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Nutrients
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Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health
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Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Prebiotics and Probiotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 November 2024) | Viewed by 18215

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hein Min Tun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Interests: microbiome in health and diseases; system microbiology; host–microbe interactions; gut–brain axis; microbiome-immunity-infection; antimicrobial resistance in One Health
Dr. Xi Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Interests: host–microbe interactions; early-life microbiome; immunomodulation of gastrointestinal tract; emerging infectious diseases

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the last decade, extensive studies have reported the beneficial effect of prebiotics and probiotics on immunomodulation, metabolic health and gastrointestinal (GI) functions. However, we are still at the very beginning of understanding how dietary prebiotic and probiotic supplements favourably modulate the composition or metabolic/immunological activity of the human gut microbiota and ultimately impact gut health and the development of chronic diseases, especially for special populations including the elderly, pregnant women and infants.

For this Special Issue, we welcome all narrative and systematic reviews and original research articles on any aspects (i.e., clinical, in vivo, in vitro) that explore the impact of probiotics and prebiotics on gut health and human diseases. We encourage nutritionists and other experts to share their expert views on the bioactive effects, potential mechanisms, and clinical actions of prebiotic and probiotic administration, using evidence-based approaches. We also look forward to population-based discussions on the complex role of prebiotics and probiotics on GI-tract function and diseases.

Dr. Hein Min Tun
Dr. Xi Zhang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • gut health
  • prebiotics and probiotics
  • gut microbiota
  • elderly
  • pregnant women
  • infant

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1939 KiB  
Article
Supplementation of Vitamin D3 and Fructooligosaccharides Downregulates Intestinal Defensins and Reduces the Species Abundance of Romboutsia ilealis in C57BL/6J Mice
by Tyler Hanson, Ethan Constantine, Zack Nobles, Emily Butler, Karisa M. Renteria, Chin May Teoh and Gar Yee Koh
Nutrients 2024, 16(14), 2236; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142236 - 11 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1794
Abstract
The activation of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the ileum has been shown to regulate Paneth cell-specific defensins, a large family of antimicrobial peptides; hence, this may serve as a potential mechanism to maintain intestinal homeostasis. Previously, we have demonstrated that a [...] Read more.
The activation of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the ileum has been shown to regulate Paneth cell-specific defensins, a large family of antimicrobial peptides; hence, this may serve as a potential mechanism to maintain intestinal homeostasis. Previously, we have demonstrated that a combination of vitamin D3 (VD) and fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) upregulates colonic Vdr in mice. Here, we aim to examine the effect of VD, alone or in combination with FOSs, on intestinal barrier integrity and the secretion of antimicrobial peptides, as well as the gut microbial community. Male and female C57BL/6J mice at 6 weeks old were randomized into three groups to receive the following dietary regimens (n = 10/sex/group) for 8 weeks: (1) standard AIN-93G control diet (CTR), (2) CTR + 5000 IU vitamin D3 (VD), and (3) VD + 5% fructooligosaccharides (VF). VD and VF differentially regulated the mRNA expressions of tight junction proteins in the colon and ileum. VF suppressed the upregulation of colonic ZO-1 and occludin, which was induced by VD supplementation alone. In the ileum, occludin but not ZO-1 was upregulated 20-fold in the VF-treated mice. While VD did not alter the mRNA expressions of Vdr and defensins in the ileum, these targets were downregulated by VF. Microbial analysis further reveals a shift of microbial beta diversity and a reduction in Romboutsia ilealis, a pathobiont, in VF-treated mice. Though the implications of these phenotypical and microbial changes remain to be determined, the administration of FOSs in the presence of VD may serve as an effective dietary intervention for maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health)
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15 pages, 6963 KiB  
Article
The Whole-Genome Sequencing and Probiotic Profiling of Lactobacillus reuteri Strain TPC32 Isolated from Tibetan Pig
by Qinghui Kong, Zhenda Shang, Shah Nawaz, Suozhu Liu and Jiakui Li
Nutrients 2024, 16(12), 1900; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16121900 - 16 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1766
Abstract
Gut microbiota are the microbial organisms that play a pivotal role in intestinal health and during disease conditions. Keeping in view the characteristic functions of gut microbiota, in this study, Lactobacillus reuteri TPC32 (L. reuteri TPC32) was isolated and identified, and its [...] Read more.
Gut microbiota are the microbial organisms that play a pivotal role in intestinal health and during disease conditions. Keeping in view the characteristic functions of gut microbiota, in this study, Lactobacillus reuteri TPC32 (L. reuteri TPC32) was isolated and identified, and its whole genome was analyzed by the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform. The results revealed that L. reuteri TPC32 had high resistance against acid and bile salts with fine in vitro antibacterial ability. Accordingly, a genome sequence of L. reuteri TPC32 has a total length of 2,214,495 base pairs with a guanine–cytosine content of 38.81%. Based on metabolic annotation, out of 2,212 protein-encoding genes, 118 and 101 were annotated to carbohydrate metabolism and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, respectively. Similarly, drug-resistance and virulence genes were annotated using the comprehensive antibiotic research database (CARD) and the virulence factor database (VFDB), in which vatE and tetW drug-resistance genes were annotated in L. reuteri TPC32, while virulence genes are not annotated. The early prevention of L. reuteri TPC32 reduced the Salmonella typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) infection in mice. The results show that L. reuteri TPC32 could improve the serum IgM, decrease the intestinal cytokine secretion to relieve intestinal cytokine storm, reinforce the intestinal biochemical barrier function by elevating the sIgA expression, and strengthen the intestinal physical barrier function. Simultaneously, based on the 16S rRNA analysis, the L. reuteri TPC32 results affect the recovery of intestinal microbiota from disease conditions and promote the multiplication of beneficial bacteria. These results provide new insights into the biological functions and therapeutic potential of L. reuteri TPC32 for treating intestinal inflammation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health)
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26 pages, 16101 KiB  
Article
Variation in the Conservation of Species-Specific Gene Sets for HMO Degradation and Its Effects on HMO Utilization in Bifidobacteria
by Gerben D. A. Hermes, Christine Rasmussen and Anja Wellejus
Nutrients 2024, 16(12), 1893; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16121893 - 15 Jun 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2300
Abstract
Human milk provides essential nutrients for infants but also consists of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), which are resistant to digestion by the infant. Bifidobacteria are among the first colonizers, providing various health benefits for the host. This is largely facilitated by their ability [...] Read more.
Human milk provides essential nutrients for infants but also consists of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), which are resistant to digestion by the infant. Bifidobacteria are among the first colonizers, providing various health benefits for the host. This is largely facilitated by their ability to efficiently metabolize HMOs in a species-specific way. Nevertheless, these abilities can vary significantly by strain, and our understanding of the mechanisms applied by different strains from the same species remains incomplete. Therefore, we assessed the effects of strain-level genomic variation in HMO utilization genes on growth on HMOs in 130 strains from 10 species of human associated bifidobacteria. Our findings highlight the extent of genetic diversity between strains of the same species and demonstrate the effects on species-specific HMO utilization, which in most species is largely retained through the conservation of a core set of genes or the presence of redundant pathways. These data will help to refine our understanding of the genetic factors that contribute to the persistence of individual strains and will provide a better mechanistic rationale for the development and optimization of new early-life microbiota-modulating products to improve infant health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health)
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18 pages, 2314 KiB  
Article
Selection of Fermentation Supernatant from Probiotic Strains Exhibiting Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Protective Ability and Evaluation of Their Effects on Colitis Mouse and Weaned Piglet Models
by Solomon Abrehame, Man-Yun Hung, Yu-Yi Chen, Yu-Tse Liu, Yung-Tsung Chen, Fang-Chueh Liu, Yu-Chun Lin and Yen-Po Chen
Nutrients 2024, 16(8), 1138; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16081138 - 12 Apr 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2988
Abstract
The intestinal epithelial barrier can prevent the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms and food antigens to maintain a consistent intestinal homeostasis. However, an imbalance in this barrier can result in various diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, malnutrition, and metabolic disease. Thus, the aim [...] Read more.
The intestinal epithelial barrier can prevent the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms and food antigens to maintain a consistent intestinal homeostasis. However, an imbalance in this barrier can result in various diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, malnutrition, and metabolic disease. Thus, the aim of this study was to select probiotic strains with epithelial barrier-enhancing ability in cell-based model and further investigate them for their improving effects on colitis mouse and weaned piglet models. The results showed that selected specific cell-free fermentation supernatants (CFSs) from Ligilactobacillus salivarius P1, Lactobacillus gasseri P12, and Limosilactobacillus reuteri G7 promoted intestinal epithelial cell growth and proliferation, strengthening the intestinal barrier in an intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2 model. Further, the administration of CFSs of L. salivarius P1, L. gasseri P12, and L. reuteri G7 were found to ameliorate DSS-induced colitis in mice. Additionally, spray-dried powders of CFS from the three strains were examined in a weaned piglet model, only CFS powder of L. reuteri G7 could ameliorate the feed/gain ratio and serum levels of D-lactate and endotoxin. In conclusion, a new potential probiotic strain, L. reuteri G7, was selected and showed ameliorating effects in both colitis mouse and weaned piglet models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health)
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17 pages, 3260 KiB  
Article
Microencapsulated Limosilactobacillus reuteri Encoding Lactoferricin-Lactoferrampin Targeted Intestine against Salmonella typhimurium Infection
by Xueying Wang, Weichun Xie, Limeng Cai, Chuang Han, Hongdi Kuang, Yilan Shao, Senhao Zhang, Qi Zhang, Jiaxuan Li, Wen Cui, Yanping Jiang and Lijie Tang
Nutrients 2023, 15(24), 5141; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15245141 - 18 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2156
Abstract
Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium) is an important foodborne pathogen that infects both humans and animals and develops acute gastroenteritis. As porcine intestines are relatively similar to the human ones due to their relatively similar sizes and structural similarity, S. [...] Read more.
Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium) is an important foodborne pathogen that infects both humans and animals and develops acute gastroenteritis. As porcine intestines are relatively similar to the human ones due to their relatively similar sizes and structural similarity, S. typhimurium causes analogous symptoms in both. Novel strategies for controlling S. typhimurium infection are also desired, such as mucosal-targeted delivery of probiotics and antimicrobial peptides. The bovine lactoferricin-lactoferrampin-encoding Limosilactobacillus reuteri (LR-LFCA) strain improves intestinal barrier function by strengthening the intestinal barrier. Weaned piglets were selected for oral administration of microencapsulated LR-LFCA (microcapsules entrap LR-LFCA into gastro-resistant polymers) and then infected with S. typhimurium for 3 days. We found that orally administering microencapsulated LR-LFCA to weaned piglets attenuated S. typhimurium-induced production of inflammatory factors in the intestinal mucosa by inhibiting the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and P38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling pathway. Moreover, microencapsulated LR-LFCA administration significantly suppressed the oxidative stress that may correlate with gut microbiota (reduced Salmonella population and increased α-diversity and Lactobacillus abundance) and intestinal function (membrane transport and metabolism). Our work demonstrated that microencapsulated LR-LFCA effectively targeted intestine delivery of Lactobacillus and antimicrobial peptides and modulated gut microbiota and mucosal immunity. This study reveals a novel targeting mucosal strategy against S. typhimurium infection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health)
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Review

