Metagenomic analyses of alcohol induced pathogenic alterations in the intestinal microbiome and the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG treatment

Integrated Analyses of the Gut Microbiota, Intestinal Permeability, and Serum Metabolome Phenotype in Rats with Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

The etiology of alcohol dependence is not completely understood. Increasing evidence reveals that gut microbiota dysbiosis is associated with certain psychiatric disorders, including alcoholism, through the "microbiota-gut-brain" axis. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of alcohol abuse on the gut microbiota, intestinal permeability and serum metabolic profile and to determine whether alcohol-induced alterations in gut microbiota are correlated with gut permeability and serum metabolic phenotype changes. 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing and nontarget metabolomics techniques were applied in an alcohol-dependent rat model in the present study. The results showed that alcohol intake altered the composition and structure of the colonic microbiota, especially the relative abundances of commensal microbes in the families Lachnospiraceae and Prevotellaceae, which were significantly decreased. Alcohol-dependent rats developed gut leakiness and a serum metabolic phenotype disorder. The valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis pathways and arginine and proline metabolism pathways were obviously influenced by alcohol intake. Moreover, alcohol consumption disturbed the brain's neurotransmitter homeostasis. Regression analysis showed that alcohol-induced colonic microbiota dysbiosis was strongly associated with increased intestinal permeability and serum metabolic phenotype and neurotransmitter disorders. These results revealed that gut microbiota dysbiosis and serum metabolite alteration might be a cofactor for developing of alcohol dependence. IMPORTANCE Gut microbiota dysbiosis is associated with certain psychiatric disorders through the "microbiota-gut-brain" axis. Here, we revealed that alcohol consumption induced colonic microbiota dysbiosis, increased intestinal permeability, and altered the serum metabolic phenotype in rats, and there was a strong correlation between gut microbiota dysbiosis and serum metabolite disorders. Thus, gut microbiota dysbiosis and serum metabolite alteration may be a cofactor for development of alcohol dependence.

Drugs and bugs: Negative affect, psychostimulant use and withdrawal, and the microbiome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

A growing body of literature demonstrates that the human microbiota plays a crucial role in health and disease states, as well as in the body's response to stress. In addition, the microbiome plays a role in psychological well-being and regulating negative affect. Regulation of negative affect is a factor in psychostimulant abuse disorders. We propose a risk chain in which stress leads to negative affect that places an individual at risk to develop or relapse to psychostimulant abuse disorder. Stress, negative affect, and psychostimulant use all alter the gut microbiome.

METHODS

This review brings together the literature on affective disorders, stress, and psychostimulant abuse disorders to assess possible modulatory actions of the gut-brain axis to regulate these conditions.

RESULTS

Studies reviewed across the various disciplines suggest that the dysbiosis resulting from drug use, drug withdrawal, or stress may cause an individual to be more susceptible to addiction and relapse. Probiotics and prebiotics reduce stress and negative affect.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

Treatment during the withdrawal phase of psychostimulant abuse disorder, when the microbiome is altered, may ameliorate the symptoms of stress and negative affect leading to a reduced risk of relapse to psychostimulant use.

Immune Response to an Acute Moderate Dose of Alcohol in Healthy Young Adults

Prior research on alcohol and the immune system has tended to focus on binge doses or chronic heavy drinking. The aim of this single-session preliminary study was to characterize immune response to moderate alcohol (0.60 g alcohol per kilogram body weight) in healthy, nonchronic drinkers. The sample (N = 11) averaged 26.6 years of age and was balanced in gender. Plasma samples were collected at baseline and 1, 2 and 3 hours postconsumption. Markers of microbial translocation [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)] and innate immune response [LPS-binding protein (LBP), soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (sCD14), and selected cytokines] were measured using immunoassays. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on subjective alcohol response and craving. Linear mixed models were used to assess changes in biomarkers and self-report measures. Breath alcohol concentration peaked at 0.069 ± 0.008% 1 hour postconsumption. LPS showed a significant linear decrease. LBP and sCD14 showed significant, nonlinear (U-shaped) trajectories wherein levels decreased at 1 hour then rebounded by 3 hours. Of nine cytokines tested, only MCP-1 and IL-8 were detectable in ≥50% of samples. IL-8 did not change significantly. MCP-1 showed a significant linear decrease and also accounted for significant variance in alcohol craving, with higher levels associated with stronger craving. Results offer novel evidence on acute immune response to moderate alcohol. Changes in LBP and sCD14, relative to LPS, may reflect their role in LPS clearance. Results also support further investigation into the role of MCP-1 in alcohol craving. Limitations include small sample size and lack of a placebo condition.

The Prophylactic Effects of Glutamine on Muscle Protein Synthesis and Degradation in Rats with Ethanol-Induced Liver Damage

The purpose of this research was to investigate the prophylactic effects of glutamine on muscle protein synthesis and degradation in rats with ethanol-induced liver injury. For the first 2 weeks, Wistar rats were divided into two groups and fed a control (n = 16) or glutamine-containing diet (n = 24). For the following 6 weeks, rats fed the control diet were further divided into two groups (n = 8 per group) according to whether their diet contained no ethanol (CC) or did contain ethanol (CE). Rats fed the glutamine-containing diet were also further divided into three groups (n = 8 per group), including a GG group (glutamine-containing diet without ethanol), GE group (control diet with ethanol), and GEG group (glutamine-containing diet with ethanol). After 6 weeks, results showed that hepatic fatty change, inflammation, altered liver function, and hyperammonemia had occurred in the CE group, but these were attenuated in the GE and GEG groups. Elevated intestinal permeability and a higher plasma endotoxin level were observed in the CE group, but both were lower in the GE and GEG groups. The level of a protein synthesis marker (p70S6K) was reduced in the CE group but was higher in both the GE and GEG groups. In conclusion, glutamine supplementation might elevate muscle protein synthesis by improving intestinal health and ameliorating liver damage in rats with chronic ethanol intake.

Emerging Therapies for Alcoholic Hepatitis

The incidence of alcoholic hepatitis is increasing while the mortality rate remains high. The single current available therapy for severe alcoholic hepatitis is administration of corticosteroids for patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis, which has demonstrated limited benefits, providing a short-term mortality benefit with a marginal response rate. There is a need for developing safe and effective therapies. This article reviews novel therapies targeting various mechanisms in the pathogenesis of alcoholic hepatitis, such as the gut-liver axis, inflammatory cascade, oxidative stress, and hepatic regeneration. Current ongoing clinical trials for alcoholic hepatitis also are described.

Malnutrition and Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis

Malnutrition is common in alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH); almost all patients with severe AH have some component of malnutrition. The classic phenotype of malnutrition in AH is sarcopenia, but this has become more difficult to discern clinically as patients have become more obese. Patients with AH are often drinking 10 to 15 standard drinks per day. This substantial alcohol consumption becomes a major source of calories, but these are considered "empty" calories that contain little nutritional value. Malnutrition is associated with liver complications, such as hepatic encephalopathy, and worse liver outcomes. Nutrition support can improve nutrition status and reduce complications.

Comprehensive review of diagnostic modalities for early chronic pancreatitis

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a progressive condition caused by several factors and characterised by pancreatic fibrosis and dysfunction. However, CP is difficult to diagnose at an early stage. Various advanced methods including endoscopic ultrasound based elastography and confocal laser endomicroscopy have been used to diagnose early CP, although no unified diagnostic standards have been established. In the past, the diagnosis was mainly based on imaging, and no comprehensive evaluations were performed. This review describes and compares the advantages and limitations of the traditional and latest diagnostic modalities and suggests guidelines for the standardisation of the methods used to diagnose early CP.

The Immune System through the Lens of Alcohol Intake and Gut Microbiota

The human gut is the largest organ with immune function in our body, responsible for regulating the homeostasis of the intestinal barrier. A diverse, complex and dynamic population of microorganisms, called microbiota, which exert a significant impact on the host during homeostasis and disease, supports this role. In fact, intestinal bacteria maintain immune and metabolic homeostasis, protecting our organism against pathogens. The development of numerous inflammatory disorders and infections has been linked to altered gut bacterial composition or dysbiosis. Multiple factors contribute to the establishment of the human gut microbiota. For instance, diet is considered as one of the many drivers in shaping the gut microbiota across the lifetime. By contrast, alcohol is one of the many factors that disrupt the proper functioning of the gut, leading to a disruption of the intestinal barrier integrity that increases the permeability of the mucosa, with the final result of a disrupted mucosal immunity. This damage to the permeability of the intestinal membrane allows bacteria and their components to enter the blood tissue, reaching other organs such as the liver or the brain. Although chronic heavy drinking has harmful effects on the immune system cells at the systemic level, this review focuses on the effect produced on gut, brain and liver, because of their significance in the link between alcohol consumption, gut microbiota and the immune system.

Does chronic inflammation cause acute inflammation to spiral into hyper-inflammation in a manner modulated by diet and the gut microbiome, in severe Covid-19?

We propose that hyper-inflammation (HYPi) is a ''runaway'' consequence of acute inflammation (ACUi) that arises more easily (and also abates less easily) in those who host a pre-existing chronic inflammation (CHRi), because (i) most factors involved in generating an ACUi to limit viral proliferation are already present when there is an underlying CHRi, and also because (ii) anti-inflammatory (AI) mechanisms for the abatement of ACUi (following containment of viral proliferation) are suppressed and desensitized where there is an underlying CHRi, with this causing the ACUi to spiral into a HYPi. Stress, pollution, diet, and gut microbiomes (alterable in weeks through dietary changes) have an intimate and bidirectional cause-effect relationship with CHRi. We propose that avoidance of CHRi-promoting foods and adoption of CHRi-suppressing foods could reduce susceptibility to HYPi, in Covid-19 and in other viral diseases, such as influenza, which are characterized by episodic and unpredictable HYPi.

Microbiota tryptophan metabolism induces aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation and improves alcohol-induced liver injury

OBJECTIVE

Chronic alcohol consumption is an important cause of liver-related deaths. Specific intestinal microbiota profiles are associated with susceptibility or resistance to alcoholic liver disease in both mice and humans. We aimed to identify the mechanisms by which targeting intestinal microbiota can improve alcohol-induced liver lesions.

DESIGN

We used human associated mice, a mouse model of alcoholic liver disease transplanted with the intestinal microbiota of alcoholic patients and used the prebiotic, pectin, to modulate the intestinal microbiota. Based on metabolomic analyses, we focused on microbiota tryptophan metabolites, which are ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Involvement of the AhR pathway was assessed using both a pharmacological approach and AhR-deficient mice.

RESULTS

Pectin treatment modified the microbiome and metabolome in human microbiota-associated alcohol-fed mice, leading to a specific faecal signature. High production of bacterial tryptophan metabolites was associated with an improvement of liver injury. The AhR agonist Ficz (6-formylindolo (3,2-b) carbazole) reduced liver lesions, similarly to prebiotic treatment. Conversely, inactivation of the ahr gene in alcohol-fed AhR knock-out mice abrogated the beneficial effects of the prebiotic. Importantly, patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis have low levels of bacterial tryptophan derivatives that are AhR agonists.

CONCLUSIONS

Improvement of alcoholic liver disease by targeting the intestinal microbiota involves the AhR pathway, which should be considered as a new therapeutic target.

Gut dysbiosis associated with the rats' responses in methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference

Methamphetamine (MA) is a potent stimulant and notoriously addictive. Individuals respond to MA effects differently and thus have a varying susceptible risk of developing MA use disorder. Cumulative evidence has indicated that gut dysbiosis contributes to behavioral response to drug effects. However, the role of gut microbiota in the susceptible risk of developing MA use disorder has remained elusive. Using an MA-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) rat model, we administrated the same dose of MA to rats, which then showed distinct preferences in drug-related place, indicating their different responses to MA. From all of the MA-exposed rats, the eight with the highest CPP scores were labeled as group high CPP (H-CPP), and the eight with the lowest were labeled as group low CPP (L-CPP). By 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing, we found that the gut microbiota compositions differed between H-CPP and L-CPP. Specifically, Akkermansia was significantly higher in H-CPP and positively correlated with the CPP scores. Notably, H-CPP and L-CPP differed in the gut microbiota composition prior to the CPP training; Ruminococcus was the dominant phylotype in H-CPP at baseline. More importantly, rats pretreated by antibiotics showed a significantly stronger MA-induced CPP than did the controls. Our study demonstrates that the gut dysbiosis was associated with the MA-induced CPP, indicating that the gut microbiota might be important modulators for MA-induced behavior and vulnerability to MA use disorder.

Dietary Ursolic Acid Prevents Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury via Gut-Liver Axis Homeostasis Modulation: The Key Role of Microbiome Manipulation

Ursolic acid (UA), a natural triterpenoid widely distributed within fruits and edible plants, has been proven to relieve alcoholic liver disease (ALD). However, the mechanisms involved largely remain unclear. This study investigated whether the beneficial effects of UA on ALD could be related to gut-liver axis (GLA) modulation. Special attention was paid to the contribution of gut microbiome manipulation. UA ameliorated intestinal oxidative stress and barrier dysfunction induced by alcohol. As a consequence of gut leakiness amelioration, the related endotoxemia-mediated liver toll-like receptor 4 pathway induction and the subsequent reactive oxygen species overproduction were reverted. UA also counteracted alcohol-induced gut dysbiosis. A fecal microbiota transplantation study indicated that liver injury as well as ileum oxidative stress and gut barrier dysfunction of recipient mice were partly ameliorated as a result of microbiome remodeling. These results suggest that dietary UA alleviates ALD through GLA homeostasis modulation. Gut microbiome manipulation contributes to the hepatoprotective activity and GLA modulating effect of UA.

Intestinal Permeability Is a Mechanical Rheostat in the Pathogenesis of Liver Cirrhosis

Recent studies have suggested that an alteration in the gut microbiota and their products, particularly endotoxins derived from Gram-negative bacteria, may play a major role in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. Gut dysbiosis caused by a high-fat diet and alcohol consumption induces increased intestinal permeability, which means higher translocation of bacteria and their products and components, including endotoxins, the so-called "leaky gut". Clinical studies have found that plasma endotoxin levels are elevated in patients with chronic liver diseases, including alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic liver disease. A decrease in commensal nonpathogenic bacteria including Ruminococaceae and Lactobacillus and an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria such as Bacteroidaceae and Enterobacteriaceae are observed in cirrhotic patients. The decreased diversity of the gut microbiota in cirrhotic patients before liver transplantation is also related to a higher incidence of post-transplant infections and cognitive impairment. The exposure to endotoxins activates macrophages via Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), leading to a greater production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines including tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8, which play key roles in the progression of liver diseases. TLR4 is a major receptor activated by the binding of endotoxins in macrophages, and its downstream signal induces proinflammatory cytokines. The expression of TLR4 is also observed in nonimmune cells in the liver, such as hepatic stellate cells, which play a crucial role in the progression of liver fibrosis that develops into hepatocarcinogenesis, suggesting the importance of the interaction between endotoxemia and TLR4 signaling as a target for preventing liver disease progression. In this review, we summarize the findings for the role of gut-derived endotoxemia underlying the progression of liver pathogenesis.

