Dataset Information

Absence of neurotensin attenuates intestinal dysbiosis and inflammation by maintaining Mmp7/α-defensin axis in diet-induced obese mice.

ABSTRACT: We previously reported that high levels of plasma neurotensin (NT), a gut hormone released from enteroendocrine cells of the small bowel, contribute to obesity and comorbid conditions. Gut microbiota has been implicated in the obesity development. Paneth cells are critical in maintaining gut microbiota composition and homeostasis by releasing antimicrobial proteins including α-defensins. The purpose of our current study was to determine the possible role of NT in gut microbiota composition and α-defensin gene expression associated with obesity. Here we show that the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B ratio) and intestinal proinflammatory cytokines is significantly increased in NT^+/+ mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) which were improved in NT-deficient mice. HFD disrupted the intestinal Mmp7/α-defensin axis, which was completely prevented in NT^-/- mice. In addition, NT treatment inhibited DEFA5 expression and concurrent NF-κB activity, which was blocked by a pan PKC inhibitor (Gö6983) or an inhibitor for atypical PKCs (CRT0066854). More importantly, the shRNA-mediated knockdown of atypical PKCτ reversed NT-attenuated DEFA5 expression and increased NF-κB activity. NT contributes to the HFD-induced disruption of gut microbiota composition and α-defensin expression. PKCτ/λ plays a central role in NT-mediated α-defensin gene expression which might be mediated through the inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathways in Paneth cells.

SUBMITTER: Li J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7754978 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:Defensins have attracted considerable research interest worldwide because of their potential to serve as a substitute for antibiotics. In this study, we characterized a novel porcine ?-defensin (pBD129) and explored its role in alleviating bacterial endotoxin-induced inflammation and intestinal epithelium atrophy. The pBD129 gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. A recombinant pBD129 protein was also purified. To explore its role in alleviating the endotoxin-induced inflammation, mice, with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge were treated by pBD129 at different doses. The recombinant pBD129 showed significant antimicrobial activities against the E. coli and Streptococcus with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MICs) of 32 ?g/mL. Hemolytic assays showed that the pBD129 had no detrimental impact on cell viabilities. Interestingly, we found that pBD129 attenuated LPS-induced inflammatory responses by decreasing serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines, such as the IL-1?, IL-6, and TNF-? (P < 0.05). Moreover, pBD129 elevated the intestinal villus height (P < 0.05) and enhanced the expression and localization of the major tight junction-associated protein ZO-1 in LPS-challenged mice. Additionally, pDB129 at a high dose significantly decreased serum diamine oxidase (DAO) concentration (P < 0.05) and reduced intestinal epithelium cell apoptosis (P < 0.05) in LPS-challenged mice. Importantly, pBD129 elevated the expression level of Bcl-2-associated death promoter (Bcl-2), but down-regulated the expression levels of apoptosis-related genes such as the B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein (Bax), BH3-interacting domain death agonist (Bid), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3 (Caspase-3), and caspase-9 in the intestinal mucosa (P < 0.05). These results suggested a novel function of the mammalian defensins, and the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of pBD129 may allow it a potential substitute for conventionally used antibiotics or drugs.

Project description:Background “Western” style dietary patterns are characterized by a high proportion of highly processed foods rich in fat and low in fiber. This diet pattern is associated with a myriad of metabolic dysfunctions, including neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment. ?-glucan, the major soluble fiber in oat and barley grains, is fermented in the lower gastrointestinal tract, potentially impacting the microbial ecosystem and thus may improve elements of cognition and brain function via the gut-brain axis. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of ?-glucan on the microbiota gut-brain axis and cognitive function in an obese mouse model induced by a high-fat and fiber-deficient diet (HFFD). Results After long-term supplementation for 15?weeks, ?-glucan prevented HFFD-induced cognitive impairment assessed behaviorally by object location, novel object recognition, and nesting building tests. In the hippocampus, ?-glucan countered the HFFD-induced microglia activation and its engulfment of synaptic puncta, and upregulation of proinflammatory cytokine (TNF-?, IL-1?, and IL-6) mRNA expression. Also, in the hippocampus, ?-glucan significantly promoted PTP1B-IRS-pAKT-pGSK3?-pTau signaling for synaptogenesis, improved the synaptic ultrastructure examined by transmission electron microscopy, and increased both pre- and postsynaptic protein levels compared to the HFFD-treated group. In the colon, ?-glucan reversed HFFD-induced gut barrier dysfunction increased the thickness of colonic mucus (Alcian blue and mucin-2 glycoprotein immunofluorescence staining), increased the levels of tight junction proteins occludin and zonula occludens-1, and attenuated bacterial endotoxin translocation. The HFFD resulted in microbiota alteration, effects abrogated by long-term ?-glucan supplementation, with the ?-glucan effects on Bacteroidetes and its lower taxa particularly striking. Importantly, the study of short-term ?-glucan supplementation for 7?days demonstrated pronounced, rapid differentiating microbiota changes before the cognitive improvement, suggesting the possible causality of gut microbiota profile on cognition. In support, broad-spectrum antibiotic intervention abrogated ?-glucan’s effects on improving cognition, highlighting the role of gut microbiota to mediate cognitive behavior. Conclusion This study provides the first evidence that ?-glucan improves indices of cognition and brain function with major beneficial effects all along the gut microbiota-brain axis. Our data suggest that elevating consumption of ?-glucan-rich foods is an easily implementable nutritional strategy to alleviate detrimental features of gut-brain dysregulation and prevent neurodegenerative diseases associated with Westernized dietary patterns. Video Abstract

Dataset Information

Absence of neurotensin attenuates intestinal dysbiosis and inflammation by maintaining Mmp7/α-defensin axis in diet-induced obese mice.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets