Diet Consisting of Balanced Yogurt, Fruit, and Vegetables Modifies the Gut Microbiota and Protects Mice against Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Host ALDH2 deficiency aggravates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis through gut-liver axis

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the major cause of liver dysfunction. Animal and population studies have shown that mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) is implicated in fatty liver disease. However, the role of ALDH2 in NASH and the underlying mechanisms remains unclear. To address this issue, ALDH2 knockout (ALDH2-/-) mice and wild-type littermate mice were fed a methionine-and choline-deficient (MCD) diet to induce a NASH model. Fecal, serum, and liver samples were collected and analyzed to investigate the impact of the gut microbiota and bile acids on this process. We found that MCD-fed ALDH2-/- mice exhibited increased serum pro-inflammation cytokines, hepatic inflammation and fat accumulation than their wild-type littermates. MCD-fed ALDH2-/- mice exhibited worsened MCD-induced intestinal inflammation and barrier damage, and gut microbiota disorder. Furthermore, mice receiving microbiota from MCD-fed ALDH2-/- mice had increased severity of NASH compared to those receiving microbiota from MCD-fed wild-type mice. Notably, the intestinal Lactobacillus was significantly reduced in MCD-fed ALDH2-/- mice, and gavage with Lactobacillus cocktail significantly improved MCD-induced NASH. Finally, we found that ALDH2-/- mice had reduced levels of bile salt hydrolase and specific bile acids, especially lithocholic acid (LCA), accompanied by downregulated expression of the intestinal FXR-FGF15 pathway. Supplementation of LCA in ALDH2-/- mice upregulated intestinal FXR-FGF15 pathway and alleviated NASH. In summary, ALDH2 plays a critical role in the development of NASH through modulation of gut microbiota and bile acid. The findings suggest that supplementing with Lactobacillus or LCA could be a promising therapeutic approach for treating NASH exacerbated by ALDH2 deficiency.

The gut microbiome dysbiosis is recovered by restoring a normal diet in hypercholesterolemic pigs

BACKGROUND

Gut microbiota is thought to modulate cardiovascular risk. However, the effect of cardiovascular primary prevention strategies on gut microbiota remains largely unknown. This study investigates the impact of diet and rosuvastatin interventions on gut microbiota composition in hypercholesterolemic pigs and associated potential changes in host metabolic pathways.

METHODS

Diet-induced hypercholesterolemic pigs (n = 32) were randomly distributed to receive one of the following 30-day interventions: (I) continued hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD; n = 9), (II) normocholesterolemic diet (NCD; n = 8), (III) continued HCD plus 40 mg rosuvastatin/daily (n = 7), or (IV) NCD plus 40 mg rosuvastatin/daily (n = 8). Faeces were collected at study endpoint for characterisation of the gut microbiome and metabolic profile prediction (PICRUSt2). TMAO levels and biochemical parameters were determined.

RESULTS

Principal coordinate analyses (beta-diversity) showed clear differences in the microbiota of NCD vs HCD pigs (PERMANOVA, p = .001). NCD-fed animals displayed significantly higher alpha-diversity, which inversely correlated with total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels (p < .0003). NCD and HCD animals differed in the abundance of 12 genera (ANCOM; p = .001 vs HCD), and PICRUSt2 analysis revealed detrimental changes in HCD-related microbiota metabolic capacities. These latter findings were associated with a significant fivefold increase in TMAO levels in HCD-fed pigs (p < .0001 vs NCD). The addition of a 30-day rosuvastatin treatment to either of the diets exerted no effects in microbiota nor lipid profile.

CONCLUSION

In hypercholesterolemic animals, the ingestion of a low-fat diet for 30 days modifies gut microbiota composition in favour of alpha-diversity and towards a healthy metabolic profile, whereas rosuvastatin treatment for this period exerts no effects.

Ampicillin exacerbates acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury by inducing intestinal microbiota imbalance and butyrate reduction

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Antibiotics (ATBx) and acetaminophen (APAP) are widely used worldwide. APAP is the most common cause of acute liver injury (ALI) and might be used in combination with ATBx in clinics. However, the impact of ATBx on APAP-induced ALI has rarely been studied.

