Submit to IJMS Review for IJMS Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Gut Microbiota Colonization and Food Impact

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 January 2023) | Viewed by 12748

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Yaotsung Yeh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

1. Aging and Diseases Prevention Research Center, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2. Biomed Analysis Center, Fooyin Hospital, Pingtung, Taiwan
3. Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences and Biotechnology, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Interests: biochemistry; biotechnology; oncology medicine; drug development; molecular biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The gut microbiota refers to a microbial ecosystem composed of trillions of microorganisms, including more than 1000 different bacterial species, eukaryotic fungi, viruses, and bacteriophages in the gut. These microorganisms, not limited to bacteria, can be shaped by food components, dietary patterns, lifestyles, environment factors, and host genes. Compositional changes of the gut microbiota can produce temporary and potentially long-term impacts on later-life health if certain specific microorganisms have actively or passively colonized.

The gut microbiota metabolizes complicated components in food and affects the bioavailability of food in regulating digestion, nutrient absorption, immune response, epigenetic modification, and even metabolic homeostasis. On the other hand, food components also have a key impact on shaping the composition of gut microbiota in terms of richness, diversity, and colonization of specific intestinal bacteria. Increased intake of animal/plant proteins, saturated/unsaturated fat, fibers, food additives, residual antibiotics or toxins, foodborne microbes, and others can change gut microbiota, subsequently contributing to host health. Although the ‘first 1000 days’ are generally recognized to be of importance for gut microbiota colonization and healthy development of later life, there is a gap in how the introduction of new food components into the diet of infants/young children as well as other age populations affects gut microbiota colonization and further development. Future advances around the knowledge of the interplays between single or multiple food components and specific intestinal bacteria may lead to a better understanding of both positive and negative impacts of food on gut microbiota colonization.
The purpose of this Special Issue is to gather the latest research on the impacts of food components on changing gut microbiota colonization throughout lifetime. Longitudinal studies that involve interventional strategies with food for disease prevention or management are also encouraged.
Original research articles and reviews are welcome:

The impacts of food components on gut microbiota colonization of toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged children;
New mechanisms for or findings about the impacts of the shift of food components on gut microbiota colonization or colonization resistance;
Promising intervention strategies with food for disease prevention or management by changing gut microbiota colonization.

Prof. Dr. Yaotsung Yeh
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

gut microbiota
food components
colonization
colonization resistance
disease
immunity

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Other

12 pages, 1573 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of Potential Synergistic Effect of Probiotic Formulas on Acrylamide Reduction

by Siu Mei Choi, Hongyu Lin, Weiying Xie and Ivan K. Chu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 4693; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054693 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1156

Abstract

Acrylamide (AA) is a food processing contaminant commonly found in fried and baked food products. In this study, the potential synergistic effect of probiotic formulas in reducing AA was studied. Five selected probiotic strains (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum ATCC14917 (L. Pl.), Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ATCC11842 (L. B.), Lacticaseibacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei ATCC25302 (L. Pa), Streptococcus thermophilus ATCC19258, and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum ATCC15707) were selected for investigating their AA reducing capacity. It was found that L. Pl. (10⁸ CFU/mL) showed the highest AA reduction percentage (43–51%) when exposed to different concentrations of AA standard chemical solutions (350, 750, and 1250 ng/mL). The potential synergistic effect of probiotic formulas was also examined. The result demonstrated a synergistic AA reduction effect by the probiotic formula: L. Pl. + L. B., which also showed the highest AA reduction ability among the tested formulas. A further study was conducted by incubating selected probiotic formulas with potato chips and biscuit samples followed by an in vitro digestion model. The findings demonstrated a similar trend in AA reduction ability as those found in the chemical solution. This study firstly indicated the synergistic effect of probiotic formulas on AA reduction and its effect was also highly strain-dependent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiota Colonization and Food Impact)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 5029 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Persistence of the Probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Strain GG (LGG) in an In Vitro Model of the Gut Microbiome

by Karley K. Mahalak, Jenni Firrman, Jamshed Bobokalonov, Adrienne B. Narrowe, Kyle Bittinger, Scott Daniel, Ceylan Tanes, Lisa M. Mattei, Wei-Bin Zeng, Jason W. Soares, Masuko Kobori, Johanna M. S. Lemons, Peggy M. Tomasula and LinShu Liu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(21), 12973; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232112973 - 26 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2027

Abstract

The consumption of probiotics is widely encouraged due to reports of their positive effects on human health. In particular, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus strain GG (LGG) is an approved probiotic that has been reported to improve health outcomes, especially for gastrointestinal disorders. However, how LGG cooperates with the gut microbiome has not been fully explored. To understand the interaction between LGG and its ability to survive and grow within the gut microbiome, this study introduced LGG into established microbial communities using an in vitro model of the colon. LGG was inoculated into the simulated ascending colon and its persistence in, and transit through the subsequent transverse and descending colon regions was monitored over two weeks. The impact of LGG on the existing bacterial communities was investigated using 16S rRNA sequencing and short-chain fatty acid analysis. LGG was able to engraft and proliferate in the ascending region for at least 10 days but was diminished in the transverse and descending colon regions with little effect on short-chain fatty acid abundance. These data suggest that the health benefits of the probiotic LGG rely on its ability to transiently engraft and modulate the host microbial community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiota Colonization and Food Impact)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 5251 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Bile Acid Modulation by Dietary Fat, Cholecystectomy, and Bile Acid Sequestrant on Energy, Glucose, and Lipid Metabolism and Gut Microbiota in Mice

by Sunmin Park, Ting Zhang, Yu Yue and Xuangao Wu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(11), 5935; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23115935 - 25 May 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3305

Abstract

Bile acid metabolism, involved with the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the gut, is linked to the gut microbiota community, greatly impacting the host’s metabolism. We examined the hypothesis that the modulation of bile acid metabolism by dietary fat contents, gallbladder removal (GBX; cholecystectomy), and bile acid sequestrant (BAS; cholestyramine) treatment could alter energy, glucose, and lipid metabolism through the changes in the gut microbiota. Mice were randomly assigned to the following six groups: (1) Sham GBX surgery (Sham) + low fat/high carbohydrate diet (LFD), (2) Sham + high fat diet (HFD), (3) Sham + HFD + BAS, (4) GBX + LFD, (5) GBX + HFD, and (6) GBX + HFD + BAS. BAS groups received 2% cholestyramine. After an 8-week intervention, energy, glucose, and lipid metabolism, and the gut microbiota community were measured. HFD groups exhibited higher body weight gain than LFD, and GBX increased the weight gain comped to Sham groups regardless of BAS in HFD (p < 0.05). Homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was higher in HFD than LFD, and GBX increased it regardless of BAS. Serum lipid profiles were worsened in GBX + HFD compared to Sham + LFD, whereas BAS alleviated them, except for serum HDL cholesterol. Hepatic tumor-necrosis-factor-α (TNF-α) mRNA expression and lipid peroxide contents increased with GBX and BAS treatment compared to Sham and no BAS treatment (p < 0.05). Hepatic mRNA expression of sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1c (SREBP1c) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) exhibited the same trend as that of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The α-diversity of gut bacteria decreased in GBX + HFD and increased in GBX + HFD + BAS. Akkermentia, Dehalobacterium, SMB53, and Megamonas were high in the Sham + LFD, and Veillonella and Streptococcus were rich in the Sham + HFD, while Oscillospira and Olsenella were high in Sham + HFD + BAS (p < 0.05). GBX + LFD increased Lactobacillus and Sutterella while GBX + HFD + BAS elevated Clostridium, Alistipes, Blautia, Eubacterium, and Coprobacillus (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the modulation of bile acid metabolism influences energy, glucose, and lipid metabolisms, and it might be linked to changes in the gut microbiota by bile acid metabolism modulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiota Colonization and Food Impact)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

