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Molecular Mechanisms of Bioactive Nutrients Promoting Health through Gut Microbiota 2.0

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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: 28 June 2024 | Viewed by 35860

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Prof. Dr. Baojun Xu

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Guest Editor

Food Science and Technology Program, Department of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, Zhuhai 519087, China
Interests: phytochemicals; natural products; functional foods; human health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Matteo Bordiga

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Guest Editor

Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro”, Largo Donegani 2, 28100 Novara, Italy
Interests: food chemistry; gas chromatography; liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry; polyphenols; volatile compounds; wine chemistry; extraction; fermentation; prebiotic compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is becoming clear that human gut microbiota plays a critical role in human health. The human gut microbiota, depending on dietary intake and consequently nutrient availability within the gut, can produce either harmful metabolite led to human diseases or beneficial compounds that protect against host diseases. Abnormal gut microbiota can produce endotoxins, which enhance the chronic inflammation and metabolic disorders. Modification of gut microbiota by bioactive food components to balance its compositions becomes a promising strategy to help manage colon health and host health. Bioactive components obtained from dietary source which are designed and characterized to meet human nutritional and immunological needs as well as balance the gut microbiota. The goal of this special issue is to collect the latest research findings on the interrelationship among bioactive food components (such as phytochemicals and complex carbohydrates), gut microbiota, colon stem cells, and chronic metabolic diseases. Health benefits of small molecular phytochemicals and large biopolymer polysaccharides have been reported in different disciplines; however it is not clear that how gut microbiota metabolize these dietary phytochemicals and polymers; it is also not clear that how the gut metabolites from these dietary compounds further affect.

Prof. Dr. Baojun Xu
Dr. Matteo Bordiga
Guest Editors

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Keywords

phytochemicals
complex carbohydrates
bioactive nutrients
gut microbiota
prebiotics
probiotics
inflammation
molecular mechanisms
human health

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2621 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bergamot Polyphenolic Extract Combined with Albedo and Pulp Fibres Counteracts Changes in Gut Microbiota Associated with High-Fat Diet: Implications for Lipoprotein Size Re-Arrangement

by Rocco Mollace, Roberta Macrì, Martina Nicita, Vincenzo Musolino, Micaela Gliozzi, Cristina Carresi, Irene Bava, Jessica Maiuolo, Annamaria Tavernese, Antonio Cardamone, Luigi Tucci, Giuseppe Trunfio, Elzbieta Janda, Ernesto Palma, Carolina Muscoli, Francesco Barillà, Massimo Federici, Federica Scarano and Vincenzo Mollace

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(16), 12967; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241612967 - 19 Aug 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 927

Abstract

Evidence exists that the gut microbiota contributes to the alterations of lipid metabolism associated with high-fat diet (HFD). Moreover, the gut microbiota has been found to modulate the metabolism and absorption of dietary lipids, thereby affecting the formation of lipoproteins occurring at the intestinal level as well as systemically, though the pathophysiological implication of altered microbiota composition in HFD and its role in the development of atherosclerotic vascular disease (ATVD) remain to be better clarified. Recently, evidence has been collected indicating that supplementation with natural polyphenols and fibres accounts for an improvement of HFD-associated intestinal dysbiosis, thereby leading to improved lipidaemic profile. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of a bergamot polyphenolic extract (BPE) containing 48% polyphenols enriched with albedo and pulp-derived micronized fibres (BMF) in the gut microbiota of HFD-induced dyslipidaemia. In particular, rats that received an HFD over a period of four consecutive weeks showed a significant increase in plasma cholesterol, triglycerides and plasma glucose compared to a normal-fat diet (NFD) group. This effect was accompanied by body weight increase and alteration of lipoprotein size and concentration, followed by high levels of MDA, a biomarker of lipid peroxidation. Treatment with a combination of BPE plus BMF (50/50%) resulted in a significant reduction in alterations of the metabolic parameters found in HFD-fed rats, an effect associated with increased size of lipoproteins. Furthermore, the effect of BPE plus BMF treatment on metabolic balance and lipoprotein size re-arrangement was associated with reduced gut-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels, an effect subsequent to improved gut microbiota as expressed by modulation of the Gram-negative bacteria Proteobacteria, as well as Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. This study suggests that nutraceutical supplementation of HFD-fed rats with BPE and BMP or with their combination product leads to restored gut microbiota, an effect associated with lipoprotein size re-arrangement and better lipidaemic and metabolic profiles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Bioactive Nutrients Promoting Health through Gut Microbiota 2.0)

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15 pages, 1668 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals Differential Effects of Fructo-Oligosaccharides (FOS) Supplementation on the Human Gut Ecosystem

by Tamotsu Kato, Masaharu Kagawa, Wataru Suda, Yuuri Tsuboi, Sayo Inoue-Suzuki, Jun Kikuchi, Masahira Hattori, Toshiko Ohta and Hiroshi Ohno

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(19), 11728; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911728 - 03 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1631

Abstract

Changes in the gut ecosystem, including the microbiome and the metabolome, and the host immune system after fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) supplementation were evaluated. The supplementation of FOS showed large inter-individual variability in the absolute numbers of fecal bacteria and an increase in Bifidobacterium. The fecal metabolome analysis revealed individual variability in fructose utilization in response to FOS supplementation. In addition, immunoglobulin A(IgA) tended to increase upon FOS intake, and peripheral blood monocytes significantly decreased upon FOS intake and kept decreasing in the post-FOS phase. Further analysis using a metagenomic approach showed that the differences could be at least in part due to the differences in gene expressions of enzymes that are involved in the fructose metabolism pathway. While the study showed individual differences in the expected health benefits of FOS supplementation, the accumulation of “personalized” knowledge of the gut ecosystem with its genetic expression may enable effective instructions on prebiotic consumption to optimize health benefits for individuals in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Bioactive Nutrients Promoting Health through Gut Microbiota 2.0)

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16 pages, 5897 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Egg Protein Transferrin-Derived Peptides Irw (Lle-Arg-Trp) and Iqw (Lle-Gln-Trp) Prevent Obesity Mouse Model Induced by a High-Fat Diet via Reducing Lipid Deposition and Reprogramming Gut Microbiota

by Zhuangzhuang Liu, Sujuan Ding, Hongmei Jiang and Jun Fang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(19), 11227; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911227 - 23 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1594

Abstract

Egg-derived peptides play important roles in insulin secretion and sensitivity, oxidative stress, and inflammation, suggesting their possible involvement in obesity management. Hence, the aim of this study is to explore the alleviating effects of IRW (lle-Arg-Trp) and IQW (lle-Gln-Trp) on obesity via the mouse model induced by a high-fat diet. The entire experimental period lasted eight weeks. The results demonstrated that IQW prevented weight gain (6.52%), decreased the glucose, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), malonaldehyde, triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), and leptin levels, and increased the concentration of adiponectin (p < 0.05, n = 8). Although IRW failed to prevent weight gain, it reduced the concentration of glucose, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), LDL, and leptin, and increased the concentration of adiponectin (p < 0.05, n = 8). Moreover, IRW and IQW increased glucose tolerance and insulin resistance based on the results of the intraperitoneal glucose test and insulin tolerance test (p < 0.05, n = 8). The quantitative polymerase chain reaction results revealed that IRW and IQW downregulated the mRNA expression of DGAT1 (Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase 1), DGAT2 (Diacylglycerol O-Acyltransferase 2), TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β of liver tissue (p < 0.05, n = 8). The results of the 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing showed that IQW and IRW tended to reduce the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Parabacteroides, and that IRW enhanced the abundance of Bacteroides (p < 0.05, n = 8). Collectively, IRW and IQW supplementation could alleviate the progression of obesity due to the fact that the supplementation reduced lipid deposition, maintained energy balance, and reprogrammed gut microbiota. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Bioactive Nutrients Promoting Health through Gut Microbiota 2.0)

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Review

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45 pages, 4517 KiB

Open AccessReview

Polyphenols as Drivers of a Homeostatic Gut Microecology and Immuno-Metabolic Traits of Akkermansia muciniphila: From Mouse to Man

by María Carolina Rodríguez-Daza and Willem M. de Vos

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24010045 - 20 Dec 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6938

Abstract

Akkermansia muciniphila is a mucosal symbiont considered a gut microbial marker in healthy individuals, as its relative abundance is significantly reduced in subjects with gut inflammation and metabolic disturbances. Dietary polyphenols can distinctly stimulate the relative abundance of A. muciniphila, contributing to the attenuation of several diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, and liver damage. However, mechanistic insight into how polyphenols stimulate A. muciniphila or its activity is limited. This review focuses on dietary interventions in rodents and humans and in vitro studies using different phenolic classes. We provide critical insights with respect to potential mechanisms explaining the effects of polyphenols affecting A. muciniphila. Anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols, flavonols, flavanones, stilbenes, and phenolic acids are shown to increase relative A. muciniphila levels in vivo, whereas lignans exert the opposite effect. Clinical trials show consistent findings, and high intervariability relying on the gut microbiota composition at the baseline and the presence of multiple polyphenol degraders appear to be cardinal determinants in inducing A. muciniphila and associated benefits by polyphenol intake. Polyphenols signal to the AhR receptor and impact the relative abundance of A. muciniphila in a direct and indirect fashion, resulting in the restoration of intestinal epithelial integrity and homeostatic crosstalk with the gut microbiota by affecting IL-22 production. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that A. muciniphila participates in the initial hydrolysis of some polyphenols but does not participate in their complete metabolism. In conclusion, the consumption of polyphenol-rich foods targeting A. muciniphila as a pivotal intermediary represents a promising precision nutritional therapy to prevent and attenuate metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Bioactive Nutrients Promoting Health through Gut Microbiota 2.0)

