Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is considered as one of the most important bacterial indicators 32 of a healthy gut. We studied the effects of oral F. prausnitzii treatment on high-fat fed mice. 33Compared to the High-fat Control mice, F. prausnitzii-treated mice had lower hepatic fat 34 content, AST and ALT, and increased fatty-acid oxidation and adiponectin signaling in liver.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is currently the method of choice for analyzing gut microbiota composition. As gut microbiota composition is a potential future target for clinical diagnostics, it is of utmost importance to enhance and optimize the NGS analysis procedures. Here, we have analyzed the impact of DNA extraction and selected 16S rDNA primers on the gut microbiota NGS results. Bacterial DNA from frozen stool specimens was extracted with 5 commercially available DNA extraction kits. Special attention was paid to the semiautomated DNA extraction methods that could expedite the analysis procedure, thus being especially suitable for clinical settings. The microbial composition was analyzed with 2 distinct protocols: 1 targeting the V3-V4 and the other targeting the V4-V5 area of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The overall effect of DNA extraction on the gut microbiota 16S rDNA profile was relatively small, whereas the 16S rRNA gene target region had an immense impact on the results. Furthermore, semiautomated DNA extraction methods clearly appeared suitable for NGS procedures, proposing that application of these methods could importantly reduce hands-on time and human errors without compromising the validity of results.

Based on our results, the fecal microbiota composition at the age of 9 and 12 months is not associated with the development of CD. Our results, however, do not exclude the possibility of duodenal microbiota changes or a later microbiota-related trigger for the disease.

FFs condition microbiota, affect colon homeostasis and are important components of natural, diabetes-promoting diets in NOD mice.

BackgroundPrenatal metformin exposure has been shown to improve the metabolic outcome in the offspring of high fat diet fed dams. However, if this is evident also in a genetic model of obesity and whether gut microbiota has a role, is not known.MethodsThe metabolic effects of prenatal metformin exposure were investigated in a genetic model of obesity, mice overexpressing neuropeptide Y in the sympathetic nervous system and in brain noradrenergic neurons (OE-NPYDβH). Metformin was given for 18 days to the mated female mice. Body weight, body composition, glucose tolerance and serum parameters of the offspring were investigated on regular diet from weaning and sequentially on western diet (at the age of 5–7 months). Gut microbiota composition was analysed by 16S rRNA sequencing at 10–11 weeks.ResultsIn the male offspring, metformin exposure inhibited weight gain. Moreover, weight of white fat depots and serum insulin and lipids tended to be lower at 7 months. In contrast, in the female offspring, metformin exposure impaired glucose tolerance at 3 months, and subsequently increased body weight gain, fat mass and serum cholesterol. In the gut microbiota, a decline in Erysipelotrichaceae and Odoribacter was detected in the metformin exposed offspring. Furthermore, the abundance of Sutterella tended to be decreased and Parabacteroides increased. Gut microbiota composition of the metformin exposed male offspring correlated to their metabolic phenotype.ConclusionPrenatal metformin exposure caused divergent metabolic phenotypes in the female and male offspring. Nevertheless, gut microbiota of metformin exposed offspring was similarly modified in both genders.

Background: Pregnancy is a time of numerous hormonal, metabolic, and immunological changes for both the mother and the fetus. Furthermore, maternal gut microbiota composition (GMC) is altered during pregnancy. One major factor affecting GMC in pregnant and nonpregnant populations is obesity. The aim was to analyze associations between maternal overweight/obesity, as well as gestational weight gain (GWG) and GMC. Moreover, the modifying effect of depression and anxiety symptom scores on weight and GMC were investigated.Methods: Study included 46 women from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort study, of which 36 were normal weight, and 11 overweight or obese according to their prepregnancy body mass index (BMI). Stool samples were collected in gestational week 24, and the GMC was sequenced with Illumina MiSeq approach. Hierarchical clustering was executed to illuminate group formation according to the GMC. The population was divided according to Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes dominance. Symptoms of depression, general anxiety, and pregnancy-related anxiety were measured by using standardized questionnaires.Results: Excessive GWG was associated with distinct GMC in mid-pregnancy as measured by hierarchical clustering and grouping according to Firmicutes or Bacteroidetes dominance, with Bacteroidetes being prominent and Firmicutes being less prominent in the GMC among those with increased GWG. Reduced alpha diversity was observed among the Bacteroidetes-dominated subjects. There were no zero-order effects between the abundances of bacterial genera or phyla, alpha or beta diversity, and prepregnancy BMI or GWG.Conclusion: Bacteroidetes-dominated GMC in mid-pregnancy is associated with increased GWG and reduced alpha diversity.

This study evaluated the performance of a new commercially available multiplex real-time PCR kit Amplidiag® Bacterial GE in the systematic screening of bacterial pathogens causing gastroenteritis. Stool samples from 1168 patients were analyzed with Amplidiag® Bacterial GE, stool culture, and molecular reference tests, and the sensitivity and specificity of Amplidiag® Bacterial GE were determined by comparing the results to the reference tests. The evaluation showed good performance for Amplidiag® Bacterial GE: sensitivity and specificity of the test was 100/99.7% for Salmonella, 100/99.8% for Yersinia, 98.8/99.2% for Campylobacter, 92.9/100% for Shigella/EIEC, 100/99.9% for EHEC, 92.9/99.8% for ETEC, 98.9/99.2% for EPEC, and 100/99.8% EAEC, respectively. When compared with stool culture, Amplidiag® Bacterial GE was found to be more sensitive. This study suggests that Amplidiag® Bacterial GE is suitable for screening bacterial pathogens from stool samples. However, this study only demonstrates the performance of Amplidiag® Bacterial GE in low endemic settings, as the number of positive findings in this study was relatively low.

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