PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA–INDUCED KERATITIS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kugadas, Abirami; Christiansen, Stig Hill; Sankaranarayanan, Saiprasad

2016-01-01

The existence of the ocular microbiota has been reported but functional analyses to evaluate its significance in regulating ocular immunity are currently lacking. We compared the relative contribution of eye and gut commensals in regulating the ocular susceptibility to Pseudomonas aeruginosa...... to be dependent on both eye and gut microbiota with the eye microbiota having a moderate, but significant impact on the resistance to infection. These events were IL-1ß–dependent as corneal IL-1ß levels were decreased in the infected GF and antibiotic-treated mice when compared to the SPF controls...... for microbiota in regulating susceptibility to ocular keratitis. We predict that these results will have significant implications for contact lens wearers, where alterations in the ocular commensal communities may render the ocular surface vulnerable to infections....

Induction of farnesoid X receptor signaling in germ-free mice colonized with a human microbiota

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wahlström, Annika; Kovatcheva-Datchary, Petia; Ståhlman, Marcus

2017-01-01

The gut microbiota influences the development and progression of metabolic diseases partly by metabolism of bile acids (BAs) and modified signaling through the farnesoid X receptor (FXR). In this study, we aimed to determine how the human gut microbiota metabolizes murine BAs and affects FXR...... signaling in colonized mice. We colonized germ-free mice with cecal content from a mouse donor or feces from a human donor and euthanized the mice after short-term (2 weeks) or long-term (15 weeks) colonization. We analyzed the gut microbiota and BA composition and expression of FXR target genes in ileum...... and liver. We found that cecal microbiota composition differed between mice colonized with mouse and human microbiota and was stable over time. Human and mouse microbiota reduced total BA levels similarly, but the humanized mice produced less secondary BAs. The human microbiota was able to reduce the levels...

Deep sequencing of the vaginal microbiota of women with HIV

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R.B.S. Hummelen (Ruben); A.D. Fernandes (Andrew); J.M. Macklaim (Jean); R.J. Dickson (Russell); J. Changalucha (John); G.B. Gloor (Gregory); G.K. Reid (Gregor)

2010-01-01

textabstractBackground:Women living with HIV and co-infected with bacterial vaginosis (BV) are at higher risk for transmitting HIV to a partner or newborn. It is poorly understood which bacterial communities constitute BV or the normal vaginal microbiota among this population and how the microbiota

Depletion of Gut Microbiota Protects against Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Emal, D.; Rampanelli, E.; Stroo, I.; Butter, L.M.; Teske, G.J.; Claessen, N.; Stokman, G.; Florquin, S.; Leemans, J.C.; Dessing, M.C.

2017-01-01

An accumulating body of evidence shows that gut microbiota fulfill an important role in health and disease by modulating local and systemic immunity. The importance of the microbiome in the development of kidney disease, however, is largely unknown. To study this concept, we depleted gut microbiota

Microbiota restoration : natural and supplemented recovery of human microbial communities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reid, Gregor; Younes, Jessica A.; Van der Mei, Henny C.; Gloor, Gregory B.; Knight, Rob; Busscher, Henk J.

In a healthy host, a balance exists between members of the microbiota, such that potential pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms can be found in apparent harmony. During infection, this balance can become disturbed, leading to often dramatic changes in the composition of the microbiota. For most

Factors determining colorectal cancer: the role of the intestinal microbiota

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Esther eNistal

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The gastrointestinal tract, in particular the colon, holds a complex community of microorganisms, which are essential for maintaining homeostasis. However, in recent years, many studies have implicated microbiota in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC, with this disease considered a major cause of death in the western world. The mechanisms underlying bacterial contribution in its development are complex and are not yet fully understood. However, there is increasing evidence showing a connection between intestinal microbiota and CRC. Intestinal microorganisms cause the onset and progression of CRC using different mechanisms, such as the induction of a chronic inflammation state, the biosynthesis of genotoxins that interfere with cell cycle regulation, the production of toxic metabolites or heterocyclic amine activation of pro-diet carcinogenic compounds. Despite these advances additional studies in humans and animal models will further decipher the relationship between microbiota and CRC, and aid in developing alternate therapies based on microbiota manipulation.

Metaproteomic analysis of human gut microbiota: where are we heading?

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Lee, Pey Yee; Chin, Siok-Fong; Neoh, Hui-Min; Jamal, Rahman

2017-06-12

The human gut is home to complex microbial populations that change dynamically in response to various internal and external stimuli. The gut microbiota provides numerous functional benefits that are crucial for human health but in the setting of a disturbed equilibrium, the microbial community can cause deleterious outcomes such as diseases and cancers. Characterization of the functional activities of human gut microbiota is fundamental to understand their roles in human health and disease. Metaproteomics, which refers to the study of the entire protein collection of the microbial community in a given sample is an emerging area of research that provides informative details concerning functional aspects of the microbiota. In this mini review, we present a summary of the progress of metaproteomic analysis for studying the functional role of gut microbiota. This is followed by an overview of the experimental approaches focusing on fecal specimen for metaproteomics and is concluded by a discussion on the challenges and future directions of metaproteomic research.

Fecal microbiota transplantation in metabolic syndrome: History, present and future.

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de Groot, P F; Frissen, M N; de Clercq, N C; Nieuwdorp, M

2017-05-04

The history of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) dates back even to ancient China. Recently, scientific studies have been looking into FMT as a promising treatment of various diseases, while in the process teaching us about the interaction between the human host and its resident microbial communities. Current research focuses mainly on Clostridium difficile infections, however interest is rising in other areas such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the metabolic syndrome. With regard to the latter, the intestinal microbiota might be causally related to the progression of insulin resistance and diabetes. FMT in metabolic syndrome has proven to be an intriguing method to study the role of the gut microbiota and open the way to new therapies by dissecting in whom insulin resistance is driven by microbiota. In this article we review the history of FMT, the present evidence on its role in the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome and its efficacy, limitations and future prospects.

From Network Analysis to Functional Metabolic Modeling of the Human Gut Microbiota.

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Bauer, Eugen; Thiele, Ines

2018-01-01

An important hallmark of the human gut microbiota is its species diversity and complexity. Various diseases have been associated with a decreased diversity leading to reduced metabolic functionalities. Common approaches to investigate the human microbiota include high-throughput sequencing with subsequent correlative analyses. However, to understand the ecology of the human gut microbiota and consequently design novel treatments for diseases, it is important to represent the different interactions between microbes with their associated metabolites. Computational systems biology approaches can give further mechanistic insights by constructing data- or knowledge-driven networks that represent microbe interactions. In this minireview, we will discuss current approaches in systems biology to analyze the human gut microbiota, with a particular focus on constraint-based modeling. We will discuss various community modeling techniques with their advantages and differences, as well as their application to predict the metabolic mechanisms of intestinal microbial communities. Finally, we will discuss future perspectives and current challenges of simulating realistic and comprehensive models of the human gut microbiota.

Bacterial growth, flow, and mixing shape human gut microbiota density and composition.

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Arnoldini, Markus; Cremer, Jonas; Hwa, Terence

2018-03-13

The human gut microbiota is highly dynamic, and host physiology and diet exert major influences on its composition. In our recent study, we integrated new quantitative measurements on bacterial growth physiology with a reanalysis of published data on human physiology to build a comprehensive modeling framework. This can generate predictions of how changes in different host factors influence microbiota composition. For instance, hydrodynamic forces in the colon, along with colonic water absorption that manifests as transit time, exert a major impact on microbiota density and composition. This can be mechanistically explained by their effect on colonic pH which directly affects microbiota competition for food. In this addendum, we describe the underlying analysis in more detail. In particular, we discuss the mixing dynamics of luminal content by wall contractions and its implications for bacterial growth and density, as well as the broader implications of our insights for the field of gut microbiota research.

Gut microbiota modify risk for dietary glycemia-induced age-related macular degeneration.

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Rowan, Sheldon; Taylor, Allen

2018-03-21

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness world-wide. Although the etiology of AMD is multifactorial, diet and nutrition have strong epidemiologic associations with disease onset and progression. Recent studies indicate a role for gut microbiota in development of AMD in mouse models and in some forms of human AMD. We previously found that consuming lower glycemia diets is associated with protection against AMD in humans and switching from higher to lower glycemia diets arrests AMD phenotypes in mice. Gut microbiota populations and circulating microbial cometabolites were altered in response to dietary carbohydrates, indicating a gut-retina axis. Here we explore additional gut microbiota-AMD interactions that point toward pathogenic roles for some gut microbiota families, including Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae, and individual members of Turicibacteraceae, Clostridiaceae, and Mogibacteriaceae. We also speculate on potential mechanisms by which gut microbiota influence AMD, with the objective of devising new AMD diagnoses and treatments.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Induces a Transmissible Dysbiotic Skin Microbiota that Promotes Skin Inflammation.

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Gimblet, Ciara; Meisel, Jacquelyn S; Loesche, Michael A; Cole, Stephen D; Horwinski, Joseph; Novais, Fernanda O; Misic, Ana M; Bradley, Charles W; Beiting, Daniel P; Rankin, Shelley C; Carvalho, Lucas P; Carvalho, Edgar M; Scott, Phillip; Grice, Elizabeth A

2017-07-12

Skin microbiota can impact allergic and autoimmune responses, wound healing, and anti-microbial defense. We investigated the role of skin microbiota in cutaneous leishmaniasis and found that human patients infected with Leishmania braziliensis develop dysbiotic skin microbiota, characterized by increases in the abundance of Staphylococcus and/or Streptococcus. Mice infected with L. major exhibit similar changes depending upon disease severity. Importantly, this dysbiosis is not limited to the lesion site, but is transmissible to normal skin distant from the infection site and to skin from co-housed naive mice. This observation allowed us to test whether a pre-existing dysbiotic skin microbiota influences disease, and we found that challenging dysbiotic naive mice with L. major or testing for contact hypersensitivity results in exacerbated skin inflammatory responses. These findings demonstrate that a dysbiotic skin microbiota is not only a consequence of tissue stress, but also enhances inflammation, which has implications for many inflammatory cutaneous diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The role of Gut Microbiota in the development of obesity and Diabetes.

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Baothman, Othman A; Zamzami, Mazin A; Taher, Ibrahim; Abubaker, Jehad; Abu-Farha, Mohamed

2016-06-18

Obesity and its associated complications like type 2 diabetes (T2D) are reaching epidemic stages. Increased food intake and lack of exercise are two main contributing factors. Recent work has been highlighting an increasingly more important role of gut microbiota in metabolic disorders. It's well known that gut microbiota plays a major role in the development of food absorption and low grade inflammation, two key processes in obesity and diabetes. This review summarizes key discoveries during the past decade that established the role of gut microbiota in the development of obesity and diabetes. It will look at the role of key metabolites mainly the short chain fatty acids (SCFA) that are produced by gut microbiota and how they impact key metabolic pathways such as insulin signalling, incretin production as well as inflammation. It will further look at the possible ways to harness the beneficial aspects of the gut microbiota to combat these metabolic disorders and reduce their impact.

Intestinal Immunomodulatory Cells (T Lymphocytes: A Bridge between Gut Microbiota and Diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qingwei Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Diabetes mellitus (DM is one of the most familiar chronic diseases threatening human health. Recent studies have shown that the development of diabetes is closely related to an imbalance of the gut microbiota. Accordingly, there is increasing interest in how changes in the gut microbiota affect diabetes and its underlying mechanisms. Immunomodulatory cells play important roles in maintaining the normal functioning of the human immune system and in maintaining homeostasis. Intestinal immunomodulatory cells (IICs are located in the intestinal mucosa and are regarded as an intermediary by which the gut microbiota affects physiological and pathological properties. Diabetes can be regulated by IICs, which act as a bridge linking the gut microbiota and DM. Understanding this bridge role of IICs may clarify the mechanisms by which the gut microbiota contributes to DM. Based on recent research, we summarize this process, thereby providing a basis for further studies of diabetes and other similar immune-related diseases.

Akkermansia muciniphila induces gut microbiota remodelling and controls islet autoimmunity in NOD mice.

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Hänninen, Arno; Toivonen, Raine; Pöysti, Sakari; Belzer, Clara; Plovier, Hubert; Ouwerkerk, Janneke P; Emani, Rohini; Cani, Patrice D; De Vos, Willem M

2017-12-21

Intestinal microbiota is implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune type 1 diabetes in humans and in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, but evidence on its causality and on the role of individual microbiota members is limited. We investigated if different diabetes incidence in two NOD colonies was due to microbiota differences and aimed to identify individual microbiota members with potential significance. We profiled intestinal microbiota between two NOD mouse colonies showing high or low diabetes incidence by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing and colonised the high-incidence colony with the microbiota of the low-incidence colony. Based on unaltered incidence, we identified a few taxa which were not effectively transferred and thereafter, transferred experimentally one of these to test its potential significance. Although the high-incidence colony adopted most microbial taxa present in the low-incidence colony, diabetes incidence remained unaltered. Among the few taxa which were not transferred, Akkermansia muciniphila was identified. As A. muciniphila abundancy is inversely correlated to the risk of developing type 1 diabetes-related autoantibodies, we transferred A. muciniphila experimentally to the high-incidence colony. A. muciniphila transfer promoted mucus production and increased expression of antimicrobial peptide Reg3γ , outcompeted Ruminococcus torques from the microbiota, lowered serum endotoxin levels and islet toll-like receptor expression, promoted regulatory immunity and delayed diabetes development. Transfer of the whole microbiota may not reduce diabetes incidence despite a major change in gut microbiota, but single symbionts such as A. muciniphila with beneficial metabolic and immune signalling effects may reduce diabetes incidence when administered as a probiotic. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly

Use of dietary indices to control for diet in human gut microbiota studies.

