The Host Microbiome Regulates and Maintains Human Health: A Primer and Perspective for Non-Microbiologists

Revealing gut microbiota biomarkers associated with melanoma immunotherapy response and key bacteria-fungi interaction relationships: evidence from metagenomics, machine learning, and SHAP methodology

Introduction

The gut microbiota is associated with the response to immunotherapy in cutaneous melanoma (CM). However, gut fungal biomarkers and bacterial-fungal interactions have yet to be determined.

Methods

Metagenomic sequencing data of stool samples collected before immunotherapy from three independent groups of European ancestry CM patients were collected. After characterizing the relative abundances of bacteria and fungi, Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) analysis, Random Forest (RF) model construction, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) methodology were applied to identify biomarkers and key bacterial-fungal interactions associated with immunotherapy responders in CM.

Results

Diversity analysis revealed significant differences in the bacterial and fungal composition between CM immunotherapy responders and non-responders. LEfSe analysis identified 45 bacterial and 4 fungal taxa as potential biomarkers. After constructing the RF model, the AUC of models built using bacterial and fungal data separately were 0.64 and 0.65, respectively. However, when bacterial and fungal data were combined, the AUC of the merged model increased to 0.71. In the merged model, the following taxa were identified as important biomarkers: Romboutsia, Endomicrobium, Aggregatilinea, Candidatus Moduliflexus, Colwellia, Akkermansia, Mucispirillum, and Rutstroemia, which were associated with responders, whereas Zancudomyces was associated with non-responders. Moreover, the positive correlation interaction between Akkermansia and Rutstroemia is considered a key bacterial-fungal interaction associated with CM immunotherapy response.

Conclusion

Our results provide valuable insights for the enrichment of responders to immunotherapy in CM patients. Moreover, this study highlights the critical role of bacterial-fungal interactions in CM immunotherapy.

Mycobiome: an underexplored kingdom in cancer

SUMMARYThe human microbiome, including bacteria, fungi, archaea, and viruses, is intimately linked to both health and disease. The relationship between bacteria and disease has received much attention and intensive investigation, while that of the fungal microbiome, also known as mycobiome, has lagged far behind bacteria. There is growing evidence showing mycobiome dysbiosis in cancer patients, and certain cancer-specific fungi may contribute to cancer progression by interacting with both host and bacteria. It was also demonstrated that the role of fungi-derived products in cancer should also not be underestimated. Therefore, investigating how fungal pathogenesis contributes to the onset and spread of cancer would yield crucial information for cancer diagnosis, prevention, and anti-cancer therapy.

Intratumoral microbiome: implications for immune modulation and innovative therapeutic strategies in cancer

Recent advancements have revealed the presence of a microbiome within tumor tissues, underscoring the crucial role of the tumor microbiome in the tumor ecosystem. This review delves into the characteristics of the intratumoral microbiome, underscoring its dual role in modulating immune responses and its potential to both suppress and promote tumor growth. We examine state-of-the-art techniques for detecting and analyzing intratumoral bacteria, with a particular focus on their interactions with the immune system and the resulting implications for cancer prognosis and treatment. By elucidating the intricate crosstalk between the intratumoral microbiome and the host immune system, we aim to uncover novel therapeutic strategies that enhance the efficacy of cancer treatments. Additionally, this review addresses the existing challenges and future prospects within this burgeoning field, advocating for the integration of microbiome research into comprehensive cancer therapy frameworks.

Chronic exposure to diesel engine exhaust and alteration of the airway bacteriome

The detrimental effects of diesel engine exhaust (DEE) on public health are receiving increasing attention, particularly concerning respiratory health. Our understanding of the associations of the airway bacterial ecosystem with exposure to DEE and respiratory health remains limited. Our study aimed to identify the airway bacterial signature and assess its correlation with respiratory health in occupational populations. In this study, we collected induced sputum from 54 diesel-exposed workers and 52 unexposed controls. The exposed participants experienced lower forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) than controls. Importantly, the overall airway bacterial signature and assemblage in exposed individuals differed significantly from controls. The relative abundance of Prevotella nanceiensis, Prevotella shahii, Aggregatibacter segnis, and Lachnoanaerobaculum umeaense displayed remarkable differences between the two groups. Furthermore, exposed individuals showed a less robust correlation network and fewer keystone species in their airway bacteriome than controls. Furthermore, the Spearman analysis indicated notable correlations of specific species with carbon content in airway macrophages (CCAM), club cell protein (CC16), FVC and FEV1. Taken together, our study provided new information on the difference in the airway bacterial signature under exposure to DEE and supported a potential new link between specific species and lung function in occupational populations.

Relationship Between the Host Plant Range of Insects and Symbiont Bacteria

The evolution of phytophagous insects has resulted in the development of feeding specializations that are unique to this group. The majority of current research on insect palatability has concentrated on aspects of ecology and biology, with relatively little attention paid to the role of insect gut symbiotic bacteria. Symbiont bacteria have a close relationship with their insect hosts and perform a range of functions. This research aimed to investigate the relationship between insect host plant range and gut symbiotic bacteria. A synthesis of the extant literature on the intestinal commensal bacteria of monophagous, oligophagous, and polyphagous tephritids revealed no evidence of a positive correlation between the plant host range and the diversity of larval intestinal microbial species. The gut symbionts of same species were observed to exhibit discrepancies between different literature sources, which were attributed to variations in multiple environmental factors. However, following beta diversity analysis, monophagy demonstrated the lowest level of variation in intestinal commensal bacteria, while polyphagous tephritids exhibited the greatest variation in intestinal commensal bacteria community variation. In light of these findings, this study proposes the hypothesis that exclusive or closely related plant hosts provide monophagy and oligophagy with a stable core colony over long evolutionary periods. The core flora is closely associated with host adaptations in monophagous and oligophagous tephritids, including nutritional and detoxification functions. This is in contrast to polyphagy, whose dominant colony varies in different environments. Our hypothesis requires further refinement of the data on the gut commensal bacteria of monophagy and oligophagy as the number of species and samples is currently limited.

Population-specific differences in the human microbiome: Factors defining the diversity

Differences in microbial communities at different body habitats define the microbiome composition of the human body. The gut, oral, skin vaginal fluid and tissue microbiome, are pivotal for human development and immune response and cross talk between these microbiomes is evident. Population studies reveal that various factors, such as host genetics, diet, lifestyle, aging, and geographical location are strongly associated with population-specific microbiome differences. The present review discusses the factors that shape microbiome diversity in humans, and microbiome differences in African, Asian and Caucasian populations. Gut microbiome studies show that microbial species Bacteroides is commonly found in individuals living in Western countries (Caucasian populations), while Prevotella is prevalent in non-Western countries (African and Asian populations). This association is mainly due to the high carbohydrate, high fat diet in western countries in contrast to high fibre, low fat diets in African/ Asian regions. Majority of the microbiome studies focus on the bacteriome component; however, interesting findings reveal that increased bacteriophage richness, which makes up the virome component, correlates with decreased bacterial diversity, and causes microbiome dysbiosis. An increase of Caudovirales (bacteriophages) is associated with a decrease in enteric bacteria in inflammatory bowel diseases. Future microbiome studies should evaluate the interrelation between bacteriome and virome to fully understand their significance in the pathogenesis and progression of human diseases. With ethnic health disparities becoming increasingly apparent, studies need to emphasize on the association of population-specific microbiome differences and human diseases, to develop microbiome-based therapeutics. Additionally, targeted phage therapy is emerging as an attractive alternative to antibiotics for bacterial infections. With rapid rise in microbiome research, focus should be on standardizing protocols, advanced bioinformatics tools, and reducing sequencing platform related biases. Ultimately, integration of multi-omics data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics) will lead to precision models for personalized microbiome therapeutics advancement.

