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Open Access Research Article Just accepted
Ameliorative effects of Lactobacillus fermentum isolated from individuals following vegan, omnivorous and high-meat diets on ulcerative colitis in mice
Food Science and Human Wellness
Available online: 26 February 2024
Downloads:14

Lactobacillus spp. can be beneficial for the prevention or treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). In this study, 153 participants who followed vegan, omnivorous, or high-meat diet were recruited. Compositional analysis of the Lactobacillus community in feces revealed that L. fermentum strains were significantly affected by diet. Administration of mixed L. fermentum strains from vegans significantly improved inflammation compared to that from omnivores and high-meat consumers, as evidenced by a significant reduction in colonic tissue damage, improvement in inflammatory cytokines, enhanced expression of ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-3, and a significant increase in short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentration. The effect of a single strain of L. fermentum was similar to that of a mixed strains of L. fermentum group. Genomic analysis suggested that L. fermentum strains from the guts of vegans possessed a higher prevalence of genes involved in carbohydrate catabolism than those from the guts of omnivores and high-meat eaters. In particular, the ME2 gene is involved in the biosynthesis of acetate, a compound considered to possess anti-inflammatory properties. In conclusion, this study indicates strain-specific differences in the ability of L. fermentum strains to alleviate UC in mice, influenced by habitual diets. 

Open Access Research Article Just accepted
Lactobacillus acidophilus FCQHC4L1 strengthens the intestinal mucus barrier and inhibits endoplasmic reticulum stress
Food Science and Human Wellness
Available online: 26 February 2024
Downloads:11

Mucin 2 (MUC2) is a critical component of the intestinal mucus barrier. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains can improve mucosal homeostasis. In this study, we determined the expression of Muc2 induced by dead bacteria and cell-free conditioned medium (CM) of 50 LAB strains in the human goblet cell line, LS174T. Dead bacteria or CM of LAB affected the Muc2 expression in a species- and strain-specific manner under homeostasis. Next, LAB strains with different regulatory abilities were selected, gavaged into mice, and exposed to dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) after 1 week. Different LAB strains inhibited intestinal injury to different degrees, with Lactobacillus acidophilus FCQHC4L1 exerting the most potent effect. FCQHC4L1 significantly decreased the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors, promoted the expression and secretion of mucin, and inhibited colitis development. This strain also regulated the gut microbiota and increased the secretion of butyric acid. Moreover, CM of FCQHC4L1 inhibited endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and ameliorated the abnormal expression of MUC2 by suppressing the activation of the GRP78/ATF6 and GRP78/IRE1/XBP1 signaling pathways. Our results highlight the potential of FCQHC4L1 as a therapeutic agent for strengthening the mucus barrier and improving the gut health.

Open Access Research Article Issue
Differences in the effects and action modes of gut commensals against dextran sulfate sodium-induced intestinal inflammation
Food Science and Human Wellness 2024, 13 (3): 1201-1211
Published: 08 February 2024
Downloads:96

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex relapsing inflammatory disease in the gut and is driven by complicated host-gut microbiome interactions. Gut commensals have shown different functions in IBD prevention and treatment. To gain a mechanistic understanding of how different commensals affect intestinal inflammation, we compared the protective effects of 6 probiotics (belonging to the genera Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, and Enterococcus) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice with or without gut microbiota. Anti-inflammatory properties (ratio of interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-12) of these strains were also evaluated in an in vitro mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) co-culture system. Results showed that 4 probiotics (belonging to the species Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Enterococcus faecalis) can alleviate colitis in normal mice. The probiotic strains differed in regulating the intestinal microbiota, cytokines (IL-10, IL-1β and interferon (IFN)-γ), and tight junction function (Zonulin-1 and Occludin). By constrast, Akkermansia muciniphila AH39 and Clostridium butyricum FHuNHHMY49T1 were not protective. Interestingly, B. breve JSNJJNM2 with high anti-inflammatory potential in the MLN model could relieve colitis symptoms in antibiotic cocktail (Abx)-treated mice. Meanwhile, E. faecalis FJSWX25M1 induced low levels of cytokines in vitro and showed no beneficial effects. Therefore, we provided insight into the clinical application of probiotics in IBD treatment.