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Bowyer, Ruth C E; Jackson, Matthew A; Pallister, Tess; Skinner, Jane; Spector, Tim D; Welch, Ailsa A; Steves, Claire J

2018-04-25

Environmental factors have a large influence on the composition of the human gut microbiota. One of the most influential and well-studied is host diet. To assess and interpret the impact of non-dietary factors on the gut microbiota, we endeavoured to determine the most appropriate method to summarise community variation attributable to dietary effects. Dietary habits are multidimensional with internal correlations. This complexity can be simplified by using dietary indices that quantify dietary variance in a single measure and offer a means of controlling for diet in microbiota studies. However, to date, the applicability of different dietary indices to gut microbiota studies has not been assessed. Here, we use food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) data from members of the TwinsUK cohort to create three different dietary measures applicable in western-diet populations: The Healthy Eating Index (HEI), the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) and the Healthy Food Diversity index (HFD-Index). We validate and compare these three indices to determine which best summarises dietary influences on gut microbiota composition. All three indices were independently validated using established measures of health, and all were significantly associated with microbiota measures; the HEI had the highest t values in models of alpha diversity measures, and had the highest number of associations with microbial taxa. Beta diversity analyses showed the HEI explained the greatest variance of microbiota composition. In paired tests between twins discordant for dietary index score, the HEI was associated with the greatest variation of taxa and twin dissimilarity. We find that the HEI explains the most variance in, and has the strongest association with, gut microbiota composition in a western (UK) population, suggesting that it may be the best summary measure to capture gut microbiota variance attributable to habitual diet in comparable populations.

Influence of periodontal treatment on subgingival and salivary microbiotas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Belstrøm, Daniel; Grande, Maria Anastasia; Sembler-Møller, Maria Lynn

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare subgingival and salivary microbiotas before and after periodontal treatment to learn if any changes of the subgingival microbiota were reflected in saliva. We tested the hypothesis that salivary levels of specific periopathogens...... correlate with corresponding subgingival levels before and after periodontal treatment. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with generalized chronic periodontitis completed the study. Stimulated saliva samples and subgingival plaque samples were collected at baseline and 2, 6 and 12 weeks after non......-surgical periodontal therapy. Subgingival and salivary microbiotas were processed by means of the Human Oral Microbe Next Generation Sequencing (HOMINGS) technique, and characterized based on relative abundance. Spearman signed rank test was used to test correlation of periopathogens in subgingival and saliva samples...

Cryopreservation of artificial gut microbiota produced with in vitro fermentation technology

OpenAIRE

Bircher, Lea; Schwab, Clarissa; Geirnaert, Annelies; Lacroix, Christophe

2018-01-01

Summary Interest in faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has increased as therapy for intestinal diseases, but safety issues limit its widespread use. Intestinal fermentation technology (IFT) can produce controlled, diverse and metabolically active ‘artificial’ colonic microbiota as potential alternative to common FMT. However, suitable processing technology to store this artificial microbiota is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the impact of the two cryoprotectives, glycerol (15% v/v)...

Two distinct metacommunities characterize the gut microbiota in Crohn's disease patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

He, Qing; Gao, Yuan; Jie, Zhuye

2017-01-01

The inflammatory intestinal disorder Crohn's disease (CD) has become a health challenge worldwide. The gut microbiota closely interacts with the host immune system, but its functional impact in CD is unclear. Except for studies on a small number of CD patients, analyses of the gut microbiota in CD......). Based on signature taxa, CD microbiotas clustered into two distinct metacommunities indicating individual variability in CD microbiome structure. Metacommunity-specific functional shifts in CD showed enrichment in producers of the pro-inflammatory hexa-acylated lipopolysaccharide variant and a reduction...

Adaptation to Chronic Nutritional Stress Leads to Reduced Dependence on Microbiota in Drosophila melanogaster.

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Erkosar, Berra; Kolly, Sylvain; van der Meer, Jan R; Kawecki, Tadeusz J

2017-10-24

Numerous studies have shown that animal nutrition is tightly linked to gut microbiota, especially under nutritional stress. In Drosophila melanogaster , microbiota are known to promote juvenile growth, development, and survival on poor diets, mainly through enhanced digestion leading to changes in hormonal signaling. Here, we show that this reliance on microbiota is greatly reduced in replicated Drosophila populations that became genetically adapted to a poor larval diet in the course of over 170 generations of experimental evolution. Protein and polysaccharide digestion in these poor-diet-adapted populations became much less dependent on colonization with microbiota. This was accompanied by changes in expression levels of dFOXO transcription factor, a key regulator of cell growth and survival, and many of its targets. These evolutionary changes in the expression of dFOXO targets to a large degree mimic the response of the same genes to microbiota, suggesting that the evolutionary adaptation to poor diet acted on mechanisms that normally mediate the response to microbiota. Our study suggests that some metazoans have retained the evolutionary potential to adapt their physiology such that association with microbiota may become optional rather than essential. IMPORTANCE Animals depend on gut microbiota for various metabolic tasks, particularly under conditions of nutritional stress, a relationship usually regarded as an inherent aspect of animal physiology. Here, we use experimental evolution in fly populations to show that the degree of host dependence on microbiota can substantially and rapidly change as the host population evolves in response to poor diet. Our results suggest that, although microbiota may initially greatly facilitate coping with suboptimal diets, chronic nutritional stress experienced over multiple generations leads to evolutionary adaptation in physiology and gut digestive properties that reduces dependence on the microbiota for growth and

The vaginal microbiota and susceptibility to HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Buve, Anne; Jespers, Vicky; Crucitti, Tania; Fichorova, Raina N

2014-10-23

There is some evidence that the risk of HIV infection per heterosexual act is higher in low-income countries than in high-income countries. We hypothesize that variations in per sex-act transmission probability of HIV may in part be attributed to differences in the composition and function of the vaginal microbiota between different populations. This paper presents data that are in support of this hypothesis. Experimental and clinical studies have provided evidence that the normal vaginal microbiota plays a protective role against acquisition of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Epidemiological studies have convincingly shown that disturbances of the vaginal microbiome, namely intermediate flora and bacterial vaginosis, increase the risk of acquisition of HIV infection. A review of the literature found large differences in prevalence of bacterial vaginosis between different populations, with the highest prevalence rates found in black populations. Possible explanations for these differences are presented including data suggesting that there are ethnic differences in the composition of the normal vaginal microbiota. Lastly, interventions are discussed to restore and maintain a healthy vaginal environment. 2014 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Microbiota promote secretory cell determination in the intestinal epithelium by modulating host Notch signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Troll, Joshua V; Hamilton, M Kristina; Abel, Melissa L; Ganz, Julia; Bates, Jennifer M; Stephens, W Zac; Melancon, Ellie; van der Vaart, Michiel; Meijer, Annemarie H; Distel, Martin; Eisen, Judith S; Guillemin, Karen