Obesogenic cafeteria diet induces dynamic changes in gut microbiota, reduces myenteric neuron excitability, and impairs gut contraction in mice

The cafeteria diet (CAF) is a superior diet model in animal experiments compared with the conventional high-fat diet (HFD), effectively inducing obesity, metabolic disturbances, and multi-organ damage. Nevertheless, its impact on gut microbiota composition during the progression of obesity, along with its repercussions on the enteric nervous system (ENS) and gastrointestinal motility has not been completely elucidated. To gain more insight into the effects of CAF diet in the gut, C57BL/6 mice were fed with CAF or a standard diet for 2 or 8 wk. CAF-fed mice experienced weight gain, disturbed glucose metabolism, dysregulated expression of colonic IL-6, IL-22, TNFα, and TPH1, and altered colon morphology, starting at week 2. Fecal DNA was isolated and gut microbiota composition was monitored by sequencing the V3-V4 16S rRNA region. Sequence analysis revealed that Clostridia and Proteobacteria were specific biomarkers associated with CAF-feeding at week 2, while Bacteroides and Actinobacteria were prominent at week 8. In addition, the impact of CAF diet on ENS was investigated (week 8), where HuC/D+ neurons were measured and counted, and their biophysical properties were evaluated by patch clamp. Gut contractility was tested in whole-mount preparations. Myenteric neurons in CAF-fed mice exhibited reduced body size, incremented cell density, and decreased excitability. The amplitude and frequency of the rhythmic spontaneous contractions in the colon and ileum were affected by the CAF diet. Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that CAF diet gradually changes the gut microbiota and promotes low-grade inflammation, impacting the functional properties of myenteric neurons and gut contractility in mice.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The gut microbiota changes gradually following the consumption of CAF diet. An increase in Clostridia and Proteobacteria is a hallmark of dysbiosis at the early onset of gut inflammation and obesity. The CAF diet was effective in inducing intestinal low-grade inflammation and alterations in myenteric neuronal excitability in mice. CAF diet is a reliable strategy to study the interplay between gut dysbiosis and low-grade inflammation, in addition to the mechanisms underlying gastrointestinal dysmotility associated with obesity.

From Skin and Gut to the Brain: The Infectious Journey of the Human Commensal Fungus Malassezia and Its Neurological Consequences

The human mycobiome encompasses diverse communities of fungal organisms residing within the body and has emerged as a critical player in shaping health and disease. While extensive research has focused on the skin and gut mycobiome, recent investigations have pointed toward the potential role of fungal organisms in neurological disorders. Among those fungal organisms, the presence of the commensal fungus Malassezia in the brain has created curiosity because of its commensal nature and primary association with the human skin and gut. This budding yeast is responsible for several diseases, such as Seborrheic dermatitis, Atopic dermatitis, Pityriasis versicolor, Malassezia folliculitis, dandruff, and others. However recent findings surprisingly show the presence of Malassezia DNA in the brain and have been linked to diseases like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Multiple sclerosis, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The exact role of Malassezia in these disorders is unknown, but its ability to infect human cells, travel through the bloodstream, cross the blood-brain barrier, and reside along with the lipid-rich neuronal cells are potential mechanisms responsible for pathogenesis. This also includes the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, gut-microbe interaction, and accumulation of metabolic changes in the brain environment. In this review, we discuss these key findings from studies linking Malassezia to neurological disorders, emphasizing the complex and multifaceted nature of these cases. Furthermore, we discuss potential mechanisms through which Malassezia might contribute to the development of neurological conditions. Future investigations will open up new avenues for our understanding of the fungal gut-brain axis and how it influences human behavior. Collaborative research efforts among microbiologists, neuroscientists, immunologists, and clinicians hold promise for unraveling the enigmatic connections between human commensal Malassezia and neurological disorders.

Metabolic modelling uncovers the complex interplay between fungal probiotics, poultry microbiomes, and diet

BACKGROUND

The search for alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production has increased interest in probiotics. However, the complexity of the interactions between probiotics, gut microbiome, and the host hinders the development of effective probiotic interventions. This study explores metabolic modelling to examine the possibility of designing informed probiotic interventions within poultry production.

RESULTS

Genomic metabolic models of fungi were generated and simulated in the context of poultry gut microbial communities. The modelling approach correlated with short-chain fatty acid production, particularly in the caecum. Introducing fungi to poultry microbiomes resulted in strain-specific and diet-dependent effects on the gut microbiome. The impact of fungal probiotics on microbiome diversity and pathogen inhibition varied depending on the specific strain, resident microbiome composition, and host diet. This context-dependency highlights the need for tailored probiotic interventions that consider the unique characteristics of each poultry production environment.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the potential of metabolic modelling to elucidate the complex interactions between probiotics, the gut microbiome, and diet in poultry. While the effects of specific fungal strains were found to be context-dependent, the approach itself provides a valuable tool for designing targeted probiotic interventions. By considering the specific characteristics of the host microbiome and dietary factors, this methodology could guide the deployment of effective probiotics in poultry production. However, the current work relies on computational predictions, and further in vivo validation studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of the identified probiotic candidates. Nonetheless, this study represents a significant step in using metabolic models to inform probiotic interventions in the poultry industry. Video Abstract.

Ageing effects of social environments in 'non-social' insects

It is increasingly clear that social environments have profound impacts on the life histories of 'non-social' animals. However, it is not yet well known how species with varying degrees of sociality respond to different social contexts and whether such effects are sex-specific. To survey the extent to which social environments specifically affect lifespan and ageing in non-social species, we performed a systematic literature review, focusing on invertebrates but excluding eusocial insects. We found 80 studies in which lifespan or ageing parameters were measured in relation to changes in same-sex or opposite-sex exposure, group size or cues thereof. Most of the studies focused on manipulations of adults, often reporting sex differences in lifespan following exposure to the opposite sex. Some studies highlighted the impacts of developmental environments or social partner age on lifespan. Several studies explored potential underlying mechanisms, emphasizing that studies on insects could provide excellent opportunities to interrogate the basis of social effects on ageing. We discuss what these studies can tell us about the social environment as a stressor, or trade-offs in resources prompted by different social contexts. We suggest fruitful avenues for further research of social effects across a wider and more diverse range of taxa.This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Understanding age and society using natural populations'.

Oral Pathogens' Substantial Burden on Cancer, Cardiovascular Diseases, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, and Other Systemic Diseases: A Public Health Crisis-A Comprehensive Review

This review synthesizes the findings from 252 studies to explore the relationship between the oral pathogens associated with periodontitis, dental caries, and systemic diseases. Individuals with oral diseases, such as periodontitis, are between 1.7 and 7.5 times (average 3.3 times) more likely to develop systemic diseases or suffer adverse pregnancy outcomes, underscoring the critical connection between dental and overall health. Oral conditions such as periodontitis and dental caries represent a significant health burden, affecting 26-47% of Americans. The most important oral pathogens, ranked by publication frequency, include the herpes virus, C. albicans, S. mutans, P. gingivalis, F. nucleatum, A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. intermedia, T. denticola, and T. forsythia. The systemic diseases and disorders linked to oral infections, ranked similarly, include cancer, respiratory, liver, bowel, fever, kidney, complications in pregnancy, cardiovascular bacteremia, diabetes, arthritis, autoimmune, bladder, dementia, lupus, and Alzheimer's diseases. Evidence supports the efficacy of dental and periodontal treatments in eliminating oral infections and reducing the severity of systemic diseases. The substantial burden that oral pathogens have on cancer, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and other systemic diseases poses a significant public health crisis.

