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: 15 May 2024 | Viewed by 2266

Special Issue Editors


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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

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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

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

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

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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
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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 3 | Viewed by 1121
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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