Bacterial and fungal microbiota of mould-ripened cheese produced in Konya

Bacterial and fungal diversities of 24 mould-ripened cheeses originating from Konya-Türkiye were examined by metagenomic analysis. Firmicutes phylum, Enterococcus, Clostridium sensu stricto and Lactobacillus (Levilactobacillus) genera were the dominant bacteria. Ascomycota phylum and Penicillium and Pichia genera and Penicillium roqueforti and Pichia membranifaciens species were dominant fungi. Enterococcus faecium (n = 30) and Enterococcus faecalis (n = 6) were identified, and all strains were susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, vancomycin, teicoplanin, chloramphenicol and linezolid. The highest resistance (n = 14) was against rifampin. Tetracycline resistance was determined in two strains. Biofilm-forming ability was found in nine E. faecium and 1 E. faecalis. E. faecium strains revealed 40–88.9%, and E. faecalis showed 59.2–100% homology by pulsed field gel electrophoresis.     

柚皮膳食纤维对去势雌性大鼠肠道发酵的影响

研究柚皮中提取的膳食纤维对去势雌性大鼠肠道发酵的影响。将40只SD成年雌鼠随机分为5组,4组大鼠做双侧卵巢切除手术,一周后分为空白组、柚皮原料组、柚皮可溶性膳食纤维组和柚皮不溶性膳食纤维组;用伪切除同龄大鼠作对照(Sham组)。喂养4周后解剖,测定各组体重、盲肠组织重量、盲肠内容物中游离氨、短链脂肪酸以及微生物的数量等指标。结果显示,饲料中添加柚皮原料、柚皮可溶性膳食纤维和柚皮不溶性膳食纤维均能显著增加去势雌性大鼠短链脂肪酸含量和盲肠面积(p<0.05)、降低盲肠内容物pH和游离氨的含量以及增加肠道内有益菌的数量并抑制有害菌生长。柚皮膳食纤维能够明显促进去势雌性大鼠肠道发酵作用,改善肠道环境。      

Diet,the intestinal microbiota,and immune health in aging

Many countries are facing aging populations, with those over 65 years of age likely to represent the largest population over the next 10–20 years. Living longer often comes with poor health and, in particular, a decline in the immune function characterized by poor vaccine responses and increased risk of infection and certain cancers. Aging and diet represent major intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the makeup and activity of resident intestinal microbes, the microbiota, the efficient functioning of which is essential for sustaining overall health and the effectiveness of the immune system. The provision of elderly specific dietary recommendations appears to be lacking but is necessary since this population has an altered microbiota and immune response and may not respond in the same way as their healthy and younger counterparts. We have reviewed the evidence supporting the role of diet and, in particular, dietary carbohydrate, protein, and fat in influencing the microbiota and its generation of key metabolites that influence the efficient functioning of immune cells during aging, and how dietary intervention might be of benefit in improving the intestinal health and immune status in the elderly.     

Intestinal microbiota are involved in the immunomodulatory activities of longan polysaccharide

It is difficult for polysaccharides to be directly absorbed through the intestine, which implies other utilization mechanisms involved in the bioactivity performance of polysaccharide. In this study, the multi‐omics approach was applied to investigate the impacts of longan polysaccharide on mouse intestinal microbiome and the interaction between the polysaccharide‐derived microbiome and host immune system. According to the result, the longan polysaccharide showed a significant improvement in the typical intestinal immunity index of mice. Meanwhile, at the taxonomy level, the intestinal microbiota from the control group and polysaccharide group were highly distinct in organismal structure. At the functional level, a significant decline in the microbial metabolites of pyruvate, butanoate fructose and mannose in the control group was found. Additionally, a significant increase was observed in the succinic acid and the short‐chain fatty acid, including acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid, in the polysaccharide group. Furthermore, the multi‐omic based network analysis indicated that the intake of longan polysaccharide resulted in the changes of the intestinal microbiota as well as the gut metabolites, which led to the enhancement of host's immune function under the stress conditions. These results indicated the polysaccharide‐derived changes in intestinal microbiota were involved in the immunomodulatory activities.     

花椒麻味素剂量对SD雌性大鼠肠道健康的影响

目的:研究不同花椒麻味素灌喂剂量对大鼠肠道健康的影响。方法:将40只SD雌性大鼠按体重随机将大鼠分为空白组（LOD）,高脂组即高脂空白组（HF-LOD）、高脂并灌胃4mg/kg/d（HF-CD）、高脂并灌胃8mg/kg/d（HF-MD）、高脂并灌胃12mg/kg/d（HF-HD）花椒麻味素的大豆油溶液等共5组各8只。饲养期间自由采食基础饲料和饮水,喂养4周后解剖,测定盲肠质量、盲肠内容物、盲肠组织重量、盲肠内容物游离氨以及盲肠中短链脂肪酸和微生物。结果:高脂空白组与空白组相比,采食量、饲料效率和盲肠面积显著增加,双歧杆菌显著降低;高脂空白组与剂量组相比,各剂量组的体重增加量、饲料效率、乳酸菌、厌氧菌和双歧杆菌显著增加,盲肠面积显著降低,中剂量组的丙酸、异丁酸、总的SCFAs显著增加,肠球菌显著降低,中、高剂量组的大肠杆菌显著降低。结论:高脂饲料会延长饲料在消化道的时间,抑制肠道有益菌的生长,花椒麻味素能够改善由高脂饲料引起的各种肠道不良反应,促进肠道发酵和有益菌的生长。      

Prebiotic potential of a refined product containing pectic oligosaccharides

Apple pomace samples were subjected to Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) to yield a medium containing mainly lactic acid and oligosaccharides. After lactic acid removal by ion exchange, the SSF medium was refined by a two-step (diafiltration-concentration) membrane treatment. Limited losses of glucooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides and arabinooligosaccharides were noticed in permeates, whereas the concentrate from the second stage showed low concentrations of lactic acid, arabinose and NaCl, which were extensively removed in the refining process. About 60% other the non-saccharide compounds present in the solution fed to membranes were removed in permeates, whereas oligogalacturonides were quantitatively recovered in the final concentrate. The refined product was assayed for its prebiotic potential by means of in vitro fermentability assays performed with individual microbial strains or human fecal inocula. In this latter case, the dynamics of microbial populations was assessed by Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH). The experimental results proved the prebiotic effects caused by the refined product obtained in this work, which included the promotion of beneficial bacterial growth and the increase of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) concentrations.     

花椒精非挥发性成分对大鼠肠道健康的影响

目的:研究花椒精中非挥发性组成成分对大鼠肠道健康的影响。方法:4组实验鼠分别被灌胃相同量的大豆油、花椒精去除挥发油成分(RE)、花椒麻味物质(NTC)和花椒精除去以上两部分后的剩余物(REN)的大豆油溶液,4周后处死取样,测定各相关指标。结果:灌胃NTC组盲肠壁面积减小,游离氨浓度显著升高,短链脂肪酸含量无显著变化,盲肠内容物中乳酸菌等有益菌数量减少,大肠杆菌等有害菌数量显著上升;RE组各指标变化趋势与NTC组相同,但没有NTC作用效果显著;灌胃REN组短链脂肪酸浓度显著增大,游离氨浓度显著升高,pH呈下降趋势,盲肠壁面积增大,盲肠内容物中部分有益菌和有害菌数量均有上升趋势。结论:RE和NTC均会抑制大鼠肠道发酵,对肠道健康有害,且NTC的作用强于RE组分。      

三种粗粮粉体外调节肠道菌群的作用研究

通过在体外模拟构建消化和发酵体系,研究不同来源的三种麸皮(小麦麸皮、黑小麦麸皮和燕麦麸皮)配制成的粗粮粉对肠道菌群调节作用的影响。采用高通量测序技术16S rRNA对肠道菌群的多样性和组成进行分析,结果表明,粗粮粉发酵后微生物多样性降低,肠道菌群组成发生了较大变化,拟杆菌门比例下降,厚壁菌门比例升高,代谢产生的短链脂肪酸含量显著增多(p<0.05);其中,燕麦粗粮粉促进双歧杆菌体外增殖的效果优于其他两组粗粮粉,分别是小麦粗粮粉和黑小麦粗粮粉的1.45和2.14倍。本研究为调制加工性能好、保健价值高的粗粮粉配方提供了理论依据。     

Low and high amylose maize starches acetylated by a commercial or a laboratory process both deliver acetate to the large bowel of rats

Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) produced by large bowel bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates promote normal colonic function and health. Previous studies in rats have shown that starches acylated with SCFA to a high degree of substitution (DS) resist small intestinal digestion and pass into the large bowel where the acids are released by bacterial enzyme activity. These studies were conducted with starches manufactured from low or high amylose starches manufactured in the laboratory or commercially. In this study, a direct comparison was made between acetylated low and high amylose maize starch manufactured in the laboratory and high amylose maize starch acetylated commercially. Compared to a standard maize starch, all acetylated starches raised large bowel pools of acetate (by as much as 10-fold) and total SCFA (by between 320% and 775%) when fed to rats. They also raised large bowel digesta mass by as much as 2-fold and lowered pH by up to 28%. These changes were observed when the background diet contained unmodified low or high amylose starch, although the changes were greatest with high amylose maize starch which is consistent with its resistance to digestion. The data confirm that acylated starches are a viable means of raising specific large bowel SCFA, independent of the manufacturing process.     

