scholarly journals Culturomics Discloses Anti-Tubercular Enterococci Exclusive of Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Preliminary Report

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1544
Author(s):  
Mustapha Fellag ◽  
Nina Gouba ◽  
Marielle Bedotto ◽  
Moussa Sakana ◽  
Dezemon Zingué ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Tuberculosis ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Enterococcus Casseliflavus ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Mycobacterium Africanum

Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes pulmonary tuberculosis, a deadly infection of which the clinical expression and prognosis are not fully understood at the individual level, apart from genetic susceptibility traits. We investigated whether individual gut microbiota may correlate with pulmonary tuberculosis status. Culturomics investigations of gut microbiota in two pulmonary tuberculosis patients and two controls in Burkina Faso found 60 different bacterial species in patients and 97 in controls, including 45 in common. Further analysis of the results at the individual level indicated seven bacteria, including Enterococcus mundtii and Enterococcus casseliflavus, which were exclusively cultured in controls. Blind quantitative PCR-based exploration of faeces samples in two cohorts in Burkina Faso and in France confirmed a nonsignificant association of E. mundtii and E. casseliflavus with controls. Further in vitro explorations found four E. mundtii and E. casseliflavus strains inhibiting the growth of M. tuberculosis strains representative of four different lineages as well as Mycobacterium africanum, Mycobacterium canettii, and Mycobacterium bovis, in an inoculum-dependent manner. Heat-killed E. mundtii or E. casseliflavus were ineffective. These unprecedented observations of direct interactions between gut E. mundtii and E. casseliflavus with M. tuberculosis complex mycobacteria suggest that gut microbiota may modulate the expression of pulmonary tuberculosis.

scholarly journals In VitroAnalyses of the Effects of Heparin and Parabens on Candida albicans Biofilms and Planktonic Cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marisa H. Miceli ◽  
Stella M. Bernardo ◽  
T. S. Neil Ku ◽  
Carla Walraven ◽  
Samuel A. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Metabolic Activity ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Planktonic Cells ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Heparin Sodium ◽  
The Individual

ABSTRACTInfections and thromboses are the most common complications associated with central venous catheters. Suggested strategies for prevention and management of these complications include the use of heparin-coated catheters, heparin locks, and antimicrobial lock therapy. However, the effects of heparin onCandida albicansbiofilms and planktonic cells have not been previously studied. Therefore, we sought to determine thein vitroeffect of a heparin sodium preparation (HP) on biofilms and planktonic cells ofC. albicans. Because HP contains two preservatives, methyl paraben (MP) and propyl paraben (PP), these compounds and heparin sodium without preservatives (Pure-H) were also tested individually. The metabolic activity of the mature biofilm after treatment was assessed using XTT [2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide] reduction and microscopy. Pure-H, MP, and PP caused up to 75, 85, and 60% reductions of metabolic activity of the mature preformedC. albicansbiofilms, respectively. Maximal efficacy against the mature biofilm was observed with HP (up to 90%) compared to the individual compounds (P< 0.0001). Pure-H, MP, and PP each inhibitedC. albicansbiofilm formation up to 90%. A complete inhibition of biofilm formation was observed with HP at 5,000 U/ml and higher. When tested against planktonic cells, each compound inhibited growth in a dose-dependent manner. These data indicated that HP, MP, PP, and Pure-H havein vitroantifungal activity againstC. albicansmature biofilms, formation of biofilms, and planktonic cells. Investigation of high-dose heparin-based strategies (e.g., heparin locks) in combination with traditional antifungal agents for the treatment and/or prevention ofC. albicansbiofilms is warranted.

scholarly journals Antiviral Activity of the PropylamylatinTM Formula against the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro Using Direct Injection and Gas Assays in Virus Suspensions

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 415
Author(s):  
Ashley N. Brown ◽  
Gary Strobel ◽  
Kaley C. Hanrahan ◽  
Joe Sears
Keyword(s):  
Propionic Acid ◽  
Infectious Virus ◽  
Direct Injection ◽  
Plaque Assay ◽  
Antiviral Effect ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Individual

