Project description:Numerous studies signify that diets rich in phytochemicals reduce the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). However, their effects are often not uniform among individuals, possibly due to inter-individual variation in gut microbiota. The host indigenous gut microbiota and their metabolites have emerged as factors that greatly influence the efficacy of dietary interventions. The biological activities, mechanisms of actions and the specific targets of several microbial metabolites are unknown. Urolithin A (UroA) is one such natural microbial metabolite, which showed (including our recent study) anti-carcinogenic, anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. The goal of the experiment to determine if Urolithin A blocks the genes induced by lipopolysaccharide (mimicking bacterial effects on colon) as well as determine effects of Urolithin A alone.
Project description:The human intestinal microbiota associated with rats produces in vivo a soluble(s) factor(s) that down-regulates the expression of genes encoding for the Shiga toxin II in E. coli O157:H7. The Shiga toxin II is one of the major virulence factors of E. coli enterohemorragic leading to the deadly hemolitic and uremic syndrome. Investigation of the effect of the human intestinal microbiota on the whole transcriptome of EHEC O157:H7 is of major importance to increase our understanding of the pathogen transcriptomic adaptation in response to the human microbiota. We analysed by microarray hybridization the gene expression pattern of EHEC O157:H7 grown in the caecal content of germ-free rats or rats associated with the human microbiota of a healthy human subject. By doing so, we increased our understanding of the regulatory activities of the human gut microbiota on E. coli O157:H7 A first group of twelve weeks old, male, germfree rats was colonized with the human fecal microbiota and a second group was kept germfree and condidered as a controle group. Rats were fed for two weeks with a sterile human type diet, and were sacrificed. E. coli O157:H7 was cultivated for 6 hours in the caecal content of germfree rats and rats associated with the human intestinal microbiota. RNAs were extracted and cDNAs were synthesized, fragmented and biotinylated before being hybridized on Affymetrix E. coli genome 2.0 arrays. The effect of the human intestinal microbiota was investigated by comparing the gene expression level in the caecal content of rats associated with the human microbiota with their expression level in the caecal content of the germfree rats.
Project description:Background & Aims: The complex interactions between diet and the microbiota that influence mucosal inflammation and inflammatory bowel disease are poorly understood. Experimental colitis models provide the opportunity to control and systematically perturb diet and the microbiota in parallel to quantify the contributions between multiple dietary ingredients and the microbiota on host physiology and colitis. Methods: To examine the interplay of diet and the gut microbiota on host health and colitis, we fed over 40 different diets with varied macronutrient sources and concentrations to specific pathogen free or germ free mice either in the context of healthy, unchallenged animals or dextran sodium sulfate colitis model. Results: Diet influenced physiology in both health and colitis across all models, with the concentration of protein and psyllium fiber having the most profound effects. Increasing dietary protein elevated gut microbial density and worsened DSS colitis severity. Depleting gut microbial density by using germ-free animals or antibiotics negated the effect of a high protein diet. Psyllium fiber influenced host physiology and attenuated colitis severity through microbiota-dependent and microbiota-independent mechanisms. Combinatorial perturbations to dietary protein and psyllium fiber in parallel explain most variation in gut microbial density, intestinal permeability, and DSS colitis severity, and changes in one ingredient can be offset by changes in the other. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the importance of examining complex mixtures of nutrients to understand the role of diet in intestinal inflammation. Keywords: IBD; Diet; Microbiota; Mouse Models; Systems Biology
Project description:The human intestinal microbiota associated with rats produces in vivo a soluble(s) factor(s) that down-regulates the expression of genes encoding for the Shiga toxin II in E. coli O157:H7. The Shiga toxin II is one of the major virulence factors of E. coli enterohemorragic leading to the deadly hemolitic and uremic syndrome. Investigation of the effect of the human intestinal microbiota on the whole transcriptome of EHEC O157:H7 is of major importance to increase our understanding of the pathogen transcriptomic adaptation in response to the human microbiota. We analysed by microarray hybridization the gene expression pattern of EHEC O157:H7 grown in the caecal content of germ-free rats or rats associated with the human microbiota of a healthy human subject. By doing so, we increased our understanding of the regulatory activities of the human gut microbiota on E. coli O157:H7
Project description:The human gut microbiota is crucial for degrading dietary fibres from the diet. However, some of these bacteria can also degrade host glycans, such as mucins, the main component of the protective gut mucus layer. Specific microbiota species and mucin degradation patterns are associated with inflammatory processes in the colon. Yet, it remains unclear how the utilization of mucin glycans affects the degradation of dietary fibres by the human microbiota. Here, we used three dietary fibres (apple pectin, β-glucan and xylan) to study in vitro the dynamics of colon mucin and dietary fibre degradation by the human faecal microbiota. The dietary fibres showed clearly distinguishing modulatory effects on faecal microbiota composition. The utilization of colon mucin in cultures led to alterations in microbiota composition and metabolites. Metaproteome analysis showed the central role of the Bacteroides in degradation of complex fibres while Akkermansia muciniphila was the main degrader of colonic mucin. This work demonstrates the intricacy of complex glycan metabolism by the gut microbiota and how the utilization of host glycans leads to alterations in the metabolism of dietary fibres. Metaproteomics analysis of this data reveals the functional activities of the bacteria in consortia, by this contributing to a better understanding of the complex metabolic pathways within the human microbiota that can be manipulated to maximise beneficial microbiota-host interactions.
Project description:The human gut microbiota is crucial for degrading dietary fibres from the diet. However, some of these bacteria can also degrade host glycans, such as mucins, the main component of the protective gut mucus layer. Specific microbiota species and mucin degradation patterns are associated with inflammatory processes in the colon. Yet, it remains unclear how the utilization of mucin glycans affects the degradation of dietary fibres by the human microbiota. Here, we used three dietary fibres (apple pectin, β-glucan and xylan) to study in vitro the dynamics of colon mucin and dietary fibre degradation by the human faecal microbiota. The dietary fibres showed clearly distinguishing modulatory effects on faecal microbiota composition. The utilization of colon mucin in cultures led to alterations in microbiota composition and metabolites. Metaproteome analysis showed the central role of the Bacteroides in degradation of complex fibres while Akkermansia muciniphila was the main degrader of colonic mucin. This work demonstrates the intricacy of complex glycan metabolism by the gut microbiota and how the utilization of host glycans leads to alterations in the metabolism of dietary fibres. Metaproteomics analysis of this data reveals the functional activities of the bacteria in consortia, by this contributing to a better understanding of the complex metabolic pathways within the human microbiota that can be manipulated to maximise beneficial microbiota-host interactions. In this study two different mucin samples were used: commercial porcine gastric mucin and in house prepared porcine colonic mucin. This dataset analyses the proteome of: A) autoclaved porcine colonic mucin; B) not autoclaved porcine colonic mucin; C) porcine gastric mucin.
Project description:Auricularia auricula is a well-known traditional edible and medicinal fungus with high nutritional and pharmacological values, as well as metabolic and immunoregulatory properties. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the effects of Auricularia auricula polysaccharides (AAP) on obesity and related metabolic endpoints, including the role of the gut microbiota, remain insufficiently understood. To determine the mechanistic role of the gut microbiota in observed anti-obesogenic effects AAP, faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and pseudo germ-free mice model treated with antibiotics were also applied, together with 16S rRNA genomic-derived taxonomic profiling. HFD murine exposure to AAP thwarted weight-gains, reduced fat depositing, together with upregulating thermogenesis proteomic biomarkers within adipose tissue. These effects were associated with diminished intestine/bloodstream-borne lipid transportation, together with enhanced glucose tolerance. FMT administered in tandem with antibiotic treatment demonstrated the intestinal microbiota was necessary in deploying AAP anti-obesogenic functions. Intestine-dwelling microbial population assessments discovered AAP to enhance (in a selective manner) Papillibacter cinnamivorans, a commensal bacterium having reduced presence within HFD mice. Notably, HFD mice treated with oral formulations of Papillibacter cinnamivorans diminished obesity and was linked to decreased intestinal lipid transportation. Datasets from the present study show that AAP thwarted dietary-driven obesity and metabolism-based disorders through regulating intestinal lipid transportation, a mechanism that is dependent on the gut commensal Papillibacter cinnamivorans. These results indicated AAP and Papillibacter cinnamivorans as newly identified pre- and probiotics that could possibly serve as novel countermeasure against obesity.
Project description:Dietary lipids and gut microbiota may both influence adipose tissue physiology. By feeding conventional and germ-free mice high fat diets with different lipid compositon we aimed to investigate how dietary lipids and the gut microbiota interact to influence inflammation and metabolism in the liver
Project description:Dietary lipids and gut microbiota may both influence adipose tissue physiology. By feeding conventional and germ-free mice high fat diets with different lipid compositon we aimed to investigate how dietary lipids and the gut microbiota interact to influence inflammation and metabolism in epididymal adipiose tissue (EWAT)