2018-02-23

Resident microbes promote many aspects of host development, although the mechanisms by which microbiota influence host tissues remain unclear. We showed previously that the microbiota is required for allocation of appropriate numbers of secretory cells in the zebrafish intestinal epithelium. Because Notch signaling is crucial for secretory fate determination, we conducted epistasis experiments to establish whether the microbiota modulates host Notch signaling. We also investigated whether innate immune signaling transduces microbiota cues via the Myd88 adaptor protein. We provide the first evidence that microbiota-induced, Myd88-dependent signaling inhibits host Notch signaling in the intestinal epithelium, thereby promoting secretory cell fate determination. These results connect microbiota activity via innate immune signaling to the Notch pathway, which also plays crucial roles in intestinal homeostasis throughout life and when impaired can result in chronic inflammation and cancer. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Mining the Human Gut Microbiota for Immunomodulatory Organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Geva-Zatorsky, Naama; Sefik, Esen; Kua, Lindsay; Pasman, Lesley; Tan, Tze Guan; Ortiz-Lopez, Adriana; Yanortsang, Tsering Bakto; Yang, Liang; Jupp, Ray; Mathis, Diane; Benoist, Christophe; Kasper, Dennis L

2017-02-23

Within the human gut reside diverse microbes coexisting with the host in a mutually advantageous relationship. Evidence has revealed the pivotal role of the gut microbiota in shaping the immune system. To date, only a few of these microbes have been shown to modulate specific immune parameters. Herein, we broadly identify the immunomodulatory effects of phylogenetically diverse human gut microbes. We monocolonized mice with each of 53 individual bacterial species and systematically analyzed host immunologic adaptation to colonization. Most microbes exerted several specialized, complementary, and redundant transcriptional and immunomodulatory effects. Surprisingly, these were independent of microbial phylogeny. Microbial diversity in the gut ensures robustness of the microbiota's ability to generate a consistent immunomodulatory impact, serving as a highly important epigenetic system. This study provides a foundation for investigation of gut microbiota-host mutualism, highlighting key players that could identify important therapeutics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lactobacillus-deficient vaginal microbiota dominate post-partum women in rural Malawi.

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Doyle, Ronan; Gondwe, Austridia; Fan, Yue-Mei; Maleta, Kenneth; Ashorn, Per; Klein, Nigel; Harris, Kathryn

2018-01-05

The bacterial community found in the vagina is an important determinant of a woman's health and disease. A healthy vaginal microbiota is associated with a lower species richness and high proportions of one of a number of different Lactobacillus spp.. When disrupted the resulting abnormal vaginal microbiota is associated with a number of disease states and poor pregnancy outcomes. Studies up until now have concentrated on relatively small numbers of American and European populations which may not capture the full complexity of the community, nor adequately predict what constitutes a healthy microbiota in all populations. In this study we sampled and characterised the vaginal microbiota from a cohort of 1107 women in rural Malawi found on vaginal swabs taken post-partum. We found a population dominated by Gardnerella vaginalis and devoid of the most common vaginal Lactobacillus species, even if the vagina was sampled over a year post-partum. The Lactobacillus -deficient anaerobic community commonly labelled community state type (CST) 4 could be sub-divided into four further communities. A Lactobacillus iners dominated vaginal microbiota became more common the longer after delivery the vagina was sampled, but G. vaginalis remained the dominant organism. These results outline the difficulty in all-encompassing definitions of what a healthy or abnormal vaginal microbiota is post-partum. Previous identification of community state types and associations between bacterial species, bacterial vaginosis and adverse birth outcomes may not represent the complex heterogeneity of the microbiota present. Importance A bacterial community in the vaginal tract that is dominated by small number of bacterial Lactobacillus species and when they are not present, there is a greater incidence of inflammatory conditions and adverse birth outcomes. A switch to a vaginal bacterial community lacking in Lactobacillus species is common after pregnancy. In this study we characterised the vaginal

Alterations in Gut Microbiota and Immunity by Dietary Fat.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bo Gie; Hur, Kyu Yeon; Lee, Myung Shik

2017-11-01

Gut microbiota play critical physiological roles in energy extraction from the intestine and in the control of systemic immunity, as well as local intestinal immunity. Disturbance of gut microbiota leads to the development of several diseases, such as colitis, inflammatory bowel diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, etc. From a metabolic point of view, the gut is a large metabolic organ and one of the first to come into contact with dietary fats. Interestingly, excessive dietary fat has been incriminated as a primary culprit of metabolic syndrome and obesity. After intake of high-fat diet or Western diet, extensive changes in gut microbiota have been observed, which may be an underlying cause of alterations in whole body metabolism and nutrient homeostasis. Here, we summarize recent data on changes in the gut microbiota and immunity associated with dietary fat, as well as their relationships with the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. These findings may provide insight into the understanding of the complex pathophysiology related to the development of metabolic diseases and offer an opportunity to develop novel candidates for therapeutic agents. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2017.

The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Childhood Obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Pihl, Andreas Friis; Fonvig, Cilius Esmann; Stjernholm, Theresa; Hansen, Torben; Pedersen, Oluf; Holm, Jens-Christian

2016-08-01

Childhood and adolescent obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. The pathogenesis of obesity is complex and multifactorial, in which genetic and environmental contributions seem important. The gut microbiota is increasingly documented to be involved in the dysmetabolism associated with obesity. We conducted a systematic search for literature available before October 2015 in the PubMed and Scopus databases, focusing on the interplay between the gut microbiota, childhood obesity, and metabolism. The review discusses the potential role of the bacterial component of the human gut microbiota in childhood and adolescent-onset obesity, with a special focus on the factors involved in the early development of the gut bacterial ecosystem, and how modulation of this microbial community might serve as a basis for new therapeutic strategies in combating childhood obesity. A vast number of variables are influencing the gut microbial ecology (e.g., the host genetics, delivery method, diet, age, environment, and the use of pre-, pro-, and antibiotics); but the exact physiological processes behind these relationships need to be clarified. Exploring the role of the gut microbiota in the development of childhood obesity may potentially reveal new strategies for obesity prevention and treatment.

Diet-Microbiota Interactions and Their Implications for Healthy Living

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ian B. Jeffery

2013-01-01

Full Text Available It is well established that diet influences the health of an individual and that a diet rich in plant-based foods has many advantages in relation to the health and well-being of an individual. What has been unclear until recently is the large contribution of the gut microbiota to this effect. As well as providing basic nutritional requirements, the long-term diet of an animal modifies its gut microbiota. In adults, diets that have a high proportion of fruit and vegetables and a low consumption of meat are associated with a highly diverse microbiota and are defined by a greater abundance of Prevotella compared to Bacteroides, while the reverse is associated with a diet that contains a low proportion of plant-based foods. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that the effect of the microbial ecology of the gut goes beyond the local gut immune system and is implicated in immune-related disorders, such as IBS, diabetes and inflamm-ageing. In this review, we investigate the evidence that a balanced diet leads to a balanced, diverse microbiota with significant consequences for healthy ageing by focusing on conditions of interest.

Severity of atopic disease inversely correlates with intestinal microbiota diversity and butyrate-producing bacteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nylund, L.; Nermes, M.; Isolauri, E.; Salminen, S.; Vos, de W.M.; Satokari, R.

2015-01-01

The reports on atopic diseases and microbiota in early childhood remain contradictory and both decreased and increased microbiota diversity have been associated with atopic eczema. In this study, the intestinal microbiota signatures associated with the severity of eczema in 6-month-old infants were

Comparative analysis of gut microbiota of Culex restuans (Diptera: Culicidae) females from different parents

Science.gov (United States)

The potential for gut microbiota to impede or enhance pathogen transmission is well-documented but the factors that shape this microbiota in mosquito vectors are poorly understood. We characterized and compared the gut microbiota of adult females of Culex restuans Theobald from different parents. Cu...

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Treatment of Active Ulcerative Colitis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Narula, Neeraj; Kassam, Zain; Yuan, Yuhong; Colombel, Jean-Frederic; Ponsioen, Cyriel; Reinisch, Walter; Moayyedi, Paul

2017-01-01

Background: Changes in the colonic microbiota may play a role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) and restoration of healthy gut microbiota may ameliorate disease. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as a treatment for

Distinct patterns in the gut microbiota after surgical or medical therapy in obese patients

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Daniel A. Medina

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Bariatric surgery is highly successful in improving health compared to conventional dietary treatments. It has been suggested that the gut microbiota is a relevant factor in weight loss after bariatric surgery. Considering that bariatric procedures cause different rearrangements of the digestive tract, they probably have different effects on the gut microbiota. In this study, we compared the impact of medical treatment, sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass on the gut microbiota from obese subjects. Anthropometric and clinical parameters were registered before, 6 and 12 months after treatment. Fecal samples were collected and microbiota composition was studied before and six months post treatment using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and qPCR. In comparison to dietary treatment, changes in intestinal microbiota were more pronounced in patients subjected to surgery, observing a bloom in Proteobacteria. Interestingly, Bacteroidetes abundance was largely different after six months of each surgical procedure. Furthermore, changes in weight and BMI, or glucose metabolism, correlated positively with changes in these two phyla in these surgical procedures. These results indicate that distinct surgical procedures alter the gut microbiota differently, and changes in gut microbiota might contribute to health improvement. This study contributes to our understanding of the impact of weight loss surgery on the gut microbiota, and could be used to replicate this effect using targeted therapies.

Normal Skin Microbiota is Altered in Pre-clinical Hidradenitis Suppurativa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ring, Hans Christian; Bay, Lene; Kallenbach, Klaus

2017-01-01

therefore hypothesized that clinically unaffected HS skin would also have an increased presence of biofilm compared with that of healthy controls. We conducted a case-control study, investigating the morphology of the axillary skin microbiota. Peptide nucleic acid – fluorescence in situ hybridization probes...... were used in combination with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Significant differences were found in both distribution and quantity of the cutaneous microbiota in clinically non-affected axillary skin of patients with HS compared with healthy controls. Surprisingly, we detected fewer bacteria...... and less biofilm in patients with HS. The reduced microbiota in patients with HS may play an important role in the early course of the disease....

Characterization of the gut microbiota in the red panda (Ailurus fulgens).

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Kong, Fanli; Zhao, Jiangchao; Han, Shushu; Zeng, Bo; Yang, Jiandong; Si, Xiaohui; Yang, Benqing; Yang, Mingyao; Xu, Huailiang; Li, Ying

2014-01-01

The red panda is the only living species of the genus Ailurus. Like giant pandas, red pandas are also highly specialized to feed mainly on highly fibrous bamboo. Although several studies have focused on the gut microbiota in the giant panda, little is known about the gut microbiota of the red panda. In this study, we characterized the fecal microbiota from both wild (n = 16) and captive (n = 6) red pandas using a pyrosequecing based approach targeting the V1-V3 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. Distinct bacterial communities were observed between the two groups based on both membership and structure. Wild red pandas maintained significantly higher community diversity, richness and evenness than captive red pandas, the communities of which were skewed and dominated by taxa associated with Firmicutes. Phylogenetic analysis of the top 50 OTUs revealed that 10 of them were related to known cellulose degraders. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of the gut microbiota of the red panda. Our data suggest that, similar to the giant panda, the gut microbiota in the red panda might also play important roles in the digestion of bamboo.

Interrelations between the Microbiotas in the Litter and in the Intestines of Commercial Broiler Chickens ▿

OpenAIRE

Cressman, Michael D.; Yu, Zhongtang; Nelson, Michael C.; Moeller, Steven J.; Lilburn, Michael S.; Zerby, Henry N.

2010-01-01

The intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens and the microbiota in the litter have been well studied, but the interactions between these two microbiotas remain to be determined. Therefore, we examined their reciprocal effects by analyzing the intestinal microbiotas of broilers reared on fresh pine shavings versus reused litter, as well as the litter microbiota over a 6-week cycle. Composite ileal mucosal and cecal luminal samples from birds (n = 10) reared with both litter conditions (fresh ...

Oral microbiota in patients with atherosclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fåk, Frida; Tremaroli, Valentina; Bergström, Göran; Bäckhed, Fredrik

2015-12-01

Recent evidence suggests that the microbiota may be considered as an environmental factor that contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. Periodontal disease has been associated with cardio- and cerebrovascular events, and inflammation in the periodontium is suggested to increase the systemic inflammatory level of the host, which may in turn influence plaque composition and rupture. We previously showed that bacteria from the oral cavity and the gut could be found in atherosclerotic plaques. To elucidate whether the oral microbiota composition differed between patients with asymptomatic and symptomatic atherosclerosis we performed pyrosequencing of the oral microbiota of 92 individuals including patients with asymptomatic and symptomatic atherosclerosis and control individuals without carotid plaques or previous stroke or myocardial infarction. The overall microbial structure was similar in controls and atherosclerosis patients, but patients with symptomatic atherosclerosis had higher relative abundance of Anaeroglobus (mean 0.040% (SD 0.049)) than the control group (0.010% (SD 0.028)) (P = 0.03). Using linear regression analysis, we found that Parvimonas associated positively with uCRP and Capnocytophaga, Catonella and Lactobacillus associated with blood lipid markers. In conclusion, abundance of Anaeroglobus in the oral cavity could be associated with symptomatic atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Losing weight for a better health: Role for the gut microbiota

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Maria Carlota Dao

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In recent years, there have been several reviews on gut microbiota, obesity and cardiometabolism summarizing interventions that may impact the gut microbiota and have beneficial effects on the host (some examples include [1–3]. In this review we discuss how the gut microbiota changes with weight loss (WL interventions in relation to clinical and dietary parameters. We also evaluate available evidence on the heterogeneity of response to these interventions. Two important questions were generated in this regard: 1 Can response to an intervention be predicted? 2 Could pre-intervention modifications to the gut microbiota optimize WL and metabolic improvement? Finally, we have delineated some recommendations for future research, such as the importance of assessment of diet and other environmental exposures in WL intervention studies, and the need to shift to more integrative approaches of data analysis.

