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Microorganisms
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Gut Microbiome in Homeostasis and Disease 2.0
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Gut Microbiome in Homeostasis and Disease 2.0

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Gut Microbiota".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 3957

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Michael Doulberis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University Department, Kantonsspital Aarau, 5001 Aarau, Switzerland
Interests: Helicobacter pylori; extragastric manifestations; neurodegeneration; pathogenicity; microbiota dysbiosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is the continuation of our previous Special Issue “Gut Microbiome in Homeostasis and Disease”.

There is emerging evidence that the gut microbiome plays a central role in orchestrating homeostasis, and its disturbance, commonly known as dysbiosis, has been linked to numerous pathologies, such as metabolic syndrome, intestinal diseases, and cancer. In this regard, we invite you to submit original or review articles in both the clinical and preclinical field of research, illuminating the role of the gut microbiome in shaping immunity and organisms’ pathophysiology. Once we comprehend the complex mechanisms regulating the balance and the benefits or detrimental effects of several genera, we will be able to effectively treat patients for chronic, unsolved diseases. This Special Issue welcomes the submission of, among others, studies on the gut–brain axis, gut–liver axis, fecal microbiota transplantation, probiotics, and commensal and non-commensal microorganisms, including Helicobacter species. These data will hopefully lead to new opportunities for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of a plethora of human diseases.

