Beneficial microbes最新文献

Aim: this study explored the impact of BLa80 (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis) and LRa05 (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus) on the gut microbiota composition and metabolic indicators of volunteers with alcohol-consuming habits.

Methods: in this randomised, placebo-controlled trial, we assessed the impacts of a probiotic complex containing BLa80 and LRa05 (BLC) on the gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and uric acid levels in healthy participants. A total of 112 subjects were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo (maltodextrin) or the intervention (maltodextrin + BLC at 20 billion colony-forming units/day) for eight weeks. Gut microbiota alterations were monitored via 16S rRNA gene sequencing, while fecal SCFAs were quantified via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Key metabolic indicators, including ALT, AST, and uric acid, were also measured.

Results: BLC intervention maintained the gut microbiota composition in participants with alcohol consumption habits, notably increasing the abundance of beneficial genera such as Blautia, Faecalibacterium, and Subdoligranulum. Significant alterations were observed in the levels of acetic acid, valeric acid, and total SCFAs, suggesting a favourable influence on gut health and metabolic function. Furthermore, BLC showed potential for improving serum uric acid levels.

Conclusion: supplementation with BLC appears to beneficially modulate the composition of the gut microbiota, aiding in the management of alcohol-related gastrointestinal disturbances and dependency. These findings highlight BLC's potential as a therapeutic adjunct for alcohol-induced gut dysbiosis, offering a non-pharmacological strategy to mitigate metabolic risks and improve gut barrier integrity in individuals with chronic alcohol consumption. This intervention may significantly contribute to gut health improvement.

With our increasing lifespan comes an increasing prevalence of age-related neurological diseases, which are often difficult to treat. The gut-brain axis may provide opportunities for cognitive health improvement through gut microbiota-targeting interventions, such as probiotics. The aim of this meta-analysis is to determine the clinical potential of probiotics for the amelioration of cognitive functioning in older adults. Systematic searches were executed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to retrieve published records of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Records were assessed to fit the criteria of focusing on probiotic supplementation with cognitive functioning as the main outcome. After screening and assessment of 56 identified records, 20 RCTs were included for analysis. Reported means and standard deviations of cognitive test scores were used to calculate standardised mean differences (SMD) with a random effects model. Where applicable, blood concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines were taken as a secondary outcome. Based on the calculated SMDs it appears, overall, that supplementation of probiotics tends to have positive effects on both cognitive performance and reduction of inflammatory markers in older adults, albeit not significant (SMD [95%CI] = 0.19 [-0.13, 0.52] for cognitive performance, and SMD [95%CI] = -0.44 [-0.94, 0.06] for inflammation). The set of RCTs studied here is characterised by high heterogeneity, preventing the determination of a true overall effect size.

Digestive health issues, including irregular bowel movements (BM) and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, affect millions of people in the United States and are associated with higher risks of various diseases. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the potential of Bacillus coagulans Unique IS2 to improve stool characteristics and reduce GI symptoms. Following a 2-week run-in, 144 healthy adults were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either B. coagulans Unique IS2 (2 billion colony forming units/day) or placebo for 4 weeks. Participants were included if they had an average weekly complete spontaneous bowel movement (SBM) of ≥3.0 and <7.0 during the run-in. The primary outcome was the change in BM frequency after 4 weeks. Secondary outcomes included change in stool consistency (assessed by the Bristol Stool Form Scale), GI symptoms and quality of life, gut microbiota composition, and the proportion of complete SBM to total BM. Safety was assessed by vital signs and reports of adverse events. After 4 weeks of supplementation with Unique IS2, there was a significant increase in BM frequency ( P = 0.037). Stool consistency significantly improved after each week in the Unique IS2 group (all P < 0.05) and was significantly improved compared to a placebo after 4 weeks ( P = 0.018), driven by a significant improvement in the incidence of hard stool ( P = 0.001). There was no effect of Unique IS2 supplementation on GI symptoms and quality of life (Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index), gut microbiota composition (analysis of stool samples by 16S rRNA), or proportion of complete SBM to total BM. Unique IS2 was safe and well tolerated over the 4 weeks of supplementation. Our results suggest that B. coagulans Unique IS2 is a promising strategy to improve stool characteristics of individuals with hard stools and poor stool quality. Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT05123664.

Recently, Bacteroides species, a dominant genus of commensal gut bacteria, have been increasingly recognised as potential next-generation postbiotics. The present study isolated nine Bacteroides POTENTIAL postbiotics from healthy human feces. Among them, Phocaeicola vulgatus (PV-1), Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (BT-1), and Bacteroides uniformis (BU-1) were selected based on their capacity to inhibit lipogenesis and their potential synergy in vitro. Subsequently, the anti-obesity effect of the three Bacteroides postbiotics was comparatively investigated, both in combination (VTU) and individually, using a high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mouse model. VTU more notably reduced HFD-triggered excessive body mass, fat, and liver weights compared to the individual postbiotics. Additionally, VTU markedly attenuated serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, and insulin levels compared to the HFD-alone treatment. Furthermore, VTU significantly downregulated the expression of lipogenesis-associated genes in the liver, including PPARγ, C/EBPα, AP2, CD36, FAS, ACC1, and LDLR, while upregulating beige-specific marker genes in the white adipose tissue, such as PRDM16, UCP1, and PPARγ. Moreover, VTU significantly altered the serum metabolomic profile, significantly changing several metabolites like lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) and Boc-homoglutamic acid. These findings indicate that the combination of PV-1, BU-1, and BT-1 synergistically ameliorated obesity by regulating lipid and glucose metabolism. Hence, we propose that Bacteroides postbiotics, including their combinations, could be developed as novel therapeutic agents for alleviating obesity and its complications in the future.

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the main causes of cervical cancer in women, while there are currently no treatment nor intervention to reduce the concentration of cervical HPV. We thus aimed to investigate the effects of a probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Probio87 (orally administered at 9 log CFU/day) or placebo for 12-weeks, on reducing the abundance of vaginal HPV in HPV-positive women. A parallel, randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled study was performed where women were randomised to either the probiotic (n = 44, mean age 41.70 ± 1.06 years) or placebo (n = 45, mean age 41.13 ± 1.20 years). After 12 weeks, the probiotic group showed reduced vaginal HPV abundance ( P = 0.001) and Nugent scores ( P < 0.001) as compared to the placebo. VAS and VuAS questionnaires showed that the probiotic group had improved vulvar dryness ( P = 0.023), soreness ( P = 0.049), social interactions, daily activities ( P < 0.05), and sexual activity ( P = 0.022) compared to the placebo group. Blood gene expressions showed that the placebo group had higher upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, P = 0.006; IFN-γ, P = 0.028) and T-cell markers (CD44, P = 0.008; CXCR5, P = 0.040; CD4, P = 0.016) compared to the placebo group, indicating increased inflammation. Neurotrophic factors BDNF and CREB were upregulated in the placebo group ( P < 0.05), with higher IDO ( P = 0.001) and TDO ( P = 0.036) expressions compared to the probiotic group, suggesting increased kynurenine pathway activity and stress. Overall, probiotic supplementation appeared to reduce the abundance of vaginal HPV, possibly by lowering inflammation and enhancing immunity while mitigating the negative impacts of HPV infection on quality of life in HPV-positive women. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05316064).

The aim of this study was to develop a recombinant strain of Lactococcus lactis designed to produce human elafin, a serine protease inhibitor, through a Stress-Inducible Controlled Expression (SICE) System, and to evaluate its anti-inflammatory potential both in vitro and in vivo. The impact of this recombinant strain on the efficacy of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) was evaluated by in vitro assays with Caco-2 (human colonic cancer cells) and IEC-18 (non-cancerous intestinal cells) exposed to 5-FU with or without the recombinant bacterium. In vivo, a mouse model of intestinal mucositis (IM) was induced by daily injections of 5-FU, followed by oral administration of the recombinant strain twice daily. Key assessments included the occurrence of diarrhea, small intestinal morphology and histopathology, and serum cytokines levels. In vitro results showed that the elafin-producing strain enhanced 5-FU cytotoxicity against Caco-2 cells, while preserving IEC-18 cell viability in the presence of 5-FU. In vivo, the strain significantly reduced the occurrence of diarrhea, improved the villus height/crypt depth ratio and attenuated intestinal inflammation. In addition, the recombinant strain reduced serum levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α, while significantly increasing the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Importantly, the strain did not compromise the anti-cancer efficacy of 5-FU on tumor cells and protected non-cancer cells. These results confirm the in vivo anti-inflammatory effects of this elafin-producing strain against IM.

Intrinsic resistant starch type 3 (RS-3) is retrograded starch that is highly resistant to pancreatic digestion (≥80% RS) and will therefore transit to the colon largely intact. Two gut microbes, known as RS degraders, Ruminococcus bromii ATCC27255 and Bifidobacterium adolescentis L2-32, were studied for their ability to degrade intrinsic RS-3 with defined crystal type and chain length (A-type, degree of polymerisation (DP) 16 or DP 21; B-type, DP 32 or DP 76). Remaining glucose, malto-oligosaccharides and non-degraded insoluble RS-3 were quantified over time and remaining RS-3 was visualized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) over time and compared to degradation of granular maize and potato starch. R. bromii was not limited by any specific physico-chemical starch characteristic and degraded all substrates gradually to primarily maltose and glucose, although these sugars were not further utilised. In contrast, B. adolescentis was unable to degrade B-type intrinsic RS-3 and only slightly fermented A-type intrinsic RS-3 to acetate, whereas granular maize and potato starch were fermented readily to acetate and lactate. The extensive use of SEM in this study revealed the unique morphology of the RS-3 structures and the difference in degradation approach by the two gut microbes. It can be concluded that efficient degradation of intrinsic RS-3 requires microbes with specific enzyme machineries such as those present in R. bromii.