Enhancing the Immunogenicity of Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab with Live Bacterial Supplementation in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Dysbiosis may hinder effective tumor immunity and reduce the efficacy of therapies such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). CBM588, a product containing live Clostridium butyricum, has shown promise in enhancing ICB effectiveness in metastatic RCC in terms of response rates and progression-free survival. Further research to confirm these findings should take factors such as diet and microbiome composition into account and include predictive biomarkers for patient selection.

Influence of gut and lung dysbiosis on lung cancer progression and their modulation as promising therapeutic targets: a comprehensive review

Lung cancer (LC) continues to pose the highest mortality and exhibits a common prevalence among all types of cancer. The genetic interaction between human eukaryotes and microbial cells plays a vital role in orchestrating every physiological activity of the host. The dynamic crosstalk between gut and lung microbiomes and the gut-lung axis communication network has been widely accepted as promising factors influencing LC progression. The advent of the 16s rDNA sequencing technique has opened new horizons for elucidating the lung microbiome and its potential pathophysiological role in LC and other infectious lung diseases using a molecular approach. Numerous studies have reported the direct involvement of the host microbiome in lung tumorigenesis processes and their impact on current treatment strategies such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy. The genetic and metabolomic cross-interaction, microbiome-dependent host immune modulation, and the close association between microbiota composition and treatment outcomes strongly suggest that designing microbiome-based treatment strategies and investigating new molecules targeting the common holobiome could offer potential alternatives to develop effective therapeutic principles for LC treatment. This review aims to highlight the interaction between the host and microbiome in LC progression and the possibility of manipulating altered microbiome ecology as therapeutic targets.

The Potential Role of the Microbiome in the Pathogenesis of Nasal Tumors: A Comprehensive Review

Cancers of the nose, and especially the nose vestibule, represent a significant challenge for clinicians due to their rarity, the intricate nature of surrounding vital structures, the nonspecific early symptoms, and the etiological factors that are not completely understood. Emerging research suggests that alterations in the nasal microbiome, also known as microbial dysbiosis, may contribute to the pathogenesis of those malignancies through mechanisms involving chronic inflammation, immune modulation, and cellular changes. The aims of this paper are to review the current literature covering the nasal microbiome's role in carcinogenesis, particularly in the context of squamous cell carcinoma, and to explore how microbial dysbiosis might foster a pro-tumorigenic environment. It further discusses potential future directions for research and therapeutic approaches.

Dissecting the roles of prosaposin as an emerging therapeutic target for tumors and its underlying mechanisms

As a dual-function protein, prosaposin (PSAP) is a lysosome-associated protein that participates in a variety of cellular processes. In the lysosome, PSAP is processed to activate enzymes that degrade lipids. In addition, PSAP proteins located extracellularly are involved in cancer progression, such as proliferation and tumor death suppression signaling. Moreover, under different situations, PSAP exhibits distinct metastasis potentials in tumors. However, comprehensive insight into PSAP in cancer progression has been lacking. Here, we provide a framework of the role of PSAP in cancer and its clinical application in cancer patients, providing a novel perspective on the clinical translation of PSAP.

The occurrence of Aerococcus urinaeequi and non-aureus staphylococci in raw milk negatively correlates with Escherichia coli clinical mastitis

Escherichia coli is a common environmental pathogen associated with clinical mastitis (CM) in dairy cattle. There is an interest in optimizing the udder microbiome to increase the resistance of dairy cattle to E. coli CM; however, the details of which members of the healthy udder microbiome may play a role in antagonizing E. coli are unknown. In this study, we characterized the bacterial community composition in raw milk collected from quarters of lactating Holstein dairy cows that developed E. coli CM during lactation, including milk from both healthy and diseased quarters (n = 1,172). The milk microbiome from infected quarters was compared before, during, and after CM. A combination of 16S rRNA gene amplicon and metagenomic sequencing was used generate data sets with a high level of both depth and breadth. The microbial diversity present in raw milk significantly decreased in quarters experiencing E. coli CM, indicating that E. coli displaces other members of the microbiome. However, the diversity recovered very rapidly after infection. Two genera, Staphylococcus and Aerococcus, and the family Oscillospiraceae were significantly more abundant in healthy quarters with low inflammation. Species of these genera, Staphylococcus auricularis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, and Aerocussus urinaeequi, were identified by metagenomics. Thus, these species are of interest for optimizing the microbiome to discourage E. coli colonization without triggering inflammation.IMPORTANCEIn this study, we show that E. coli outcompetes and displaces several members of the udder microbiome during CM, but that microbial diversity recovers post-infection. In milk from quarters which remained healthy, the community composition was often highly dominated by S. auricularis, S. haemolyticus, A. urinaeequi, and S. marcescens without increases in somatic cell count (SCC). Community dominance by these organisms, without inflammation, could indicate that these species might have potential as prophylactic probiotics which could contribute to colonization resistance and prevent future instances of E. coli CM.

Gut bacteria: an etiological agent in human pathological conditions

Through complex interactions with the host's immune and physiological systems, gut bacteria play a critical role as etiological agents in a variety of human diseases, having an impact that extends beyond their mere presence and affects the onset, progression, and severity of the disease. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of these microbial interactions is crucial to improving our understanding of disease pathogenesis and creating tailored treatment methods. Correcting microbial imbalances may open new avenues for disease prevention and treatment approaches, according to preliminary data. The gut microbiota exerts an integral part in the pathogenesis of numerous health conditions, including metabolic, neurological, renal, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal problems as well as COVID-19, according to recent studies. The crucial significance of the microbiome in disease pathogenesis is highlighted by this role, which is comparable to that of hereditary variables. This review investigates the etiological contributions of the gut microbiome to human diseases, its interactions with the host, and the development of prospective therapeutic approaches. To fully harness the benefits of gut microbiome dynamics for improving human health, future research should address existing methodological challenges and deepen our knowledge of microbial interactions.

The emerging role of the gut microbiota and its application in inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a complex disorder with an unknown cause. However, the dysbiosis of the gut microbiome has been found to play a role in IBD etiology, including exacerbated immune responses and defective intestinal barrier integrity. The gut microbiome can also be a potential biomarker for several diseases, including IBD. Currently, conventional treatments targeting pro-inflammatory cytokines and pathways in IBD-associated dysbiosis do not yield effective results. Other therapies that directly target the dysbiotic microbiome for effective outcomes are emerging. We review the role of the gut microbiome in health and IBD and its potential as a diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic target for IBD. This review also explores emerging therapeutic advancements that target gut microbiome-associated alterations in IBD, such as nanoparticle or encapsulation delivery, fecal microbiota transplantation, nutritional therapies, microbiome/probiotic engineering, phage therapy, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), gut proteins, and herbal formulas.

Probiotics in the management of radiation-induced oral mucositis

Oral mucositis is a common and debilitating oral complication in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, resulting in diminished quality of life and potential treatment disruptions. Oral microbiota has long been recognized as a contributing factor in the initiation and progression of radiation-induced oral mucositis (RIOM). Numerous studies have indicated that the radiation-induced oral microbial dysbiosis promotes the occurrence and severity of oral mucositis. Therefore, approaches that modulate oral microbial ecology are promising for the management of RIOM. Probiotics as a relatively predicable and safe measure that modulates microecology have garnered significant interest. In this review, we discussed the correlation between RIOM and oral microbiota, with a particular focus on the efficacy of probiotics in the control of RIOM, in order to provide novel paradigm for the management of this disease.