METHODS

First, we compared the effects of seven ATBx on APAP-induced ALI. Then, we analysed faecal, serum and liver samples to investigate the impact of the gut microbiota on this process. Finally, we assessed the role of short-chain fatty acids in this process.

RESULTS

In this work, we found that the ALI was significantly aggravated in the mice treated with ampicillin (Amp) instead of other ATBx. Amp exposure reduced the diversity and altered the composition of gut microbiota. The altered gut microbiota aggravated APAP-induced ALF, which was proven by faecal microbiota transplantation from ATBx-treated mice. Metagenomic analysis showed a significantly decreased Lactobacillus abundance in Amp-treated mice. Gavage with Lactobacillus, especially Lactobacillus rhamnosus, significantly reversed the severer ALF induced by APAP and Amp. Moreover, Lactobacillus supplementation increased butyrate-producing clostridia and lowered butyrate levels in Amp-treated mice. In accordance, butyrate supplementation could also alleviate Amp-aggravated ALI. In addition, inhibition of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 counteracted the protective effect of butyrate on aggravated ALI induced by Amp and APAP.

CONCLUSION

Together, this study revealed a potential health impact of Amp that may exacerbate liver damage when co-exposed to excess APAP.

Dietary patterns and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Korean adults: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Dietary patterns can holistically provide insights into the association of food groups and nutrients with the disease. Several studies have evaluated the association of dietary patterns with the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Western populations. However, few studies focused on this topic were conducted on Korean adults. Therefore, in this cohort study, we aimed to investigate the association between dietary patterns and the risk of NAFLD among middle-aged Koreans.

DESIGN

The survey was performed at general hospitals and health examination centres in Korea. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire. The dietary patterns were identified using principal component analysis. The HR and 95% CI for NAFLD for each of the quartiles of the three dietary patterns were estimated using a Cox proportional hazards model.

SETTING

South Korean Community.

PARTICIPANTS

44 460 healthy Koreans (aged 40-69 years) who completed a follow-up survey from 2012 to 2016 in the Health Examinees study were included.

RESULTS

Men and women following a prudent pattern showed a 22% and 36% lower NAFLD risk, respectively (men: HR=0.78; women: HR=0.64). Men and women who highly adhered to the flour-based food and meat pattern had a 29% and 55% higher NAFLD risk, respectively (men: HR=1.29; women: HR=1.55).

CONCLUSION

The prudent pattern induced a lower NAFLD risk, whereas the flour-based food and meat pattern induced a higher NAFLD risk. No significant difference was found between the white rice pattern and NAFLD risk.

Fecal microbiome transplant from patients with lactation mastitis promotes mastitis in conventional lactating mice

Introduction

Lactation mastitis seriously severely affects the health of lactating females and their infants, yet the underlying causes of clinical lactation mastitis remain unclear.

Methods

In this study, we used microbiota-humanized mice as a model to investigate the role of gut microbiota in lactation mastitis. We compared the fecal microbiota of lactation mastitis patients and healthy individuals and conducted fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments in an antibiotic-pretreated mouse model to test whether gut microbes contribute to human lactation mastitis.

Results

Our results showed that gut microbiota diversity was reduced and dysbiosis was present in lactating mastitis patients. FMT from lactation mastitis patients (M-FMT), but not from healthy individuals (H-FMT), to antibiotic-treated mice resulted in lactation mastitis. The inflammation in mice caused by gut microbiota from lactating mastitis patients appears to be pervasive, as hepatocytes from mice that received feces from lactating mastitis patients showed marked swelling. In addition, serum pro-inflammatory factors, including IL-4, IL-17, MPO, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, were significantly increased in the M-FMT group. The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B), a biomarker of gut dysbiosis, was significantly increased in the M-FMT group. At the phylum level, Actinobacteria were significantly increased, and Verrucomicrobia were significantly decreased in the M-FMT group. At the genus level, Ruminococcus and Faecalibacterium were significantly reduced, while Parabacteroides were significantly increased in the feces of both patients with lactation mastitis and M-FMT mice. Moreover, our study revealed an "amplification effect" on microbiota differences and mastitis disease following human-to-mouse FMT.

Conclusion

Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the gut microbiota in lactating mastitis patients is dysbiotic and contributes to the pathogenesis of mastitis.

