Project description:Mammalian feces can be collected non-invasively during field research and provides valuable information on the ecology and evolution of the host individuals. Undigested food objects, genome/metagenome, steroid hormones, and stable isotopes obtained from fecal samples provide evidence on diet, host/symbiont genetics, and physiological status of the individuals. However, proteins in mammalian feces have hardly been studied, which hampers the molecular investigations into the behavior and physiology of the host individuals. Here, we apply mass spectrometry-based proteomics to fecal samples (n = 10) that were collected from infant, juvenile, and adult captive Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) to describe the proteomes of the host, food, and intestinal microbes. The results show that fecal proteomics is a useful method to investigate dietary changes along with breastfeeding and weaning, to reveal the organ/tissue and taxonomy of dietary items, and to estimate physiological status inside intestinal tracts. These types of insights are difficult or impossible to obtain through other molecular approaches. Most mammalian species are facing extinction risk and there is an urgent need to obtain knowledge on their ecology and evolution for better conservation strategy. The fecal proteomics framework we present here is easily applicable to wild settings and other mammalian species, and provides direct evidence of their behavior and physiology.
Project description:A subset of post-infection irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) patients have elevated, or high fecal proteolytic activity (PA). Fecal PA has been shown to correlate with increased symptom severity as well as lower quality of life scores, increased fecal output and increased intestinal permeability. To address the underlying mechanisms of barrier disruption as a consequence of high fecal PA, colonic biopsies were collected from healthy individuals PI-IBS patients (n=11). Individuals diagnosed with PI-IBS were further divided in to 2 subgroups, high PA and low PA as defined by the PA in matched fecal samples. RNA was extracted from the biopsies for bulk RNA sequencing to understand transcriptional differences between healthy and high PA PI-IBS patients as well as high PA and Low PA PI-IBS patients.
Project description:Prevalence of obesity and associated diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are increasing. Underlying mechanisms, especially in humans, are unclear. Bariatric surgery provides the unique opportunity to obtain biopsies and portal vein blood-samples.
Methods
The BARIA Study aims to assess how microbiota and their metabolites affect transcription in key tissues and clinical outcome in obese subjects and how baseline anthropometric and metabolic characteristics determine weight loss and glucose homeostasis after bariatric surgery. We phenotype patients undergoing bariatric surgery (predominantly laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass), before weight loss, with biometrics, dietary and psychological questionnaires, mixed meal test (MMT) and collect fecal-samples and intra-operative biopsies from liver, adipose tissues and jejunum. We aim to include 1500 patients. A subset (approximately 25%) will undergo intra-operative portal vein blood-sampling. Fecal-samples are analyzed with shotgun metagenomics and targeted metabolomics, fasted and postprandial plasma-samples are subjected to metabolomics, and RNA is extracted from the tissues for RNAseq-analyses. Data will be integrated using state-of-the-art neuronal networks and metabolic modeling. Patient follow-up will be ten years.
Project description:This study performed gut microbiota 16s rDNA sequencing on patients receiving stent-based diversion technique (SDT) and temporary ileostomy surgery, with fecal samples collected at preoperative baseline and postoperative follow-up time points. This study aims to characterize perioperative gut microbial signatures, assess alterations in microbial alpha/beta diversity and differential taxa abundance, identify core microbial biomarkers affected by fecal diversion and surgical intervention, and map dynamic gut flora variation induced by SDT and ileostomy. Both ileostomy and minimally invasive SDT alter intestinal luminal conditions and fecal flow, thereby disrupting intestinal microecology and increasing risks of postoperative inflammation, stoma complications and gastrointestinal disorders; however, few studies have illustrated their effects on perioperative gut microbiota. This dataset fills the relevant microecological research gap, helps reveal microbial mechanisms of postoperative gastrointestinal complications, and provides evidence for targeted perioperative microecological intervention to optimize intestinal rehabilitation and reduce stoma-related adverse outcomes in this patient cohort.