• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.1391-1400
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• 2019

Canine parvoviral enteritis (PVE) is an important intestinal disease of the puppies; however, the potential impact of the canine parvovirus (CPV) on the gut microbiota has not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the gut microbial shifts in puppies naturally infected with CPV. Fecal samples were collected from healthy dogs and those diagnosed with PVE at 4, 6, 8, and 12 weeks of age. The distal gut microbiota of dogs was characterized using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA genes. The sequence data were analyzed using QIIME with an Operational Taxonomic Unit definition at a similarity cutoff of 97%. Our results showed that the CPV was associated with significant microbial dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota. Alpha diversity and species richness and evenness in dogs with PVE decreased compared to those of healthy dogs. At the phylum level, the proportion of Proteobacteria was significantly enriched in dogs with PVE while Bacteroidetes was significantly more abundant in healthy dogs (p < 0.05). In dogs with PVE, Enterobacteriaceae was the most abundant bacterial family accounting for 36.44% of the total bacterial population compared to only 0.21% in healthy puppies. The two most abundant genera in healthy dogs were Prevotella and Lactobacillus and their abundance was significantly higher compared to that of dogs with PVE (p < 0.05). These observations suggest that disturbances of gut microbial communities were associated with PVE in young dogs. Evaluation of the roles of these bacterial groups in the pathophysiology of PVE warrants further studies.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1195-1204
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• 2015

Increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota underpin the development of health and longevity. However, our understanding of what influences the composition of this community of the longevous has not been adequately described. Therefore, illumina sequencing analysis was performed on the gut microbiota of centenarians (aged 100-108 years; RC) and younger elderlies (aged 85-99 years; RE) living in Bama County, Guangxi, China and the elderlies (aged 80-92 years; CE) living in Nanning City, Guangxi, China. In addition, their diet was monitored using a semiquantitative dietary questionary (FFQ 23). The results revealed the abundance of Roseburia and Escherichia was significantly greater, whereas that of Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, Parabacteroides, Butyricimonas, Coprococcus, Megamonas, Mitsuokella, Sutterella, and Akkermansia was significantly less in centenarians at the genus level. Both clustering analysis and UniFraq distance analysis showed structural segregation with age and diet among the three populations. Using partial least square discriminate analysis and redundancy analysis, we identified 33 and 34 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) as key OTUs that were significantly associated with age and diet, respectively. Age-related OTUs were characterized as Ruminococcaceae, Clostridiaceae, and Lachnospiraceae, and the former two were increased in the centenarians; diet-related OTUs were classified as Bacteroidales, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae. The former two were deceased, whereas the later one was increased, in the high-fiber diet. The age and high-fiber diet were concomitant with changes in the gut microbiota of centenarians, suggesting that age and high-fiber diet can establish a new structurally balanced architecture of gut microbiota that may benefit the health of centenarians.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1287-1298
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• 2024

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that is currently difficult to treat effectively. Both Bacillus natto (BN) and ginseng-soluble dietary fiber (GSDF) are anti-inflammatory and helps sustain the intestinal barrier. In this study, the protective effects and mechanism of the combination of B. natto JLCC513 and ginseng-soluble dietary fiber (BG) in DSS-induced UC mice were investigated. Intervention with BG worked better than taking BN or GSDF separately, as evidenced by improved disease activity index, colon length, and colon injury and significantly reduced the levels of oxidative and inflammatory factors (LPS, ILs, and TNF-α) in UC mice. Further mechanistic study revealed that BG protected the intestinal barrier integrity by maintaining the tight junction proteins (Occludin and Claudin1) and inhibited the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB pathway in UC mice. In addition, BG increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Bacteroides and Turicibacter and reduced the abundance of harmful bacteria such as Allobaculum in the gut microbiota of UC mice. BG also significantly upregulated genes related to linoleic acid metabolism in the gut microbiota. These BG-induced changes in the gut microbiota of mice with UC were significantly correlated with changes in pathological indices. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that BG exerts protective effect against UC by regulating the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB pathway and the structure and metabolic function of gut microbiota. Thus, BG can be potentially used in intestinal health foods to treat UC.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1495-1505
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• 2023