The prebiotic arabinogalactan of Anoectochilus formosanus prevents ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in mice

Anoectochilus formosanus (Orchidaceae) has previously been shown to exhibit anti-osteoporosis and prebiotic properties. In this study, these bioactivities were verified and associated with an isolated type II arabinogalactan (AGAF) in ovariectomized (OVX) mice model. Female ICR mice were OVX and administrated AGAF (5 and 15 mg/kg) or inulin (400 mg/kg) orally for 3 weeks. Streptomycin was used for blocking the bioactivities of AGAF. In results, AGAF increased the level of fecal bifidobacteria, cecal soluble Ca and short chain fatty acids. Comparing to OVX control group, AGAF improved bone mineral content, trabecular bone volume, and the number of trabecular significantly. In RT-PCR analysis, AGAF reduced the expression of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, cathepsin K, and osteocalcin. Streptomycin inhibited both anti-osteoporosis and prebiotic effects of AGAF. In vitro experiments revealed butyrate, not AGAF could activate osteoblasts and inhibit osteoclasts differentiation. Thus, this study demonstrated that AGAF prevents bone loss in OVX mice through prebiotic effects in vivo and in vitro.     

Enzyme deactivation treatments did not decrease the beneficial role of oat food in intestinal microbiota and short‐chain fatty acids: an in vivo study

BACKGROUND: Steaming and roasting treatments are widely used enzyme deactivation methods in the oat food industry in China. Whether or not the enzyme deactivation treatments affect the nutritional function of oat foods is unknown. In the current study, we examined the effects of 4‐week ingestion of steamed or roasted oat foods on the intestinal bacteria and short‐chain fatty acids of rats. RESULTS: Compared with rats taking no oat foods, rats taking normal oat foods or enzyme‐deactivated oat foods showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) counts of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. in colon, significantly lower (P < 0.05) counts of Enterococcus spp. and coliforms in colon, and significantly higher (P < 0.05) levels of butyrate and acetate in colonic digesta. In addition, rats taking infrared roasting (IR)‐treated oat foods also demonstrated significantly higher (P < 0.05) fecal Lactobacillus spp. counts and significantly lower (P < 0.05) cecal and fecal counts of E. coli, Enterococcus spp. and coliforms than rats taking no oat foods. As for the comparison between the enzyme‐undeactivated oat group and the three enzyme‐deactivated oat groups, there were no significant differences in most of the parameters (P > 0.05), though a few exceptions did exist. CONCLUSION: Enzyme deactivation treatments did not decrease the beneficial role of oat food in the intestinal microbes and short‐chain fatty acids of rats. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Dietary-resistant starch improves maternal glycemic control in Goto-Kakizaki rat

Scope: Dietary prebiotics show potential in anti‐diabetes. Dietary resistant starch (RS) has a favorable impact on gut hormone profiles, including glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) consistently released, a potent anti‐diabetic incretin. Also RS reduced body fat and improved glucose tolerance in rats and mice. In the current project, we hypothesize that dietary‐resistant starch can improve insulin sensitivity and pancreatic β cell mass in a type 2 diabetic rat model. Altered gut fermentation and microbiota are the initial mechanisms, and enhancement in serum GLP‐1 is the secondary mechanism. Methods and results: In this study, GK rats were fed an RS diet with 30% RS and an energy control diet. After 10 wk, these rats were mated and went through pregnancy and lactation. At the end of the study, pancreatic β cell mass, insulin sensitivity, pancreatic insulin content, total GLP‐1 levels, cecal short‐chain fatty acid concentrations and butyrate producing bacteria in cecal contents were greatly improved by RS feeding. The offspring of RS‐fed dams showed improved fasting glucose levels and normal growth curves. Conclusion: Dietary RS is potentially of great therapeutic importance in the treatment of diabetes and improvement in outcomes of pregnancy complicated by diabetes.