Environmental Influence on Bacterial Lipid Composition: Insights from Pathogenic and Probiotic Strains

The lipid composition of bacterial membranes is pivotal in regulating bacterial physiology, pathogenicity, and interactions with hosts. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of bacterial membrane lipid profiles across diverse Gram-positive and Gram-negative species. Utilizing matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) in conjunction with advanced chemometric tools, we investigate the influence of environmental factors, isolation sources, and host metabolism on bacterial lipid profiles. Our findings unveil significant variations in lipid composition attributed to factors such as carbon/energy availability and exposure to chemicals, including antibiotics. Moreover, we identify distinct lipidomic signatures associated with pathogenic and probiotic bacterial strains, shedding light on their functional properties and metabolic pathways. Notably, bacterial strains isolated from clinical samples exhibit unique lipid profiles influenced by host metabolic dysregulation, particularly evident in conditions such as diabetic foot infections. These results deepen our understanding of the intricate mechanisms governing bacterial membrane lipid biology and hold promise for informing the development of innovative therapeutic and biotechnological strategies.

Skin Cancer Precursors: From Cancer Genomics to Early Diagnosis

Skin cancers, including melanoma and keratinocyte carcinomas, are responsible for increasing health care burden internationally. Risk stratification and early detection are paramount for prevention and less risky treatment to overall improve patient outcomes and disease morbidity. Here, the authors discuss the key concepts leading to skin cancer initiation and progression. The authors also outline precursor and progression models for melanoma and keratinocyte carcinomas, including discussion of genetic alterations associated with the various stages of progression. Finally, the authors discuss the significance of immunoediting and the drivers behind increased risk of cutaneous malignancy in the state of immune dysregulation.

Association of caffeine intake with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in diabetes and prediabetes

BACKGROUD

The association between caffeine intake and mortality in prediabetes and diabetes is not well defined. This study was designed to investigate the association between caffeine intake and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in adults with prediabetes and diabetes in the United States.

METHODS

This analysis included 18,914 adult patients with diabetes and prediabetes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2018. Follow-up extended to December 31, 2019. Weighted Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for all-cause mortality and CVD mortality.

RESULTS

During 142,460 person-years of follow-up, there were 3,166 cases of all-cause mortality and 1,031 cases of CVD mortality recorded. In the fully adjusted models, caffeine intake showed a significant dose-response association with the risk of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality in individuals with diabetes and prediabetes. When comparing extreme quartiles of caffeine intake, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 0.78 (0.67-0.91) (P for trend = 0.007); however, there was no significant association with the risk of CVD mortality. Results remained consistent in stratified analyses by sex, age, race/ethnicity, education level, family income-poverty ratio, BMI, hypertension, smoking status, alcohol intake, and HEI-2015.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that caffeine intake is significantly inversely associated with the risk of all-cause mortality in individuals with diabetes and prediabetes. In individuals with prediabetes, there is also a significant inverse association between caffeine intake and CVD events, but this association is not present in those with diabetes.

The Microbiota in Cancer: A Secondary Player or a Protagonist?

The intestinal microbiota and the human body are in a permanent interaction. There is a symbiotic relationship in which the microbiota plays a vitally important role in the performance of numerous functions, including digestion, metabolism, the development of lymphoid tissue, defensive functions, and other processes. It is a true metabolic organ essential for life and has potential involvement in various pathological states, including cancer and pathologies other than those of a digestive nature. A growing topic of great interest for its implications is the relationship between the microbiota and cancer. Dysbiosis plays a role in oncogenesis, tumor progression, and even the response to cancer treatment. The effect of the microbiota on tumor development goes beyond a local effect having a systemic effect. Another aspect of great interest regarding the intestinal microbiota is its relationship with drugs, modifying their activity. There is increasing evidence that the microbiota influences the therapeutic activity and side effects of antineoplastic drugs and also modulates the response of several tumors to antineoplastic therapy through immunological circuits. These data suggest the manipulation of the microbiota as a possible adjuvant to improve oncological treatment. Is it possible to manipulate the microbiota for therapeutic purposes?

Variability in Microbial Communities Driven by Particulate Matter on Human Facial Skin

Microbial communities are known to play an important role in maintaining ecological balance and can be used as an indicator for assessing environmental pollution. Numerous studies have revealed that air pollution can alter the structure of microbial communities, which may increase health risks. Nevertheless, the relationships between microbial communities and particulate matter (PM) caused by air pollution in terms of health risk assessment are not well understood. This study aimed to validate the influences of PM chemical compositions on microbial communities and assess the associated health risks. Our results, based on similarity analysis, revealed that the stability structure of the microbial communities had a similarity greater than 73%. In addition, the altered richness and diversity of microbial communities were significantly associated with PM chemical compositions. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exerted a positive influence on microbial communities in different environmental variables. Additionally, a stronger linear correlation was observed between hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and the richness of microbial communities. All estimated health risks from PM chemical compositions, calculated under different environmental variables, significantly exceeded the acceptable level by a factor of more than 49. Cr and 1,2-Dibromoethane displayed dual adverse effects of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks. Overall, the study provides insights into the fundamental mechanisms of the variability in microbial communities driven by PM, which may support the crucial role of PM chemical compositions in the risk of microorganisms in the atmospheric environment.

Gut-Liver-Pancreas Axis Crosstalk in Health and Disease: From the Role of Microbial Metabolites to Innovative Microbiota Manipulating Strategies

The functions of the gut are closely related to those of many other organs in the human body. Indeed, the gut microbiota (GM) metabolize several nutrients and compounds that, once released in the bloodstream, can reach distant organs, thus influencing the metabolic and inflammatory tone of the host. The main microbiota-derived metabolites responsible for the modulation of endocrine responses are short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). These molecules can (i) regulate the pancreatic hormones (insulin and glucagon), (ii) increase glycogen synthesis in the liver, and (iii) boost energy expenditure, especially in skeletal muscles and brown adipose tissue. In other words, they are critical in maintaining glucose and lipid homeostasis. In GM dysbiosis, the imbalance of microbiota-related products can affect the proper endocrine and metabolic functions, including those related to the gut-liver-pancreas axis (GLPA). In addition, the dysbiosis can contribute to the onset of some diseases such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)/non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this review, we explored the roles of the gut microbiota-derived metabolites and their involvement in onset and progression of these diseases. In addition, we detailed the main microbiota-modulating strategies that could improve the diseases' development by restoring the healthy balance of the GLPA.

Microbial imbalance in Chinese children with diarrhea or constipation

Diarrhea and constipation are common health concerns in children. Numerous studies have identified strong association between gut microbiota and digestive-related diseases. But little is known about the gut microbiota that simultaneously affects both diarrhea and constipation or their potential regulatory mechanisms. Stool samples from 618 children (66 diarrhea, 138 constipation, 414 healthy controls) aged 0-3 years were collected to investigate gut microbiota changes using 16S rRNA sequencing. Compared with healthy, children with diarrhea exhibited a significant decrease in microbial diversity, while those with constipation showed a marked increase (p < 0.05). Significantly, our results firstly Ruminococcus increased in constipation (p = 0.03) and decreased in diarrhea (p < 0.01) compared to healthy controls. Pathway analysis revealed that Ruminococcus highly involved in the regulation of five common pathways (membrane transport, nervous system, energy metabolism, signal transduction and endocrine system pathways) between diarrhea and constipation, suggesting a potential shared regulatory mechanism. Our finding firstly reveals one core microorganisms that may affect the steady balance of the gut in children with diarrhea or constipation, providing an important reference for potential diagnosis and treatment of constipation and diarrhea.

Preclinical and clinical evidence of the association of colibactin-producing Escherichia coli with anxiety and depression in colon cancer

BACKGROUND

The association between the intestinal microbiota and psychiatric disorders is becoming increasingly apparent. The gut microbiota contributes to colorectal carcinogenesis (CRC), as demonstrated with colibactin-producing Escherichia coli (CoPEC).

AIM

To evaluate the association between CoPEC prevalence and anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors with both preclinical and clinical approaches.

METHODS

Patients followed after a CRC surgery and for whom the prevalence of CoPEC has been investigated underwent a psychiatric interview. Results were compared according to the CoPEC colonization. In parallel C57BL6/J wild type mice and mice with a CRC susceptibility were chronically infected with a CoPEC strain. Their behavior was assessed using the Elevated Plus Maze test, the Forced Swimming Test and the Behavior recognition system PhenoTyper®.

RESULTS

In a limited cohort, all patients with CoPEC colonization presented with psychiatric disorders several years before cancer diagnosis, whereas only one patient (17%) without CoPEC did. This result was confirmed in C57BL6/J wild-type mice and in a CRC susceptibility mouse model (adenomatous polyposis colimultiple intestinal neoplasia/+). Mice exhibited a significant increase in anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors after chronic infection with a CoPEC strain.

CONCLUSION

This finding provides the first evidence that CoPEC infection can induce microbiota-gut-brain axis disturbances in addition to its procarcinogenic properties.

Understanding host immune responses in Clostridioides difficile infection: Implications for pathogenesis and immunotherapy

Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is the predominant causative agent of nosocomial diarrhea worldwide. Infection with C. difficile occurs due to the secretion of large glycosylating toxin proteins, which can lead to toxic megacolon or mortality in susceptible hosts. A critical aspect of C. difficile's biology is its ability to persist asymptomatically within the human host. Individuals harboring asymptomatic colonization or experiencing a single episode of C. difficile infection (CDI) without recurrence exhibit heightened immune responses compared to symptomatic counterparts. The significance of these immune responses cannot be overstated, as they play critical roles in the development, progression, prognosis, and outcomes of CDI. Nonetheless, our current comprehension of the immune responses implicated in CDI remains limited. Therefore, further investigation is imperative to elucidate their underlying mechanisms. This review explores recent advancements in comprehending CDI pathogenesis and how the host immune system response influences disease progression and severity, aiming to enhance our capacity to develop immunotherapy-based treatments for CDI.

Microbiome in cancer: A comparative analysis between humans and dogs

Cancer is a major cause of death in humans and animals worldwide. While cancer survival rates have increased over recent decades, further research to identify risk factors for the onset and progression of disease, and safe and highly efficacious treatments, is needed. Spontaneous tumours in pets represent an excellent model for neoplastic disease in humans. In this regard, dogs are an interesting species, as the divergence between the dog and human genome is low, humans and dogs have important similarities in the development and functioning of the immune system, and both species often share the same physical environment. There is also a higher homology between the canine and human microbiome than murine model. This review aims to describe and organize recently published information on canine microbiome assemblages and their relationship with the onset and progression of colorectal cancer, breast cancer and lymphoma, and to compare this with human disease. In both species, dysbiosis can induce variations in the gut microbiota that strongly influence shifts in status between health and disease. This can produce an inflammatory state, potentially leading to neoplasia, especially in the intestine, thus supporting canine studies in comparative oncology. Intestinal dysbiosis can also alter the efficacy and side effects of cancer treatments. Fewer published studies are available on changes in the relevant microbiomes in canine lymphoma and mammary cancer, and further research in this area could improve our understanding of the role of microbiota in the development of these cancers.

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a bridge between oral health and immune evasion in gastric cancer

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is a gram-negative oral pathogen associated with chronic periodontitis. Previous studies have linked poor oral health and periodontitis with oral cancer. Severe cases of periodontal disease can result in advanced periodontitis, leading to tissue degradation, tooth loss, and may also correlate with higher gastric cancer (GC) risk. In fact, tooth loss is associated with an elevated risk of cancer. However, the clinical evidence for this association remains inconclusive. Periodontitis is also characterized by chronic inflammation and upregulation of members of the Programmed Death 1/PD1 Ligand 1 (PD1/PDL1) axis that leads to an immunosuppressive state. Given that chronic inflammation and immunosuppression are conditions that facilitate cancer progression and carcinogenesis, we hypothesize that oral P. gingivalis and/or its virulence factors serve as a mechanistic link between oral health and gastric carcinogenesis/GC progression. We also discuss the potential impact of P. gingivalis' virulence factors (gingipains, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and fimbriae) on inflammation and the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in GC which are part of the current standard of care for advanced stage patients.

Causal associations between gut microbiota and cutaneous melanoma: a Mendelian randomization study

Background

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) of the skin stands as the leading cause of mortality among skin cancer-related deaths. Despite the successes achieved with novel therapies such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy, their efficacy remains limited, necessitating further exploration of new treatment modalities. The gut microbiota and CM may be linked, as indicated by a growing body of preclinical and observational research. Nevertheless, the exact correlation between the intestinal microbiota and CM remains to be determined. Therefore, this study aims to assess the potential causal relationship between the gut microbiota and CM.

Methods

The study utilized exposure data obtained from the MiBioGen consortium's microbiome GWAS, which included a total of 18,340 samples gathered from 24 population-based cohorts. Data at the summary level for CM were acquired from the UK Biobank investigation. The main analytical strategy utilized in this research was the inverse variance weighted (IVW) technique, supported by quality assurance measures like the weighted median model, MR-Egger, simple model, and weighted model approaches. The Cochran's Q test was used to evaluate heterogeneity. To ascertain potential pleiotropy, we employed both the MR-Egger regression and the MR-PRESSO test. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using the leave-one-out method.

Results

The study found that the class Bacteroidia (OR = 0.997, 95% CI: 0.995-0.999, p = 0.027), genus Parabacteroides (OR = 0.997, 95% CI: 0.994-0.999, p = 0.037), order Bacteroidales (OR = 0.997, 95% CI: 0.995-0.999, p = 0.027), and genus Veillonella (OR = 0.998, 95% CI: 0.996-0.999, p = 0.046) have protective effects on CM. On the order hand, the genus Blautia (OR = 1.003, 95% CI: 1-1.006, p = 0.001) and phylum Cyanobacteria (OR = 1.002, 95% CI: 1-1.004, p = 0.04) are identified as risk factors for CM.

Conclusion

We comprehensively assessed the potential causal relationship between the gut microbiota and CM and identified associations between six gut microbiota and CM. Among these, four gut microbiota were identified as protective factors for CM, while two gut microbiota were identified as risk factors for CM. This study effectively established a causal relationship between the gut microbiota and CM, thereby providing valuable insights into the mechanistic pathways through which the microbiota impacts the progression of CM.

The role of microbial metabolites in endocrine tumorigenesis: From the mechanistic insights to potential therapeutic biomarkers

Microbial metabolites have been indicated to communicate with the host's endocrine system, regulating hormone production, immune-endocrine communications, and interactions along the gut-brain axis, eventually affecting the occurrence of endocrine cancer. Furthermore, microbiota metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have been found to affect the tumor microenvironment and boost immunity against tumors. SCFAs, including butyrate and acetate, have been demonstrated to exert anti-proliferative and anti-protective activity on pancreatic cancer cells. The employing of microbial metabolic products in conjunction with radiation and chemotherapy has shown promising outcomes in terms of reducing treatment side effects and boosting effectiveness. Certain metabolites, such as valerate and butyrate, have been made known to improve the efficiency of CAR T-cell treatment, whilst others, such as indole-derived tryptophan metabolites, have been shown to inhibit tumor immunity. This review explores the intricate interplay between microbial metabolites and endocrine tumorigenesis, spanning mechanistic insights to the discovery of potential therapeutic biomarkers.

