內容: Black wolfberry (Lycium ruthenicum) is enriched in phytochemical metabolites which can benefit human health. However, few studies have examined the effects of different fruit drying methods on its polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, and anti-inflammatory activity. In addition, whether and how consuming dried black wolfberry affects gut microbiota has not been reported. This study assessed the phytochemical profile and bioactivities of black wolfberry dried through different methods, and subsequently characterized changes in human fecal microbiota associated with freeze-dried black wolfberry?in vitro. The results showed that freeze-dried samples retained higher total phenolics ((49.68 ± 1.62) mg GAE/g DM), tannins ((38.64 ± 1.35) mg GAE/g DM), and proanthocyanidins ((3.35 ± 0.30) mg/g DM) compared to sun drying or hot air drying (P?< 0.05), and exhibited higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In human fecal inoculum bioreactor fermentations, freeze-dried black wolfberry was associated with increased species richness and?α-diversity. At the genus level, fermentations treated with black wolfberry had a higher abundance of lactic acid bacteria including?Lactococcus,?Bifidobacterium,?Lactobacillus,?Pediococcus, and?Weissella, as well as butyrate-producing bacteria compared to the untreated samples, suggesting enrichment for taxa associated with a healthy gut microbiome. In addition, the black wolfberry treatment group had higher levels of short-chain fatty acids, which were consistent with PICRUSt2 inference. This study defines an optimal method for black wolfberry preservation to retain the beneficial compounds, and provides a foundation for further exploration of its potential benefits for human gut microbiota.

內容: Panax notoginseng-steamed chicken (PNSC) is a common medicinal diet in China. In this study, we conducted comprehensive analysis to determine the effect of PNSC on uterine involution in postpartum mice and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The role of the phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in this process was explored. Results showed that PNSC promoted the recovery of endometrial hyperplasia and uterine index in postpartum mice.?In vitro?and?in vivo?experiments indicated that PNSC activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, promoted the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), up-regulated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and its binding to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). Moreover, it increased the expression of?PCNA,?MMP9, and?CyclinD1?in the nucleus. It can also up-regulated the secretion of hormones, such as prolactin (PRL), progesterone (P), as well as the level of VEGF in mice, and down-regulated the secretion of endothelin-1 hormones (ET-1), thereby promoting uterine involution. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that PNSC can regulate angiogenesis to promote uterine involution by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

內容: Gallic acid (GA), a plant phenol ubiquitously present in fruits and vegetables, has demonstrated efficacy in ameliorating ulcerative colitis (UC). Despite previous reports, the precise mechanism of GA's therapeutic action remains elusive. Herein, the present study aims to delineate the mechanism underlying the anti-UC effects of GA by focusing on the interplay of gut microbiota, microbial and host cometabolites, and gut immune regulation. The findings revealed that GA treatment improved the colitis symptoms and systematic inflammatory response, reliant on gut microbiota, as evidenced by microbiota depletion and fecal microbiota transplantation. According to the 16S rDNA sequencing results, GA altered the gut microbiota community structure and upregulated the biosynthesis of secondary bile acids (SBAs). Metabolomics and flow cytometry (FCS) analysis revealed a substantial increase in SBAs production, including ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), lithocholic acid (LCA), 3-oxo-lithocholic acid (3-oxo-LCA) and?iso-allolithocholic acid (IsoalloLCA), which further upregulated the proportion of regulatory T (Treg) cells and downregulated the proportion of T helper type 17 (Th17) cells in the colon, ultimately resulting in an improved Treg/Th17 balance. Further FCS and real-time quantitative PCR assays provided mechanistic insights, demonstrating that UDCA and IsoalloLCA facilitate Treg cell differentiation through the upregulation of nuclear hormone receptor 4A1 (NR4A1). This research elucidated that GA effectively mitigates colitis by modulating the Treg/Th17 balance, facilitated by the enhanced synthesis of microbiota-derived SBAs. These insights unveil innovative pathways through which GA exerts its anti-UC effects, emphasizing the potential therapeutic benefits of incorporating a GA-enriched diet into UC management.

內容: Methionine, an essential amino acid, is abundant in animal protein. High dietary methionine intake is associated with the promotion of colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of high dietary methionine promoting CRC and evaluate the effect of high dietary methionine on healthy intestine. Our results demonstrated that high dietary methionine intake exhibited a higher incidence and invasion of tumors in azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium-induced mice. Meanwhile, the gut microbiota were disturbed, consequently fostering the metabolism of secondary bile acids. The contents of lithocholic acid and deoxycholic acid significantly increased (P?< 0.01), which further activated the bile acid membrane receptors TGR5, and then the activated TGR5 promoted tumor proliferation through STAT3 and YAP pathways. Pseudo-germ-free mice validated the role of gut microbiota and secondary bile acids in promoting CRC by high dietary methionine. Notably, similar disturbances in gut microbiota and bile acid metabolism were observed in the intestine of healthy mice with high dietary methionine intake. In conclusion, dysregulation of bile acid metabolism and activation of the corresponding receptor TGR5 were mechanisms promoting CRC associated with high dietary methionine intake.

內容: Accumulating evidence suggests that probiotics affect the microbial-gut-brain axis in a way that can prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects still needs to be further investigated. This study aimed to examine the alleviating effect of?Lacticaseibacillus paracasei?L9 and?Bifidobacterium animalis?subsp.?lactis?A6 and possible mechanism in mice with AD. In this study, the administration of probiotics L9 and A6 effectively improved memory and learning functions in AD mice. The hippocampal cells of mice were partly recovered in morphology and rearranged more neatly after probiotics intervention. Meanwhile, L9 and A6 exhibited inhibitory effects on the phosphorylation of Tau and the deposition of Aβ, which were mediated?via?GSK-3β and PP2A kinases. Meanwhile, by metagenomic sequencing, we found interventions with L9 and A6 altered the intestinal microbiome’s taxonomic composition, reduced the abundance of pathogenic?Desulfovibrio?genera, and increased beneficial?Clostridium?and?Paramuribaculum?genera abundance. The fatty acids metabolism and biosynthesis of gut microbiome were also enhanced. Serum untargeted metabolomics also showed noticeable alternation in lipid-related metabolites, which may alleviate the pathogenesis of AD. These results revealed a mitigating role for probiotic L9 and A6 in AD prevention and offer new insights into AD prevention?via?gut-brain connection.

內容: Blueberry anthocyanins (VA) and blackberry anthocyanins (RA) showed benefits on metabolic syndrome (MS) induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. In this study, we investigated whether the therapeutic effects of VA and RA were achieved by the gut microbiota regulation and whether these effects could be replicated through fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) using the HFD caused MS model in pseudo-germ-free mice. The results demonstrated that the beneficial effects of VA and RA on MS, including reducing body weight gain and fat accumulation, improving glucose and lipid metabolism, and mitigating intestinal barrier damage, were attributed to the gut microbiota and could be replicated by FMT. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis suggested that FMT from donor mice supplemented with VA and RA could regulate the gut microbiota composition. Particularly, FMT from RA supplemented mice displayed the potential to restore the diversity of gut microbiota and the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. Meanwhile, FMT from VA supplemented mice appeared to exert its effects by selectively influencing specific gut microbiota, such as the genus?Akkermansia.?Furthermore, our analysis identified 10 common differential amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) among groups compared to HFD-HFD group. Notably, ASV_36450 was negatively associated with metabolic parameters, suggesting that?Lactobacillus?might be the potential bacteria in regulating MS. Overall, our study demonstrated that FMT from VA and RA supplemented mice could ameliorate MS induced by HFD in mice through regulating specific gut microbiota.

內容: Fermented chili products are popular traditional fermented foods around the world. However, differences in microbial communities in fermented chilies from different regions and how they affect the flavor compounds in chili fermentation have not been reported. In this study, the dynamics of flavor compounds and microbial communities in fermented chilies from Sichuan, Guizhou, and Hunan were systematically investigated by macro-genome sequencing, solid phase microextraction-gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS), electronic nose, and electronic tongue techniques. Simultaneously, the microbial metabolic mechanisms and the relationship between flavor compounds and microbiome were unraveled through staged and simulated fermentation analysis. The results showed that 53 chemical odorants, including alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and acids, were identified as chemical markers to differentiate the regional samples. A total of 12 microbial species, including?Staphylococcus xylosus, unclassified?Staphylococcus?species,?Weissella confusus,?Lactococcus cremoris,?Lactococcus garvieae,?Lactiplantibacillus sakei,?Pediciococcus propionicigenes,?Pediciococcus idahonensis,?Pediciococcus aciditolerans,?Nocardioides antri,?Debaryomyces hansenii, and?Colletotrichum scovillei, were identified as microbial markers to differentiate the regional samples. Correlation analysis showed that Lactobacillaceae was associated with fruity, floral, spicy, and fatty aromas. The electronic nose and tongue analysis results showed that 9 flavor and 8 taste indicators significantly differed between regional samples (P?< 0.05). Additionally, flavor compounds and microbial diversity were robust under initial selection stress and showed higher diversity under metabolome-microbiome interactions. Importantly, simulated fermentation confirmed that metabolome-microbiome interactions drove the shift in microbial structure, metabolism, and flavor in regionally fermented chilies. These results provide insights into the succession of microbial communities and the formation of flavor compounds in chili fermentation, which may enable the future replication of fermented foods with the same flavor.

內容: High-throughput sequencing (HTS) and gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) were used to compare the microbiota structure and metabolic compounds of traditional suancai from Heilongjiang (HLJ), Shanxi (SX) and Qinghai (QH) in China. Besides, the physicochemical properties such as total number of colonies, pH and total acid content were determined, and the related factors of the differences were analyzed. The salinity of the 3 samples was 1.9%, 8.0% and 10.0%, respectively, and the dominant bacterial genera were?Loigolactobacillus,?Arcobacter, and?Marinomonas. Meanwhile,?Loigolactobacillus?was significantly positively associated with pH and nitrite in HLJ,?Arcobacter?was inversely related to pH and nitrite, while?Marinomonas?was negatively correlated with all physicochemical properties in QH which had the highest salinity. In addition, the 5 main differential metabolites in the 3 samples were acetic acid, 4-ethylphenol, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate, 2,4-tert-butylphenol, and 3-butenenitrile. Among them, the ketones and acids were positively correlated with the core bacteria in HLJ with the lowest salinity, and the main genera in SX were positively associated with various alcohols, while there was a positive correlation between?Marinomonas?and butyronitrile alcohol in QH with the highest salinity. This study provided a guidance for the differences and correlations of microorganisms, flavor compounds, and quality characteristics from a regional perspective by studying the various quality characteristics of the suancai.

內容: Siraitia grosvenorii?(SG), a traditional edible medicine in China, has shown potential application in health foods due to multiple bioactivities. However, few comparative studies have investigated the effect of daily intake of SG products by traditional drinking way on alleviating metabolic disorders caused by long-term high fat and high sugar diet (HF-HSD). This study investigated the effects of 2 commercial SG products (SG juice containing comprehensive compositions and mogrosides extract containing high content of mogroside V) supplement on fat content, lipid accumulation, colon barrier and gut microbiota in a 38-week HF-HSD mice trial. Results showed that the SG intervention could decrease the weight gain and body fat content, alleviated lipid accumulation, low-grade inflammation and colon barrier injury. SG juice intake was found to increase the antioxidant enzyme activities of serum glutathione peroxidase and liver superoxide dismutase. 16S rRNA analysis found that SG could restore the gut microbiota with downregulation of harmful bacteria increased by HF-HSD and enhancement of the abundances of beneficial genus. In particular, SG juice significantly enriched taxonomic family Prevotellaceae and genus?Alloprevotella. These results indicated that SG might be a functional additive to prevent disease risk caused by excess fat and sugar diet, and active ingredients resulting to the discrepancy of performance especially on gut microbiota are worthy of in-depth investigation.

內容: L-Theanine (LTA) is a non-protein amino acid mainly found in tea plants with many beneficial effects. Exercise exerts a wide range of benefits in metabolic health. Here, we show that exercise or gastric lavage intervention on mice with LTA improves diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in mice. Meanwhile, combinatory therapy shows that exercise and LTA synergistically improve obesity-related metabolic disorders and NASH phenotypes, including hepatic steatosis, inflammation, cell death and oxidative stress.?In vivo?studies indicate that LTA inhibits free fatty acid (FFA)-induced hepatocyte injury, including steatosis, oxidative stress and apoptosis. Knockdown of?Nrf2?blunts the role of LTA in inhibiting FFA-induced hepatocyte oxidative stress and dysfunction. Mechanistically, LTA increases the?α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) level in hepatocytes, which increases the transcription of?Nrf2?by inducing active DNA demethylation on its promoter. Moreover, LTA promote the above?α-KG/Nrf2 axis in synergy with exercise, thereby more efficiently inhibiting hepatic oxidative stress and ameliorating diet-induced NASH in mice. Our results suggest that, through promoting the?α-KG/Nrf2 axis-mediated anti-oxidative pathway, the combination of LTA and exercise may provide an effective measure for the prevention and control of NASH.