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25 pages, 5129 KiB  
Review
Exploring the Prebiotic Potentials of Hydrolyzed Pectins: Mechanisms of Action and Gut Microbiota Modulation
by Débora Preceliano de Oliveira, Svetoslav Dimitrov Todorov and João Paulo Fabi
Nutrients 2024, 16(21), 3689; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16213689 - 29 Oct 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2153
Abstract
The intestinal microbiota is a complex ecosystem where the microbial community (including bacteria) can metabolize available substrates via metabolic pathways specific to each species, often related in symbiotic relations. As a consequence of using available substrates and microbial growth, specific beneficial metabolites can [...] Read more.
The intestinal microbiota is a complex ecosystem where the microbial community (including bacteria) can metabolize available substrates via metabolic pathways specific to each species, often related in symbiotic relations. As a consequence of using available substrates and microbial growth, specific beneficial metabolites can be produced. When this reflects the health benefits for the host, these substrates can be categorized as prebiotics. Given that most prebiotic candidates must have a low molecular weight to be further metabolized by the microbiota, the role in the preliminary biological pretreatment is crucial. To provide proper substrates to the intestinal microbiota, a strategy could be to decrease the complexity of polysaccharides and reduce the levels of polymerization to low molecular weight for the target molecules, driving better solubilization and the consequent metabolic use by intestinal bacteria. When high molecular weight pectin is degraded (partially depolymerized), its solubility increases, thereby improving its utilization by gut microbiota. With regards to application, prebiotics have well-documented advantages when applied as food additives, as they improve gut health and can enhance drug effects, all shown by in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials. In this review, we aim to provide systematic evidence for the mechanisms of action and the modulation of gut microbiota by the pectin-derived oligosaccharides produced by decreasing overall molecular weight after physical and/or chemical treatments and to compare with other types of prebiotics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health)
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24 pages, 1671 KiB  
Review
Harnessing the Gut Microbiome: To What Extent Can Pre-/Probiotics Alleviate Immune Activation in Autism Spectrum Disorder?
by Yuqi Wu and Qi Su
Nutrients 2024, 16(15), 2382; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16152382 - 23 Jul 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3923
Abstract
Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at an increased risk of experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort, which has been linked to dysfunctions in the microbiome–gut–brain axis. The bidirectional communication between gut and brain plays a crucial role in the overall health of [...] Read more.
Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at an increased risk of experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) discomfort, which has been linked to dysfunctions in the microbiome–gut–brain axis. The bidirectional communication between gut and brain plays a crucial role in the overall health of individuals, and alterations in the gut microbiome can contribute to immune activation and gut–brain dysfunction in ASD. Despite the limited and controversial results of pre-/probiotic applications in ASD, this review comprehensively maps the association between ASD clinical symptoms and specific bacterial taxa and evaluates the efficacy of pre-/probiotics in modulating microbiota composition, reducing inflammatory biomarkers, alleviating difficulties in GI distress, sleep problems, core and other ASD-associated symptoms, as well as relieving parental concerns, separately, in individuals with ASD. Beyond simply targeting core ASD symptoms, this review highlights the potential of pre-/probiotic supplementations as a strategy to modulate gut homeostasis and immune response, and to delineate the potential mechanisms by which its direct or mediating effects can alleviate gut–brain dysfunction and poor nutritional status in ASD management. Further well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to strengthen the existing evidence and establish optimal protocols for the use of pre-/probiotics in the context of ASD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Probiotics, Prebiotics and Gut Health)
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