A bibliometric and visualized in oral microbiota and cancer research from 2013 to 2022

Numerous studies have highlighted the implication of oral microbiota in various cancers. However, no bibliometric analysis has been conducted on the relationship between oral microbiota and cancer. This bibliometric analysis aimed to identify the research hotspots in oral microbiota and cancer research, as well as predict future research trends. The literature published relating to oral microbiota and cancer was searched from the Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC) from 2013 to 2022. VOSviewer or Citespace software was used to perform the bibliometric analysis, focusing on countries, institutions, authors, journals, keywords and references. A total of 1516 publications were included in the analysis. The number of publications related oral microbiota and cancer increased annually, reaching its peak in 2022 with 287 papers. The United States (456) and China (370) were the countries with the most publications and made significant contributions to the field. Sears CL and Zhou XD were the most productive authors. The high frequency of keywords revealed key topics, including cancer (colorectal cancer, oral cancer), oral microbiota (Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis), and inflammation (periodontal disease). The latest trend keywords were F. nucleatum, dysbiosis, prognosis, tumor microenvironment, gastric microbiota, complications and survival, suggesting a new hotspot in the field of oral microbiota and cancer. Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of oral microbiota and cancer research, revealing an increase in publications in recent years. Future research directions will continue to focus on the diversity of oral microbiota impacted by cancers and the underlying mechanism connecting them, providing new ideas for targeted therapy of tumorigenesis.

What if gastrointestinal complications in endurance athletes were gut injuries in response to a high consumption of ultra-processed foods? Please take care of your bugs if you want to improve endurance performance: a narrative review

To improve performance and recovery faster, athletes are advised to eat more often than usual and consume higher doses of simple carbohydrates, during and after exercise. Sports energetic supplements contain food additives, such as artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, acidity regulators, preservatives, and salts, which could be harmful to the gut microbiota and impair the intestinal barrier function. The intestinal barrier plays a critical function in bidirectionally regulation of the selective transfer of nutrients, water, and electrolytes, while preventing at the same time, the entrance of harmful substances (selective permeability). The gut microbiota helps to the host to regulate intestinal homeostasis through metabolic, protective, and immune functions. Globally, the gut health is essential to maintain systemic homeostasis in athletes, and to ensure proper digestion, metabolization, and substrate absorption. Gastrointestinal complaints are an important cause of underperformance and dropout during endurance events. These complications are directly related to the loss of gut equilibrium, mainly linked to microbiota dysbiosis and leaky gut. In summary, athletes must be cautious with the elevated intake of ultra-processed foods and specifically those contained on sports nutrition supplements. This review points out the specific nutritional interventions that should be implemented and/or discontinued depending on individual gut functionality.

Interaction between birth characteristics and CRHR1, MC2R, NR3C1, GLCCI1 variants in the childhood lymphoblastic leukemia risk

Background

The incidence rate of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) differs worldwide, and the interplay between hemostasis actors and the maladaptive responses to environmental exposures has been explored. It has been proposed that endogenous cortisol, induced by different triggers, would eliminate pre-leukemic clones originated in utero. Herein, we tested if the interaction between CRHR1rs242941 C>A, MC2Rrs1893219 A>G, NR3C1rs41423247 G>C, and GLCCI1rs37972 C>T (players in glucocorticoid secretion) and birth characteristics would be associated with ALL risk.

Methods

Children aged <10 years were enrolled within the EMiLI project (period: 2012 to 2020). The study had three steps: (1) observational analysis of birth characteristics (n = 533 cases and 1,603 controls); (2) genotyping to identify single-nucleotide variants (n = 756 cases and 431 controls); and (3) case-only to test gene-environment interactions (n = 402 cases). Genetic syndromes were exclusion criteria. The controls were healthy children. The distribution of the variables was assessed through Pearson's chi-square test. Logistic regression (LR) tests were run fitted and adjusted for selected covariate models to estimate the association risk. Formal interaction analysis was also performed. Genotyping was tested by qPCR with TaqMan probes (NR3C1) or by high-resolution melting (MC2R and GLCCI1). Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was accessed by the chi-square test. The genotype-risk association was tested in co-dominant, dominant, and recessive models. The gene-environment interaction odds ratio (iOR) was assessed in case-only.

Results

Low birthweight, C-section, and low maternal schooling were associated with increased risk for ALL, adjOR 2.11, 95% CI, 1.02-4.33; adjOR 1.59, 95% CI, 1.16-2.17; and adjOR 3.78, 95% CI, 2.47-5.83, respectively, in a multiple logistic regression model. MC2R rs1893219 A>G was negatively associated with ALL (AG: OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.50-0.94 and GG: OR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.42-0.85), while for GLCCI1 rs37972 C>T, TT was positively associated with ALL (OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.21-3.00). The combination of genotypes for MC2R (AA) and GLCCI1 (TT) increased ALL risk (OR = 2.61; 95% CI = 1.16-5.87). In a multiplicative interaction, MC2R rs1893219 A>G was associated with children whose mothers had less than 9 years of schooling (iOR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.11-1.55).

Conclusion

Our study has demonstrated a significant association between MC2R rs1893219 A>G (reduced risk) and GLCCI1 rs37972 C>T variants (increased risk) and childhood ALL susceptibility. Based on this evidence, genes controlling the HPA axis activity may play a role in leukemogenesis, and further investigation is needed to substantiate our findings.

Intratumoural microbiota: a new frontier in cancer development and therapy

Human microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, play key roles in several physiological and pathological processes. Some studies discovered that tumour tissues once considered sterile actually host a variety of microorganisms, which have been confirmed to be closely related to oncogenesis. The concept of intratumoural microbiota was subsequently proposed. Microbiota could colonise tumour tissues through mucosal destruction, adjacent tissue migration, and hematogenic invasion and affect the biological behaviour of tumours as an important part of the tumour microenvironment. Mechanistic studies have demonstrated that intratumoural microbiota potentially promote the initiation and progression of tumours by inducing genomic instability and mutations, affecting epigenetic modifications, promoting inflammation response, avoiding immune destruction, regulating metabolism, and activating invasion and metastasis. Since more comprehensive and profound insights about intratumoral microbiota are continuously emerging, new methods for the early diagnosis and prognostic assessment of cancer patients have been under examination. In addition, interventions based on intratumoural microbiota show great potential to open a new chapter in antitumour therapy, especially immunotherapy, although there are some inevitable challenges. Here, we aim to provide an extensive review of the concept, development history, potential sources, heterogeneity, and carcinogenic mechanisms of intratumoural microorganisms, explore the potential role of microorganisms in tumour prognosis, and discuss current antitumour treatment regimens that target intratumoural microorganisms and the research prospects and limitations in this field.

A roadmap for social determinants of health and biological nursing research in the National Institute of Nursing Research 2022-2026 Strategic Plan: Optimizing health and advancing health equity using antiracist framing

BACKGROUND

Health equity is essential for improving the well-being of all individuals and groups, and research remains a critical element for understanding barriers to health equity. While considering how to best support research that acknowledges current health challenges, it is crucial to understand the role of social justice frameworks within health equity research and the contributions of minoritized researchers. Additionally, there should be an increased understanding of the influence of social determinants of health on biological mechanisms.

PURPOSE

Biological health equity research seeks to understand and address health disparities among historically excluded populations.

