Project description:The link between the gut microbiota of a human being (a complex group of microorganism including not only bacteria but also fungi, viruses, etc.,) that form an ecosystem in his gastrointestinal tract and his physiological state is nowadays unquestionable. Metaproteomics has emerged as a useful technique to characterize this microbial community, not just taxonomically, but also focusing on specific biological processes carried out by gut microbiota that may have an effect in the host health or pathological state. In order to characterize this host-microbiota inter-relation, we carried out the metaproteomic study of 6 stool samples from 6 healthy adults. A total of 37 080 peptide sequences and 10 686 protein groups were identified in this study. Regarding taxonomic information, we found a total of 247 taxa among 105 were species. Interesting contributions of microbiota metabolism to human host physiology has also been described.
Project description:Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a widespread heart condition caused by atherosclerosis and influences millions of people worldwide. Early detection of CAD is challenging due to the lack of specific biomarkers. The gut microbiota and host-microbiota interactions have been well documented to affect human health. However, investigation that reveals the role of gut microbes in CAD is still limited. This study aims to uncover the synergistic effects of host genes and gut microbes associated with CAD through integrative genomic analyses.
Project description:Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a widespread heart condition caused by atherosclerosis and influences millions of people worldwide. Early detection of CAD is challenging due to the lack of specific biomarkers. The gut microbiota and host-microbiota interactions have been well documented to affect human health. However, investigation that reveals the role of gut microbes in CAD is still limited. This study aims to uncover the synergistic effects of host genes and gut microbes associated with CAD through integrative genomic analyses.
Project description:Brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both adults and children, particularly affecting those aged 0–14 years. Efforts to develop targeted therapies have largely been unsuccessful, with limited improvement in survival rates. This underscores the urgent need for more effective treatments. Recent research highlights the importance of the gut microbiota and its collective genomes, known as the microbiome, in maintaining overall health. The microbiome helps prevent infections and regulates immune responses both locally and throughout the body. There is a strong connection between the gastrointestinal (GI) system and the CNS, as the CNS plays a crucial role in controlling the GI tract’s function and balance. The relationship between the gut microbiota and the brain, referred to as the microbiota-gut-brain axis, is a complex interaction that may influence CNS cancer development and treatment outcomes. In this study, researchers examined the gut microbiota composition in a group of pediatric cancer patients, focusing on those with CNS tumors.
Project description:The effect of oral microbiota on the intestinal microbiota has garnered growing attention as a mechanism linking periodontal diseases to systemic diseases. However, the salivary microbiota is diverse and comprises numerous bacteria with a largely similar composition in healthy individuals and periodontitis patients. Thus, the systemic effects of small differences in the oral microbiota are unclear. In this study, we explored how health-associated and periodontitis-associated salivary microbiota differently colonized the intestine and their subsequent systemic effects by analyzing the hepatic gene expression and serum metabolomic profiles. The salivary microbiota was collected from a healthy individual and a periodontitis patient and gavaged into C57BL/6NJcl[GF] mice. Samples were collected five weeks after administration. Gut microbial communities were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Hepatic gene expression profiles were analyzed using a DNA microarray and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Serum metabolites were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The gut microbial composition at the genus level was significantly different between periodontitis-associated microbiota-administered (PAO) and health-associated oral microbiota-administered (HAO) mice. The hepatic gene expression profile demonstrated a distinct pattern between the two groups, with higher expression of Neat1, Mt1, Mt2, and Spindlin1, which are involved in lipid and glucose metabolism. Disease-associated metabolites such as 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid and hydroxybenzoic acid were elevated in PAO mice. These metabolites were significantly correlated with Bifidobacterium, Atomobium, Campylobacter, and Haemophilus, which are characteristic taxa in PAO mice. Conversely, health-associated oral microbiota were associated with higher levels of beneficial serum metabolites in HAO mice. The multi-omics approach used in this study revealed that periodontitis-associated oral microbiota is associated with the induction of disease phenotype when they colonized the gut of germ-free mice.
Project description:The human gut microbiota plays a vital role in host health by acting as a barrier against pathogens, boosting the immune system, and metabolizing complex carbon sources into beneficial compounds such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). However, external factors like diet and xenobiotics, including food colorants, can impact this microbial community. Brilliant blue FCF (E-133), a common food dye that is not absorbed or metabolized by the body, thus, leading to significant exposure of the gut microbiota, and its effects on it are not well-documented. This study investigated the impact of brilliant blue on the simplified human gut microbiota model (SIHUMIx) over a seven-day exposure period, followed by a four-day recovery phase. Using continuous culture bioreactors along with metaproteomic and metabolomic analyses, the research uncovered substantial structural and functional changes in the microbiota. Our findings showed alterations in the species abundance such as B. thetaiotaomicron, B. longum, and C. butyricum, reductions in energy metabolism by-products, particularly lactate and butyrate, and disruptions in metabolic pathways involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics and amino acids. The results indicate that brilliant blue exposure compromises microbiota stability and functionality, highlighting the need for further research on its long-term effects and recovery mechanisms. This study underscores the importance of assessing the impacts of food additives on gut microbiota as part of comprehensive health risk evaluations.
Project description:The postnatal period is one of the important windows for developing the gastrointestinal tract's structure-function and associated mucosal immunity. Recent studies suggest a promising contribution of gut microbiota in maintaining host health, immunity, and gut development. However, the function of postnatal gut microbiota dynamics concerning intestinal mucosal development needs to be better understood. To decipher the causal role of gut microbiota on barrier integrity and intestinal epithelium development, we executed an antibiotic-mediated perturbation and tracked the kinetics in postnatal mice. We observed a postnatal age-related impact of antibiotic-mediated gut microbiota perturbation with a substantial decrease in total bacterial load on P14D and also in the barrier integrity and IECs marker. To enhance our knowledge of the mechanisms behind this, we employed a global transcriptomics approach to see the alterations in the mucosal innate immunity and other relevant pathways.
Project description:Increasing evidence indicates that gut microbiota plays an important role in cancer progression. We have employed RNA-seq or microarray for genome including mRNA, microRNA or circRNA profiling in an gut microbiota -dependent manner, as a discovery platform to identify target genes with the potential to involve in tumor regulation. The deep sequencing analysis reveals regulatory functions of microbiota-mediated circular RNA (circRNA)/microRNA networks that may contribute to cancer progression.
Project description:Increasing evidence indicates that gut microbiota plays an important role in cancer progression. We have employed RNA-seq or microarray for genome including mRNA, microRNA or circRNA profiling in an gut microbiota -dependent manner, as a discovery platform to identify target genes with the potential to involve in tumor regulation. The deep sequencing analysis reveals regulatory functions of microbiota-mediated circular RNA (circRNA)/microRNA networks that may contribute to cancer progression.