The Expensive-Tissue Hypothesis in Vertebrates: Gut Microbiota Effect, a Review

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Chun Hua Huang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The gut microbiota is integral to an organism’s digestive structure and has been shown to play an important role in producing substrates for gluconeogenesis and energy production, vasodilator, and gut motility. Numerous studies have demonstrated that variation in diet types is associated with the abundance and diversity of the gut microbiota, a relationship that plays a significant role in nutrient absorption and affects gut size. The Expensive-Tissue Hypothesis states (ETH that the metabolic requirement of relatively large brains is offset by a corresponding reduction of the other tissues, such as gut size. However, how the trade-off between gut size and brain size in vertebrates is associated with the gut microbiota through metabolic requirements still remains unexplored. Here, we review research relating to and discuss the potential influence of gut microbiota on the ETH.

Maturation of the Infant Respiratory Microbiota, Environmental Drivers, and Health Consequences. A Prospective Cohort Study.

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Bosch, Astrid A T M; de Steenhuijsen Piters, Wouter A A; van Houten, Marlies A; Chu, Mei Ling J N; Biesbroek, Giske; Kool, Jolanda; Pernet, Paula; de Groot, Pieter-Kees C M; Eijkemans, Marinus J C; Keijser, Bart J F; Sanders, Elisabeth A M; Bogaert, Debby

2017-12-15

Perinatal and postnatal influences are presumed important drivers of the early-life respiratory microbiota composition. We hypothesized that the respiratory microbiota composition and development in infancy is affecting microbiota stability and thereby resistance against respiratory tract infections (RTIs) over time. To investigate common environmental drivers, including birth mode, feeding type, antibiotic exposure, and crowding conditions, in relation to respiratory tract microbiota maturation and stability, and consecutive risk of RTIs over the first year of life. In a prospectively followed cohort of 112 infants, we characterized the nasopharyngeal microbiota longitudinally from birth on (11 consecutive sample moments and the maximum three RTI samples per subject; in total, n = 1,121 samples) by 16S-rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Using a microbiota-based machine-learning algorithm, we found that children experiencing a higher number of RTIs in the first year of life already demonstrate an aberrant microbial developmental trajectory from the first month of life on as compared with the reference group (0-2 RTIs/yr). The altered microbiota maturation process coincided with decreased microbial community stability, prolonged reduction of Corynebacterium and Dolosigranulum, enrichment of Moraxella very early in life, followed by later enrichment of Neisseria and Prevotella spp. Independent drivers of these aberrant developmental trajectories of respiratory microbiota members were mode of delivery, infant feeding, crowding, and recent antibiotic use. Our results suggest that environmental drivers impact microbiota development and, consequently, resistance against development of RTIs. This supports the idea that microbiota form the mediator between early-life environmental risk factors for and susceptibility to RTIs over the first year of life.

Gut Microbiota in a Rat Oral Sensitization Model: Effect of a Cocoa-Enriched Diet.

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Camps-Bossacoma, Mariona; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Franch, Àngels; Castell, Margarida

2017-01-01

Increasing evidence is emerging suggesting a relation between dietary compounds, microbiota, and the susceptibility to allergic diseases, particularly food allergy. Cocoa, a source of antioxidant polyphenols, has shown effects on gut microbiota and the ability to promote tolerance in an oral sensitization model. Taking these facts into consideration, the aim of the present study was to establish the influence of an oral sensitization model, both alone and together with a cocoa-enriched diet, on gut microbiota. Lewis rats were orally sensitized and fed with either a standard or 10% cocoa diet. Faecal microbiota was analysed through metagenomics study. Intestinal IgA concentration was also determined. Oral sensitization produced few changes in intestinal microbiota, but in those rats fed a cocoa diet significant modifications appeared. Decreased bacteria from the Firmicutes and Proteobacteria phyla and a higher percentage of bacteria belonging to the Tenericutes and Cyanobacteria phyla were observed. In conclusion, a cocoa diet is able to modify the microbiota bacterial pattern in orally sensitized animals. As cocoa inhibits the synthesis of specific antibodies and also intestinal IgA, those changes in microbiota pattern, particularly those of the Proteobacteria phylum, might be partially responsible for the tolerogenic effect of cocoa.

Gut microbiota and probiotics: Focus on diabetes mellitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Bordalo Tonucci, Livia; Dos Santos, Karina Maria Olbrich; De Luces Fortes Ferreira, Celia Lucia; Ribeiro, Sonia Machado Rocha; De Oliveira, Leandro Licursi; Martino, Hercia Stampini Duarte

2017-07-24

The characterization of gut microbiota has become an important area of research in several clinical conditions, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Changes in the composition and/or metabolic activity of the gut microbiota can contribute to human health. Thus, this review discusses the effects of probiotics and gut microbiota on metabolic control in these individuals. Relevant studies were obtained from electronic databases such as PubMed/Medline and ISI Web of Science. The main probiotics used in these studies belonged to the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. The authors found seven randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials and 13 experimental studies directly related to the effect of probiotics on metabolic control in the context of T2DM. The hypothesis that gut microbiota plays a role in the development of diabetes indicates an important beginning, and the potential of probiotics to prevent and reduce the severity of T2DM is better observed in animal studies. In clinical trials, the use of probiotics in glycemic control presented conflicting results, and only few studies have attempted to evaluate factors that justify metabolic changes, such as markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and incretins. Thus, further research is needed to assess the effects of probiotics in the metabolism of diabetic individuals, as well as the main mechanisms involved in this complex relationship.

Influence of gut microbiota on the development and progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

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de Faria Ghetti, Fabiana; Oliveira, Daiane Gonçalves; de Oliveira, Juliano Machado; de Castro Ferreira, Lincoln Eduardo Villela Vieira; Cesar, Dionéia Evangelista; Moreira, Ana Paula Boroni

2018-04-01

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by the presence of steatosis, inflammation, and ballooning degeneration of hepatocytes, with or without fibrosis. The prevalence of NASH has increased with the obesity epidemic, but its etiology is multifactorial. The current studies suggest the role of gut microbiota in the development and progression of NASH. The aim is to review the studies that investigate the relationship between gut microbiota and NASH. These review also discusses the pathophysiological mechanisms and the influence of diet on the gut-liver axis. The available literature has proposed mechanisms for an association between gut microbiota and NASH, such as: modification energy homeostasis, lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-endotoxemia, increased endogenous production of ethanol, and alteration in the metabolism of bile acid and choline. There is evidence to suggest that NASH patients have a higher prevalence of bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine and changes in the composition of the gut microbiota. However, there is still a controversy regarding the microbiome profile in this population. The abundance of Bacteroidetes phylum may be increased, decreased, or unaltered in NASH patients. There is an increase in the Escherichia and Bacteroides genus. There is depletion of certain taxa, such as Prevotella and Faecalibacterium. Although few studies have evaluated the composition of the gut microbiota in patients with NASH, it is observed that these individuals have a distinct gut microbiota, compared to the control groups, which explains, at least in part, the genesis and progression of the disease through multiple mechanisms. Modulation of the gut microbiota through diet control offers new challenges for future studies.

The commensal microbiota and the development of human disease – an introduction

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Philip D. Marsh

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Humans have co-evolved with microorganisms, and both exist in a symbiotic or mutualistic relationship. We are colonised by a diverse, resident microbiota, which develop into structurally and functionally organised biofilms. The resident microorganisms gain a secure, warm, nutritious habitat from the host and, in return, contribute to the development of many important host functions. The resident microbiota of each habitat is natural and provides important benefits for the host including immunological priming, down-regulation of excessive pro-inflammatory responses, regulation of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems, and prevention of colonisation by exogenous microbes. The biological properties of each habitat determine which microorganisms can colonise and grow, and dictate which will be major or minor components of the resident microbiota of a site. This results in different surfaces having distinct but characteristic microbiotas. This relationship between the resident microbiota and the host is dynamic and, on occasions, this symbiotic relationship breaks down due to, for example, changes in lifestyle, immune status or following broad spectrum antibiotic therapy. This ‘dysbiosis’ can result in previously minor components of the microbiota out-competing the normally dominant and beneficial bacteria, thereby increasing the risk of disease. Such perturbations have been associated with a number of clinical disorders such as obesity, allergy, and a variety of inflammatory diseases, including periodontal diseases. A better understanding of the delicate balance between the host and its resident microbiota could lead to novel approaches to the promotion of health and the prevention of dysbiosis.

Comparative analyses of the bacterial microbiota of the human nostril and oropharynx.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemon, Katherine P; Klepac-Ceraj, Vanja; Schiffer, Hilary K; Brodie, Eoin L; Lynch, Susan V; Kolter, Roberto

2010-06-22

The nose and throat are important sites of pathogen colonization, yet the microbiota of both is relatively unexplored by culture-independent approaches. We examined the bacterial microbiota of the nostril and posterior wall of the oropharynx from seven healthy adults using two culture-independent methods, a 16S rRNA gene microarray (PhyloChip) and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. While the bacterial microbiota of the oropharynx was richer than that of the nostril, the oropharyngeal microbiota varied less among participants than did nostril microbiota. A few phyla accounted for the majority of the bacteria detected at each site: Firmicutes and Actinobacteria in the nostril and Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes in the oropharynx. Compared to culture-independent surveys of microbiota from other body sites, the microbiota of the nostril and oropharynx show distinct phylum-level distribution patterns, supporting niche-specific colonization at discrete anatomical sites. In the nostril, the distribution of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes was reminiscent of that of skin, though Proteobacteria were much less prevalent. The distribution of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes in the oropharynx was most similar to that in saliva, with more Proteobacteria than in the distal esophagus or mouth. While Firmicutes were prevalent at both sites, distinct families within this phylum dominated numerically in each. At both sites there was an inverse correlation between the prevalences of Firmicutes and another phylum: in the oropharynx, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, and in the nostril, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. In the nostril, this inverse correlation existed between the Firmicutes family Staphylococcaceae and Actinobacteria families, suggesting potential antagonism between these groups.

Characterization of Microbiota in Children with Chronic Functional Constipation

OpenAIRE

de Meij, Tim G. J.; de Groot, Evelien F. J.; Eck, Anat; Budding, Andries E.; Kneepkens, C. M. Frank; Benninga, Marc A.; van Bodegraven, Adriaan A.; Savelkoul, Paul H. M.

2016-01-01

Objectives Disruption of the intestinal microbiota is considered an etiological factor in pediatric functional constipation. Scientifically based selection of potential beneficial probiotic strains in functional constipation therapy is not feasible due to insufficient knowledge of microbiota composition in affected subjects. The aim of this study was to describe microbial composition and diversity in children with functional constipation, compared to healthy controls. Study Design Fecal sampl...

Molecular analysis of the oral microbiota of dental diseases

OpenAIRE

Kanasi, Eleni

2008-01-01

Traditionally, bacterial culture has been used for bacterial detection, allowing study of living microorganisms. Molecular methods are rapid and allow simultaneous identification of numerous species and uncultivated phylotypes. The objective of this doctoral thesis was to investigate the role of the oral microbiota, including poorly characterized and uncultivated bacteria, in dental caries and periodontitis, by comprehensive molecular, clinical, and statistical methods. The microbiota of 275 ...

Gut microbiota in early life and its impact on allergic diseases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rutten, N.B.M.M.

2016-01-01

This thesis addresses the development of the intestinal microbiota in infancy, investigated by different molecular approaches (all based on rRNA gene analysis), and includes studies describing consequences of early life modulation of microbiota, by supplementation of probiotics, on composition and

Perinatal Programming of Asthma: The Role of Gut Microbiota

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Meghan B. Azad

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Perinatal programming, a dominant theory for the origins of cardiovascular disease, proposes that environmental stimuli influence developmental pathways during critical periods of prenatal and postnatal development, inducing permanent changes in metabolism. In this paper, we present evidence for the perinatal programming of asthma via the intestinal microbiome. While epigenetic mechanisms continue to provide new explanations for the programming hypothesis of asthma development, it is increasingly apparent that the intestinal microbiota plays an independent and potentially interactive role. Commensal gut bacteria are essential to immune system development, and exposures disrupting the infant gut microbiota have been linked to asthma. This paper summarizes the recent findings that implicate caesarean delivery, breastfeeding, perinatal stress, probiotics, and antibiotics as modifiers of infant gut microbiota in the development of asthma.

Older Siblings Affect Gut Microbiota Development in Early Childhood

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, Martin Frederik; Zachariassen, Gitte; Bahl, Martin Iain

.006) at 18 months. Further, having older siblings was associated with increased relative abundance of several bacterial taxa at both 9 and 18 months of age. Compared to the effect of having siblings, presence of household furred pets and early life infections had less pronounced effects on the gut microbiota....... Gut microbiota characteristics were not significantly associated with cumulative occurrence of eczema and asthmatic bronchitis during the first three years of life. Conclusions: Presence of older siblings is associated with increased gut microbial diversity and richness during early childhood, which...... could contribute to the substantiation of the hygiene hypothesis. However, no associations were found between gut microbiota and atopic symptoms of eczema and asthmatic bronchitis during early childhood and thus further studies are required to elucidate whether sibling-associated gut microbial changes...

