L-Lysine protects against sepsis-induced chronic lung injury in male albino rats

Compositional and functional differences of the vaginal microbiota of women with and without cervical dysplasia

Alterations in the vaginal microbiota, including both species composition and functional pathways, have been associated with HPV infection and progression of dysplasia to cervical cancer. To further explore this, shotgun metagenomic sequencing was used to taxonomically and functionally characterize the vaginal microbiota of women with and without cervical dysplasia. Women with histologically verified dysplasia (n = 177; low grade dysplasia (LSIL) n = 81, high-grade dysplasia (HSIL) n = 94, cancer n = 2) were compared with healthy controls recruited from the cervical screening programme (n = 177). Women with dysplasia had a higher vaginal microbial diversity, and higher abundances of Gardnerella vaginalis, Aerococcus christensenii, Peptoniphilus lacrimalis and Fannyhessea vaginae, while healthy controls had higher relative abundance of Lactobacillus crispatus. Genes involved in e.g. nucleotide biosynthesis and peptidoglycan biosynthesis were more abundant in women with dysplasia. Healthy controls showed higher abundance of genes important for e.g. amino acid biosynthesis, (especially L-lysine) and sugar degradation. These findings suggest that the microbiota may have a role in creating a pro-oncogenic environment in women with dysplasia. Its role and potential interactions with other components in the microenvironment deserve further exploration.

Perfluorobutanesulfonate exposure induces metabolic disturbances in different regions of mouse gut

Perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS), an alternative to perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), has raised many health concerns. However, PFBS toxicity in the mammalian gut remains unclear. C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 10 μg/L and 500 μg/L PFBS or 500 μg/L PFOS in their water supply for 28 days. PFBS toxicity in the ileum and colon was explored and compared to that of PFOS. Biochemical analysis showed that tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels increased in the ileum exposed to 10 μg/L PFBS, whereas no significant changes were observed in those levels in the colon. Catalase (CAT) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), TNF-α, and IL-1β levels increased and glutathione (GSH) levels decreased in the ileum of the 500 μg/L-PFBS group, whereas only MDA levels increased in the colon of the 500 μg/L-PFBS group. The results showed that more severe damage occurred in the ileum than in the colon after PFBS exposure, and these align with the 500 μg/L-PFOS group exposure as well. Furthermore, metabolomic analysis revealed glutathione metabolism as a vital factor in inducing PFBS and PFOS toxicities in the ileum. Steroid hormone and amino acid metabolisms were other important factors involved in PFBS and PFOS toxicities, respectively. In the colon, GSH, pyrimidine, and glucose (especially galactose) metabolism was the main contributor to PFBS toxicity, and sulfur amino acid metabolism was the main pathway for PFOS toxicity. This study provides more evidence of the health hazards due to low-dose PFBS exposure in the mammalian gut.

Gut microbiome of multiple sclerosis patients and paired household healthy controls reveal associations with disease risk and course

Changes in gut microbiota have been associated with several diseases. Here, the International Multiple Sclerosis Microbiome Study (iMSMS) studied the gut microbiome of 576 MS patients (36% untreated) and genetically unrelated household healthy controls (1,152 total subjects). We observed a significantly increased proportion of Akkermansia muciniphila, Ruthenibacterium lactatiformans, Hungatella hathewayi, and Eisenbergiella tayi and decreased Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Blautia species. The phytate degradation pathway was over-represented in untreated MS, while pyruvate-producing carbohydrate metabolism pathways were significantly reduced. Microbiome composition, function, and derived metabolites also differed in response to disease-modifying treatments. The therapeutic activity of interferon-β may in part be associated with upregulation of short-chain fatty acid transporters. Distinct microbial networks were observed in untreated MS and healthy controls. These results strongly support specific gut microbiome associations with MS risk, course and progression, and functional changes in response to treatment.

Effects of umbelliferone isolated from the Ferulago pauciradiata Boiss. & Heldr. Plant on cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis model in rats

Sepsis is a pathophysiological event involving systemic inflammatory response syndrome, multiple organ failure syndromes, and tissue damage. Overproduction of free radicals as a result of tissue damage during sepsis contributes to cellular toxicity, organ failure, and even mortality. Antioxidants, which scavenge free radicals, play a protective role against various diseases. Previous studies have shown that umbelliferone (UF) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Since oxidative stress is naturally associated with sepsis-induced organ dysfunction, the application of antioxidant compounds could potentially illuminate the pathophysiology of sepsis, which does not yet have an effective treatment. The sepsis model induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was applied to rats. Different doses of UF (10░mg/kg, 20░mg/kg, and 40░mg/kg) on oxidant-antioxidant in septic rats, mRNA of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-1 its effects on expression levels were evaluated in lung, kidney, and liver tissues. When the lung, kidney, and liver tissues of septic rats were compared with those of the control group, it was found that UF administration increased dose-dependent superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione levels and significantly decreased malondialdehyde levels. The effects of UF administration on oxidative parameters were dose-dependent. The 40░mg/kg UF dose showed greater anti-oxidative properties than the 20░mg/kg and 10░mg/kg doses for all the evaluated parameters. Further, the TNF- α mRNA expression of the CLP +40░mg/kg group was reduced to a level comparable to that of the control group. UF has been found to be an effective molecule in reducing oxidative stress by supporting endogenous antioxidants and enhancing the scavenging effects of free radicals. The potent antioxidant property of UF may also be related to the suppression of the cytokine cascade during sepsis. The results suggest that UF administration may represent a new treatment for the prevention of lung, kidney and liver damage caused by septic conditions.

Synergistic renoprotective effects of sesame oil and erythropoietin on ischemic kidney injury after renal transplantation

In this study, we evaluated the combined therapeutic efficacy of erythropoietin (a hematopoietic hormone produced by the fetal liver and kidney in response to inflammation and apoptosis) and sesame oil (from Sesamum indicum L.) on ischemic kidney injury following kidney transplantation in a rat model. Rats were assigned to the following groups: sham, control, 1000 U/kg erythropoietin, 1 mL/kg sesame oil, 1000 U/kg erythropoietin + 1 mL/kg sesame oil, and positive control. We measured the levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced glutathione (GSH), antioxidant enzymes, and proinflammatory markers and performed renal histopathological evaluation. The combined erythropoietin and sesame oil treatment significantly reduced BUN, ALT, creatinine, lipid peroxidation, ROS, and proinflammatory markers and GSH and antioxidant enzyme levels. Histopathological examination showed that the combined erythropoietin and sesame oil treatment significantly reduced necrosis. Therefore, combined treatment of sesame oil and erythropoietin may represent an effective therapeutic approach against ischemic kidney injury after kidney transplantation.

Effect of bovine lactoferrin as a novel therapeutic agent in a rat model of sepsis-induced acute lung injury

Sepsis is a serious clinical condition resulting from severe infection. High rates of mortality and tissue damage have been reported in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with sepsis. Bovine lactoferrin (BLF) is a well-known 80-kDa glycoprotein in the transferrin family that inhibits sepsis in low-birth-weight neonates. The present study investigated the protective effects of BLF in a rat model of sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI). The wet/dry ratio, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant markers, total protein, total cell count, inflammatory markers and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were assessed. Histopathological analysis was also carried out. BLF treatment reduced the wet/dry ratio of lung tissue by 30.7% and 61.3%, and lipid peroxidation by 22.3% and 67%, at concentrations of 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) and catalase were increased by more than 50% under treatment with 200 mg/kg BLF. Inflammatory markers, neutrophils, lymphocytes and total cell count were reduced by more than 50% under treatment with 200 mg/kg BLF. BLF treatment significantly reduced MPO activity, by 28.2% and 74.3%, at concentrations of 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Neutrophilic infiltration and edema were observed in control rats. However, BLF treatment restored intestinal microvilli to the normal range and reduced inflammatory cell invasion. Collectively, these results suggest that BLF is an effective therapeutic agent against sepsis-induced ALI.