DISCUSSION

While there are examples of studies in this area led by minoritized researchers, some individuals and groups remain understudied due to underfunding. Research within minoritized populations must be prioritized to authentically achieve health equity. Furthermore, there should be increased funding from National Institutes of Health to support minoritized researchers working in this area.

A Novel Nutrient Intervention of Probiotics, Glutamine, and Fish Oil in Psychological Distress: A Concurrent Multiple Baseline Design

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether a combination of nutrients designed to promote gut and brain health also lowers psychological distress. The hypothesis is that a probiotic with fish oil, and glutamine supplement will reduce psychological distress. Design: A multiple baseline design was used to collect data from seven naturopathic patients in private naturopathic clinics in Australia. Patients were between 18 and 65 years of age, and had a Kessler-10 (K10) score between 16 and 30 and symptoms associated with mild gastrointestinal discomfort experienced several times most weeks for 3 months. They were randomized into one of three pathways to stagger the introduction of the intervention. Interventions: Participants received either a supplement incorporating a probiotic formulation (including Lactobacillus rhamnosus), a glutamine powder formulation, and fish oil, or matched placebos. The primary outcome measure was psychological distress as measured by the K10 scale of psychological distress. Results: The data showed a general trend toward lower K10 scores during the active phase compared with the baseline phase, with a marked reduction in the variances between phases. After controlling for time and baseline values, no significant difference between the phases for the K10 and the Perceived Stress Scale was found, but there was still a significant reduction in symptoms on the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale. Conclusions: A combination of a probiotic formulation, a glutamine powder formulation, and fish oil did not affect psychological distress and perceived stress, but had a significant beneficial effect on gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with high distress and concurrent gut symptomology. Clinical trial registration number: ACTRN12620000928910.

The potential of paraprobiotics and postbiotics to modulate the immune system: A Review

Probiotics are viable microorganisms that provide beneficial health effects when consumed in adequate quantity by the host. Immunomodulation is one of the major beneficial effects of probiotics that is a result of the colonization of probiotic microorganisms in the gut, their interaction with the intestinal cells, production of various metabolites and by-products. The last few years have displayed an increasing number of studies on non-viable probiotics (paraprobiotics) and microbial by-products (postbiotics) that prove beneficial to human health by providing positive immune responses even in the inactivated form. The increasing number of research studies compare the effects of viable and non-viable probiotics, their by-products, and metabolites. This review focuses on the ability of different types of paraprobiotics and postbiotics to modulate the immune system. A majority of paraprobiotics are developed from Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains. The postbiotic components that modulate the biological reactions include lipoteichoic acids, bacteriocins, short-chain fatty acids, peptidoglycan, and exopolysaccharides have been reported. We have reviewed paraprobiotics and postbiotics that are commercial as well as in research. Paraprobiotics and postbiotics can be a possible replacement for live probiotics for immunocompromised people. Paraprobiotics display an active role in maintaining T-cell mediated immunity and have been shown to treat colitis. Postbiotic components exhibit properties of pro and anti-immune, anti-tumor, anti-microbial, antioxidant, and anti-biofilm. More research is required on the efficient conversion of probiotics to paraprobiotics, the isolation and purification of different postbiotics, and stability studies during the shelf life. The majority of the articles report the effects of direct ingestion of different '-biotics' without blending in any food product.

Microbiota Transplant and Gynecological Disorders: The Bridge between Present and Future Treatments

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a procedure that involves transferring fecal bacteria from a healthy donor to a patients' intestines to restore gut-immunity homeostasis. While FMT was primarily supposed to treat gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome-and especially Clostridium difficile infection (currently the only used as clinical treatment)-recent research has suggested that it may also become a potential treatment for gynecological disorders, including endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). On the contrary, vaginal microbiota transplantation (VMT) is a newer and less commonly used procedure than the FMT approach, and its potential applications are still being explored. It involves direct grafting of the entire vaginal microbiota of healthy women into the vaginal tract of patients to easily rebuild the local microbiota environment, restoring vaginal eubiosis and relieving symptoms. Like FMT, VMT is thought to have potential in treating different microbiota-related conditions. In fact, many gynecological disorders, such as bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis, are thought to be caused by an imbalance in the vaginal microbiota. In this review, we will summarize the development, current challenges, and future perspectives of microbiota transplant, with the aim of exploring new strategies for its employment as a promising avenue for treating a broad range of gynecological diseases.

Insights into Microbiota in Sjögren's Syndrome

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a heterogeneous chronic autoimmune disorder with multiple clinical manifestations that can develop into non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. The pathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is not completely understood, but it is assumed that pathogenesis of SS is multifactorial. The microbiota plays a notable role in the development of autoimmune disorders, including Sjögren's syndrome. Molecular mimicry, metabolite changes and epithelial tolerance breakdown are pathways that might help to clarify the potential contribution of the microbiota to SS pathogenesis. This review aims to provide an overview of recent studies describing microbiota changes and microbiota mechanisms associated with Sjögren's syndrome. Data on the microbiota in SS from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and the Cochrane Library databases are summarized. Overall, the microbiota makes a major contribution to the development of Sjögren's syndrome and progression. Future microbiota studies should improve the management of this heterogeneous autoimmune disease.

Breast cancers as ecosystems: a metabolic perspective

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and one of the major causes of cancer death. Despite enormous progress in its management, both from the therapeutic and early diagnosis viewpoints, still around 700,000 patients succumb to the disease each year, worldwide. Late recurrency is the major problem in BC, with many patients developing distant metastases several years after the successful eradication of the primary tumor. This is linked to the phenomenon of metastatic dormancy, a still mysterious trait of the natural history of BC, and of several other types of cancer, by which metastatic cells remain dormant for long periods of time before becoming reactivated to initiate the clinical metastatic disease. In recent years, it has become clear that cancers are best understood if studied as ecosystems in which the impact of non-cancer-cell-autonomous events-dependent on complex interaction between the cancer and its environment, both local and systemic-plays a paramount role, probably as significant as the cell-autonomous alterations occurring in the cancer cell. In adopting this perspective, a metabolic vision of the cancer ecosystem is bound to improve our understanding of the natural history of cancer, across space and time. In BC, many metabolic pathways are coopted into the cancer ecosystem, to serve the anabolic and energy demands of the cancer. Their study is shedding new light on the most critical aspect of BC management, of metastatic dissemination, and that of the related phenomenon of dormancy and fostering the application of the knowledge to the development of metabolic therapies.

Potential role of intratumor bacteria outside the gastrointestinal tract: More than passengers

INTRODUCTION

Tumor-associated bacteria and gut microbiota have gained significant attention in recent years due to their potential role in cancer development and therapeutic response. This review aims to discuss the contributions of intratumor bacteria outside the gastrointestinal tract, in addition to exploring the mechanisms, functions, and implications of these bacteria in cancer therapy.

METHODS

We reviewed current literature on intratumor bacteria and their impact on tumorigenesis, progression, metastasis, drug resistance, and anti-tumor immune modulation. Additionally, we examined techniques used to detect intratumor bacteria, precautions necessary when handling low microbial biomass tumor samples, and the recent progress in bacterial manipulation for tumor treatment.

RESULTS

Research indicates that each type of cancer uniquely interacts with its microbiome, and bacteria can be detected even in non-gastrointestinal tumors with low bacterial abundance. Intracellular bacteria have the potential to regulate tumor cells' biological behavior and contribute to critical aspects of tumor development. Furthermore, bacterial-based anti-tumor therapies have shown promising results in cancer treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding the complex interactions between intratumor bacteria and tumor cells could lead to the development of more precise cancer treatment strategies. Further research into non-gastrointestinal tumor-associated bacteria is needed to identify new therapeutic approaches and expand our knowledge of the microbiota's role in cancer biology.

Targeting microbiome, drug metabolism, and drug delivery in oncology

Recent emerging scientific evidence shows a relationship between gut microbiota (GM) and immunomodulation. In the recently published "Hallmarks of Cancer", the microbiome has been reported to play a crucial role in cancer research, and perspectives for its clinical implementation to improve the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy were explored. Several studies have shown that GM can affect the outcomes of pharmacotherapy in cancer, suggesting that GM may affect anti-tumor immunity. Thus, studies on GM that analyze big data using computer-based analytical methods are required. In order to successfully deliver GM to an environment conducive to the proliferation of immune cells both within and outside the tumor microenvironment (TME), it is crucial to address a variety of challenges associated with distinct delivery methods, specifically those pertaining to oral, endoscopic, and intravenous delivery. Clinical trials are in progress to evaluate the effects of targeting GM and whether it can enhance immunity or act on the TME, thereby to improve the clinical outcomes for cancer patients.

How Can the Microbiome Induce Carcinogenesis and Modulate Drug Resistance in Cancer Therapy?

Over the years, cancer has been affecting the lives of many people globally and it has become one of the most studied diseases. Despite the efforts to understand the cell mechanisms behind this complex disease, not every patient seems to respond to targeted therapies or immunotherapies. Drug resistance in cancer is one of the limiting factors contributing to unsuccessful therapies; therefore, understanding how cancer cells acquire this resistance is essential to help cure individuals affected by cancer. Recently, the altered microbiome was observed to be an important hallmark of cancer and therefore it represents a promising topic of cancer research. Our review aims to provide a global perspective of some cancer hallmarks, for instance how genetic and epigenetic modifications may be caused by an altered human microbiome. We also provide information on how an altered human microbiome can lead to cancer development as well as how the microbiome can influence drug resistance and ultimately targeted therapies. This may be useful to develop alternatives for cancer treatment, i.e., future personalized medicine that can help in cases where traditional cancer treatment is unsuccessful.

Association of Habitual Intake of Probiotic Supplements and Yogurt with Characteristics of the Gut Microbiome in the Multiethnic Cohort Adiposity Phenotype Study

Consumption of probiotics and/or yogurt could be a solution for restoring the balance of the gut microbiota. This study examined associations of regular intake of probiotic supplements or yogurt with the gut microbiota among a diverse population of older adults (N=1,861; 60-72 years). Fecal microbial composition was obtained from 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V1-V3 region). General Linear Models were used to estimate the associations of probiotic supplement or yogurt intake with microbiome measures adjusting for covariates. Compared to non-yogurt consumers (N=1,023), regular yogurt consumers (≥once/week, N=818) had greater Streptococcus (β=0.29, P=0.0003) and lower Odoribacter (β=-0.33, P<0.0001) abundance. The directions of the above associations were consistent across the five ethnic groups but stronger among Japanese Americans (Streptococcus: β=0.56, P=0.0009; Odoribacter: β=-0.62, P=0.0005). Regular intake of probiotic supplements (N=175) was not associated with microbial characteristics (i.e., alpha diversity and the abundance of 152 bacteria genera). Streptococcus is one of the predominant bacteria genera in yogurt products, which may explain the positive association between yogurt consumption and Streptococcus abundance. Our analyses suggest that changes in Odoribacter were independent of changes in Streptococcus abundance. Future studies may investigate whether these microbial genera and their sub-level species mediate potential pathways between yogurt consumption and health.

The Role of Microbiota in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has an unfavorable prognosis with few effective therapeutic options. This has led researchers to investigate the possible links between microbiota and PC. A disrupted gut microbiome can lead to chronic inflammation, which is involved in the pathogenesis of PC. In addition, some bacterial strains can produce carcinogens that promote the growth of cancer cells. Research has also focused on pancreatic and oral microbiota. Changes in these microbiota can contribute to the development and progression of PC. Furthermore, patients with periodontal disease have an increased risk of developing PC. The potential use of microbiota as a prognostic marker or to predict patients' responses to chemotherapy or immunotherapy is also being explored. Overall, the role of microbiota-including the gut, pancreatic, and oral microbiota-in PC is an active research area. Understanding these associations could lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic targets for this deadly disease.

An interplay between non-coding RNAs and gut microbiota in human health

Humans have a complicated symbiotic relationship with their gut microbiome, which is postulated to impact host health and disease broadly. Epigenetic alterations allow host cells to regulate gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. The gut microbiome, offering environmental hints, can influence responses to stimuli by host cells with modifications on their epigenome and gene expression. Recent increasing data suggest that regulatory non-coding RNAs (miRNAs, circular RNAs, and long lncRNA) may affect host-microbe interactions. These RNAs have been suggested as potential host response biomarkers in microbiome-associated disorders, including diabetes and cancer. This article reviews the current understanding of the interplay between gut microbiota and non-coding RNA, including lncRNA, miRNA, and circular RNA. This can lead to a profound understanding of human disease and influence therapy. Furthermore, microbiome engineering as a mainstream strategy for improving human health has been discussed and confirms the hypothesis about a direct cross-talk between microbiome composition and non-coding RNA.

Research status and prospects of acupuncture for autism spectrum disorders

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder and has a predilection for children. Its symptoms, such as lifelong social communication deficits and repetitive sensory-motor behaviors, put a huge burden on the patient's family and society. Currently, there is no cure for ASD, and some medications that can improve its symptoms are often accompanied by adverse effects. Among many complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, acupuncture has shown promising application potential, but after years of practice, it has not been recognized as the preferred CAM therapy for ASD. Therefore, we analyzed and discussed the clinical study reports of acupuncture in the treatment of ASD in the past 15 years from the aspects of study subjects, group setting, intervention modalities, acupoint selection, outcome evaluation, and safety. The data accumulated at present are not sufficient to support the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture in ASD and to justify its use in clinical practice. They provide, however, initial evidence of possible effectiveness and encourage further investigation in order to reach firm conclusions. Based on a comprehensive analysis, we believed that following the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) and Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT), screening the optimal combination of acupoints applying a rigorous scientific study design, and performing the related functional experiments may be the effective way to convincingly test the hypothesis that acupuncture may be beneficial in ASD patients. The significance of this review is to provide a reference for researchers to carry out high-quality clinical trials of acupuncture in the treatment of ASD from the perspective of the combination of modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.

An updated overview of cyanidins for chemoprevention and cancer therapy

Anthocyanins are colored polyphenolic compounds that belong to the flavonoids family and are largely present in many vegetables and fruits. They have been used in traditional medicine in many cultures for a long time. The most common and abundant anthocyanins are those presenting an O-glycosylation at C-3 (C ring) of the flavonoid skeleton to form -O-β-glucoside derivatives. The present comprehensive review summarized recent data on the anticancer properties of cyanidings along with natural sources, phytochemical data, traditional medical applications, molecular mechanisms and recent nanostrategies to increase the bioavailability and anticancer effects of cyanidins. For this analysis, in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies published up to the year 2022 were sourced from scientific databases and search engines such as PubMed/Medline, Google scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, Wiley and TRIP database. Cyanidins' antitumor properties are exerted during different stages of carcinogenesis and are based on a wide variety of biological activities. The data gathered and discussed in this review allows for affirming that cyanidins have relevant anticancer activity in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies. Future research should focus on studies that bring new data on improving the bioavailability of anthocyanins and on conducting detailed translational pharmacological studies to accurately establish the effective anticancer dose in humans as well as the correct route of administration.