The role of the gut microbiota in childhood obesity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis Pihl, Andreas; Esmann Fonvig, Cilius; Stjernholm, Theresa

2016-01-01

Background: Childhood and adolescent obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. The pathogenesis of obesity is complex and multifactorial, in which genetic and environmental contributions seem important. The gut microbiota is increasingly documented to be involved in the dysmetabolism...... associated with obesity. Methods: We conducted a systematic search for literature available before October 2015 in the PubMed and Scopus databases, focusing on the interplay between the gut microbiota, childhood obesity, and metabolism. Results: The review discusses the potential role of the bacterial...... component of the human gut microbiota in childhood and adolescent-onset obesity, with a special focus on the factors involved in the early development of the gut bacterial ecosystem, and how modulation of this microbial community might serve as a basis for new therapeutic strategies in combating childhood...

Mineralization of Surfactants by Microbiota of Aquatic Plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Federle, Thomas W; Schwab, Burney S

1989-08-01

The biodegradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and linear alcohol ethoxylate (LAE) by the microbiota associated with duckweed (Lemna minor) and the roots of cattail (Typha latifolia) was investigated. Plants were obtained from a pristine pond and a pond receiving wastewater from a rural laundromat. Cattail roots and duckweed plants were incubated in vessels containing sterile water amended with [C]LAS, [C]LAE, or C-labeled mixed amino acids (MAA). Evolution of CO(2) was determined over time. The microbiota of cattail roots from both ponds mineralized LAS, LAE, and MAA without lag periods, and the rates and extents of mineralization were not significantly affected by the source of the plants. Mineralization of LAS and LAE was more rapid in the rhizosphere than in nearby root-free sediments, which exhibited differences as a function of pond. The microbiota of duckweed readily mineralized LAE and MAA but not LAS. The rate and extent of mineralization were not affected by the source of the duckweed.

Rumen microbiota and dietary fat: a mutual shaping.

Science.gov (United States)

Enjalbert, F; Combes, S; Zened, A; Meynadier, A

2017-10-01

Although fat content in usual ruminant diets is very low, fat supplements can be given to farm ruminants to modulate rumen activity or the fatty acid (FA) profile of meat and milk. Unsaturated FAs, which are dominant in common fat sources for ruminants, have negative effects on microbial growth, especially protozoa and fibrolytic bacteria. In turn, the rumen microbiota detoxifies unsaturated FAs (UFAs) through a biohydrogenation (BH) process, transforming dietary UFAs with cis geometrical double-bonds into mainly trans UFAs and, finally, into saturated FAs. Culture studies have provided a large amount of data regarding bacterial species and strains that are affected by UFAs or involved in lipolysis or BH, with a major focus on the Butyrivibrio genus. More recent data using molecular approaches to rumen microbiota extend and challenge these data, but further research will be necessary to improve our understanding of fat and rumen microbiota interactions. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Mineralization of surfactants by microbiota of aquatic plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Federle, T.W.; Schwab, B.S.

1989-01-01

The biodegradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and linear alcohol ethoxylate (LAE) by the microbiota associated with duckweed (Lemna minor) and the roots of cattail (Typha latifolia) was investigated. Plants were obtained from a pristine pond and a pond receiving wastewater from a rural laundromat. Cattail roots and duckweed plants were incubated in vessels containing sterile water amended with [ 14 C]LAS, [ 14 C]LAE, or 14 C-labeled mixed amino acids (MAA). Evolution of 14 CO 2 was determined over time. The microbiota of cattail roots from both ponds mineralized LAS, LAE, and MAA without lag periods, and the rates and extents of mineralization were not significantly affected by the source of the plants. Mineralization of LAS and LAE was more rapid in the rhizosphere than in nearby root-free sediments, which exhibited differences as a function of pond. The microbiota of duckweed readily mineralized LAE and MAA but not LAS. The rate and extent of mineralization were not affected by the source of the duckweed

Structural aspects of crotalic venom proteins modified by ionizing radiation; Aspectos estruturais de proteinas do veneno crotalico modificadas por radiacao ionizante

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, Karina Corleto de

2010-07-01

Snake bites are a serious public health problem, especially in subtropical countries. In Brazil, the Ministry of Health notified around 26 000 accidents in 2008. The genus Crotalus (rattlesnakes) accounts for approximately 7% of the total, with a high mortality rate of 72% when untreated with the specific serum, the only effective treatment in case of snake bites. In Brazil, the serum is produced in horses which, despite the large size, have a reduced lifespan due to the high toxicity of the antigen. Ionizing radiation has proven to be an excellent tool for reducing the toxicity of venoms and isolated toxins, resulting in better immunogens for serum production, and contributing to the welfare of serum producing animals. Since the action of gamma radiation on venoms and toxins has not been yet fully clarified from the structural point of view, we proposed in this paper, to characterize two toxins of the species Crotalus durissus terrificus: crotoxin and crotamine. After isolation of the toxins of interest by chromatographic techniques, they were subjected to structural analysis with the application of the following methods: Fluorescence, Circular Dichroism, Differential Calorimetry and Infrared Spectroscopy. These tests showed that both crotamine as crotoxin when subjected to gamma radiation, showed changes in their structural conformation compared with the samples in the native state. Such changes probably occur in the secondary and tertiary structure and may explain the changes on the biological activity of these toxins. (author)

Structural aspects of crotalic venom proteins modified by ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, Karina Corleto de

2010-01-01

Snake bites are a serious public health problem, especially in subtropical countries. In Brazil, the Ministry of Health notified around 26 000 accidents in 2008. The genus Crotalus (rattlesnakes) accounts for approximately 7% of the total, with a high mortality rate of 72% when untreated with the specific serum, the only effective treatment in case of snake bites. In Brazil, the serum is produced in horses which, despite the large size, have a reduced lifespan due to the high toxicity of the antigen. Ionizing radiation has proven to be an excellent tool for reducing the toxicity of venoms and isolated toxins, resulting in better immunogens for serum production, and contributing to the welfare of serum producing animals. Since the action of gamma radiation on venoms and toxins has not been yet fully clarified from the structural point of view, we proposed in this paper, to characterize two toxins of the species Crotalus durissus terrificus: crotoxin and crotamine. After isolation of the toxins of interest by chromatographic techniques, they were subjected to structural analysis with the application of the following methods: Fluorescence, Circular Dichroism, Differential Calorimetry and Infrared Spectroscopy. These tests showed that both crotamine as crotoxin when subjected to gamma radiation, showed changes in their structural conformation compared with the samples in the native state. Such changes probably occur in the secondary and tertiary structure and may explain the changes on the biological activity of these toxins. (author)

A snake venom group IIA PLA2 with immunomodulatory activity induces formation of lipid droplets containing 15-d-PGJ2 in macrophages.

Science.gov (United States)