Dr. Michael Doulberis
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. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). 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.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 5459 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Gut Microbiomes in Laboratory Chinchillas, Ferrets, and Marmots: Implications for Pathogen Infection Research
by Jindan Guo, Weixiong Shi, Xue Li, Bochao Yang, Chuan Qin and Lei Su
Microorganisms 2024, 12(4), 646; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12040646 - 24 Mar 2024
Viewed by 707
Abstract
Gut microbes play a vital role in the health and disease of animals, especially in relation to pathogen infections. Chinchillas, ferrets, and marmots are commonly used as important laboratory animals for infectious disease research. Here, we studied the bacterial and fungal microbiota and [...] Read more.
Gut microbes play a vital role in the health and disease of animals, especially in relation to pathogen infections. Chinchillas, ferrets, and marmots are commonly used as important laboratory animals for infectious disease research. Here, we studied the bacterial and fungal microbiota and discovered that chinchillas had higher alpha diversity and a higher abundance of bacteria compared to marmots and ferrets by using the metabarcoding of 16S rRNA genes and ITS2, coupled with co-occurrence network analysis. The dominant microbes varied significantly among the three animal species, particularly in the gut mycobiota. In the ferrets, the feces were dominated by yeast such as Rhodotorula and Kurtzmaniella, while in the chinchillas, we found Teunomyces and Penicillium dominating, and Acaulium, Piromyces, and Kernia in the marmots. Nevertheless, the dominant bacterial genera shared some similarities, such as Clostridium and Pseudomonas across the three animal species. However, there were significant differences observed, such as Vagococcus and Ignatzschineria in the ferrets, Acinetobacter and Bacteroides in the chinchillas, and Bacteroides and Cellvibrio in the marmots. Additionally, our differential analysis revealed significant differences in classification levels among the three different animal species, as well as variations in feeding habitats that resulted in distinct contributions from the host microbiome. Therefore, our data are valuable for monitoring and evaluating the impacts of the microbiome, as well as considering potential applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiome in Homeostasis and Disease 2.0)
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16 pages, 4875 KiB  
Article
A Novel Multi-Strain E3 Probiotic Formula Improved the Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Quality of Life in Chinese Psoriasis Patients
by Pui Ling Kella Siu, Chi Tung Choy, Helen Hoi Yin Chan, Ross Ka Kit Leung, Un Kei Chan, Junwei Zhou, Chi Ho Wong, Yuk Wai Lee, Ho Wang Chan, Claudia Jun Yi Lo, Joseph Chi Ching Tsui, Steven King Fan Loo and Stephen Kwok Wing Tsui
Microorganisms 2024, 12(1), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12010208 - 19 Jan 2024
Viewed by 990
Abstract
Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease affecting the skin and other systems. Gastrointestinal disease was found to be correlated with psoriasis in previous studies and it can significantly affect the quality of life of psoriasis patients. Despite the importance of the gut [...] Read more.
Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease affecting the skin and other systems. Gastrointestinal disease was found to be correlated with psoriasis in previous studies and it can significantly affect the quality of life of psoriasis patients. Despite the importance of the gut microbiome in gut and skin health having already been demonstrated in many research studies, the potential effect of probiotics on GI comorbidities in psoriasis patients is unclear. To investigate the effects of probiotics on functional GI comorbidities including irritable bowel syndrome, functional constipation, and functional diarrhea in psoriasis patients, we conducted a targeted 16S rRNA sequencing and comprehensive bioinformatic analysis among southern Chinese patients to compare the gut microbiome profiles of 45 psoriasis patients over an 8-week course of novel oral probiotics. All the participants were stratified into responders and non-responders according to their improvement in GI comorbidities, which were based on their Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) scores after intervention. The Dermatological Life Quality Index (DLQI) score revealed a significant improvement in quality of life within the responder group (DLQI: mean 10.4 at week 0 vs. mean 15.9 at week 8, p = 0.0366). The proportion of psoriasis patients without GI comorbidity manifestation at week 8 was significantly higher than that at week 0 (week 0: Normal 53.33%, Constipation/Diarrhea 46.67%; week 8: Normal 75.56%, Constipation/Diarrhea 24.44%, p = 0.0467). In addition, a significant difference in the gut microbiome composition between the responders and non-responders was observed according to alpha and beta diversities. Differential abundance analysis revealed that the psoriasis patients exhibited (1) an elevated relative abundance of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Parabacteroides distasonis, and Ruminococcus bromii and (2) a reduced relative abundance of Oscillibacter, Bacteroides vulgatus, Escherichia sp., and Biophila wadsworthia after the 8-week intervention. The responders also exhibited a higher relative abundance of Fusicatenibacter saccharivorans when compared to the non-responders. In summary, our study discovers the potential clinical improvement effects of the novel probiotic formula in improving GI comorbidities and quality of life in psoriasis patients. We also revealed the different gut microbiome composition as well as the gut microbial signatures in the patients who responded to probiotics. These findings could provide insight into the use of probiotics in the management of psoriasis symptoms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiome in Homeostasis and Disease 2.0)
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12 pages, 1395 KiB  
Article
An Analysis of the Gut Microbiota and Related Metabolites following PCSK9 Inhibition in Statin-Treated Patients with Elevated Levels of Lipoprotein(a)
by Jose A. Caparrós-Martín, Patrice Maher, Natalie C. Ward, Montserrat Saladié, Patricia Agudelo-Romero, Stephen M. Stick, Dick C. Chan, Gerald F. Watts and Fergal O’Gara
Microorganisms 2024, 12(1), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12010170 - 15 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1044
Abstract
Background. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a leading cause of global mortality, often associated with high blood levels of LDL cholesterol (LDL-c). Medications like statins and PCSK9 inhibitors, are used to manage LDL-c levels and reduce ASCVD risk. Recent findings connect the gut [...] Read more.
Background. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a leading cause of global mortality, often associated with high blood levels of LDL cholesterol (LDL-c). Medications like statins and PCSK9 inhibitors, are used to manage LDL-c levels and reduce ASCVD risk. Recent findings connect the gut microbiota and its metabolites to ASCVD development. We showed that statins modulate the gut microbiota including the production of microbial metabolites involved in the regulation of cholesterol metabolism such as short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and bile acids (BAs). Whether this pleiotropic effect of statins is associated with their antimicrobial properties or it is secondary to the modulation of cholesterol metabolism in the host is unknown. In this observational study, we evaluated whether alirocumab, a PCSK9 inhibitor administered subcutaneously, alters the stool-associated microbiota and the profiles of SCFAs and BAs. Methods. We used stool and plasma collected from patients enrolled in a single-sequence study using alirocumab. Microbial DNA was extracted from stool, and the bacterial component of the gut microbiota profiled following an amplicon sequencing strategy targeting the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Bile acids and SCFAs were profiled and quantified in stool and plasma using mass spectrometry. Results. Treatment with alirocumab did not alter bacterial alpha (Shannon index, p = 0.74) or beta diversity (PERMANOVA, p = 0.89) in feces. Similarly, circulating levels of SCFAs (mean difference (95% confidence interval (CI)), 8.12 [−7.15–23.36] µM, p = 0.25) and BAs (mean difference (95% CI), 0.04 [−0.11–0.19] log10(nmol mg−1 feces), p = 0.56) were equivalent regardless of PCSK9 inhibition. Alirocumab therapy was associated with increased concentration of BAs in feces (mean difference (95% CI), 0.20 [0.05–0.34] log10(nmol mg−1 feces), p = 0.01). Conclusion. In statin-treated patients, the use of alirocumab to inhibit PCSK9 leads to elevated levels of fecal BAs without altering the bacterial population of the gut microbiota. The association of alirocumab with increased fecal BA concentration suggests an additional mechanism for the cholesterol-lowering effect of PCSK9 inhibition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiome in Homeostasis and Disease 2.0)
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17 pages, 2766 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Frailty and Chronological Age as Determinants of the Murine Gut Microbiota in an Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model
by Laura Malina Kapphan, Vu Thu Thuy Nguyen, Isabel Heinrich, Oliver Tüscher, Pamela Passauer, Andreas Schwiertz and Kristina Endres
Microorganisms 2023, 11(12), 2856; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11122856 - 24 Nov 2023
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Abstract
The ageing of an organism is associated with certain features of functional decline that can be assessed at the cellular level (e.g., reduced telomere length, loss of proteostasis, etc.), but also at the organismic level. Frailty is an independent syndrome that involves increased [...] Read more.
The ageing of an organism is associated with certain features of functional decline that can be assessed at the cellular level (e.g., reduced telomere length, loss of proteostasis, etc.), but also at the organismic level. Frailty is an independent syndrome that involves increased multidimensional age-related deficits, heightens vulnerability to stressors, and involves physical deficits in mainly the locomotor/muscular capacity, but also in physical appearance and cognition. For sporadic Alzheimer’s disease, age per se is one of the most relevant risk factors, but frailty has also been associated with this disease. Therefore, we aimed to answer the two following questions within a cross-sectional study: (1) do Alzheimer’s model mice show increased frailty, and (2) what changes of the microbiota occur concerning chronological age or frailty? Indeed, aged 5xFAD mice showed increased frailty compared to wild type littermates. In addition, 5xFAD mice had significantly lower quantities of Bacteroides spp. when only considering frailty, and lower levels of Bacteroidetes in terms of both frailty and chronological age compared to their wild type littermates. Thus, the quality of ageing—as assessed by frailty measures—should be taken into account to unravel potential changes in the gut microbial community in Alzheimer’s disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gut Microbiome in Homeostasis and Disease 2.0)
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