• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제47권5호
• /
• pp.627-637
• /
• 2023

Background: Damage to the healthy intestinal epithelial layer and regulation of the intestinal immune system, closely interrelated, are considered pivotal parts of the curative treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Plant-based diets and phytochemicals can support the immune microenvironment in the intestinal epithelial barrier for a balanced immune system by improving the intestinal microecological balance and may have therapeutic potential in colitis. However, there have been only a few reports on the therapeutic potential of plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PENs) and the underlying mechanism in colitis. This study aimed to assess the therapeutic effect of PENs from Panax ginseng, ginseng-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (GENs), in a mouse model of IBD, with a focus on the intestinal immune microenvironment. Method: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of GENs on acute colitis, we treated GENs in Caco2 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and analyzed the gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 by real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Furthermore, we further examined bacterial DNA from feces and determined the alteration of gut microbiota composition in DSS-induced colitis mice after administration of GENs through 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Result: GENs with low toxicity showed a long-lasting intestinal retention effect for 48 h, which could lead to effective suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6 production through inhibition of NF-κB in DSS-induced colitis. As a result, it showed longer colon length and suppressed thickening of the colon wall in the mice treated with GENs. Due to the amelioration of the progression of DSS-induced colitis with GENs treatment, the prolonged survival rate was observed for 17 days compared to 9 days in the PBS-treated group. In the gut microbiota analysis, the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota was decreased, which means GENs have therapeutic effectiveness against IBD. Ingesting GENs would be expected to slow colitis progression, strengthen the gut microbiota, and maintain gut homeostasis by preventing bacterial dysbiosis. Conclusion: GENs have a therapeutic effect on colitis through modulation of the intestinal microbiota and immune microenvironment. GENs not only ameliorate the inflammation in the damaged intestine by downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines but also help balance the microbiota on the intestinal barrier and thereby improve the digestive system.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제25권6호
• /
• pp.575-583
• /
• 2021

Composition of the gut microbiota changes with aging and plays an important role in age-associated disease such as metabolic syndrome, cancer, and neurodegeneration. The gut microbiota composition oscillates through the day, and the disruption of their diurnal rhythm results in gut dysbiosis leading to metabolic and immune dysfunctions. It is well documented that circadian rhythm changes with age in several biological functions such as sleep, body temperature, and hormone secretion. However, it is not defined whether the diurnal pattern of gut microbial composition is affected by aging. To evaluate aging effects on the diurnal pattern of the gut microbiome, we evaluated the taxa profiles of cecal contents obtained from young and aged mice of both sexes at daytime and nighttime points by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. At the phylum level, the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and the relative abundances of Verrucomicrobia and Cyanobacteria were increased in aged male mice at night compared with that of young male mice. Meanwhile, the relative abundances of Sutterellaceae, Alloprevotella, Lachnospiraceae UCG-001, and Parasutterella increased in aged female mice at night compared with that of young female mice. The Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group relative abundance increased in aged mice of both sexes but at opposite time points. These results showed the changes in diurnal patterns of gut microbial composition with aging, which varied depending on the sex of the host. We suggest that disturbed diurnal patterns of the gut microbiome can be a factor for the underlying mechanism of age-associated gut dysbiosis.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제62권2호
• /
• pp.239-246
• /
• 2020

Microorganism residing in the gut has been known to have important roles in the animal body. Microbes and host microenvironment are highly related with host's health including energy metabolism and immune system. Moreover, it reported that gut microbiome is correlated with diseases like obesity in human and dogs. There have been many studies to identify and characterize microbes and their genes in human body. However, there was little information of microbiome in companion animals. Here, we investigated microbiota communities in feaces from twenty - four Beagles (aged 2 years old) and analyzed the taxonomy profile using metagenomics to study the difference among gut microbiome based on body condition score (BCS). gDNA was isolated from feaces, sequenced and clustered. Taxonomy profiling was performed based on the NCBI database. BCS was evaluated once a week according to the description provided by World Small Animal Veterinary Association. Firmicutes phylum was the most abundant followed by Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. That main microbiota in gut were differently distributed based on the BCS. Fusobacteria has been known to be associated with colon cancer in human. Interestingly, Fusobacteria was in the third level from the top in healthy dog's gut microbiome. In addition, Fusobacteria was especially higher in overweight dogs which had 6 scales of BCS. Species Fusobacterium perfoetens was also more abundant when dogs were in BCS 6. It implied that F. perfoetens would be positively related with overweight in dogs. These finding would contribute to further studies of gut microbiome and their functions to improve dog's diets and health condition.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제49권1호
• /
• pp.11-17
• /
• 2016

The gastrointestinal tract forms the largest surface in our body with constantly being exposed to various antigens, which provides unique microenvironment for the immune system in the intestine. Accordingly, the gut epithelium harbors the most T lymphocytes in the body as intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs), which are phenotypically and functionally heterogeneous populations, distinct from the conventional mature T cells in the periphery. IELs arise either from pre-committed thymic precursors (natural IELs) or from conventional CD4 or CD8αβ T cells in response to peripheral antigens (induced IELs), both of which commonly express CD8α homodimers (CD8αα). Although lineage commitment to either conventional CD4 T helper (Th) or cytotoxic CD8αβ T cells as well as their respective co-receptor expression are mutually exclusive and irreversible process, CD4 T cells can be redirected to the CD8 IELs with high cytolytic activity upon migration to the gut epithelium. Recent reports show that master transcription factors for CD4 and CD8 T cells, ThPOK (Th-inducing BTB/POZ-Kruppel-like factor) and Runx3 (Runt related transcription factor 3), respectively, are the key regulators for re-programming of CD4 T cells to CD8 lineage in the intestinal epithelium. This review will focus on the unique differentiation process of IELs, particularly lineage re-commitment of CD4 IELs. [BMB Reports 2016; 49(1): 11-17]

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제29권8호
• /
• pp.922-940
• /
• 2019

비만은 에너지 섭취와 소비의 불균형으로 인해 유발되는 비정상적인 지방 축적으로, 근래에 다양한 만성질환을 초래하는 주요 국제 보건 문제로 부상하였다. 이러한 이유로, 비만 문제에 대한 여러 해결책들이 제시되고 있다. 에너지를 저장하며 내분비 작용을 하는 백색 지방과 달리 열을 생성하여 에너지를 발산하는 두 종류의 지방조직인 갈색 지방과 베이지색 지방이 성인에 존재하며 외부 자극에 의해 유도될 수 있다는 것이 밝혀진 이래로, 이들은 비만 치료의 유망한 표적으로서 각광받고 있다. 이러한 외부 자극 중, 인간 장관계에서 인간과 공존하는 장내 미생물총은 다양한 대사 작용에 참여하며, 이를 조절하는 것이 여러 대사 질환의 치료에 유력한 작용을 할 것으로 보인다. 따라서, 다양한 연구에서 항비만 치료가 장내 미생물 환경 전환이나 갈색 지방 조직 활성화에 미치는 영향에 초점을 맞추고 있다. 본 총설에서는 비만과 체중 증가, 대사 질환을 해소하는 것으로 알려진 자극과, 장내 미생물총의 변화나 갈색지방의 활성화를 야기하는 자극과, 이 자극들과 장내 미생물총의 조작, 지방조직의 갈색화 사이에서 알려져 있거나 있을 수 있는 상관관계를 중점적으로 다루고자 한다.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제64권6호
• /
• pp.1092-1104
• /
• 2022

Using antibiotics as growth promoter has been banned in poultry feed industry, thus various researchers try to seek an alternative to replace the growth-promoting antibiotics. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the growth performance via intestinal nutrient utilization and cecal microbial composition of broiler after dietary supplementation with most commonly using antibiotics, zinc bacitracin, and sophorolipid. A total of 180 1-day-old chicks were randomly assigned, and dietary treatment was as follow: CON, basal diet; ZB, 100 ppm of zinc bacitracin supplemented diet; and SPL, 250 ppm of sophorolipid supplemented diet. Their growth performance was evaluated and the samples of blood, small intestine, and ileal and cecal digesta were collected for biochemical, histological, and genomic analyses. The body weight and average daily gain of 7-day-old chicks were higher in ZB and those in overall experimental period were improved by ZB and SPL supplementation (p < 0.05). Their intestinal characteristics were not affected by dietary treatments in duodenum and ileum. Nonetheless, villus height was increased by SPL supplementation in jejunum (p < 0.05). Moreover, dietary SPL supplementation could down-regulate the expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-1β (p < 0.05). mRNA levels of lipid and protein transporters did not differ among the treatments, however, relative expression levels of carbohydrate transporters, GLUT2 and SGLT1 were increased in broiler chicken's jejumum fed zinc bacitracin and sophorolipid supplemented diets (p < 0.05). Dietary zinc bacitracin supplementation could increase the population of Firmicutes in phylum level, and the portion of Turiciacter in genus level. On the other hands, the portion of Faecalibacterium was increased by dietary SPL supplementation compared to the other treatments. Our findings suggest that SPL supplementation improves growth performance through enhanced carbohydrate utilization capacity via improvement of gut morphological status and modulation of the cecal microbial population of broilers.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
• /
• 제2권1호
• /
• pp.1-4
• /
• 2014

Palliative care for cancer aims to relieve the discomfort and pain from the cancer itself and associated conditions. Gastrointestinal cancers originate from the tube like structure of gastrointestinal tract and cause complications such as obstruction, bleeding, adhesion, invasion, and perforation to adjacent organ. Recent advances in interventional endoscopy enables endoscopy physicians to do safe and effective care for gastrointestinal cancer patients. Endoscopic palliation includes stent, hemostasis, nutritional support and targeted drug delivery. Self expandable metallic stent is one of the most important modalities in gastrointestinal palliation. Through the endoscopy or over the wire pre-placed by endoscopy, stents restore the gastrointestinal luminal patency and relieve the obstructive condition. Endoscopic hemostasis is another important palliation in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Epinephrine injection, argon plasma coagulation and thermal cauterization are usual modalities for hemostasis. Histoacryl glue and fibrin glue are also available. Hemostatic nanopowder spray is newly reported effective in benign disease and is supposed to be effective also in cancer bleeding. Enteral feeding tubes including gastro- or jejunostomy and nosoduodenal tubes are placed by using endoscopic guidance. Enteral feeding tubes role as the route of easily absorbable or semi-digested nutrients and effectively maintain both patients calorie requirements and gut microenvironment. Photodynamic therapy is the one of the outstanding medical employments of photo-physics. Especially for superficial cancers in esophagus, photodynamic therapy is very useful in cancer removal and maintaining organ structure. In biliary neoplasm, photodynamic therapy is well known to be effective in cancer ablation and biliary ductal patency restoration. Targeted drug delivery is the lastest issue in palliative endoscopy. Debates and questions are still on the table. In this article, the role of endoscopic interventions in palliative care for the gastrointestinal tumors will be thoroughly reviewed.

• Gut and Liver
• /
• 제12권6호
• /
• pp.682-693
• /
• 2018

Background/Aims: Intestinal barrier dysfunction is a hallmark of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) such as ulcerative colitis. This dysfunction is caused by increased permeability and the loss of tight junctions in intestinal epithelial cells. The aim of this study was to investigate whether estradiol treatment reduces colonic permeability, tight junction disruption, and inflammation in an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) colon cancer mouse model. Methods: The effects of $17{\beta}$-estradiol (E2) were evaluated in ICR male mice 4 weeks after AOM/DSS treatment. Histological damage was scored by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the levels of the colonic mucosal cytokine myeloperoxidase (MPO) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To evaluate the effects of E2 on intestinal permeability, tight junctions, and inflammation, we performed quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the expression levels of mucin 2 (MUC2) and mucin 4 (MUC4) were measured as target genes for intestinal permeability, whereas zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1), occludin (OCLN), and claudin 4 (CLDN4) served as target genes for the tight junctions. Results: The colitis-mediated induced damage score and MPO activity were reduced by E2 treatment (p<0.05). In addition, the mRNA expression levels of intestinal barrier-related molecules (i.e., MUC2, ZO-1, OCLN, and CLDN4) were decreased by AOM/DSS-treatment; furthermore, this inhibition was rescued by E2 supplementation. The mRNA and protein expression of inflammation-related genes (i.e., KLF4, NF-${\kappa}B$, iNOS, and COX-2) was increased by AOM/DSS-treatment and ameliorated by E2. Conclusions: E2 acts through the estrogen receptor ${\beta}$ signaling pathway to elicit anti-inflammatory effects on intestinal barrier by inducing the expression of MUC2 and tight junction molecules and inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제26권11호
• /
• pp.1313-1319
• /
• 2016

암은 비균질적으로 구성된 세포집합체로 간질세포 및 세포 외 기질로 구성된 미세환경과 상호작용에 의해 발병, 전이, 심화되는 복잡한 질병이다. 하지만, 기존의 2차원 배양 세포 기반 플랫폼이 3차원적 생체 환경과 암의 비균질성을 대표하기 힘든 한계를 극복하기 위해 스페로이드 배양 세포를 비롯한 다양한 플랫폼 개발이 활발해지고 있다. 본 연구에서는 특히 감염, 염증 및 식이적 환경성 영향력에 민감한 HCT-8 대장암 세포주를 기반으로 하여 3차원 스페로이드 배양법을 보다 효과적인 방법으로 개선하고, 대장암 스페로이드 세포를 기반으로 암의 비균질적인 특질과 항암내성 연구의 간단하고 개선된 플랫폼을 제시고자 하였다. 3차원 배양법 최적화를 위해 물리적 배양환경 조성과 배양배지 구성에 따른 스페로이드 형태형성을 비교 분석하고 암 줄기세포군의 증가 양상을 확인한 결과, 필수요소로 구성된 제한 배지와 균일한 형태의 비부착성 표면 배양접시에서 배양된 스페로이드가 균일한 형태의 구형을 형성하고 암 줄기세포군이 증가함을 확인하였다. 대장암 스페로이드 세포를 기반으로 대장암 치료제인 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)에 대한 화학적 감응성 변화를 측정한 결과, 암 줄기세포가 5-FU에 대한 화학적 감수성 저해의 원인이 되며, 최적배양 조건에서 암 줄기세포의 약제 내성의 표현이 증대되었다. 이는 암줄기세포의 항암제 내성에 대한 잠재적 위험성을 내포하는 것으로, 이 방법론은 감염, 염증 및 식이적 요인과 연관된 대장암 스페로이드 세포 기반 항암제 약물반응을 검증하기 위해 효과적이면서 간소한 시험법으로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.