The antitumour effects of caloric restriction are mediated by the gut microbiome

Calorie restriction (CR) and intermittent fasting (IF) without malnutrition reduce the risk of cancer development. Separately, CR and IF can also lead to gut microbiota remodelling. However, whether the gut microbiota has a role in the antitumour effect related to CR or IF is still unknown. Here we show that CR, but not IF, protects against subcutaneous MC38 tumour formation through a mechanism that is dependent on the gut microbiota in female mice. After CR, we identify enrichment of Bifidobacterium through 16S rRNA sequencing of the gut microbiome. Moreover, Bifidobacterium bifidum administration is sufficient to rescue the antitumour effect of CR in microbiota-depleted mice. Mechanistically, B. bifidum mediates the CR-induced antitumour effect through acetate production and this effect is also dependent on the accumulation of interferon-γ⁺CD8⁺ T cells in the tumour microenvironment. Our results demonstrate that CR can modulate the gut taxonomic composition, which should be of oncological significance in tumour growth kinetics and cancer immunosurveillance.

An Energy-Restricted Diet Including Yogurt, Fruit, and Vegetables Alleviates High-Fat Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome in Mice by Modulating the Gut Microbiota

BACKGROUND

The importance of the composition of an energy-restricted diet in the treatment of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

In this study we aimed to investigate the benefits of a novel dietary treatment (50% calorie restriction diet composed of yogurt, fruit, and vegetables [CR-YD]) in mice with MetS.

METHODS

Forty 7-wk-old male C57BL/6 J mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 10/group) that were fed for 14 wk ad libitum with a normal diet (ND; 10%:70%:20% energy from fat: carbohydrate: protein) or for 12 wk with a high-fat diet (HFD; 60:20:20) or the HFD followed by 2 wk of feeding with a 50% calorie-restricted HFD (CR-HFD) or YD (CR-YD, 21.2%:65.4%:13.4% energy). Body weight, fat deposition, hepatic steatosis, serum concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers, and glucose homeostasis were assessed. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was used to validate the roles of gut microbiota in MetS.

RESULTS

The HFD group had 50% greater body weight and 475% greater fat deposition than the ND group (P < 0.05). Compared with the HFD group, the CR-HFD and CR-YD groups had 22% and 31% lower body weight and 49% and 75% less fat deposition, respectively (P < 0.05). Compared with the CR-HFD group, the CR-YD group had 11% lower body weight, 96% less fat deposition, 500% less hepatic steatosis, 75% lower glucose, and 450% more hepatic Akkermansia bacteria (P < 0.05). The CR-YD group also had 50% lower histopathology scores and 1.35-fold higher levels of Claudin4 than the CR-HFD group (P < 0.05). The HFD + CR-YD fecal group had 10.6% lower body weight, 119% lower steatosis, and 17.9% lower glucose (P < 0.05) than the HFD + CR-HFD fecal group.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with CR alone, the CR-YD diet has a better therapeutic effect in mice with HFD-induced MetS.

Foods of the Mediterranean diet: lacto-fermented food, the food pyramid and food combinations

The Mediterranean diet proved to be one of the healthiest diets in the word. It has several beneficial effects and it prevents many non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity. Before being a culinary regime, the Mediterranean diet is characterized by specific cultural heritages and traditions, also influencing the lifestyle of the populations. The Mediterranean diet follows the so-called food pyramid, comprising several food combinations. Indeed, it is mainly composed by vegetables, fish and dairy products, while red meat and sweets are poorly consumed. Processed foods are mainly avoided, apart from lacto-fermented ones, the first processed foods consumed by humans. Food fermentation by microorganisms not only improves the functionality of bioactive metabolites, but also increases the shelf life and organoleptic properties of the food. Lactic acid bacteria play a vital role in transforming the food constituents, thereby enhancing their nutritional and functional properties. In addition, these foods introduce beneficial bacteria into gut microbiota, thus maintaining a healthy gut microbiome and corresponding gut-brain axis, thus providing an overall improvement in health and a reduced risk of non-communicable diseases and metabolic disorders. This review will focus on the Mediterranean diet, on its characterising food pyramid and food combinations, and on lacto-fermented foods, one of the components of the Mediterranean diet with the most beneficial effects.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and dairy products consumption: Results from FASA Persian cohort study

Background/objectives

There are limited data on the association between dairy products consumption and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study was conducted to evaluate the association between total intake of different dairy products and fatty liver index (FLI), a marker of subclinical fatty liver.

Methods

A total of 7,540 adults were included in this population-based cohort study. Dairy products consumption was evaluated by a validated interview questionnaire for food intake frequency. The FLI was calculated using the standard formula. Liver enzyme levels, lipid profiles, glycemic profiles and demographic characteristics were recorded for all participants. Univariate and multiple logistic regression models were used to respectively assess the mean percentage difference of mean FLI and odds ratios (ORs) for subclinical NAFLD across quantiles of dairy consumption.

Results

The mean age of all participants was 48.81 ± 9.631 years. FLI measurements for men and women were 26.71 ± 23.39 and 39.99 ± 26.64 respectively, which was significantly higher in women (P < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the amount of milk consumption was an independent preventive predictor of FLI (OR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94–0.99), conversely, it did not predict higher levels of liver enzymes. In term of cheese intake, participants in the third tertile of cheese intake had significantly lower FLI than lower tertiles (P = 0.01). However, there wasn't any significant association between cheese intake and the odds of FLI in the multivariate model (P > 0.05). We didn't find any significant association between yogurt consumption and NAFLD indicators (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Higher milk consumption was inversely associated with FLI. However, there wasn't any significant association between other types of dairy products and NAFLD indicators.

Chewing the Fat with Microbes: Lipid Crosstalk in the Gut

It is becoming increasingly important for any project aimed at understanding the effects of diet on human health, to also consider the combined effect of the trillions of microbes within the gut which modify and are modified by dietary nutrients. A healthy microbiome is diverse and contributes to host health, partly via the production and subsequent host absorption of secondary metabolites. Many of the beneficial bacteria in the gut rely on specific nutrients, such as dietary fiber, to survive and thrive. In the absence of those nutrients, the relative proportion of good commensal bacteria dwindles while communities of opportunistic, and potentially pathogenic, bacteria expand. Therefore, it is unsurprising that both diet and the gut microbiome have been associated with numerous human diseases. Inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer are associated with the presence of certain pathogenic bacteria and risk increases with consumption of a Western diet, which is typically high in fat, protein, and refined carbohydrates, but low in plant-based fibers. Indeed, despite increased screening and better care, colorectal cancer is still the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in the US and is the 3rd most diagnosed cancer among US men and women. Rates are rising worldwide as diets are becoming more westernized, alongside rising rates of metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Understanding how a modern diet influences the microbiota and how subsequent microbial alterations effect human health will become essential in guiding personalized nutrition and healthcare in the future. Herein, we will summarize some of the latest advances in understanding of the three-way interaction between the human host, the gut microbiome, and the specific class of dietary nutrients, lipids.

Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata Ethanol Extract Exerts a Protective Effect Against High-Fat Diet Induced Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Mice by Remodeling Intestinal Microbial Structure and Maintaining Metabolic Homeostasis of Bile Acids

In the prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine for lipid metabolism, Polygoni Multiflori Radix Preparata (ZhiHeShouWu, RPMP) was widely used. In recent years, RPMP ethanol extract has been reported for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the role of RPMP ethanol extract in the treatment of NAFLD has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we examined the optimal therapeutic dose of RPMP ethanol extracts. Afterward, a mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) was treated with RPMP ethanol extract to further evaluate the mechanism of action of RPMP ethanol extract treatment. And the serum lipid metabolism indexes and liver function indexes showed that the RPMP ethanol extract in the 1.35 g/kg dose group exhibited better therapeutic effects than the 2.70 g/kg dose group. Meanwhile, RPMP ethanol extract can regulate the biochemical indicators of serum and liver to normal levels, and effectively reduce liver steatosis and lipid deposition. RPMP ethanol extract treatment restored HFD-induced disruption of the compositional structure of the intestinal microbial (IM) and bile acids (BAs) pools. And restore the reduced expression of intestinal barrier-related genes caused by HFD administration, which also effectively regulates the expression of genes related to the metabolism of BAs in mice. Thus, RPMP ethanol extract can effectively improve the abnormal lipid metabolism and hepatic lipid accumulation caused by HFD, which may be related to the regulation of IM composition, maintenance of intestinal barrier function, and normal cholesterol metabolism in the body.

Eating Fermented: Health Benefits of LAB-Fermented Foods

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are involved in producing a considerable number of fermented products consumed worldwide. Many of those LAB fermented foods are recognized as beneficial for human health due to probiotic LAB or their metabolites produced during food fermentation or after food digestion. In this review, we aim to gather and discuss available information on the health-related effects of LAB-fermented foods. In particular, we focused on the most widely consumed LAB-fermented foods such as yoghurt, kefir, cheese, and plant-based products such as sauerkrauts and kimchi.

Probiotic yogurt blunts the increase of blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats via remodeling of the gut microbiota

Dietary intake of probiotic yogurt, which has beneficial effects on intestinal microecology, is associated with a lower incidence of hypertension. Recent studies have shown that the gut microbiota plays a vital role in the development of hypertension. However, the impact of the gut microbiota in the antihypertensive effect of probiotic yogurt remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the impact of the gut microbiota in the antihypertensive effect of probiotic yogurt in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). SHR were treated with probiotic yogurt (0.2 mL per 100 g body weight) (SHR-Y group) for seven weeks and compared with whole milk-treated (0.2 mL per 100 g body weight) SHR (SHR group) and with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY group). The blood pressure and heart function of the rats in the WKY, SHR, and SHR-Y groups were measured. Fecal microbiota was assessed by 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene sequencing. To investigate whether probiotic yogurt prevents hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats through the gut microbiota, we co-housed SHR rats (SHR^COH) with SHR-Y rats (SHR^COH-Y), thus allowing the transfer of microbiota via coprophagy. Compared with whole milk, supplementation of probiotic yogurt significantly reduced the blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and cardiac function. We found that the probiotic yogurt modified the gut microbiota populations and increased the alpha diversity. Gut microbiota remodeling by co-housing partly rescued the increase of blood pressure and impaired the cardiac function of SHR rats. Moreover, probiotic yogurt modulated the gut microbiota in mice by increasing the abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria and SCFA levels (acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and valeic acid) in the feces. Together, the presented data revealed that probiotic yogurt exhibited antihypertensive effects in SHR rats via remodeling of the gut microbiota.

High-fat diet alters stress behavior, inflammatory parameters and gut microbiota in Tg APP mice in a sex-specific manner

Long-term high-fat diet (HFD) consumption commonly leads to obesity, a major health concern of western societies and a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Both conditions present glial activation and inflammation and show sex differences in their incidence, clinical manifestation, and disease course. HFD intake has an important impact on gut microbiota, the bacteria present in the gut, and microbiota dysbiosis is associated with inflammation and certain mental disorders such as anxiety. In this study, we have analyzed the effects of a prolonged (18 weeks, starting at 7 months of age) HFD on male and female mice, both wild type (WT) and TgAPP mice, a model for AD, investigating the behavioral profile, gut microbiota composition and inflammatory/phagocytosis-related gene expression in hippocampus. In the open-field test, no overt differences in motor activity were observed between male and female or WT and TgAPP mice on a low-fat diet (LFD). However, HFD induced anxiety, as judged by decreased motor activity and increased time in the margins in the open-field, and a trend towards increased immobility time in the tail suspension test, with increased defecation. Intriguingly, female TgAPP mice on HFD showed less immobility and defecation compared to female WT mice on HFD. HFD induced dysbiosis of gut microbiota, resulting in reduced microbiota diversity and abundance compared with LFD fed mice, with some significant differences due to sex and little effect of genotype. Gene expression of pro-inflammatory/phagocytic markers in the hippocampus were not different between male and female WT mice, and in TgAPP mice of both sexes, some cytokines (IL-6 and IFNγ) were higher than in WT mice on LFD, more so in female TgAPP (IL-6). HFD induced few alterations in mRNA expression of inflammatory/phagocytosis-related genes in male mice, whether WT (IL-1β, MHCII), or TgAPP (IL-6). However, in female TgAPP, altered gene expression returned towards control levels following prolonged HFD (IL-6, IL-12β, TNFα, CD36, IRAK4, PYRY6). In summary, we demonstrate that HFD induces anxiogenic symptoms, marked alterations in gut microbiota, and increased expression of inflammatory genes, except for female TgAPP that appear to be resistant to the diet effects. Lifestyle interventions should be introduced to prevent AD onset or exacerbation by reducing inflammation and its associated symptoms; however, our results suggest that the eventual goal of developing prevention and treatment strategies should take sex into consideration.

Exercise and/or Genistein Treatment Impact Gut Microbiota and Inflammation after 12 Weeks on a High-Fat, High-Sugar Diet in C57BL/6 Mice

Genistein (Gen) and exercise (Exe) have been postulated as potential strategies to ameliorate obesity, inflammation, and gut microbiota (GM) with promising results. However, the impact of the combination of both Exe and Gen is yet to be investigated. We aimed to analyze the impacts of Exe, Gen, and their combined effects on GM and inflammation in mice after a 12-week high-fat, high-sugar diet (HFD). Eighty-three C57BL/6 mice were randomized to control, HFD, HFD + Exe, HFD + Gen, or HFD + Exe + Gen. The V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was analyzed with Illumina MiSeq. Serum samples were used to analyze interleukin (Il)-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-alpha). The HFD + Exe and HFD + Exe + Gen treatments resulted in significantly greater microbial richness compared to HFD. All the treatments had a significantly different impact on the GM community structure. Ruminococcus was significantly more abundant after the HFD + Exe + Gen treatment when compared to all the other HFD groups. Exe + Gen resulted in serum Il-6 concentrations similar to that of controls. TNF-alpha concentrations did not differ by treatment. Overall, Exe had a positive impact on microbial richness, and Ruminococcus might be the driving bacteria for the GM structure differences. Exe + Gen may be an effective treatment for preventing HFD-induced inflammation.

TAK-242 ameliorates DSS-induced colitis by regulating the gut microbiota and the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway

Background

The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects of TAK-242 on the gut microbiota and the TLR4/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis.

Results

At the phylum level, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Epsilonbacteraeota and Proteobacteria were the primary microbiota in the five groups. TAK-242 treatment significantly enhanced Verrucomicrobia and Actinobacteria; significantly decreased Cyanobacteria, Epsilonbacteraeota and Proteobacteria; and particularly promoted the growth of Akkermansia. TAK-242 markedly alleviated DSS-induced colitis symptoms and colonic lesions by promoting IL-10 release, inhibiting IL-17 release, downregulating TLR4 and JAK2/STAT3 mRNA and protein expression and increasing JAK2/STAT3 phosphorylation.

Conclusion

TAK-242 modulates the structure of the gut microbiota in colitis and may be a novel therapeutic candidate for ulcerative colitis.

Effects of dihydroartemisinin on the gut microbiome of mice

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin, which has been found to exhibit a broad range of biological activities, excluding antimalarial effects; however its effects on the gut microbiota remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of DHA on the gut microbiome in mice and to determine its potential biological and pharmaceutical activities through its alteration of the gut microbiota. Serum glucose, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol, lipopolysaccharide, high density lipoprotein‑cholesterol, low density lipoprotein‑cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels in mice treated with DHA were analyzed using the corresponding detection kits. In addition, hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to determine the pathological effects of DHA on the liver, kidney and intestinal tissues of mice, and the effects of DHA on the gut microbiome were analyzed using 16S ribosomal (r)DNA gene analysis. The results demonstrated that the TG serum levels of mice treated with DHA were significantly decreased compared with the control group. Furthermore, 16S rDNA gene analysis demonstrated that the bacterial diversity of mice treated with DHA was enriched compared with the control group. The DHA group exhibited increased numbers of Firmicutes and Saccharibacteria, and decreased Deferribacteres and Actinobacteria compared with the control group at the phylum level. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signaling pathway enrichment analysis also revealed that the signaling pathways associated with 'Energy metabolism' and 'Nucleotide metabolism' were upregulated, whereas the signaling pathways associated with 'Infectious diseases and 'Neurodegenerative diseases' were downregulated in the DHA group compared with the control group. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicated that DHA may significantly decrease the serum TG levels and alter the gut microbiota, which suggested its potential to be used for the treatment of hyperlipidemia, inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders.