Dr Sara Al-Rawi’s Post

Interplay of intestinal bacteria, host cells affects body weight For about a century, scientists have known that the lining of the intestines contains hormone-producing cells known as enteroendocrine cells (EECs). In the small intestine, EECs sense nutrients passing through the organ and secrete hormones that control digestion and absorption. However, since the large intestine is thought to mostly absorb water and salt, the role of EECs there has been unclear. To investigate, the researchers used a targeted genetic technique to prevent this type of cell from developing in the large intestine, also known as the colon, of lab mice. As these animals grew into adulthood, they gradually became obese from overeating and developed changes that accompany obesity, including poor blood sugar control. Tests showed these mice had elevated amounts of glutamate in their stool. Other experiments showed that this amino acid influences appetite in the brain, an effect not previously known. Surprisingly, the extra glutamate stemmed not from intestines without EECs but from intestinal bacteria, whose composition became different in the genetically altered mice compared with unaltered littermates. Supplementing unaltered mice with glutamate increased their appetites similarly to animals in which EECs in the colon had been deleted. Together, the senior author these findings suggest that interplay between colonic EECs and intestinal bacteria regulates the intestinal flora’s composition, affecting how much glutamate these microbes secrete – and, in turn, influencing the host animal’s appetite. #ScienceMission #sciencenewshighlights https://lnkd.in/g4tk2EUh

Let good be your medicine and médicine be your food.. Nutrition, microbiome and Host immunity

🔬 How Maternal Genetics Shape the Infant Gut Microbiome: A New Frontier for Personalized Health In this very interesting paper (see comments) Maternal genetics play a critical role in the formation of an infant’s gut microbiome. Mutations in immune and metabolic genes can impact the transfer of beneficial microbes during birth and breastfeeding, influencing the infant's health. By identifying these genetic variations, we could design personalized interventions—like targeted probiotics or tailored nutrition plans—to support optimal gut health in newborns. 🧬 The future (and present) of microbiome science is truly personalized!

🔬 New Research Unveils Gut Microbiota's Role in Diabetic Nephropathy Risk In a recent study, researchers have uncovered potential causal links between specific gut microbiota compositions and the risk of developing diabetic nephropathy (DN), a major diabetic complication. 🌐 Study Insights Utilizing data from the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) aggregated by the MiBioGen consortium and DN data from the IEU database, the study employed the inverse-variance weighting (IVW) method to explore these associations. Key findings include: Protective Microbiota: Genus Dialister shows a strong protective correlation against DN. Similar protective effects were observed in classes Gammaproteobacteria and Lentisphaeria, and phylum Proteobacteria. Risks Associated with Certain Microbiota: Conversely, genus LachnospiraceaeUCG008, order Bacteroidales, and genus Terrisporobacter were found to increase the risk of developing DN. 💡 This study not only establishes a causal relationship between the genus Dialister and a reduced risk of DN but also highlights the need for further clinical trials. These trials will aim to confirm the protective effects of probiotics containing these beneficial bacteria and elucidate the mechanisms behind their protective properties. #diabetes #microbiomeresearch #clinicaltrials https://lnkd.in/dQMDGyyb

𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴? Parkinson's disease is one of the most important neurodegenerative diseases and one of the diseases where a contribution of the microbiota to disease pathophysiology has been assumed for a long time. Also it is a disease where disease-modifying treatments have yet to be found. No wonder that the microbiome, including, pre- and postbiotics, as well as other means to alter microbiome composition, has garnered attention for its therapeutic potential. This review by Rebecca Kerstens and Paul Joyce from University of South Australia, explains where the science stands. Full citation: Kerstens, R.; Joyce, P. The Gut Microbiome as a Catalyst and Emerging Therapeutic Target for Parkinson’s Disease: A Comprehensive Update. Biomedicines2024, 12, 1738. https://lnkd.in/dcP7VvCu. Available under a Creative Commons license: https://lnkd.in/d72Y4gs6. #science #microbiotaeducation #precisionmedicine #pharmacology

#citation New research sheds light on the impact of aspirin on gut health. 🌟 A study on Cell Host & Microbe from The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University using clinical cohorts and mouse models found that aspirin suppresses the growth of a specific gut microbe, Parabacteroides goldsteinii. Supplementing mice with this microbe or its metabolite, 7-keto-lithocholic acid (7-keto-LCA), reduced aspirin-induced damage to the intestinal barrier. Findings suggest that 7-keto-LCA promotes intestinal epithelium repair by suppressing signaling through the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), highlighting the complex interplay between aspirin, gut microbiota, and gastrointestinal homeostasis. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gazBpena Cyagen takes pride in its contribution to this groundbreaking study with our Nr1h4=flox [Fxrᶠˡ/ᶠˡ] and PVillin-Cre mice🐭Explore our Cyagen knockout catalog models here: https://lnkd.in/gqxybj-x #gutmicrobiome #guthealth #researchexcellence #research #researchimpact #science #scienceofreading #sciencecommunication #biotechnologie #biotech #biotechinnovation #mouse #aspirin

#Microbial #metabolites and #Longevity: from the #Gut the secret of the eternal youth?                                Although the most intimate desire as human creatures is to live longer, does the quality of life in aging really meet our expectations? Are we getting the most out of it, or desperately dragging our biological clock forward? As predicted by the World Health Organization, the proportion of people over 60 y. worldwide is expected to exceed 22% by 2050. Despite the healthcare and lifestyle’s interventions, aging is still a primary risk factor for several pathologies, such as metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, cancer and/or neurodegenerative diseases. Longevity is orchestrated by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors such as diet, lifestyle, and ethnicity. Among all, #gut #microbiota acts as a thread, representing a unique, visceral fingerprint telling a secret story. How? Through the release of microbial metabolites: ✅ 1.#SCFA: they directly affect host epigenetic, promoting longevity and healthy aging. As potent inhibitors of histone deacetylases, butyrate and propionate promote epigenetic changes on histones in the colon, liver and white adipose tissue. Consistently, dietary supplementation with SCFAs was able to extend lifespan in C. elegans and Drosophila by inhibiting histone deacetylase (#HDAC). ✅ 2.#Exopolysaccharides: bacteria-derived polysaccharides. They include #lipopolysaccharides, #teichoic #acids and #peptidoglycans, acting as protective shields against toxins in the environment. For example, colanic acid, secreted by #Escherichia #coli, reported a pro-longevity effect in C. elegans, through regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and preventing from amyloid-β accumulation. ✅ 3.#Bile #Acids: increased total bile acid levels have been observed under methionine restriction, a pro-longevity intervention. High concentrations of #taurocholate, a conjugate of cholic acid and taurine, strongly correlate with human longevity. In animal models, supplementation with cholic acid, a primary bile acid, extended lifespan in progeroid mice, while lithocholic acid, a secondary bile acid, prolonged the lifespan of yeast and fruit flies. ✅ 4. #Polyamines: spermidine, spermine and putrescine are polycationic molecules, essential to cell growth, proliferation and survival. During #aging, polyamine levels decrease (except for Centenarians), with a concomitant reduction in the enzymatic activity of ornithine decarboxylase-1, the rate-limiting enzyme for de novo polyamine synthesis. Probiotic supplementation with #Bifidobacterium #animalis subsp. #lactis #LKM512 in combination with #arginine, promoted an increase in the colonic putrescine, serum spermidine and spermine levels, protecting aged mice from inflammation and memory impairment. Are we ready to grow younger? Possibly yes, working efficiently on our gut microbiome! 🌈 🥇 🎯 #PrecisionMedicine #ReverseAging LINK: https://lnkd.in/d588ZtJP  

Loving your gut is KEY for longevity & fighting ageing, and often overlooked.. This summary below really hammers home the impact of the Microbiome and longevity. Eating 600-800gm of non starchy veggies everyday, a tablespoon of fermented food each day and making resistant starch foods a regular priority in your diet will all help to support gut health and longevity….oh and lets not forget Olive oil…a true longevity superfood that supports so many things but in particular your gut health!

The bacteria that naturally inhabit the human body appear to have many benefits, from aiding digestion to shaping tissue development and directing immune responses. One group that is emerging as particularly beneficial is the Blautia genus of gut bacteria. Some research has suggested that Blautia may benefit cognitive development in infants and reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes in adults. Researchers are now recognizing another potential benefit of these microbes: helping people adapt to high altitudes. Researchers recruited 45 men to move from their homes at 243 meters above sea level to a town at 3658 meters above sea level for 108 days. At high altitude, the men ate the same foods they ate at home, minimizing the impact of diet and lifestyle changes on their gastrointestinal microbes. During the study, the team collected and analyzed microbial DNA from the men's fecal samples. Within two days of reaching their high-altitude destination, the samples contained fewer types of microbes. However, the team discovered that a handful of a group called Blautia became very abundant. These particular bacteria were also found to be common among long-term residents of the Tibetan plateau. Following up on these findings, the team subjected two of three groups of mice to low-oxygen conditions for a month, while one group was regularly administered Blautia. The lack of sufficient oxygen can trigger immune responses that can cause the lungs and intestines to malfunction, but the Blautia-treated mice showed much less damage. The discovery has the potential to have practical benefits, as the researchers speculate that administering high doses of Blautia could improve the performance of mountaineers and others at high altitudes.

We may have a definitive winner in longevity and healthy aging research. These Korean scientists found a molecule that not only enhanced proteasome activity but also autophagy activity which are two phenomenon for protein synthesis in the cell. The researchers employed an animal model for studying the aging process: fruit flies from the genus Drosophila. Since fruit flies have a short lifespan and their age-related muscle deterioration is quite similar to that in humans, Drosophila constitutes a valuable model for studying aging. They treated flies with the drug IU1 and measured various behavioral- and proteostasis-related parameters. The results were quite promising, as Prof. Hyun remarks: “Inhibiting the activity of ubiquitin specific peptidase 14 (USP14), a component of the proteasome complex, with IU1 enhanced not only proteasome activity but also autophagy activity simultaneously. We demonstrated that this synergistic mechanism could improve age-related muscle weakness in fruit flies and extend their lifespan.” Worth noting that similar results were obtained in human cells. These findings have important ramifications, especially regarding advances in anti-aging therapy. “Reduced protein homeostasis is a major characteristic of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The results of our study might lay the groundwork for the development of treatments for various age-related diseases,” highlights Prof. Hyun. #healthcarecosts #healthyaging #longevity