Constipation is a widespread gastrointestinal disorder that significantly impacts individuals' health and quality of life. Although various treatment options are available, many patients experience unsatisfactory results, creating a demand for alternative therapeutic strategies. This study explores the efficacy of Bifid Triple Viable Capsules, containing Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Enterococcus faecium, in alleviating loperamide-induced constipation in a rat model. Rats were administered high or low doses of Bifid after induction of constipation with loperamide. Our findings demonstrate that high-dose Bifid treatment significantly improves body weight and intestinal propulsion rate in constipated rats. Histopathological analysis reveals that Bifid restores colon tissue integrity, reducing inflammation and maintaining the intestinal epithelial barrier. Using 16S rRNA sequencing, we identified an increase in the gut microbial diversity and composition, with higher levels of beneficial norank_f_norank_o_Coriobacteriales and Anaerofustis bacteria. Transcriptomic analysis of colon tissues showed that high-dose Bifid treatment modulates gene expression involved in immune system regulation and epithelial barrier integrity. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in pathways related to the immune response and integral component of membrane, particularly those associated with the intestinal immune network and bile acid metabolism. These results suggest that Bifid alleviates constipation by balancing the gut microbiota, regulating the gut innate immune response, and maintaining the intestinal epithelial barrier. Our study provides a foundational basis for further research and therapeutic applications of probiotics in treating gastrointestinal diseases.

While the importance of breastfeeding on the developing infant gut microbiota has been established, few studies have compared the effect of breastfeeding duration on infant gut microbiota development. In this pilot study, we included 23 infants, divided into 4 groups to compare the effect of breastfeeding duration for first 4 (BreastFed_4) or 8 weeks (BreastFed_8) compared to exclusive breast (Exc Breast Fed) or formula feeding (Formula Fed) for 6 months. We used metagenomics shotgun sequencing of 88 infant stool samples and 64 corresponding maternal milk samples to examine the microbial composition. Breast milk samples showed the presence of previously defined core bacteria including spp. belonging to Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, Cutibacterium, Rothia and Pseudomonas. We report that the Exc Breast Fed infant group had the lowest alpha diversity and a distinct microbial composition compared to the Formula Fed group. BreastFed_4 clustered distinctly from all other groups, indicating the impact of duration and time of feeding on infant microbiota. Certain Bifidobacterium spp. were more associated to certain groups, in particular, B. infantis was more associated to Exc Breast Fed while Bacteroides/Phocaeicola with BreastFed_8. Exc Breast Fed showed the highest frequency of persisters with B. infantis being the dominant persister, while B. bifidum was the dominant persister in Formula Fed group. Persisters showed significantly higher abundance of several glycoside hydrolases (GH) important in early life across all groups compared to non-persisters. This study highlights infant gut microbiota changes associated with breastfeeding duration, warranting more detailed studies on the impact of breastfeeding duration on long-term health outcomes.

The major inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid or GABA plays a pivotal role in mood and sleep. GABA exerts sedative and anxiolytic effects both within the central nervous system and through the gut-brain axis, which has generated interest in the potential for gut GABA to modulate mood and sleep. Several bacterial strains can produce GABA, yet their real-world impacts are poorly understood. We investigated the impact of 2 doses of the strain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Lp815 on anxiety, sleep, mood, quality of life, cognition, heart rate variability and adverse events in adults with mild to moderate anxiety over a 6-week period. The trial was structured as a double-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled trial with optional open label extension. Participants were blindly assigned to receive either a placebo, 1 billion colony-forming units (CFU), or 5 billion CFU of the oral capsule per day. Participants completed biweekly anxiety, insomnia and cognition measures, daily mood, sleep, and quality of life surveys, and collected wearable heart rate variability. 83 individuals were evaluated, aged 39 ± 13 years, 63% female and 64% Caucasian. Participants receiving 5 billion CFU exhibited significantly lower anxiety (GAD-7) scores at weeks 4 and 6 compared to placebo (Kruskal-Wallis P < 0.05). This result was clinically meaningful, with 68% of participants in the 5 billion CFU cohort exhibiting improvement by more than one category in their GAD-7 scores at week 6, compared to 37% in the 1 billion CFU group and 26% in the placebo group (e.g. from moderate to no anxiety) (Fisher's exact test P = 0.002 for 5 billion CFU vs Placebo). No serious adverse events occurred. A daily capsule containing 5 billion CFU Lp815 significantly reduced anxiety in a diverse cohort of adults at 4 and 6 weeks following daily consumption. GABA-producing probiotics may offer a safe option for anxiety reduction in people with mild to moderate anxiety. Trial Registration. The trial was IRB approved and registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06466603).