The western honeybee Apis mellifera L., a vital crop pollinator and producer of honey and royal jelly, faces numerous threats including diseases, chemicals, and mite infestations, causing widespread concern. While extensive research has explored the link between gut microbiota and their hosts. However, the impact of Varroa destructor infestation remains understudied. In this study, we employed massive parallel amplicon sequencing assays to examine the diversity and structure of gut microbial communities in adult bee groups, comparing healthy (NG) and Varroa-infested (VG) samples. Additionally, we analyzed Varroa-infested hives to assess the whole body of larvae. Our results indicated a notable prevalence of the genus Bombella in larvae and the genera Gillamella, unidentified Lactobacillaceae, and Snodgrassella in adult bees. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between NG and VG. Furthermore, our PICRUSt analysis demonstrated distinct KEGG classification patterns between larval and adult bee groups, with larvae displaying a higher abundance of genes involved in cofactor and vitamin production. Notably, despite the complex nature of the honeybee bacterial community, methanogens were found to be present in low abundance in the honeybee microbiota.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.747-753
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• 2019

Cognitive decline is characterized by reduced long-/short-term memory and attention span, and increased depression and anxiety. Such decline is associated with various degenerative brain disorders, especially Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The increases in elderly populations suffering from cognitive decline create social problems and impose economic burdens, and also pose safety threats; all of these problems have been extensively researched over the past several decades. Possible causes of cognitive decline include metabolic and hormone imbalance, infection, medication abuse, and neuronal changes associated with aging. However, no treatment for cognitive decline is available. In neurodegenerative diseases, changes in the gut microbiota and gut metabolites can alter molecular expression and neurobehavioral symptoms. Changes in the gut microbiota affect memory loss in AD via the downregulation of NMDA receptor expression and increased glutamate levels. Furthermore, the use of probiotics resulted in neurological improvement in an AD model. PD and gut microbiota dysbiosis are linked directly. This interrelationship affected the development of constipation, a secondary symptom in PD. In a PD model, the administration of probiotics prevented neuron death by increasing butyrate levels. Dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been identified in AD and PD. Increased BBB permeability is also associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis, which led to the destruction of microtubules via systemic inflammation. Notably, metabolites of the gut microbiota may trigger either the development or attenuation of neurodegenerative disease. Here, we discuss the correlation between cognitive decline and the gut microbiota.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.1213-1227
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• 2023

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a prevalent obstetric condition. This study aimed to investigate the role of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) in regulating the inflammatory response and gut microbiota structure in FGR. An FGR animal model was established in rats, and ODN1668 and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) were administered. Changes in gut microbiota structure were assessed using 16S rRNA sequencing, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was conducted. HTR-8/Svneo cells were treated with ODN1668 and HCQ to evaluate cell growth. Histopathological analysis was performed, and relative factor levels were measured. The results showed that FGR rats exhibited elevated levels of TLR9 and myeloid differentiating primary response gene 88 (MyD88). In vitro experiments demonstrated that TLR9 inhibited trophoblast cell proliferation and invasion. TLR9 upregulated lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS-binding protein (LBP), interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α while downregulating IL-10. TLR9 activated the TARF3-TBK1-IRF3 signaling pathway. In vivo experiments showed HCQ reduced inflammation in FGR rats, and the relative cytokine expression followed a similar trend to that observed in vitro. TLR9 stimulated neutrophil activation. HCQ in FGR rats resulted in changes in the abundance of Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group at the family level and the abundance of Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group and Bacteroides at the genus level. TLR9 and associated inflammatory factors were correlated with Bacteroides, Prevotella, Streptococcus, and Prevotellaceae_Ga6A1_group. FMT from FGR rats interfered with the therapeutic effects of HCQ. In conclusion, our findings suggest that TLR9 regulates the inflammatory response and gut microbiota structure in FGR, providing new insights into the pathogenesis of FGR and suggesting potential therapeutic interventions.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.261-271
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• 2019

Gut microbiome have recently provided evidence that the gut microbiota are capable of greatly influencing all aspects of physiology and immunology. Although a number of recent studies have shown that probiotics can modulate gut microbiota structure, the mechanism underlying this effect remains to be elucidated. In a disease state, the relative abundances of beneficial gut bacteria are generally reduced, which is restored by constant probiotic supplementation. Oral administration of probiotics improved the disease state by (1) inducing differentiation and function of regulatory T cells, (2) reducing inflammatory response, (3) modulating the gut environment, and (4) increasing the proportions of short-chain fatty acid- or beneficial metabolite-producing gut microbiota including the genera Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium, Akkermansia, etc. In this review, current knowledge on how probiotics can influence host's health by altering gut microbiota structure and on how probiotics and beneficial gut bacteria can be applied as next-generation probiotics will be discussed.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.856-864
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• 2023