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has become a severe threat to global public health. There are currently no antiviral therapies approved for the treatment or prevention of mild to moderate COVID-19 as remdesivir is only approved for severe COVID-19 cases. Here, we evaluated the antiviral potential of a Propylamylatin formula, which is a mixture of propionic acid and isoamyl hexanoates. The Propylamylatin formula was investigated in gaseous and liquid phases against 1 mL viral suspensions containing 105 PFU of SARS-CoV-2. Viral suspensions were sampled at various times post-exposure and infectious virus was quantified by plaque assay on Vero E6 cells. Propylamylatin formula vapors were effective at inactivating infectious SARS-CoV-2 to undetectable levels at room temperature and body temperature, but the decline in virus was substantially faster at the higher temperature (15 min versus 24 h). The direct injection of liquid Propylamylatin formula into viral suspensions also completely inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and the rapidity of inactivation occurred in an exposure dependent manner. The overall volume that resulted in 90% viral inactivation over the course of the direct injection experiment (EC90) was 4.28 µls. Further investigation revealed that the majority of the antiviral effect was attributed to the propionic acid which yielded an overall EC90 value of 11.50 µls whereas the isoamyl hexanoates provided at most a 10-fold reduction in infectious virus. The combination of propionic acid and isoamyl hexanoates was much more potent than the individual components alone, suggesting synergy between these components. These findings illustrate the therapeutic promise of the Propylamylatin formula as a potential treatment strategy for COVID-19 and future studies are warranted.

scholarly journals The Influence of Diet and Sex on the Gut Microbiota of Lean and Obese JCR:LA-cp Rats

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1037
Author(s):  
Craig Resch ◽  
Mihir Parikh ◽  
J. Alejandro Austria ◽  
Spencer D. Proctor ◽  
Thomas Netticadan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Ground Flaxseed ◽  
The Impact

There is an increased interest in the gut microbiota as it relates to health and obesity. The impact of diet and sex on the gut microbiota in conjunction with obesity also demands extensive systemic investigation. Thus, the influence of sex, diet, and flaxseed supplementation on the gut microbiota was examined in the JCR:LA-cp rat model of genetic obesity. Male and female obese rats were randomized into four groups (n = 8) to receive, for 12 weeks, either (a) control diet (Con), (b) control diet supplemented with 10% ground flaxseed (CFlax), (c) a high-fat, high sucrose (HFHS) diet, or (d) HFHS supplemented with 10% ground flaxseed (HFlax). Male and female JCR:LA-cp lean rats served as genetic controls and received similar dietary interventions. Illumine MiSeq sequencing revealed a richer microbiota in rats fed control diets rather than HFHS diets. Obese female rats had lower alpha-diversity than lean female; however, both sexes of obese and lean JCR rats differed significantly in β-diversity, as their gut microbiota was composed of different abundances of bacterial types. The feeding of an HFHS diet affected the diversity by increasing the phylum Bacteroidetes and reducing bacterial species from phylum Firmicutes. Fecal short-chain fatty acids such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate-producing bacterial species were correspondingly impacted by the HFHS diet. Flax supplementation improved the gut microbiota by decreasing the abundance of Blautia and Eubacterium dolichum. Collectively, our data show that an HFHS diet results in gut microbiota dysbiosis in a sex-dependent manner. Flaxseed supplementation to the diet had a significant impact on gut microbiota diversity under both flax control and HFHS dietary conditions.

Regulation of Metabolism: A Cross Talk Between Gut Microbiota and Its Human Host

Physiology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 300-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rémy Burcelin
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Obesity And Diabetes ◽  
Regulation Of Metabolism ◽  
Molecular Origin ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Low Grade Inflammation

The recent epidemic of obesity and diabetes and the diversity at the individual level could be explained by the intestinal microbiota-to-host relationship. More than four million gene products from the microbiome could interact with the immune system to induce a tissue metabolic infection, which is the molecular origin of the low-grade inflammation that characterizes the onset of obesity and diabetes.

scholarly journals Taurolidine Acts on Bacterial Virulence Factors and Does Not Induce Resistance in Periodontitis-Associated Bacteria—An In-Vitro Study

Antibiotics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 166
Author(s):  
Sabrina Radakovic ◽  
Nicola Andreoli ◽  
Simon Schmid ◽  
Sandor Nietzsche ◽  
Jürg Zumbrunn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virulence Factors ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Rare Event ◽  
In Vitro Study ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Concentration Dependent Manner ◽  
Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations ◽  
Development Of Resistance ◽  
Subinhibitory Concentrations

The aims of the present study were: (a) to determine the mechanism of action of taurolidine against bacterial species associated with periodontal disease, and (b) to evaluate the potential development of resistance against taurolidine as compared with minocycline. After visualizing the mode of action of taurolidine by transmission electron micrographs, the interaction with most important virulence factors (lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipains, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans leukotoxin), was analyzed. Then, 14 clinical isolates from subgingival biofilm samples were transferred on agar plates containing subinhibitory concentrations of taurolidine or minocycline up to 50 passages. Before and after each 10 passages, minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined. Increasing MICs were screened for efflux mechanism. Taurolidine inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the activities of LPS and of the arginine-specific gingipains; however, an effect on A. actinomycetemcomitans leukotoxin was not detected. One P. gingivalis strain developed a resistance against taurolidine, which was probably linked with efflux mechanisms. An increase of MIC values of minocycline occurred in five of the 14 included strains after exposure to subinhibitory concentrations of the antibiotic. The present results indicate that: (a) taurolidine interacts with LPS and gingipains, and (b) development of resistance seems to be a rare event when using taurolidine.

Malathion, Lindane, and Piperonyl Butoxide, Individually or in Combined Mixtures, Induce Immunotoxicity via Apoptosis in Murine Splenocytes In Vitro

2010 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine L. R. Battaglia ◽  
Robert M. Gogal ◽  
Kurt Zimmerman ◽  
Hara P. Misra
Keyword(s):  
Piperonyl Butoxide ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Dna Ladder ◽  
Murine Splenocytes ◽  
Pesticide Mixture ◽  
Cytologic Analysis ◽  
Induced Apoptosis ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Alamarblue Assay

Lindane, malathion, and piperonyl butoxide were cultured singly or as mixtures with murine splenocytes to evaluate changes in cell death and caused cytotoxicity in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Pesticide mixture studies were then performed based on minimum cytotoxicity concentrations (<LC25). Cytologic analysis and the alamarBlue assay revealed that individual pesticides and mixtures of malathion/lindane and malathion/piperonyl butoxide prompted cytotoxicity, which was supported by DNA ladder analysis. Using 7-aminoactinomycin D, apoptosis was quantified at 6.5%, 12.0%, 13.2%, 19.3%, and 23.4% for malathion, lindane, piperonyl butoxide, malathion-lindane, and malathion-piperonyl butoxide, respectively. Staining with 7-aminoactinomycin D and B- or T-cell–specific fluorescent-labeled monoclonal antibodies showed B cells to be more susceptible to malathion and piperonyl butoxide treatments than T cells. Treatment of murine splenocytes in vitro with minimum cytotoxic concentrations of lindane, malathion, and piperonyl butoxide and their mixtures induced apoptosis, the effect elicited by the mixtures being additive compared with the individual pesticide effect.

scholarly journals Gut microbiota impacts bone via B.vulgatus-valeric acid-related pathways

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Lin ◽  
Hong-Mei Xiao ◽  
Hui-Min Liu ◽  
Wan-Qiang Lv ◽  
Jonathan Greenbaum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Valeric Acid ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Osteoporosis Prevention ◽  
Mineral Density ◽  
Ovariectomized Mice ◽  
Chinese Cohort ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Individual

AbstractAlthough gut microbiota influences osteoporosis risk, the individual species involved, and underlying mechanisms, are unknown. We performed integrative analyses in a Chinese cohort with metagenomics/targeted metabolomics/whole-genome sequencing. Bacteroides vulgatus was found negatively associated with bone mineral density (BMD), this association was validated in US Caucasians. Serum valeric acid was positively associated with BMD, and B.vulgatus causally downregulated it. Ovariectomized mice fed B.vulgatus had decreased bone formation and increased bone resorption, lower BMD and poorer bone micro-structure. Valeric acid suppressed NF-κB p65 protein production (pro-inflammatory), and enhanced IL-10 mRNA expression (anti-inflammatory), leading to suppressed maturation of osteoclast-like cells, and enhanced maturation of osteoblasts in vitro. B.vulgatus and valeric acid represent promising targets for osteoporosis prevention/treatment.

scholarly journals Evaluate the activity of cryopreserved boar ejaculated spermatozoa under different thawing protocols

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 287-292
Author(s):  
O. V. Shcherbak ◽  
S. I. Kovtun ◽  
O. I. Metlitska ◽  
P. A. Trotskyi ◽  
I. M. Lyuta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Semen Quality ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
In Vitro Cultivation ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Cryopreserved Sperm ◽  
Boar Semen ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Breeding And Genetics