Open Access Research Article Just accepted
2′-Fucosyllactose alleviate immune checkpoint blockade-associated colitis by reshaping gut microbiota and activating AHR pathway
Food Science and Human Wellness
Available online: 03 November 2023
Downloads:44

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapeutics are highly effective in cancer immunotherapy, but gastrointestinal toxicity limited the application. Intestinal microbiota plays a crucial role in ICB-associated colitis. 2′-Fucosyllactose (2′FL) is most abundance prebiotic in human milk that can reshape gut microbiota and exert immune regulatory effect. The study aimed to determine the effects of 2′FL on ICB-associated colitis and to uncover the mediating mechanism. ICB-associated colitis was induced by the ipilimumab and dextran sulfate sodium. Oral administration of 2′FL (0.6 g/kg/day) ameliorated ICB-induced colitis by enhancing regulatory T cells (Treg) and the M2/M1 ratio of macrophages in colon. 2′FL treatment also increased the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and MUC2) and antioxidant stress indicators (SOD and CAT). In addition, administration of 2′FL increased the abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, and elevated the levels of microbial metabolites, such as indole-3-lactic acid (ILA), which activated the aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands (AHR) pathway. The protective effect of 2′FL was abolished upon depletion of gut microbiota, and ILA treatment partially simulated the protective effect of 2′FL. Notably, 2′FL did not exhibit inhibition of antitumor immunity. These findings suggest that 2′FL could serve as a potential protective strategy for ICB-associated colitis by modulating the intestinal microbiota and bacterial metabolites.

Open Access Research Article Just accepted
Alleviative effects of Bacillus coagulans strains on IBS - Unraveling strain specificity through physiological and genomic analysis
Food Science and Human Wellness
Available online: 26 September 2023
Downloads:99

The high intraspecies heterogeneity of B. coagulans leads to significant phenotypic differences among different strains. Thus, six B. coagulans strains were tested in the present study using an IBS animal model to determine whether the IBS-alleviating effects of B. coagulans strains are strain-specific. The results of this study showed that the ingestion of B. coagulans GBI-30, 6086, and CCFM1041 significantly alleviated IBS symptoms in mice. In contrast, other B. coagulans strains showed no or limited alleviating effects on IBS symptoms. According to our experimental results, the two main common features of these strains were as follows: 1) The resistance of vegetative cells to bile salts, and 2) ability to synthesize specific lipids and secondary metabolites. Screening strains based on these two indicators may greatly reduce costs and provide a basis for mining new functional B. coagulans strains. Our results also suggest that administration of B. coagulans could significantly regulate microbiota dysbiosis in animal models. Moreover, the close relationships between the gut microbiota, gut microbiota metabolites, and IBS were further confirmed in this study.

Open Access Research Article Issue
Akkermansia muciniphila-directed polyphenol chlorogenic acid intervention for obesity in mice
Food Science and Human Wellness 2024, 13 (1): 90-100
Published: 01 June 2023
Downloads:340

Akkermansia muciniphila play an important in ameliorating obesity but is not allowed for direct consumption in most countries. To date, microbiota-directed foods selectively promote the targeted human gut microbes, providing a strategy for A. muciniphila enhancement. Multiple studies have indicated the potential regulation of the polyphenol on A. muciniphila. Therefore, a polyphenol screening based on A. muciniphila upregulation was performed in mice. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) exhibited a greater response to A. muciniphila upregulation. Furthermore, we found that CGA did not directly promote A. muciniphila growth or mucin secretion. Microbiome and metabolomics revealed that the increased abundance of A. muciniphila resulted from the inhibition of CGA on Desulfovibrio and Alistipes and the influence of docosahexaenoic acid, β-hydroxybutyrate, and N-acetyl-lactosamine. Finally, to confirm the regulation of CGA on A. muciniphila under disease conditions, high-fat diet-fed mice were established. The results showed CGA promoted A. muciniphila growth, and we expectedly found that CGA suppressed the augment in body weight of mice, significantly attenuated adipose tissue abnormality, provided liver protection and improved gut barrier integrity. These results suggest that CGA inhibits the development of obesity. Overall, our results indicate that microbiota-directed food is a promising approach for the treatment of obesity.

Open Access Research Article Issue
Stachyose modulates gut microbiota and alleviates DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice
Food Science and Human Wellness 2023, 12 (6): 2211-2220
Published: 04 April 2023
Downloads:76

Stachyose is a prebiotic that traditionally extracted from plants, such as vegetable. It has been demonstrated to alleviate intestinal inflammation by regulating gut microbiota, but the mechanism has been unclear. This research aims to detect the potential mechanism of stachyose in alleviating the severity of ulcerative colitis (UC). The results indicated that the administration of stachyose could recover the body weight, protect against the colonic tissue damage, reduce the pro-inflammatory cytokines levels, and reverse the histological abnormalities in UC mice. Oral stachyose could restore DSS-induced disturbance in intestinal bacteria. Besides, the metabolome result of serum samples showed that stachyose treatment significantly altered serum metabolites against inflammatory responses in colitis mice. Also, a significant correlation can be found between 23 metabolite biomarkers and 18 differential genera. Our results provided a strong foundation for the future study of the protective role of stachyose in maintaining intestinal homeostasis.

Open Access Research Article Issue
Strain-specific effects of Akkermansia muciniphila on the regulation of intestinal barrier
Food Science and Human Wellness 2023, 12 (5): 1526-1537
Published: 21 March 2023
Downloads:32

Akkermansia muciniphila, one of the most promising next-generation probiotics, was reported to exhibit beneficial modulatory effects on the gut barrier. However, the strain-specific and underlying regulatory mechanisms of this species on gut barrier function were not well studied. Therefore, this study evaluated the protective effect of A. muciniphila strains on the intestinal barrier and investigated the mode of action and material basis of this modulatory effect. We first confirmed the strain-specific effects of A. muciniphila on intestinal barrier regulation and found that this phenomenon may be explained by the different abilities of strains to affect tight junction protein expression in enterocytes. Comparative genomic analysis proved that the ability of A. muciniphila to regulate the intestinal barrier was exerted in part by the functional genes (such as COG0438, COG0463, and COG2244) related to the synthesis of cellular surface proteins. The role of these surface proteins in intestinal barrier regulation was further verified by strain-comparative experiments in animal and cell models and surface protein removal trials. This study confirmed the different effects of A. muciniphila strains on gut barrier modulation and provided molecular and genetic targets for the screening of A. muciniphila strains with superior protection against gut barrier dysfunction.

Open Access Research Article Issue
Probiotics supplementation for management of type Ⅱ diabetes risk factors in adults with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trial
Food Science and Human Wellness 2023, 12 (4): 1053-1063
Published: 18 November 2022
Downloads:33

This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials aimed to evaluate the effects of probiotic supplementation on glucose homeostasis in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The meta-analysis was performed in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook guidelines and relevant the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement criteria. Of 825 identified reports, 11 randomized clinical trials were included in the meta-analysis. An analysis of pooled extracted data revealed that supplementation with probiotics significantly decreased fasting blood glucose (FBG, n = 7; standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.40; 95% confidence interval (CI): −2.02, −0.02; P = 0.04) and insulin levels (n = 6; SMD = −0.57; 95% CI: −0.89, −0.25; P = 0.0004) and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (n = 7; SMD = −0.64; 95% CI: −0.96, −0.31; P = 0.0001) while increasing the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI, n = 5; SMD = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.08, 1.09; P = 0.02) in patients with PCOS. The FBG-reducing effect decreased as the baseline body mass index (BMI) and mean age of the participants increased. Indeed, a greater number of bacterial species and a higher bacterial dose were shown to reduce QUICKI effectively. The systematic review indicated that probiotic supplementation may help to control glucose homeostasis in adults with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Open Access Review Article Issue
Capsular polysaccarides of probiotics and their immunomodulatory roles
Food Science and Human Wellness 2022, 11 (5): 1111-1120
Published: 02 June 2022
Downloads:15

Studies have determined the immunomodulatory activities of cell-surface polysaccharides of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Bacteroides; however, the mechanisms, synthesis, regulation, structure, and functional links have not been systematically discussed. We first introduce the structure of the capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) of commonly studied probiotics and Bacteroides. Wzx-Wzy dependent and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter-dependent pathways are the two main biosynthesis and secretion of CPS pathways. The genes known to be associated with these two pathways are mainly those associated with priming glycosyltransferase (pGT); a variable number of genes encoding for different glycosyl transferases (GTs); Wzx/Wzy-encoding enzymes related to flippases and polymerases; and ABC-transporter genes. In addition, the effects of CPSs on host immunity as well as their related underlying mechanisms are described. Surface polysaccharides on probiotics can serve as a mask to aid in their escape from attacks from the host's immune system. In turn, they also exhibit immunomodulatory activities, such as strengthening the functions of macrophages, promoting the maturation of antigen-presenting cells, and inducing regulatory T cells. All of these effects of cell-surface polysaccharides exhibit their significant protective properties in immunocompromised diseases, such as colitis, arthritis, and dermatitis. Finally, we focused on their structure and functional links.

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