{"title":"Gut physiology meets microbiome science.","authors":"Hannelore Daniel","doi":"10.1017/gmb.2022.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/gmb.2022.10","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Research on the gut microbiome has gained high popularity and almost every disease has meanwhile been linked to alterations in microbiome composition. Typically assessed via stool samples, the microbiome displays a huge diversity with a multitude of environmental parameters already identified as contributing to its character. Despite impressive scientific progress, normal microbiome diversity remains largely unexplained and it is tempting to speculate some of the yet unexplained variance is hidden in normal gut physiology. Although a few genome/phenome-wide associations studies have recently highlighted physiological parameters such as stool frequency, known as contributing to microbiome diversity, there is a large knowledge base from decades of basic research on gut functions that can be explored for possible links to stool features and microbiome characteristics. And, when extrapolating findings from faecal samples to the biology in the intestinal lumen or the mucosal microenvironment, gut anatomy and physiology features need to be considered. Similarly, differences in anatomy and physiology between rodents and humans need attention when discussing findings in animals in relation to human physiology and nutrition.</p>","PeriodicalId":73187,"journal":{"name":"Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England)","volume":"4 ","pages":"e1"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11406389/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142302554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Peter Philip James Jackson, Anisha Wijeyesekera, Robert Adrian Rastall
{"title":"Determining the metabolic fate of human milk oligosaccharides: it may just be more complex than you think?","authors":"Peter Philip James Jackson, Anisha Wijeyesekera, Robert Adrian Rastall","doi":"10.1017/gmb.2022.8","DOIUrl":"10.1017/gmb.2022.8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a class of structurally diverse and complex unconjugated glycans present in breast milk, which act as selective substrates for several genera of select microbes and inhibit the colonisation of pathogenic bacteria. Yet, not all infants are breastfed, instead being fed with formula milks which may or may not contain HMOs. Currently, formula milks only possess two HMOs: 2'-fucosyllactose (2'FL) and lacto-<i>N</i>-neotetraose (LNnT), which have been suggested to be similarly effective as human breast milk in supporting age-related growth. However, the <i>in vivo</i> evidence regarding their ability to beneficially reduce respiratory infections along with altering the composition of an infant's microbiota is limited at best. Thus, this review will explore the concept of HMOs and their metabolic fate, and summarise previous <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> clinical data regarding HMOs, with specific regard to 2'FL and LNnT.</p>","PeriodicalId":73187,"journal":{"name":"Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England)","volume":"1 1","pages":"e9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11406381/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44414633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cristina Iribarren, Lujain Maasfeh, Lena Öhman, Magnus Simrén
{"title":"Modulating the gut microenvironment as a treatment strategy for irritable bowel syndrome: a narrative review.","authors":"Cristina Iribarren, Lujain Maasfeh, Lena Öhman, Magnus Simrén","doi":"10.1017/gmb.2022.6","DOIUrl":"10.1017/gmb.2022.6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction with a complex pathophysiology. Growing evidence suggests that alterations of the gut microenvironment, including microbiota composition and function, may be involved in symptom generation. Therefore, attempts to modulate the gut microenvironment have provided promising results as an indirect approach for IBS management. Antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, food and faecal microbiota transplantation are the main strategies for alleviating IBS symptom severity by modulating gut microbiota composition and function (eg. metabolism), gut barrier integrity and immune activity, although with varying efficacy. In this narrative review, we aim to provide an overview of the current approaches targeting the gut microenvironment in order to indirectly manage IBS symptoms.</p>","PeriodicalId":73187,"journal":{"name":"Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England)","volume":" ","pages":"e7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11406401/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45449338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mei Sze Lee, Arielle Sulit, Frank Frizelle, Rachel Purcell
{"title":"The microbiome in adult acute appendicitis.","authors":"Mei Sze Lee, Arielle Sulit, Frank Frizelle, Rachel Purcell","doi":"10.1017/gmb.2022.7","DOIUrl":"10.1017/gmb.2022.7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Acute appendicitis is a common acute surgical emergency; however, the pathogenesis of adult appendicitis remains poorly understood. The microbiome is increasingly thought to play a key role in inflammatory disease of the bowel and similarly, may play a role in appendicitis. This study aimed to characterise the microbiome of adult acute appendicitis in a prospective cohort. We recruited 60 adults with acute appendicitis and 20 healthy controls. Rectal swabs were taken from each patient. After DNA extraction, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was carried out for analysis of diversity and taxonomic abundance. Phylogenetic sequencing of the samples indicated that there is a difference between the microbial composition of those with acute appendicitis and healthy controls, with a statistically significant decrease in alpha diversity in rectal swabs of appendicitis patients compared to healthy controls. At the genus level, we saw an increased abundance of potential pathogens, for example, <i>Parvimonas</i> and <i>Acinetobacter</i>, and a decrease in commensal taxa such as <i>Faecalibacterium, Blautia</i> and <i>Lachnospiraceae</i> in appendicitis patients compared to healthy controls. There was a reduction in diversity and loss of commensals in the microbiome of those with acute appendicitis, which may play a role in the cascade leading to acute appendicitis or the result of this.</p>","PeriodicalId":73187,"journal":{"name":"Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England)","volume":" ","pages":"e8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11406380/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47023191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Robin Mesnage, Marta Calatayud, Cindy Duysburgh, Massimo Marzorati, Michael N Antoniou
{"title":"Alterations in infant gut microbiome composition and metabolism after exposure to glyphosate and Roundup and/or a spore-based formulation using the SHIME technology.","authors":"Robin Mesnage, Marta Calatayud, Cindy Duysburgh, Massimo Marzorati, Michael N Antoniou","doi":"10.1017/gmb.2022.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/gmb.2022.5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite extensive research into the toxicology of the herbicide glyphosate, there are still major unknowns regarding its effects on the human gut microbiome. We describe the effects of glyphosate and a Roundup glyphosate-based herbicide on infant gut microbiota using SHIME technology. SHIME microbiota culture was undertaken in the presence of a concentration of 100-mg/L glyphosate and the same glyphosate equivalent concentration of Roundup. Roundup and to a lesser extent glyphosate caused an increase in fermentation activity, resulting in acidification of the microbial environment. This was also reflected by an increase in lactate and acetate production concomitant to a decrease in the levels of propionate, valerate, caproate and butyrate. Ammonium production reflecting proteolytic activities was increased by Roundup exposure. Global metabolomics revealed large-scale disturbances, including an increased abundance of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Changes in bacterial composition measured by qPCR and 16S rRNA suggested that lactobacilli had their growth stimulated as a result of microenvironment acidification. Co-treatment with the spore-based probiotic formulation MegaSporeBiotic reverted some of the changes in short-chain fatty acid levels. Altogether, our results suggest that glyphosate can exert effects on human gut microbiota.</p>","PeriodicalId":73187,"journal":{"name":"Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England)","volume":"3 ","pages":"e6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11406414/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142302555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Petra Louis, Sylvia Helen Duncan, Paul Owen Sheridan, Alan William Walker, Harry James Flint
{"title":"Microbial lactate utilisation and the stability of the gut microbiome.","authors":"Petra Louis, Sylvia Helen Duncan, Paul Owen Sheridan, Alan William Walker, Harry James Flint","doi":"10.1017/gmb.2022.3","DOIUrl":"10.1017/gmb.2022.3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The human large intestinal microbiota thrives on dietary carbohydrates that are converted to a range of fermentation products. Short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate and butyrate) are the dominant fermentation acids that accumulate to high concentrations in the colon and they have health-promoting effects on the host. Although many gut microbes can also produce lactate, it usually does not accumulate in the healthy gut lumen. This appears largely to be due to the presence of a relatively small number of gut microbes that can utilise lactate and convert it to propionate, butyrate or acetate. There is increasing evidence that these microbes play important roles in maintaining a healthy gut environment. In this review, we will provide an overview of the different microbes involved in lactate metabolism within the gut microbiota, including biochemical pathways utilised and their underlying energetics, as well as regulation of the corresponding genes. We will further discuss the potential consequences of perturbation of the microbiota leading to lactate accumulation in the gut and associated disease states and how lactate-utilising bacteria may be employed to treat such diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":73187,"journal":{"name":"Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England)","volume":" ","pages":"e3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11406415/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47263021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marie-Luise Puhlmann, Roosa Jokela, Katja Catharina Wilhelmina van Dongen, Thi Phuong Nam Bui, Roland Willem Jan van Hangelbroek, Hauke Smidt, Willem Meindert de Vos, Edith Johanna Maria Feskens
{"title":"Dried chicory root improves bowel function, benefits intestinal microbial trophic chains and increases faecal and circulating short chain fatty acids in subjects at risk for type 2 diabetes.","authors":"Marie-Luise Puhlmann, Roosa Jokela, Katja Catharina Wilhelmina van Dongen, Thi Phuong Nam Bui, Roland Willem Jan van Hangelbroek, Hauke Smidt, Willem Meindert de Vos, Edith Johanna Maria Feskens","doi":"10.1017/gmb.2022.4","DOIUrl":"10.1017/gmb.2022.4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We investigated the impact of dried chicory root in a randomised, placebo-controlled trial with 55 subjects at risk for type 2 diabetes on bowel function, gut microbiota and its products, and glucose homeostasis. The treatment increased stool softness (+1.1 ± 0.3 units; <i>p =</i> 0.034) and frequency (+0.6 ± 0.2 defecations/day; <i>p</i> < 0.001), strongly modulated gut microbiota composition (7 % variation; <i>p =</i> 0.001), and dramatically increased relative levels (3-4-fold) of <i>Anaerostipes</i> and <i>Bifidobacterium</i> spp., in a dose-dependent, reversible manner. A synthetic community, including selected members of these genera and a <i>Bacteroides</i> strain, generated a butyrogenic trophic chain from the product. Faecal acetate, propionate and butyrate increased by 25.8 % (+13.0 ± 6.3 mmol/kg; <i>p</i> = 0.023) as did their fasting circulating levels by 15.7 % (+7.7 ± 3.9 μM; <i>p =</i> 0.057). In the treatment group the glycaemic coefficient of variation decreased from 21.3 ± 0.94 to 18.3 ± 0.84 % (<i>p =</i> 0.004), whereas fasting glucose and HOMA-ir decreased in subjects with low baseline <i>Blautia</i> levels (-0.3 ± 0.1 mmol/L fasting glucose; <i>p =</i> 0.0187; -0.14 ± 0.1 HOMA-ir; <i>p =</i> 0.045). Dried chicory root intake rapidly and reversibly affects bowel function, benefits butyrogenic trophic chains, and promotes glycaemic control.</p>","PeriodicalId":73187,"journal":{"name":"Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England)","volume":"3 1","pages":"e4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11407914/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45022875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iñaki Milton-Laskibar, Laura Judith Marcos-Zambrano, Saioa Gómez-Zorita, Enrique Carrillo de Santa Pau, Alfredo Fernández-Quintela, Jose Alfredo Martínez, María Puy Portillo
{"title":"Involvement of microbiota and short-chain fatty acids on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis when induced by feeding a hypercaloric diet rich in saturated fat and fructose.","authors":"Iñaki Milton-Laskibar, Laura Judith Marcos-Zambrano, Saioa Gómez-Zorita, Enrique Carrillo de Santa Pau, Alfredo Fernández-Quintela, Jose Alfredo Martínez, María Puy Portillo","doi":"10.1017/gmb.2022.2","DOIUrl":"10.1017/gmb.2022.2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Consumption of high-energy-yielding diets, rich in fructose and lipids, is a factor contributing to the current increase in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease prevalence. Gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production alterations derived from unhealthy diets are considered putative underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to determine relationships between changes in gut microbiota composition and SCFA levels by comparing rats featuring diet-induced steatohepatitis with control counterparts fed a standard diet. A high-fat high-fructose (HFHF) feeding induced higher body, liver and mesenteric adipose tissue weights, increased liver triglyceride content and serum transaminase, glucose, non-HDL-c and MCP-1 levels. Greater liver malondialdehyde levels and glutathione peroxidase activity were also observed after feeding the hypercaloric diet. Regarding gut microbiota composition, a lowered diversity and increased abundances of bacteria from the <i>Clostridium</i> sensu stricto 1, <i>Blautia</i>, <i>Eubacterium coprostanoligenes</i> group, <i>Flavonifractor</i>, and UBA1819 genera were found in rats featuring diet-induced steatohepatitis, as well as higher isobutyric, valeric and isovaleric acids concentrations. These results suggest that hepatic alterations produced by a hypercaloric HFHF diet may be related to changes in overall gut microbiota composition and abundance of specific bacteria. The shift in SCFA levels produced by this unbalanced diet cannot be discarded as potential mediators of the reported hepatic and metabolic alterations.</p>","PeriodicalId":73187,"journal":{"name":"Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England)","volume":" ","pages":"e5"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11406367/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48271976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maria LaBouyer, Grietje Holtrop, Graham Horgan, Silvia W Gratz, Alvaro Belenguer, Nicola Smith, Alan W Walker, Sylvia H Duncan, Alexandra M Johnstone, Petra Louis, Harry J Flint, Karen P Scott
{"title":"Higher total faecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations correlate with increasing proportions of butyrate and decreasing proportions of branched-chain fatty acids across multiple human studies.","authors":"Maria LaBouyer, Grietje Holtrop, Graham Horgan, Silvia W Gratz, Alvaro Belenguer, Nicola Smith, Alan W Walker, Sylvia H Duncan, Alexandra M Johnstone, Petra Louis, Harry J Flint, Karen P Scott","doi":"10.1017/gmb.2022.1","DOIUrl":"10.1017/gmb.2022.1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Metabolites produced by microbial fermentation in the human intestine, especially short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), are known to play important roles in colonic and systemic health. Our aim here was to advance our understanding of how and why their concentrations and proportions vary between individuals. We have analysed faecal concentrations of microbial fermentation acids from 10 human volunteer studies, involving 163 subjects, conducted at the Rowett Institute, Aberdeen, UK over a 7-year period. In baseline samples, the % butyrate was significantly higher, whilst % iso-butyrate and % iso-valerate were significantly lower, with increasing total SCFA concentration. The decreasing proportions of iso-butyrate and iso-valerate, derived from amino acid fermentation, suggest that fibre intake was mainly responsible for increased SCFA concentrations. We propose that the increase in % butyrate among faecal SCFA is largely driven by a decrease in colonic pH resulting from higher SCFA concentrations. Consistent with this, both total SCFA and % butyrate increased significantly with decreasing pH across five studies for which faecal pH measurements were available. Colonic pH influences butyrate production through altering the stoichiometry of butyrate formation by butyrate-producing species, resulting in increased acetate uptake and butyrate formation, and facilitating increased relative abundance of butyrate-producing species (notably <i>Roseburia</i> and <i>Eubacterium rectale</i>).</p>","PeriodicalId":73187,"journal":{"name":"Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England)","volume":" ","pages":"e2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11406374/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45872434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alaa Bawaneh, Carol A Shively, Janet Austin Tooze, Katherine Loree Cook
{"title":"Impact of gut permeability on the breast microbiome using a non-human primate model.","authors":"Alaa Bawaneh, Carol A Shively, Janet Austin Tooze, Katherine Loree Cook","doi":"10.1017/gmb.2022.9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/gmb.2022.9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We previously demonstrated in non-human primates (NHP) that Mediterranean diet consumption shifted the proportional abundance of <i>Lactobacillus</i> in the breast and gut. This data highlights a potential link about gut-breast microbiome interconnectivity. To address this question, we compared bacterial populations identified in matched breast and faecal samples from our NHP study. Dietary pattern concurrently shifted two species in both regions; <i>Streptococcus lutetiensis and Ruminococcus torques</i>. While we observe similar trends in <i>Lactobacillus</i> abundances in the breast and gut, the species identified in each region vary; Mediterranean diet increased <i>Lactobacillus_unspecified species</i> in breast but regulated <i>L. animalis</i> and <i>L. reuteri</i> in the gut.We also investigated the impact of gut permeability on the breast microbiome. Regardless of dietary pattern, subjects that displayed increased physiological measures of gut permeability (elevated plasma lipopolysaccharide, decreased villi length, and decreased goblet cells) displayed a significantly different breast microbiome. Gut barrier dysfunction was associated with increased α-diversity and significant different β-diversity in the breast tissue. Taken together our data supports the presence of a breast microbiome influenced by diet that largely varies from the gut microbiome population but is, however, sensitive to gut permeability.</p>","PeriodicalId":73187,"journal":{"name":"Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England)","volume":"3 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9990890/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9090006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}