Aim. To evaluate the activity of cryopreserved boar ejaculated spermatozoa under different thawing protocols to optimize biotechnological approaches in pig reproduction based on the genetic material of the Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics nd. a. M.V. Zubets of National Academy of Agrarian Science of Ukraine. Methods. Cryopreserved ejaculated boars' sperm was thawed in three different ways. Biotechnological, cryobiological and morphological methods were used to assess the viability of the sperm. Results. We noted the individual feature of semen quality of the studied boars, which affects its suitability for cryopreservation and quality indicators after thawing. It was found that in liquefied boar sperm (sperm activity on average is 86.7%) after its centrifugation and three-hour equilibration at + 4 °C sperm activity decreased by an average of 25.0%. In order to improve the quality of cryopreserved sperm, it was thawed under different conditions. The highest activity of spermatozoa in thawed sperm of boar No. 225 of Myrhorod pig was at the level of 25.0% at the thawing temperature + 70 °C, and the thermal resistance and heat resistance were 70.0% and 60.0%, respectively. Conclusions. During this study was noted that there are peculiarities of boar semen at breed and individual level, which influence its ability to tolerate cryopreservation. Keywords: sperm, in vitro cultivation, cryobank, cryopreservation, boars.

scholarly journals Curcumin β-D-Glucuronide Modulates an Autoimmune Model of Multiple Sclerosis with Altered Gut Microbiota in the Ileum and Feces

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sundar Khadka ◽  
Seiichi Omura ◽  
Fumitaka Sato ◽  
Kazuto Nishio ◽  
Hideaki Kakeya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
High Serum ◽  
Free Form ◽  
Anatomical Site ◽  
Ileal Mucosa ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Individual

We developed a prodrug type of curcumin, curcumin monoglucuronide (CMG), whose intravenous/intraperitoneal injection achieves a high serum concentration of free-form curcumin. Although curcumin has been reported to alter the gut microbiota and immune responses, it is unclear whether the altered microbiota could be associated with inflammation in immune-mediated diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed to determine whether CMG administration could affect the gut microbiota at three anatomical sites (feces, ileal contents, and the ileal mucosa), leading to suppression of inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) in an autoimmune model for MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We injected EAE mice with CMG, harvested the brains and spinal cords for histological analyses, and conducted microbiome analyses using 16S rRNA sequencing. CMG administration modulated EAE clinically and histologically, and altered overall microbiota compositions in feces and ileal contents, but not the ileal mucosa. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the microbiome showed that principal component (PC) 1 values in ileal contents, but not in feces, correlated with the clinical and histological EAE scores. On the other hand, when we analyzed the individual bacteria of the microbiota, the EAE scores correlated with significant increases in the relative abundance of two bacterial species at each anatomical site: Ruminococcus bromii and Blautia (Ruminococcus) gnavus in feces, Turicibacter sp. and Alistipes finegoldii in ileal contents, and Burkholderia spp. and Azoarcus spp. in the ileal mucosa. Therefore, CMG administration could alter the gut microbiota at the three different sites differentially in not only the overall gut microbiome compositions but also the abundance of individual bacteria, each of which was associated with modulation of neuroinflammation.

scholarly journals Ophiopogon Polysaccharide Promotes the In Vitro Metabolism of Ophiopogonins by Human Gut Microbiota

Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (16) ◽  
pp. 2886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huai-You Wang ◽  
Shu-Chen Guo ◽  
Zhi-Tian Peng ◽  
Cheng Wang ◽  
Ran Duan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Chinese Herb ◽  
In Vitro Metabolism ◽  
Steroidal Saponin ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Human Gut ◽  
Promoting Effect ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Human Gut Microbiota

Gut microbiota play an important role in metabolism of intake saponins, and parallelly, the polysaccharides deriving from herbal products possess effects on gut microbiota. Ophiopogonis Radix is a common Chinese herb that is popularly used as functional food in China. Polysaccharide and steroidal saponin, e.g., ophiopogonin, mainly ophiopogonin D (Oph-D) and ophiopogonin D’ (Oph-D’), are the major constituents in this herb. In order to reveal the role of gut microbiota in metabolizing ophiopogonin, an in vitro metabolism of Oph-D and Oph-D’ by human gut microbiota, in combination with or without Ophiopogon polysaccharide, was conducted. A sensitive and reliable UPLC-MS/MS method was developed to simultaneously quantify Oph-D, Oph-D’ and their final metabolites, i.e., ruscogenin and diosgenin in the broth of microbiota. An elimination of Oph-D and Oph-D’ was revealed in a time-dependent manner, as well as the recognition of a parallel increase of ruscogenin and diosgenin. Ophiopogon polysaccharide was shown to stimulate the gut microbiota-induced metabolism of ophiopogonins. This promoting effect was further verified by increased activities of β-D-glucosidase, β-D-xylosidase, α-L-rhamnosidase and β-D-fucosidase in the broth. This study can be extended to investigate the metabolism of steroidal saponins by gut microbiota when combined with other herbal products, especially those herbs enriched with polysaccharides.

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