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40 pages, 5415 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Impact of Plant Phytochemicals on the Gut Microbiota of Humans for a Balanced Life

by Sarusha Santhiravel, Alaa El-Din A. Bekhit, Eresha Mendis, Joe L. Jacobs, Frank R. Dunshea, Niranjan Rajapakse and Eric N. Ponnampalam

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(15), 8124; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23158124 - 23 Jul 2022

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 9608

Abstract

The gastrointestinal tract of humans is a complex microbial ecosystem known as gut microbiota. The microbiota is involved in several critical physiological processes such as digestion, absorption, and related physiological functions and plays a crucial role in determining the host’s health. The habitual consumption of specific dietary components can impact beyond their nutritional benefits, altering gut microbiota diversity and function and could manipulate health. Phytochemicals are non-nutrient biologically active plant components that can modify the composition of gut microflora through selective stimulation of proliferation or inhibition of certain microbial communities in the intestine. Plants secrete these components, and they accumulate in the cell wall and cell sap compartments (body) for their development and survival. These compounds have low bioavailability and long time-retention in the intestine due to their poor absorption, resulting in beneficial impacts on gut microbiota population. Feeding diets containing phytochemicals to humans and animals may offer a path to improve the gut microbiome resulting in improved performance and/or health and wellbeing. This review discusses the effects of phytochemicals on the modulation of the gut microbiota environment and the resultant benefits to humans; however, the effect of phytochemicals on the gut microbiota of animals is also covered, in brief. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Bioactive Nutrients Promoting Health through Gut Microbiota 2.0)

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31 pages, 8028 KiB

Open AccessReview

Prebiotics as a Tool for the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity and Diabetes: Classification and Ability to Modulate the Gut Microbiota

by Ashwinipriyadarshini Megur, Eric Banan-Mwine Daliri, Daiva Baltriukienė and Aurelijus Burokas

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(11), 6097; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23116097 - 29 May 2022

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 9286

Abstract

Diabetes and obesity are metabolic diseases that have become alarming conditions in recent decades. Their rate of increase is becoming a growing concern worldwide. Recent studies have established that the composition and dysfunction of the gut microbiota are associated with the development of diabetes. For this reason, strategies such as the use of prebiotics to improve intestinal microbial structure and function have become popular. Consumption of prebiotics for modulating the gut microbiota results in the production of microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids that play essential roles in reducing blood glucose levels, mitigating insulin resistance, reducing inflammation, and promoting the secretion of glucagon-like peptide 1 in the host, and this accounts for the observed remission of metabolic diseases. Prebiotics can be either naturally extracted from non-digestible carbohydrate materials or synthetically produced. In this review, we discussed current findings on how the gut microbiota and microbial metabolites may influence host metabolism to promote health. We provided evidence from various studies that show the ability of prebiotic consumption to alter gut microbial profile, improve gut microbial metabolism and functions, and improve host physiology to alleviate diabetes and obesity. We conclude among other things that the application of systems biology coupled with bioinformatics could be essential in ascertaining the exact mechanisms behind the prebiotic–gut microbe–host interactions required for diabetes and obesity improvement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Bioactive Nutrients Promoting Health through Gut Microbiota 2.0)

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17 pages, 1188 KiB

Open AccessReview

An Insight into Anti-Inflammatory Activities and Inflammation Related Diseases of Anthocyanins: A Review of Both In Vivo and In Vitro Investigations

by Zilong Ma, Bin Du, Jun Li, Yuedong Yang and Fengmei Zhu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(20), 11076; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222011076 - 14 Oct 2021

Cited by 45 | Viewed by 3750

Abstract

Anthocyanin is a type of flavonoid pigment widely present in fruits and vegetables. It can not only be used as natural pigment, but also has a variety of health functions, for instance, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and neuroprotective activities. Persistent proinflammatory status is a major factor in the development, progression, and complications of chronic diseases. Not surprisingly, there are thus many food ingredients that can potentially affect inflammation related diseases and many studies have shown that anthocyanins play an important role in inflammatory pathways. In this paper, the inflammation related diseases (such as, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer) of anthocyanins are introduced, and the anti-inflammatory effect of anthocyanins is emphatically introduced. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of anthocyanins is elaborated from the aspects of NF-κB, toll like receptor, MAPKs, NO, and ROS and the main efficacy of anthocyanins in inflammation and related diseases is determined. In conclusion, this review aims to get a clear insight into the role of anthocyanins in inflammation related diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Mechanisms of Bioactive Nutrients Promoting Health through Gut Microbiota 2.0)

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