There are a variety of microorganisms in the animal intestine, and it has been known that they play important roles in the host such as suppression of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, modulation of the gut immunity. In addition, the gut microbiota and the livestock growth performance have long been known to be related. Therefore, we evaluated the interrelation between the growth performance and the gut microbiome of the pigs from 3 different farms, with pigs of varied ages ready to be supplied to the market. When pigs reached average market weight of 118 kg, the average age of pigs in three different farms were < 180 days, about 190 days, and > 200 days, respectively. Fecal samples were collected from pigs of age of 70 days, 100 days, 130 days, and 160 days. The output data of the 16S rRNA gene sequencing by the Illumina Miseq platform was filtered and analyzed using Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology (QIIME)2, and the statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Analysis of Metagenomic Profiles (STAMP). The results of this study showed that the gut microbial communities shifted as pigs aged along with significant difference in the relative abundance of different phyla and genera in different age groups of pigs from each farm. Even though, there was no statistical differences among groups in terms of Chao1, the number of observed operational taxonomic units (OTUs), and the Shannon index, our results showed higher abundances of Bifidobacterium, Clostridium and Lactobacillus in the feces of pigs with rapid growth rate. These results will help us to elucidate important gut microbiota that can affect the growth performance of pigs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.207-216
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• 2021

Supplement of high-protein food plays an important role in improving the symptoms of malnutrition and the immune capacity of the body, but the association of high-protein diet and gut microbiota remained unaddressed. Here, we systematically analyzed the internal organs and gut microbiota in C57(WT) or PD-1H-depleted (KO) mice (T cells were activated) fed with pupae or feed for six weeks. We observed that the body weight gain in the mice fed with pupae increased less significantly than that of the feed group, while the villi and small intestine lengths in the pupa group were reduced compared with that of mice given feed. However, the average body weight of the KO mice increased compared with that of the WT mice fed with pupae or feed. Pupae increased the concentration of blood glucose in WT, but not in KO mice. Moreover, in the feed group, there was no difference in the weight of the internal organs between the WT and KO mice, but in the pupae-fed group, liver weight was decreased and spleen weight was increased compared with that of KO mice. The amounts/plural/amounts of Melainabacteria, Chloroflexi, and Armatimonadetes were specifically upregulated by pupae, and this upregulation was weakened or eliminated by PD-1H depletion. Some bacteria with high abundance in the feed-fed KO mice, such as Deferribacteres, Melainabacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes and Verrucomicrobia, were decreased in pupae-fed KO mice, and Proteobacteria and Deinococcus were specifically enriched in pupae-fed KO mice. Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Akkermansia were associated with weight loss in the pupae-fed group while Lachnospiraceae and Anaerobiospirillum were related glucose metabolism and energy consumption. Based on high-throughput sequencing, we discovered that some gut bacteria specifically regulated the metabolism of a high-protein diet, and PD-1H deficiency improved life quality and sustained blood glucose. Moreover, PD-1H responses to high-protein diet through modulating the type and quantity of gut bacteria. These findings provide evidence about the association among gut microbiota, T cell activation (for PD-1H depletion) and high-protein diet metabolism, have important theoretical significance for nutrition and health research.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.63-74
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• 2022

Microbial dysbiosis in the gut is associated with human diseases, and variations in mucus alter gut microbiota. Therefore, we explored the effects of mucin on the gut microbiota using a community of 19 synthetic gut microbial species. Cultivation of these species in modified Gifu anaerobic medium (GAM) supplemented with mucin before synthetic community assembly facilitated substantial growth of the Bacteroides, Akkermansia, and Clostridium genera. The results of 16S rRNA microbial relative abundance profiling revealed more of the beneficial microbes Collinsella, Bifidobacterium, Ruminococcus, and Lactobacillus. This increased acetate levels in the community cultivated with, rather than without (control), mucin. We identified differences in predicted cell function and metabolism between microbes cultivated in GAM with and without mucin. Mucin not only changed the composition of the gut microbial community, but also modulated metabolic functions, indicating that it could help to modulate microbial changes associated with human diseases.