Effects of Tea against Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Modulating Gut Microbiota in Chronic Alcohol-Exposed Mice

Gut microbiota dysbiosis has been a crucial contributor to the pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD). Tea is a popular beverage worldwide and exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as hepatoprotective effects. However, the potential role of gut microbiota regulated by tea in the prevention and management of AFLD remains unclear. Here, the protective effects of oolong tea, black tea, and dark tea on AFLD and its regulation of gut microbiota in chronic alcohol-exposed mice were explored and investigated. The results revealed that tea supplementation significantly prevented liver steatosis, decreased oxidative stress and inflammation, and modulated gut microbiota in chronic alcohol-exposed mice, especially oolong tea and dark tea. However, black tea showed less effectiveness against liver injury caused by alcohol. Moreover, the diversity, structure and composition of chronic alcohol-disrupted gut microbiota were restored by the supplementation of oolong tea and dark tea based on the analysis of gut microbiota. Furthermore, the relationship between liver injury biochemical indicators and gut microbiota indicated that some specific bacteria, such as Bacteroides, Alloprevotella, and Parabacteroides were closely associated with AFLD. In addition, the phytochemical components in tea extracts were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, which could contribute to preventive effects on AFLD. In summary, oolong tea and dark tea could prevent chronic alcohol exposure-induced AFLD by modulating gut microbiota.

Role of microbial dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of esophageal mucosal disease: A paradigm shift from acid to bacteria?

Genomic sequencing, bioinformatics, and initial speciation (e.g., relative abundance) of the commensal microbiome have revolutionized the way we think about the "human" body in health and disease. The interactions between the gut bacteria and the immune system of the host play a key role in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal diseases, including those impacting the esophagus. Although relatively stable, there are a number of factors that may disrupt the delicate balance between the luminal esophageal microbiome (EM) and the host. These changes are thought to be a product of age, diet, antibiotic and other medication use, oral hygiene, smoking, and/or expression of antibiotic products (bacteriocins) by other flora. These effects may lead to persistent dysbiosis which in turn increases the risk of local inflammation, systemic inflammation, and ultimately disease progression. Research has suggested that the etiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease-related esophagitis includes a cytokine-mediated inflammatory component and is, therefore, not merely the result of esophageal mucosal exposure to corrosives (i.e., acid). Emerging evidence also suggests that the EM plays a major role in the pathogenesis of disease by inciting an immunogenic response which ultimately propagates the inflammatory cascade. Here, we discuss the potential role for manipulating the EM as a therapeutic option for treating the root cause of various esophageal disease rather than just providing symptomatic relief (i.e., acid suppression).

The Role of the Microbiome in Liver Cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignancy occuring in the context of chronic liver disease and is one of the main causes of cancer-derived death worldwide. The lack of effective treatments, together with the poor prognosis, underlines the urge to develop novel and multidisciplinary therapeutics. An increasing body of evidence shows that HCC associates with changes in intestinal microbiota abundance and composition as well as with impaired barrier function, leading to the release of bacteria and their metabolites to the liver. These factors trigger a cascade of inflammatory responses contributing to liver cirrhosis and constituting an ideal environment for the progression of HCC. Interestingly, the use of bacteriotherapy in human and preclinical studies of chronic liver disease and HCC has been shown to successfully modify the microbiota composition, reducing overall inflammation and fibrosis. In this review, we explore the existing knowledge on the characterisation of the intestinal microbial composition in humans and experimental murine chronic liver disease and HCC, as well as the use of antibiotics and bacteriotherapy as therapeutic options.

Metabolic Profiling of Bile Acids in the Urine of Patients with Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

Bile acids (BAs) play important functions in the development of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). In the current study, urine BA concentrations in 38 patients with well-described alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) as characterized by Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), 8 patients with alcohol-use disorder (AUD), and 19 healthy controls (HCs) were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Forty-three BAs were identified, and 22 BAs had significant changes in their abundance levels in patients with AH. The potential associations of clinical data were compared to candidate BAs in this pilot proof-of-concept study. MELD score showed positive correlations with several conjugated BAs and negative correlations with certain unconjugated BAs; taurine-conjugated chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and MELD score showed the highest association. Cholic acid, CDCA, and apocholic acid had nonsignificant abundance changes in patients with nonsevere ALD compared to HCs but were significantly increased in those with severe AH. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the differences in these three compounds were sufficiently large to distinguish severe AH from nonsevere ALD. Notably, the abundance levels of primary BAs were significantly increased while most of the secondary BAs were markedly decreased in AH compared to AUD. Most importantly, the amount of total BAs and the ratio of primary to secondary BAs increased while the ratio of unconjugated to conjugated BAs decreased as disease severity increased. Conclusion: Abundance changes of specific BAs are closely correlated with the severity of AH in this pilot study. Urine BAs (individually or as a group) could be potential noninvasive laboratory biomarkers for detecting early stage ALD and may have prognostic value in AH morbidity.

Effect of Probiotic Consumption on Immune Response in Athletes: A Meta-analysis

The possible effect of probiotic interventions on immunological markers in athletes is inconclusive. Therefore, to synthesize and quantitatively analyze the existing evidence on this topic, systematic literature searches of online databases PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ISI Web of Sciences was carried out up to February 2021 to find all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning the immunological effects of probiotics in athletes. In the random-effects model, weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) explained the net effect. The authors assessed the likelihood of publication bias via Egger's and Begg's statistics. A total of 13 RCTs (836 participants) were retrieved. Probiotic consumption reduced lymphocyte T cytotoxic count significantly (WMD=-0.08 cells×10⁹/L; 95% CI: -0.15 to -0.01; p=0.022) with evidence of moderate heterogeneity (I ²⁼59.1%, p=0.044) and monocyte count when intervention duration was ≤ 4 weeks (WMD=-0.08 cells×10⁹/L; 95% CI: -0.16 to -0.001; I ²⁼0.0%). Furthermore, leukocyte count was significantly elevated (WMD=0.48 cells×10⁹/L; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.93; I ²⁼0.0%) when multi-strain probiotics were used. Probiotic supplements may improve immunological markers, including lymphocyte T cytotoxic, monocyte, and leukocyte in athletes. Further randomized controlled trials using diverse strains of probiotics and consistent outcome measures are necessary to allow for evidence-based recommendations.

Antrodin A from Antrodia camphorata modulates the gut microbiome and liver metabolome in mice exposed to acute alcohol intake

This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Antrodin A (AdA) from Antrodia camphorata (A. camphorata) mycelium on alcohol-induced gut microbiota and liver metabolomic disorders. In acute alcoholic liver injury mice, AdA ameliorated alcoholic exposure-induced hepatic lipid deposition (TC and TG), oxidative stress (MDA), inflammation (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17 and IFN-γ), and liver damage via modulating microbiome and metabolomic responses. AdA restored the composition of intestinal flora with an increase in the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Dubosiella and a decrease in Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group, and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001. Besides, AdA favorably regulated alcohol-induced metabolic disorders, including glutathione metabolism (S-(2-hydroxyethyl)glutathione and glutathione oxidized), ascorbate and aldarate metabolism (l-ascorbic acid), and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism (taurine). In conclusion, AdA in A. camphorata is a beneficial active ingredient to treat the microbiomic and metabolic disturbance induced by alcohol intake.

Evidence for Modulation of Substance Use Disorders by the Gut Microbiome: Hidden in Plain Sight

The gut microbiome modulates neurochemical function and behavior and has been implicated in numerous central nervous system (CNS) diseases, including developmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric disorders. Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain a serious threat to the public well-being, yet gut microbiome involvement in drug abuse has received very little attention. Studies of the mechanisms underlying SUDs have naturally focused on CNS reward circuits. However, a significant body of research has accumulated over the past decade that has unwittingly provided strong support for gut microbiome participation in drug reward. β-Lactam antibiotics have been employed to increase glutamate transporter expression to reverse relapse-induced release of glutamate. Sodium butyrate has been used as a histone deacetylase inhibitor to prevent drug-induced epigenetic alterations. High-fat diets have been used to alter drug reward because of the extensive overlap of the circuitry mediating them. This review article casts these approaches in a different light and makes a compelling case for gut microbiome modulation of SUDs. Few factors alter the structure and composition of the gut microbiome more than antibiotics and a high-fat diet, and butyrate is an endogenous product of bacterial fermentation. Drugs such as cocaine, alcohol, opiates, and psychostimulants also modify the gut microbiome. Therefore, their effects must be viewed on a complex background of cotreatment-induced dysbiosis. Consideration of the gut microbiome in SUDs should have the beneficial effects of expanding the understanding of SUDs and aiding in the design of new therapies based on opposing the effects of abused drugs on the host's commensal bacterial community. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Proposed mechanisms underlying substance use disorders fail to acknowledge the impact of drugs of abuse on the gut microbiome. β-Lactam antibiotics, sodium butyrate, and high-fat diets are used to modify drug seeking and reward, overlooking the notable capacity of these treatments to alter the gut microbiome. This review aims to stimulate research on substance abuse-gut microbiome interactions by illustrating how drugs of abuse share with antibiotics, sodium butyrate, and fat-laden diets the ability to modify the host microbial community.

A biological framework for emotional dysregulation in alcohol misuse: from gut to brain

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been associated with impairments in social and emotional cognition that play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of addiction. Repeated alcohol intoxications trigger inflammatory processes and sensitise the immune system. In addition, emerging data point to perturbations in the gut microbiome as a key regulator of the inflammatory cascade in AUD. Inflammation and social cognition are potent modulators of one another. At the same time, accumulating evidence implicates the gut microbiome in shaping emotional and social cognition, suggesting the possibility of a common underlying loop of crucial importance for addiction. Here we propose an integrative microbiome neuro-immuno-affective framework of how emotional dysregulation and alcohol-related microbiome dysbiosis could accelerate the cycle of addiction. We outline the overlapping effects of chronic alcohol use, inflammation and microbiome alterations on the fronto-limbic circuitry as a convergence hub for emotional dysregulation. We discuss the interdependent relationship of social cognition, immunity and the microbiome in relation to alcohol misuse- from binge drinking to addiction. In addition, we emphasise adolescence as a sensitive period for the confluence of alcohol harmful effects and emotional dysregulation in the developing gut-brain axis.

Relationship between Nutrient Intake and Human Gut Microbiota in Monozygotic Twins

Background and Objectives: The gut microbiota is associated with human health and dietary nutrition. Various studies have been reported in this regard, but it is difficult to clearly analyze human gut microbiota as individual differences are significant. The causes of these individual differences in intestinal microflora are genetic and/or environmental. In this study, we focused on differences between identical twins in Japan to clarify the effects of nutrients consumed on the entire gut microbiome, while excluding genetic differences. Materials and Methods: We selected healthy Japanese monozygotic twins for the study and confirmed their zygosity by matching 15 short tandem repeat loci. Their fecal samples were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing and bioinformatics analyses to identify and compare the fluctuations in intestinal bacteria. Results: We identified 12 genera sensitive to environmental factors, and found that Lactobacillus was relatively unaffected by environmental factors. Moreover, we identified protein, fat, and some nutrient intake that can affect 12 genera, which have been identified to be more sensitive to environmental factors. Among the 12 genera, Bacteroides had a positive correlation with retinol equivalent intake (rs = 0.38), Lachnospira had a significantly negative correlation with protein, sodium, iron, vitamin D, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 intake (rs = −0.38, −0.41, −0.39, −0.63, −0.42, −0.49, respectively), Lachnospiraceae ND3007 group had a positive correlation with fat intake (rs = 0.39), and Lachnospiraceae UCG-008 group had a negative correlation with the saturated fatty acid intake (rs = −0.45). Conclusions: Our study is the first to focus on the relationship between human gut microbiota and nutrient intake using samples from Japanese twins to exclude the effects of genetic factors. These findings will broaden our understanding of the more intuitive relationship between nutrient intake and the gut microbiota and can be a useful basis for finding useful biomarkers that contribute to human health.

Microbiome and substances of abuse

There is a growing amount of evidence showing a reciprocal relation between the gut microbiota and the brain. Substance use disorders (SUD), which are a major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide, have an influence on the gut microbiota and on the gut-brain axis. The communication between the microbiota and the brain exists through different pathways: (1) the immune response elicited by bacterial products, coupled with alterations of the intestinal barrier allowing these products to enter the bloodstream, (2) the direct and indirect effects of bacterial metabolites such as short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) or tryptophan on the brain, (3) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, whose peripheral afferents can be influenced by the microbiota, and can in turn activate microglia. Among substances of abuse, alcohol has been the subject of the greatest number of studies in this field. In some but not all patients suffering from alcohol-use-disorder (AUD), alcohol alters the composition of the gut microbiota and the permeability of the intestinal barrier, directly and through dysbiosis. It has also been well demonstrated that alcohol induces a peripheral inflammation; it is still unclear whether it induces a central inflammation, as there are contradictory results in human studies. In animal studies, it has been shown that neuroinflammation increases during alcohol withdrawal. Literature on opioids and stimulants is less numerous. Chronic morphine intake induces dysbiosis, increased intestinal permeability and a probable neuroinflammation, which could explain symptoms such as tolerance, hyperalgesia and deficit in reward behavior. Cocaine induces a dysbiosis and conversely the microbiome can modulate the behavioral response to stimulant drugs. Tobacco cessation is associated with an increase in microbiota diversity. Taken together, the findings of our narrative literature review suggest a bidirectional influence in the pathogenesis of substance use disorders.

Association between alcohol consumption and oesophageal microbiota in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Microbiota has been reported to play a role in cancer patients. Nevertheless, little is known about the association between alcohol consumption and resultant changes in the diversity and composition of oesophageal microbiota in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

METHODS

We performed a hospital-based retrospective study of 120 patients with pathologically diagnosed primary ESCC. The relevant information for all study participants were collected through a detailed questionnaire. The differences in adjacent tissues between non-drinkers and drinkers were explored using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Raw sequencing data were imported into QIIME 2 to analyse the diversity and abundance of microbiota. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) and unconditional logistic regression were performed to determine the bacterial taxa that were associated with drinking.

RESULTS

The Shannon diversity index and Bray-Curtis distance of oesophageal microbiota were significantly different among drinkers(P < 0.05). The alcohol-related bacteria were primarily from the orders Clostridiales, Gemellales and Pasteurellales, family Clostridiaceae, Lanchnospiraceae, Helicobacteraceae, Alcaligenaceae, Bacteroidaceae, Pasteurellaceae and Gemellaceae; genus Clostridium, Helicobacter, Catonella, Bacteroides, Bacillus, Moraxella, and Bulleidia; and species B. moorei and longum (genus Bifidobacterium). In addition, the diversity and abundance of these microbiota were observed to be affected by the age, residential districts of the patients, and sampling seasons. Moreover, the higher the frequency and years of alcohol consumption, the lower was the relative abundance of genus Catonella that was observed.

CONCLUSION

Alcohol consumption is associated with alterations in both the diversity and composition the of the oesophageal microbiota in ESCC patients.

Translational Approaches with Antioxidant Phytochemicals against Alcohol-Mediated Oxidative Stress, Gut Dysbiosis, Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction, and Fatty Liver Disease

Emerging data demonstrate the important roles of altered gut microbiomes (dysbiosis) in many disease states in the peripheral tissues and the central nervous system. Gut dysbiosis with decreased ratios of Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes and other changes are reported to be caused by many disease states and various environmental factors, such as ethanol (e.g., alcohol drinking), Western-style high-fat diets, high fructose, etc. It is also caused by genetic factors, including genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic changes in different individuals. Gut dysbiosis, impaired intestinal barrier function, and elevated serum endotoxin levels can be observed in human patients and/or experimental rodent models exposed to these factors or with certain disease states. However, gut dysbiosis and leaky gut can be normalized through lifestyle alterations such as increased consumption of healthy diets with various fruits and vegetables containing many different kinds of antioxidant phytochemicals. In this review, we describe the mechanisms of gut dysbiosis, leaky gut, endotoxemia, and fatty liver disease with a specific focus on the alcohol-associated pathways. We also mention translational approaches by discussing the benefits of many antioxidant phytochemicals and/or their metabolites against alcohol-mediated oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and fatty liver disease.

Vinegar extract ameliorates alcohol-induced liver damage associated with the modulation of gut microbiota in mice

Vinegar extract is rich in phenolic compounds, which can prevent free radical-induced diseases. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of vinegar extract on gut microbiota in alcohol-treated mice and their correlation with alcohol-induced liver damage. These results showed that vinegar extract regulated the gut microbiota composition and improved intestinal homeostasis through increasing the expression levels of ZO-1, occludin, claudin-1, Reg3b, and Reg3g in alcohol-treated mice. In addition, vinegar extract inhibited the alcohol-induced production of ROS and inflammatory factors. Moreover, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Akkermansia, and Lactobacillus showed a significant positive correlation with Reg3b, Reg3g, ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1 and a negative correlation with hepatic inflammation and oxidative stress parameters. However, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Butyricimonas, Parabacteroides, and Bilophila exhibited the opposite effect. These findings suggest that vinegar extract modulates gut microbiota and improves intestinal homeostasis, and can be used as a novel gut microbiota manipulator against alcohol-induced liver damage.

Impacts of Maternal Diet and Alcohol Consumption during Pregnancy on Maternal and Infant Gut Microbiota

(1) Background: Maternal diet and alcohol consumption can influence both maternal and infant's gut microbiota. These relationships are still not examined in the Chinese population. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of alcohol consumption and maternal diet during pregnancy on maternal and infant's gut microbiota. (2) Methods: Twenty-nine mother-child dyads were enrolled in central China. Fecal samples of mothers during late pregnancy and of newborns within 48 h were collected. The V3-V4 regions of 16S rRNA sequences were analyzed. A self-administrated questionnaire about simple diet frequency in the past week was completed by mothers before childbirth. The demographic information was finished by mothers at 24 h after childbirth. (3) Results: Among these 29 mothers, 10 mothers reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The PCoA (β-diversity) showed significant difference in maternal gut microbiota between the alcohol consumption group vs. the non-alcohol consumption group (abund-Jaccard, r = 0.2, p = 0.006). The same phenomenon was observed in newborns (unweighted-UniFrac full tree, r = 0.174, p = 0.031). Maternal alcohol consumption frequency showed positive associations with maternal Phascolarctobacterium (p = 0.032) and Blautia (p = 0.019); maternal Faecalibacterium (p = 0.013) was negatively correlated with frequency of alcohol consumption. As for newborns, a positive relationship showed between Megamonas (p = 0.035) and newborns with maternal alcohol consumption. The diet was not associated with both maternal and infant's gut microbiota. (4) Conclusions: Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy influenced the gut microbiota on both mothers and the newborns. Future research is needed to explore these relationships in a lager birth cohort. Understanding the long-term effect of alcohol consumption on maternal and newborns' gut microbiota is needed.

Alteration of oxidative-stress and related marker levels in mouse colonic tissues and fecal microbiota structures with chronic ethanol administration: Implications for the pathogenesis of ethanol-related colorectal cancer

Chronic ethanol consumption is a risk factor for colorectal cancer, and ethanol-induced reactive oxygen species have been suggested to play important roles in the pathogenesis of ethanol-related colorectal cancer (ER-CRC). In this study, the effects of 10-week chronic administration of ethanol on the colonic levels of oxidative stress and advance glycation end product (AGE) levels, as well as fecal microbiota structures, were examined in a mouse model. Chronic oral administration of ethanol in mice (1.0 mL of 1.5% or 5.0% ethanol (v/v) per day per mouse, up to 10 weeks) resulted in the elevation of colonic levels of oxidative stress markers (such as 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine and 4-hydroxynonenal) compared to control mice, and this was consistently accompanied by elevated levels of inflammation-associated cytokines and immune cells (Th17 and macrophages) and a decreased level of regulatory T (Treg) cells to produce colonic lesions. It also resulted in an alteration of mouse fecal microbiota structures, reminiscent of the alterations observed in human inflammatory bowel disease, and this appeared to be consistent with the proposed sustained generation of oxidative stress in the colonic environment during chronic ethanol consumption. Moreover, the first experimental evidence that chronic ethanol administration results in elevated levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptors (RAGE) in the colonic tissues in mice is also shown, implying enhanced RAGE-mediated signaling with chronic ethanol administration. The RAGE-mediated signaling pathway has thus far been implicated as a link between the accumulation of AGEs and the development of many types of chronic colitis and cancers. Thus, enhancement of this pathway likely exacerbates the ethanol-induced inflammatory states of colonic tissues and might at least partly contribute to the pathogenesis of ER-CRC.

Shaping the Future of Probiotics and Prebiotics

Recent and ongoing developments in microbiome science are enabling new frontiers of research for probiotics and prebiotics. Novel types, mechanisms, and applications currently under study have the potential to change scientific understanding as well as nutritional and healthcare applications of these interventions. The expansion of related fields of microbiome-targeted interventions, and an evolving landscape for implementation across regulatory, policy, prescriber, and consumer spheres, portends an era of significant change. In this review we examine recent, emerging, and anticipated trends in probiotic and prebiotic science, and create a vision for broad areas of developing influence in the field.

Effect of Lactobacillus casei on lipid metabolism and intestinal microflora in patients with alcoholic liver injury

BACKGROUND

The present study aims to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus casei on lipid metabolism and intestinal microflora in patients with alcoholic liver injury.

METHODS

In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, 158 recruited alcoholic liver injury patients were randomized to three treatments for 60 days: low-dose group (LP, n = 58, 100 ml of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS)), high-dose group (HP, n = 54, 200 ml of LcS), and positive control group (PC, n = 46, 100 ml of special drinks without active Lactobacillus casei). Another group of 20 healthy people was served as normal control group (NC).

RESULTS

The serum levels of TG and LDLC in the HP group were significantly decreased by 26.56% and 23.83%, respectively than those in the PC group (P < 0.05). After supplementation of Lactobacillus casei, there was a significant increase in the amount of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium when compared with the PC group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Supplementation of Lactobacillus casei can improve lipid metabolism and regulate intestinal flora disorders in patients with alcoholic liver injury.

No Effect in Alcoholic Hepatitis of Gut-Selective, Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics on Bacterial Translocation or Hepatic and Systemic Inflammation

INTRODUCTION

In alcoholic hepatitis (AH), translocation of gut bacteria may drive hepatic macrophage activation and systemic inflammation. We investigated the effect of oral non-absorbable, broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment on bacterial translocation and liver and systemic inflammation in AH.

METHODS

We consecutively recruited 31 patients with AH. Fourteen were given vancomycin 500 mg, gentamycin 40 mg, and meropenem 500 mg once daily for 7 days. Seventeen patients were a reference group receiving standard-of-care. Circulating markers of bacterial translocation and inflammation were measured at baseline, by day 7 and 90. Gut bacteriome profiling was performed before the intervention and at day 7.

RESULTS

At study entry, blood lipopolysaccharide-binding protein was multifold higher than normal, remained unchanged at day 7, but decreased at day 90 (P < 0.001) with no difference between the study groups. The macrophage activation markers sCD163 and sCD206 showed the same pattern (P < 0.001, day 90), still without group differences. The systemic inflammation markers tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 showed similar dynamics without group differences. There was no difference in 90-day mortality (total of 6 deaths) between the groups. The remnant gut bacteriome was markedly diversified by the intervention with growth of bacterial species rare for human flora.

DISCUSSION

In patients with AH, gut-targeted antibiotic treatment does not change markers of bacterial translocation and liver and systemic inflammation. This suggests that bacterial translocation is less important once the inflammatory process is established or that bacteriome reduction is less important than composition.

Food Processing, Dysbiosis, Gastrointestinal Inflammatory Diseases, and Antiangiogenic Functional Foods or Beverages

Foods and beverages provide nutrients and alter the gut microbiota, resulting in eubiosis or dysbiosis. Chronic consumption of a diet that is high in saturated or trans fats, meat proteins, reducing sugars, and salt and low in fiber induces dysbiosis. Dysbiosis, loss of redox homeostasis, mast cells, hypoxia, angiogenesis, the kynurenine pathway, transglutaminase 2, and/or the Janus kinase pathway are implicated in the pathogenesis and development of inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and gastrointestinal malignancy. This review discusses the effects of oxidative, carbonyl, or glycative stress-inducing dietary ingredients or food processing-derived compounds on gut microbiota and gastrointestinal epithelial and mast cells as well as on the development of associated angiogenic diseases, including key signaling pathways. The preventive or therapeutic potential and the biochemical pathways of antiangiogenic or proangiogenic foods or beverages are also described. The outcomes of the interactions between disease pathways and components of food are critical for the design of foods and beverages for healthy lives.

Essential Role of IFN-γ in Regulating Gut Antimicrobial Peptides and Microbiota to Protect Against Alcohol-Induced Bacterial Translocation and Hepatic Inflammation in Mice

The mechanisms by which alcohol provokes bacterial translocation in the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) remain incompletely defined. Our previous study demonstrates that impaired gut epithelial antimicrobial defense is critically involved in the pathogenesis of ALD. The study was set to determine the mechanisms of how alcohol inhibits the antimicrobial ability of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and to explore possible solutions to this issue. C57BL/6J mice were fed either alcohol or isocaloric dextrin liquid diet for 8 weeks, and intestinal IFN-γ-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling was analyzed. We found that chronic alcohol exposure led to a significant reduction in intestinal IFN-γ levels compared to a control; the protein levels of phosphorylated STAT1 (p-STAT1) and p-STAT3 were both declined by alcohol. We then tested the effects of IFN-γ-STAT signaling on regulating antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), gut microbiota, and disease progression of ALD in a mouse model of chronic alcohol feeding, time-course acute IFN-γ treatment, and in vivo and in vitro IEC-specific STAT1 or STAT3 knockout mouse models, respectively. Administration of IFN-γ activated intestinal STAT1 and STAT3, upregulated the expression of Reg3 and α-defensins, orchestrated gut microbiota, and reversed alcohol-induced intestinal ZO-1 disruption and systemic endotoxin elevation as well as hepatic inflammation. Meanwhile, acute IFN-γ treatment time-dependently induced AMP expression and α-defensin activation. We then dissected the roles of STAT1 and STAT3 in this progress. Lack of IEC-specific STAT3 inhibited IFN-γ-induced expression of Reg3 and α-defensins and hindered activation of α-defensins via inactivating matrix metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7), whereas lack of IEC-specific STAT1 impaired IFN-γ-stimulated expression of α-defensins and the IEC marker, sodium-hydrogen exchanger 3. Lastly, we found that interleukin (IL)-18, a known IFN-γ inducer, was also reduced by alcohol in mice. IL-18 treatment to alcohol-fed mice normalized gut IFN-γ levels and ameliorated organ damages in both the intestine and liver. Taken together, the study reveals that IFN-γ is critically involved in the regulation of AMPs through regulation of STAT1 and STAT3; impaired IFN-γ-STAT signaling provides an explanation for alcohol-induced gut antimicrobial dysfunction and microbial dysbiosis. Therefore, IFN-γ remains a promising host defense-enhancing cytokine with unexplored clinical potential in ALD therapy.

Microbiota-gut-brain axis as a regulator of reward processes

Our gut harbours trillions of microorganisms essential for the maintenance of homeostasis and host physiology in health and disease. In the last decade, there has been a growing interest in understanding the bidirectional pathway of communication between our microbiota and the central nervous system. With regard to reward processes there is accumulating evidence from both animal and human studies that this axis may be a key factor in gating reward valence. Focusing on the mesocorticolimbic pathway, we will discuss how the intestinal microbiota is involved in regulating brain reward functions, both in natural (i.e. eating, social or sexual behaviours) and non-natural reinforcers (drug addiction behaviours including those relevant to alcohol, psychostimulants, opioids and cannabinoids). We will integrate preclinical and clinical evidence suggesting that the microbiota-gut-brain axis could be implicated in the development of disorders associated with alterations in the reward system and how it may be targeted as a promising therapeutic strategy. Cover Image for this issue: https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15065.

Lactobacillus spp. reduces ethanol-induced liver oxidative stress and inflammation in a mouse model of alcoholic steatohepatitis

Alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH) is a complex multifactorial disease that can lead to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis if not treated promptly. Alcohol-induced oxidative stress and inflammation are the main factors that cause steatohepatitis and liver injury; however, probiotic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract have been revealed to regulate immune responses and reduce oxidative stress, suggesting that functional probiotics could help to prevent ASH and liver injury. Despite numerous reports on the interactions between ASH and probiotics, the mechanisms underlying probiotic-mediated liver protection remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to screen probiotics with high antioxidant capacity and investigate the ability of different probiotic combinations to reduce alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in a mouse model. It was identified that Lactobacillus plantarum (TSP05), Lactobacillus fermentum (TSF331) and Lactobacillus reuteri (TSR332) neutralized free radicals and displayed high antioxidant activity in vitro. In addition, these three functional probiotic strains protected mice from alcohol-induced liver injury in vivo. Mice treated with the probiotics demonstrated significantly lower alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and triglyceride levels, which were associated with the downregulation of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6. Furthermore, probiotic treatment upregulated glutathione and glutathione peroxidase activity, which are bioindicators of oxidative stress in the liver. Collectively, the present results indicated that Lactobacillus strains TSP05, TSF331 and TSR332 reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, thus preventing ASH development and liver injury.

The gut mycobiome: a novel player in chronic liver diseases

The human gut microbiome (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea) is a complex and diverse ecosystem. It plays an important role in human health, but is involved in several intestinal and extraintestinal diseases. Most research to date has focused on the role of bacteria, while studies focusing on fungi (also referred to as "mycobiome" or "fungome") are still in its infancy. In this review, we focus on the existing literature available about the gut mycobiome with an emphasis on compositional mycobiome changes associated with liver diseases, the impact on pathogenesis of disease, and its potential use as therapeutic targets. We also provide insights into current methodologies of studying mycobiome, and we highlight the interkingdom interactions in the context of disease and how they affect health of the host. Herein, by focusing on the gut mycobiome, this review provides novel insights and directions for liver research.

Toxic Effects of Methamphetamine on Perivascular Health: Co-morbid Effects of Stress and Alcohol Use Disorders

Methamphetamine (Meth) abuse presents a global problem and commonly occurs with stress and/or alcohol use disorders. Regardless, the biological causes and consequences of these comorbidities are unclear. Whereas the mechanisms of Meth, stress, and alcohol abuse have been examined individually and well-characterized, these processes overlap significantly and can impact the neural and peripheral consequences of Meth. This review focuses on the deleterious cardio- and cerebrovascular effects of Meth, stress, alcohol abuse, and their comorbid effects on the brain and periphery. Points of emphasis are on the composition of the blood-brain barrier and their effects on the heart and vasculature. The autonomic nervous system, inflammation, and oxidative stress are specifically highlighted as common mediators of the toxic consequences to vascular and perivascular health. A significant portion of the Meth abusing population also presents with stress and alcohol use disorders, prompting a need to understand the mechanisms underlying their comorbidities. Little is known about their possible convergent effects. Therefore, the purpose of this critical review is to identify shared mechanisms of Meth, chronic stress, and alcohol abuse that contributes to the dysfunction of vascular health and underscores the need for studies that directly address their interactions.

New Developments in Microbiome in Alcohol-Associated and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The intestinal microbiota is involved in the development and progression of both ALD and NAFLD. Here we describe associated changes in the intestinal microbiota, and we detail randomized clinical trials in ALD and NAFLD which evaluate treatments modulating the intestinal microbiome including fecal microbiota transplantation, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and antibiotics. Finally, we discuss precision medicine approaches targeting the intestinal microbiome to ameliorate ALD and NAFLD.

Alcohol as friend or foe in autoimmune diseases: a role for gut microbiome?

Alcohol is well known for promoting systemic inflammation and aggravating multiple chronic health conditions. Thus, alcohol may also be expected to serve as a risk factor in autoimmune diseases. However, emerging data from human and animal studies suggest that alcohol may in fact be protective in autoimmune diseases. These studies point toward alcohol's complex dose-dependent relationship in autoimmune diseases as well as potential modulation by duration and type of alcohol consumption, cultural background and sex. In this review, we will explore alcohol's pro- and anti-inflammatory properties in human and animal autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune diabetes, thyroid disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis. We will also discuss potential mechanisms of alcohol's anti-inflammatory effects mediated by the gut microbiome.

Methamphetamine exposure and its cessation alter gut microbiota and induce depressive-like behavioral effects on rats

RATIONALE

Methamphetamine is a highly abused psychostimulant drug and its use remains a major public health concern worldwide with limited effective treatment options. Accumulative evidence reveals the influence of gut microbiota on the brain, behavior, and health as a part of the gut-brain axis but its involvement in modulating this substance use disorder remains poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine whether methamphetamine exposure and cessation or withdrawal alter the intestinal gut microbiota as well as characterize cessation-induced behavioral changes.

METHODS

Male, Sprague-Dawley rats were administered methamphetamine (2 mg/kg; s.c.) or vehicle (n = 8 per group) twice per day for 14 consecutive days. On various days before, during, and after administration, fecal samples were collected and tests of anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors were conducted.

RESULTS

Methamphetamine administration and cessation did not alter the relative abundance of bacteria but significantly changed the composition of gut bacteria through 16S rRNA sequencing. These changes were normalized after 7 days of methamphetamine cessation. Moreover, acute methamphetamine cessation induced depressive-like behavior, with an increase in immobility in the forced swim test but did not alter anxiety-like behaviors in tests of open field test or elevated plus maze.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide direct evidence that methamphetamine and its cessation cause gut dysbiosis and that the latter associates with depressive-like behavior in rodents. Our observation will contribute to a better understanding of the function of gut microbiota in the process of substance use disorders and guide the choice of target therapeutics.

A Perspective Of Intestinal Immune-Microbiome Interactions In Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

Uncovering the intricacies of the gut microbiome and how it interacts with the host immune system has opened up pathways in the search for the treatment of disease conditions. Alcohol-associated liver disease is a major cause of death worldwide. Research has shed light on the breakdown of the protective gut barriers, translocation of gut microbes to the liver and inflammatory immune response to microbes all contributing to alcohol-associated liver disease. This knowledge has opened up avenues for alternative therapies to alleviate alcohol-associated liver disease based on the interaction of the commensal gut microbiome as a key player in the regulation of the immune response. This review describes the relevance of the intestinal immune system, the gut microbiota, and specialized and non-specialized intestinal cells in the regulation of intestinal homeostasis. It also reflects how these components are altered during alcohol-associated liver disease and discusses new approaches for potential future therapies in alcohol-associated liver disease.

Long-lasting microbial dysbiosis and altered enteric neurotransmitters in adult rats following adolescent binge ethanol exposure

Human alcoholism and ethanol exposure of adult mice cause acute microbial dysbiosis. Adolescent binge drinking is common, but the effect of adolescent ethanol exposure on the adult microbiome and enteric neurotransmitters has not been studied. In the current study, male Wistar rats received adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) treatment, and fecal samples were collected on postnatal day (P)54 and P95 for bacterial 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Cecal tissue was collected on P95 for analysis of innate immune and neurotransmitter marker expression. At the genus level, AIE treatment altered the relative abundance of several microbes, including decreased relative abundance of Dehalobacterium and CF231 (a member of the Paraprevotellaceae family) that persisted into adulthood. Across aging, the relative abundance of several microbes was altered in both control- and AIE-treated rats. At P95, AIE exposure was associated with increased cecal serotonin levels and reduced choline acetyltransferase gene expression. Taxonomic shifts at P54 and at P95 suggest that AIE causes both immediate and lasting microbial dysbiosis. The lasting microbial dysbiosis was accompanied by alterations of enteric neurotransmitters.

Mental Disorders Linked to Crosstalk between The Gut Microbiome and The Brain

Often called the second brain, the gut communicates extensively with the brain and vice versa. The conversation between these two organs affects a variety of physiological mechanisms that are associated with our mental health. Over the past decade, a growing body of evidence has suggested that the gut microbiome builds a unique ecosystem inside the gastrointestinal tract to maintain the homeostasis and that compositional changes in the gut microbiome are highly correlated with several mental disorders. There are ongoing efforts to treat or prevent mental disorders by regulating the gut microbiome using probiotics. These attempts are based on the seminal findings that probiotics can control the gut microbiome and affect mental conditions. However, some issues have yet to be conclusively addressed, especially the causality between the gut microbiome and mental disorders. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms by which the gut microbiome affects mental health and diseases. Furthermore, we discuss the potential use of probiotics as therapeutic agents for psychiatric disorders.

The Gut Microbiome and Alcoholic Liver Disease: Ethanol Consumption Drives Consistent and Reproducible Alteration in Gut Microbiota in Mice

Phenotypic health effects, both positive and negative, have been well studied in association with the consumption of alcohol in humans as well as several other mammals including mice. Many studies have also associated these same health effects and phenotypes to specific members of gut microbiome communities. Here we utilized a chronic plus binge ethanol feed model (Gao-binge model) to explore microbiome community changes across three independent experiments performed in mice. We found significant and reproducible differences in microbiome community assemblies between ethanol-treated mice and control mice on the same diet absent of ethanol. We also identified significant differences in gut microbiota occurring temporally with ethanol treatment. Peak shift in communities was observed 4 days after the start of daily alcohol consumption. We quantitatively identified many of the bacterial genera indicative of these ethanol-induced shifts including 20 significant genera when comparing ethanol treatments with controls and 14 significant genera based on temporal investigation. Including overlap of treatment with temporal shifts, we identified 25 specific genera of interest in ethanol treatment microbiome shifts. Shifts coincide with observed presentation of fatty deposits in the liver tissue, i.e., Alcoholic Liver Disease-associated phenotype. The evidence presented herein, derived from three independent experiments, points to the existence of a common, reproducible, and characterizable "mouse ethanol gut microbiome".

Transcriptomic Profiling Identifies Novel Hepatic and Intestinal Genes Following Chronic Plus Binge Ethanol Feeding in Mice

BACKGROUND

Alcohol-associated liver disease accounts for half of cirrhosis-related deaths worldwide. The spectrum of disease varies from simple steatosis to fibrosis, cirrhosis and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding the disease on a molecular level helps us to develop therapeutic targets.

AIM

We performed transcriptomic analysis in liver and ileum from chronic plus binge ethanol-fed mice, and we assessed the role of selected differentially expressed genes and their association with serum bile acids and gut microbiota.

METHODS

Wild-type mice were subjected to a chronic Lieber-DeCarli diet model for 8 weeks followed by one binge of ethanol. RNA-seq analysis was performed on liver and ileum samples. Associations between selected differentially regulated genes and serum bile acid profile or fecal bacterial profiling (16S rDNA sequencing) were investigated.

RESULTS

We provide a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis to identify differentially expressed genes, KEGG pathways, and gene ontology functions in liver and ileum from chronic plus binge ethanol-fed mice. In liver, we identified solute carrier organic anion transporter family, member 1a1 (Slco1a1; encoding for organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATP) 1A1), as the most down-regulated mRNA, and it is negatively correlated with serum cholic acid level. Prokineticin 2 (Prok2) mRNA, a cytokine-like molecule associated with gastrointestinal tract inflammation, was significantly down-regulated in ethanol-fed mice. Prok2 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with abundance of Allobaculum (genus), Coprococcus (genus), Lachnospiraceae (family), Lactococcus (genus), and Cobriobacteriaceae (family), while it positively correlated with Bacteroides (genus).

CONCLUSIONS

RNA-seq analysis revealed unique transcriptomic signatures in the liver and intestine following chronic plus binge ethanol feeding.

A review of potential microbiome-gut-brain axis mediated neurocognitive conditions in persons living with HIV

The microbiome-gut-brain axis, or the various interactions between the gut microbiome and the brain, has been of recent interest in the context of precision medicine research for a variety of disease states. Persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) experience higher degrees of neurocognitive decline than the general population, correlating with a disruption of the normal gut microbiome composition (i.e. dysbiosis). While the nature of this correlation remains to be determined, there is the potential that the microbiome-gut-brain axis contributes to the progression of this disease. Previous research has established that the pathology associated with HIV induces alterations in the composition of gut microbiome, including a shift from Bacteroides to Prevotella dominance, and compromises gut barrier integrity, which may promote microbial translocation and consequent systemic inflammation and exacerbation of neuroinflammation. Further, though the use of antiretroviral therapy has been found to partially counteract HIV-related dysbiosis, it may also induce its own dysbiosis patterns, presenting a unique challenge for this research. More recent research has suggested the gut microbiome as a target for therapeutic interventions to improve symptoms associated with a variety of disease states, including HIV. Early findings are promising and warrant further research regarding the gut microbiome as a potential modifiable factor to improve health outcomes for PLWH. This review will discuss the current knowledge concerning the neuropathogenesis of HIV in the brain, role of the gut microbiome in neuroinflammation, and the relationship between HIV-status and the gut microbiome, followed by a conclusion that synthesizes this information within the context of the microbiome-gut-brain axis among PLWH. This review will also highlight the limitations of existing studies and propose future directions of this research.

Microbiota reprogramming for treatment of alcohol-related liver disease

In the past decade knowledge has expanded regarding the importance of the gut microbiota in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and overall health. During this same time, we have also gained appreciation for the role of the gut-liver axis in the development of liver diseases. Alcohol overconsumption is one of the leading causes of liver failure globally. However, not all people with alcohol use disorder progress to advanced stages of liver disease. With advances in technology to investigate the gut microbiome and metabolome, we are now beginning to delineate alcohol's effects on the gut microbiome in relation to liver disease. This review presents our current understanding on the role of the gut microbiota during alcohol exposure, and various therapeutic attempts that have been made to reprogram the gut microbiota with the goal of alleviating alcoholic-related liver disease.

Alcohol decreases intestinal ratio of Lactobacillus to Enterobacteriaceae and induces hepatic immune tolerance in a murine model of DSS-colitis

Alcohol can potentiate disease in a mouse model of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) colitis; however, the underlying mechanism remains to be established. In this study, we assessed whether the potentiated disease could be related to Enterobacteriaceae and Lactobacillus, as changes in their relative abundance can impact intestinal health. We also assessed whether the intestinal barrier is compromised after alcohol and DSS as it may increase bacterial translocation and liver inflammation. Mice were administered DSS followed by binge ethanol or water vehicle, generating four experimental groups: (Control+Vehicle, Control+Ethanol, DSS+Vehicle, DSS+Ethanol). DNA was isolated from colon and cecal contents followed by qPCR for levels of Enterobacteriaceae and Lactobacillus. Colon and liver sections were taken for histology. Intestinal epithelial cells were isolated from the colon for RNA expression. DSS+Ethanol cecal contents exhibited a 1 log increase in Enterobacteriaceae (p < .05), a 0.5 log decrease in Lactobacillus, and a 1.5 log decrease (p < .05) in the Lactobacillus:Enterobacteriaceae ratio compared to DSS+Vehicle, with similar trends in colon contents. These changes correlated with shorter colons and more weight loss. Irrespective of ethanol administration, DSS compromised the mucosal barrier integrity, however only DSS+Ethanol exhibited significant increases in circulating endotoxin. Furthermore, the livers of DSS+Ethanol mice had significantly increased levels of triglycerides, mononuclear cells, yet exhibited significantly depressed expression of liver inflammatory pathways, suggestive of tolerance induction, compared to mice receiving DSS+Vehicle. Our results suggest that ethanol after DSS colitis increases the intestinal burden of Enterobacteriaceae which may contribute to intestinal and liver damage, and the induction of immune tolerance.