14 pages, 2546 KiB

Open AccessHypothesis

Gut Microbiota, Metabolic Disorders and Breast Cancer: Could Berberine Turn Out to Be a Transversal Nutraceutical Tool? A Narrative Analysis

by Massimiliano Cazzaniga, Giordano Bruno Zonzini, Francesco Di Pierro, Sara Moricoli and Alexander Bertuccioli

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(20), 12538; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232012538 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2539

Abstract

Metabolic disorders, mainly characterized as the marked alteration of the lipid and carbohydrate profile, in addition to the clinical presence of the direct consequences of these alterations, are pathological conditions that have considerably increased in prevalence in recent years. They are directly linked to the onset of various pathologies, including cancer, particularly breast cancer, and are hormone-responsive. Alongside the known conditions responsible for this scenario, such as nutrition and lifestyle in general, the importance of both the colonic microbiota and the various organs and systems is becoming increasingly evident. In fact, it is now evident that microbial dysbiosis plays a fundamental role in the onset of these metabolic disorders, and therefore how these conditions are indirectly responsible for the onset and progression of neoplasms. Indirect mechanisms such as an altered Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio; the formation of metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), in particular, butyrate, which is capable of acting as a tumor suppressor; and the glucuronidase activity of estroboloma (bacteria responsible for estrogen metabolism) are just some of the most important mechanisms that contribute to the history of breast cancer. It is therefore understandable that in clinical terms, it is essential to associate the modulation of metabolic disorders and the microbial conditions that contribute to generating them with common therapies, preferably using compounds and solutions that are effective and acceptable for the patient without side effects. Nutraceuticals such as berberine (active both in metabolic scenarios and in the microbiota) and interventions modulating the microbial structure such as the use of probiotics and prebiotics seem to be ideal solutions for these preventive and no-longer-ignorable strategies in the light of numerous data now present in the literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiota Colonization and Food Impact)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

7 pages, 609 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Ketogenic and Low FODMAP Diet in Therapeutic Management of a Young Autistic Patient with Epilepsy and Dysmetabolism Poorly Responsive to Therapies: Clinical Response and Effects of Intestinal Microbiota

by Alexander Bertuccioli, Marco Cardinali, Francesco Di Pierro, Giordano Bruno Zonzini and Maria Rosaria Matera

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(15), 8829; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23158829 - 8 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3105

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often associated with several intestinal and/or metabolic disorders as well as neurological manifestations such as epilepsy (ASD-E). Those presenting these neuropathological conditions share common aspects in terms of gut microbiota composition. The use of microbiota intervention strategies may be an approach to consider in the management of these cases. We describe the case of a 17-year-old girl affected by ASD, reduced growth, neurological development delay, mutations in the PGM1 and EEF1A2 genes (in the absence of clinically manifested disease) and, intestinal disorders such as abdominal pain and diarrhea associated with weight loss. As she demonstrated poor responsiveness to the therapies provided, we attempted two specific dietary patterns: a ketogenic diet, followed by a low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) diet, with the aim of improving her neurological, metabolic, and intestinal symptoms through modulation of the gut microbiota’s composition. The ketogenic diet (KD) provided a reduction in Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria. Although her intestinal symptoms improved, KD was poorly tolerated. On the other hand, the passage to a low FODMAPs diet produced a significant improvement in all neurological, intestinal, and metabolic symptoms and was well-tolerated. The following gut microbiota analysis showed reductions in Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Lactobacilli, and Bifidobacteria. The alpha biodiversity was consistently increased and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio decreased, reducing the extent of fermentative dysbiosis. Gut microbiota could be a therapeutic target to improve ASD-related symptoms. Further studies are needed to better understand the correlation between gut microbiota composition and ASD, and its possible involvement in the physiopathology of ASD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiota Colonization and Food Impact)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Gut Microbiota Colonization and Food Impact

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (5 papers)

Research

Other

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI