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Gut Microbiota Metabolites in Health and Disease

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A special issue of Metabolites (ISSN 2218-1989). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2021) | Viewed by 15232

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Giulia Malaguarnera

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Guest Editor

Research Center “The Great Senescence”, University of Catania, 95100 Catania, Italy
Interests: resveratrol; gut microbiota; metabolites; metabolism; Alzheimer’s disease; retina; diabetes; nutrition; pharmacology; gastrointestinal diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The total number of bacterial species found in the gastrointestinal tract is estimated to be about 500–1000 [1]. A total of 90% of bacterial phyla of the gut microbiota are Bacteroides and Firmicutes [2]. The remaining species, however even if in lower quantities, may also provide important metabolites for health.

The gut microbiota varies between individuals, ages, and diet. The inter-individual data of fecal samples may provide a microbiome functional core in important biochemical or physiological pathways [3,4].

Many biomolecules are produced endogenously by commensal microbes in the digestive tract. These biomolecules include vitamins, fermentation products, and gut-derived hormones.

Gut dysbiosis may provoke proinflammatory innate immunity response and can interfere with the crosstalk between the gut microbiota and the host releasing various biomolecules. Effects may be seen in other organs such as the liver and the brain.

This Special Issue aims to collect articles on the metabolites produced by the gut microbiota and how they are correlated to health and disease status.

[1] Sommer, F.; Bäckhed, F. The gut microbiota-masters of host development and physiology. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 2013, 11, 227–238.

[2] Qin, J.; Li, R.; Raes, Jeroen; Arumugam, M.; Burgdorf, K.S.; Manichanh, C.; Nielsen, T.; Pons, N.; Levenez, F.; Yamada, T. et.al. A human gut microbial gene catalogue established by metagenomic sequencing. Nature, 2010, 464, 59–65.

[3] Lloyd-Price, J.; Abu-Ali, G.; Huttenhower, C. The healthy human microbiome. Genome Medicine 2016, 8, 51.

[4] Biagi, E.; Franceschi, C. Rampelli, S.; Severgnini, M. Ostan, R. Turroni, S. Consolandi, C.; Quercia, S. Scurti, M. Monti, D. Gut Microbiota and Extreme Longevity. Curr. Biol., 2016, 26, 1480–1485

Dr. Giulia Malaguarnera
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

gut microbiota
dysbiosis
gut–brain axis
bioactive compounds
malnutrition
short chain acids

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 2177 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Association of Neonatal Jaundice with Gut Dysbiosis Characterized by Decreased Bifidobacteriales

by Shohei Akagawa, Yuko Akagawa, Sohsaku Yamanouchi, Yoshiki Teramoto, Masahiro Yasuda, Sadayuki Fujishiro, Jiro Kino, Masato Hirabayashi, Kenji Mine, Takahisa Kimata, Masaki Hashiyada, Atsushi Akane, Shoji Tsuji and Kazunari Kaneko

Metabolites 2021, 11(12), 887; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo11120887 - 18 Dec 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2466

Abstract

Neonatal jaundice, caused by excess serum bilirubin levels, is a common condition in neonates. Imbalance in the gut microbiota is believed to play a role in the development of neonatal jaundice. Thus, we aimed to reveal the gut microbiota characteristics in neonates with jaundice. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on stool samples collected on day 4 from 26 neonates with jaundice (serum total bilirubin > 15.0 mg/dL) and 17 neonates without jaundice (total serum bilirubin < 10.0 mg/dL). All neonates were born full term, with normal weight, by vaginal delivery, and were breastfed. Neonates who were administered antibiotics, had serum direct bilirubin levels above 1 mg/dL, or had conditions possibly leading to hemolytic anemia were excluded. The median serum bilirubin was 16.0 mg/dL (interquartile range: 15.5–16.8) and 7.4 mg/dL (interquartile range: 6.8–8.3) for the jaundice and non-jaundice groups, respectively. There was no difference in the alpha diversity indices. Meanwhile, in the jaundice group, linear discriminant analysis effect size revealed that Bifidobacteriales were decreased at the order level, while Enterococcaceae were increased and Bifidobacteriaceae were decreased at the family level. Bifidobacteriaceae may act preventatively because of their suppressive effect on beta-glucuronidase, leading to accelerated deconjugation of conjugated bilirubin in the intestine. In summary, neonates with jaundice had dysbiosis characterized by a decreased abundance of Bifidobacteriales. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiota Metabolites in Health and Disease)

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13 pages, 1527 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Platycodon grandiflorum on Gut Microbiome and Immune System of Immunosuppressed Mouse

by So-Yun Jhang, Sung-Hyen Lee, Eun-Byeol Lee, Ji-Hye Choi, Sohyun Bang, Misun Jeong, Hwan-Hee Jang, Hyun-Ju Kim, Hae-Jeung Lee, Hyun-Cheol Jeong and Sung-Jin Lee

Metabolites 2021, 11(12), 817; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo11120817 - 29 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1901

Abstract

Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) is a perennial plant that has been used as a traditional remedy to control immune-related diseases. PG was steamed and dried to improve its taste (PGS). The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of PG and PGS (PG-diets) on the gut microbiome and immune system. We treated PG-diets to immunosuppressed mice via cyclophosphamide (CPA) injection. After two weeks of the supplement, we evaluated specific genera related to body weight and serum immunoglobulin levels and analyzed 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenomics statistical analysis. PG-diets groups showed an increased abundance of microorganisms in immunodeficient mice compared to the control group (NC). Moreover, Akkermansia significantly decreased in response to the CPA in the NC group at the genus level, whereas its abundance increased in the PG-diets groups. We also found that the modulation of the gut microbiome by PG-diets was correlated with body weight, IgA, and IgM levels. The results demonstrate that PG-diets may improve the health benefits of immunosuppressed mice by altering the gut microbiome, though not much difference was found between PG and PGS treatments. Finally, this is the first study showing the effects of PGS-diets on the gut microbiome and immune system as a potential nourishing immunity supplement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiota Metabolites in Health and Disease)

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9 pages, 1107 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fiber-Rich Barley Increases Butyric Acid-Producing Bacteria in the Human Gut Microbiota

by Shohei Akagawa, Yuko Akagawa, Yoko Nakai, Mitsuru Yamagishi, Sohsaku Yamanouchi, Takahisa Kimata, Kazushige Chino, Taiga Tamiya, Masaki Hashiyada, Atsushi Akane, Shoji Tsuji and Kazunari Kaneko

Metabolites 2021, 11(8), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo11080559 - 22 Aug 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3468

Abstract

Butyric acid produced in the intestine by butyric acid-producing bacteria (BAPB) is known to suppress excessive inflammatory response and may prevent chronic disease development. We evaluated whether fiber-rich barley intake increases BAPB in the gut and concomitantly butyric acid in feces. Eighteen healthy adults received granola containing functional barley (BARLEYmax^®) once daily for four weeks. Fecal DNA before intake, after intake, and one month after intake was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess microbial diversity, microbial composition at the order level, and the proportion of BAPB. Fecal butyric acid concentration was also measured. There were no significant differences in diversities and microbial composition between samples. The proportion of BAPB increased significantly after the intake (from 5.9% to 8.2%). However, one month after stopping the intake, the proportion of BAPB returned to the original value (5.4%). Fecal butyric acid concentration increased significantly from 0.99 mg/g feces before intake to 1.43 mg/g after intake (p = 0.028), which decreased significantly to 0.87 mg/g after stopping intake (p = 0.008). As BAPB produce butyric acid by degrading dietary fiber, functional barley may act as a prebiotic, increasing BAPB and consequently butyric acid in the intestine. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiota Metabolites in Health and Disease)

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Review

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39 pages, 1163 KiB

Open AccessReview

Gut Microbiota Metabolites in Major Depressive Disorder—Deep Insights into Their Pathophysiological Role and Potential Translational Applications

by Miguel A. Ortega, Miguel Angel Alvarez-Mon, Cielo García-Montero, Oscar Fraile-Martinez, Luis G. Guijarro, Guillermo Lahera, Jorge Monserrat, Paula Valls, Fernando Mora, Roberto Rodríguez-Jiménez, Javier Quintero and Melchor Álvarez-Mon

Metabolites 2022, 12(1), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12010050 - 08 Jan 2022

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 6348

Abstract

The gut microbiota is a complex and dynamic ecosystem essential for the proper functioning of the organism, affecting the health and disease status of the individuals. There is continuous and bidirectional communication between gut microbiota and the host, conforming to a unique entity known as “holobiont”. Among these crosstalk mechanisms, the gut microbiota synthesizes a broad spectrum of bioactive compounds or metabolites which exert pleiotropic effects on the human organism. Many of these microbial metabolites can cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) or have significant effects on the brain, playing a key role in the so-called microbiota-gut-brain axis. An altered microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis is a major characteristic of many neuropsychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD). Significative differences between gut eubiosis and dysbiosis in mental disorders like MDD with their different metabolite composition and concentrations are being discussed. In the present review, the main microbial metabolites (short-chain fatty acids -SCFAs-, bile acids, amino acids, tryptophan -trp- derivatives, and more), their signaling pathways and functions will be summarized to explain part of MDD pathophysiology. Conclusions from promising translational approaches related to microbial metabolome will be addressed in more depth to discuss their possible clinical value in the management of MDD patients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiota Metabolites in Health and Disease)

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