To analyze the correlation of cholecystectomy and changes in intestinal microbiota composition and function by observing functional characteristics of differential microbial communities.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on the patients (PC group, n=73) undergoing cholecystectomy in our hospital from 2020 to 2021. Another 56 healthy age- and gender-matched individuals (HC group) without a history of cholecystectomy were subjected and served as the control group. Fecal specimens were collected from the 2 groups. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis was performed to examine the changes in composition and function of intestinal microbiota.

There were no statistical differences between the 2 groups in baseline indicators, such as gender, age, BMI, smoking and drinking history, blood pressure, heart rate, and comorbidities, but significant difference was observed in total bilirubin (TBIL) between them (P < 0.01). Alpha diversity analysis showed no significant difference in Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson indices between the 2 groups. Beta diversity analysis using the Bray-Curtis distance algorithm revealed a significant difference between the 2 groups at the class and genus levels (P < 0.05). The analysis of microbiota relative abundance using LEFSE showed that Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillales, Citrobacter, Megasphaera, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Akkermansia, Streptococcus, Klebsiella, and Ruminococcus_gnavus were up-regulated in the PC group, and Lachnospiraceae, Sutterellaceae, Lachnospirales, Lachnospira, and Sutterella were down-regulated. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional prediction analysis indicated that significant differences were seen between the 2 groups in metabolic pathways, including ascorbic acid (vitamin C) metabolism and aldonic acid metabolism (P < 0.05), tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) (P < 0.05), glutathione metabolism (P < 0.05), glutamic acid metabolism (P < 0.05), secondary bile acid metabolism (P < 0.05), and pentose phosphate pathway (P < 0.01).

Cholecystectomy is closely associated with the structural alterations in the composition of intestinal microbiota. Variations in microbiota composition and function may induce perturbations in TCA cycle and glutathione metabolism, glutamate metabolism, secondary bile acid metabolism, and pentose phosphate pathways.

To analyze the diversity and composition of gut microbiota in individuals with circadian rhythm disruption and their correlation with cognition.

Night shift workers and regular shift workers were subjected from our hospital during August 2022 and October 2024. The participants with circadian rhythm disorders were assigned into an experimental group (n=24), and those with normal circadian rhythms were into a control group (n=24). Their height, weight, age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and fresh fecal samples were collected, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used to evaluate their mental status. Metagenomics, Alpha and Beta diversity analyses, Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were employed to investigate the diversity and function characteristics of gut microbiota in the participants.

There were no statistical differences between the 2 groups in baseline data, such as height, weight, gender, age, and BMI (P>0.05). Alpha diversity analysis indicated that no statistical differences were observed in the ACE, Chao1, Shannon, or Simpson indices between the 2 groups, while beta diversity analysis revealed significant differences (P<0.01), suggesting different structure of gut microbiota between them. In the experimental group, the abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Agathobacter rectalis was decreased, while that of Escherichia coli and Phocaeicola vulgaratus was increased, with significant differences when compared with the control group (P<0.05). Additionally, KEGG functional analysis showed that the experimental group had obviously higher expression levels in Th17 cell differentiation and the IL-17 signaling pathway than the control group (P<0.05). Agathobacter rectalis and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii were positively correlated with MoCA score and MMSE score (P<0.05, P<0.01). Agathobacter rectalis was negatively correlated with the IL-17 signaling pathway and Th17 cell differentiation.

Individuals with circadian rhythm disorders have significant changes in the structure and function of gut microbiota when compared to those with normal circadian rhythms. Agathobacter rectalis may be involved in the regulation of the IL-17 signaling pathway and differentiation of Th17 cells, thereby possibly impacting the increases of cognitive score related to circadian rhythm disorders.

Host genes regulate the composition and function of gut microbiota, thereby influencing the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aims to investigate the mechanisms by which host gene TRPV4 deficiency exacerbates CRC in mice through remodeling gut microbiota and promoting inflammatory cytokine secretion.

TRPV4 knockout (TRPV4^-/-) mice were used to establish a CRC mouse model induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) and azoxymethane (AOM). Male TRPV4^-/- and wild-type mice (6 to 8 weeks old) were stratified by body weight and randomly divided into TRPV4^-/- group (n=7) and WT group (n=7). The mouse model of CRC was established through a single intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg AOM on day 1 of week 1; from day 7, drinking water containing 1. 5% DSS for 7 consecutive days, followed by 2 weeks of regular water, with this DSS treatment cycle being repeated for 3 times; a second intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg AOM on day 1 of week 6. CRC progression was assessed with tumor number, size, burden, colon length, spleen weight, colonic morphology (HE staining) and pathological score, and immunohistochemical detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Additionally, male TRPV4^-/- and wild-type mice (6 to 8 weeks old) were stratified by body weight and randomly divided into antibiotic cocktail (ABX)-TRPV4^-/- group (n=5) and ABX-WT group (n=5). The ABX mixture was used to deplete the gut microbiota to evaluate the microbiota-dependent effects of TRPV4 on CRC. Fecal samples were collected from the TRPV4^-/- group (n=19) and WT group (n=21) before modeling, and then subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing to determine the effect of TRPV4 gene on mouse gut microbiota. RNA sequencing was performed on mouse colonic tissue; Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis was used to examine enrichment of differentially expressed genes, and fecal bacteria-cell co-incubation experiments were conducted in vitro.

The TRPV4^-/- group exhibited significantly increased tumor incidence (P=0.0379), tumor burden (P=0.0003), histopathological score (P<0.0001), and PCNA-positive rate (P<0.0001), and shorter colon length (P=0.0012) compared with the WT group. After ABX treatment, no significant differences were observed between the TRPV4^-/- group and WT group in tumor incidence, tumor burden, colon length, histopathological score, or PCNA positive rate (P>0.05). 16S rRNA sequencing demonstrated that TRPV4 deficiency reshaped the gut microbiota structure, with significant differences in β diversity between the TRPV4^-/- and WT groups (P=0.001) and distinct microbiota composition profiles. Colon tissue RNA-seq results revealed 218 significantly upregulated and 152 downregulated genes in TRPV4^-/- mice. KEGG pathway enrichment showed that differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in cytokine signaling pathways and TNF signaling pathways. In vitro co-incubation results demonstrated that the transcription levels of TNF-α (P<0.0001), IL-1β (P<0.0001), and IL-23 (P<0.0001) were significantly upregulated in TRPV4^-/- microbiota-cell co-cultures.

The gut microecology formed by TRPV4 deficiency may exacerbate CRC by promoting the secretion of inflammation-related cytokines.

Nosocomial infections in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) are frequently driven by impaired intestinal barrier function, which facilitates bacterial translocation and contributes to adverse clinical outcomes. Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii) can reconstitute gut microbiota composition. We investigated whether S. boulardii combined with enteral nutrition (EN) affects the microbiome and nosocomial infections in SAP.

This study is a single centre, open-label randomized controlled trial. We included 50 patients with SAP in a Chinese gastroenterology intensive care unit (ICU), randomized to Probiotic group (S. boulardii and EN) or the Control group (EN). Throat/oropharyngeal and rectal swabs were collected from patients with SAP on days 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 of ICU admission. The primary endpoints were nosocomial infection and fungemia, whereas the secondary endpoints were ICU mortality, 28-day mortality, ICU stay, and length of hospital stay. All samples were subjected to full-length 16 s rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Multivariate analysis was performed using normalized microbial and corresponding clinical data.

After data processing, 213 16S rRNA and 120 ITS samples were analysed. S. boulardii prevented nosocomial infections (0/27 in the Probiotic group vs 5/23 in the Control group; P < 0.05). Intestinal fungi were closely associated with nosocomial infections. Bioinformatic analysis showed that S. boulardii prevented nosocomial infections by reducing intestinal bacterial perturbation and inhibiting the proliferation of Enterococcus in the intestine, and Candida in the respiratory tract and intestines.

S. boulardii in patients with SAP may positively alter the respiratory and intestinal microbiome and decrease the incidence of nosocomial infections.

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing China (2021-yd030–01), which was retrospectively registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200056011, Date of Registration: 30/01/2022 https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=151215).

To compare the differences in gut microbiota between cirrhosis patients receiving transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and those not, and explore the relationship between TIPS surgery and gut microbiota in order to provide new ideas for improving the prognosis of cirrhosis patients after TIPS surgery based on gut microbiota.

Those who had received TIPS surgery previously were assigned into the operation group, and those without the surgery served as the control group. Their stool samples were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing, and the correlation between gut microbiota and clinical indicators was analyzed.

There were no significant differences in gender, age, body mass index (BMI), etiology and other baseline data between the 2 groups (P>0.05), but obvious differences were observed in clinical serological indicators between them, including INR, APTT, RBC and PT counts, and HGB, ALP, ALB, total bilirubin (TBIL), and URE levels (P<0.05). No statistical difference in alpha diversity was observed between the operation group and the control group (P>0.05), but beta diversity was obviously different (P<0.01), among which Bacteroides was increased in the operation group (P<0.01)and Bifidobacterium was increased in the control group (P<0.05). The function prediction analysis of gut microbiota showed that the metabolism of D-glutamine and D-glutamate (P<0.05) and biosynthesis with secondary bile acids (P<0.05) were up-regulated in the operation group compared with the control group. Correlation analysis between clinical indicators and flora indicated that TBIL and direct bilirubin (DBIL) were significantly correlated with the metabolic pathways of Bacteroides and Secondary bile acids biosynthesis.

Characteristic changes in gut microbiota are found in cirrhosis patients with and without TIPS surgery. Bacteroides may be involved in the regulation of metabolism of bile acids and thus increase bilirubin level.