Demands for faster and more accurate methods to analyze microbial communities from natural and clinical samples have been increasing in the medical and healthcare industry. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies have facilitated the elucidation of the microbial community composition with higher accuracy and greater throughput than was previously achievable; however, the short sequencing reads often limit the microbial composition analysis at the species level due to the high similarity of 16S rRNA amplicon sequences. To overcome this limitation, we used the nanopore sequencing platform to sequence full-length 16S rRNA amplicon libraries prepared from the mouse gut microbiota. A comparison of the nanopore and short-read sequencing data showed that there were no significant differences in major taxonomic units (89%) except one phylotype and three taxonomic units. Moreover, both sequencing data were highly similar at all taxonomic resolutions except the species level. At the species level, nanopore sequencing allowed identification of more species than short-read sequencing, facilitating the accurate classification of the bacterial community composition. Therefore, this method of full-length 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing will be useful for rapid, accurate and efficient detection of microbial diversity in various biological and clinical samples.

Background The gut microbiota is associated with diverse age-related disorders. Several rejuvenation methods, such as probiotic administration and faecal microbiota transplantation, have been applied to alter the gut microbiome and promote healthy ageing. Nevertheless, prolongation of the health span of aged mice by remodelling the gut microbiome remains challenging. Results Here, we report the changes in gut microbial communities and their functions in mouse models during ageing and three rejuvenation procedures including co-housing, serum-injection and parabiosis. Our results showed that the compositional structure and gene abundance of the intestinal microbiota changed dynamically during the ageing process. Through the three rejuvenation procedures, we observed that the microbial community and intestinal immunity of aged mice were comparable to those of young mice. The results of metagenomic data analysis underscore the importance of the high abundance of Akkermansia and the butyrate biosynthesis pathway in the rejuvenated mouse group. Furthermore, oral administration of Akkermansia sufficiently ameliorated the senescence-related phenotype in the intestinal systems in aged mice and extended the health span, as evidenced by the frailty index and restoration of muscle atrophy. Conclusions In conclusion, the changes in key microbial communities and their functions during ageing and three rejuvenation procedures, and the increase in the healthy lifespan of aged mice by oral administration of Akkermansia. Our results provide a rationale for developing therapeutic strategies to achieve healthy active ageing.

Humulus japonicus (HJ) is used as a traditional medicine in Korea owing to its multiple properties including anti-mycobacterial, antioxidant and antihypertensive effects. The present study aimed to examine the anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic effects of a methanol extract of HJ. In lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, HJ significantly suppressed the mRNA expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6)], and the release of inflammatory mediators such as nitrite and prostaglandin E2, together with a concomitant decrease in the mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. To examine whether HJ is capable of inhibiting experimental atherogenesis in an animal model, we randomly divided apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE−/−) mice into three groups: mice fed an atherogenic diet plus vehicle (0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose) as the control vehicle group, and mice fed an atherogenic diet plus either 100 (HJ100) or 500 mg/kg (HJ500) of HJ as the experimental groups. After 12 weeks of HJ administration, lipid accumulation and the formation of atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta (en face) and the aortic sinus markedly decreased in the HJ500 group compared with the corresponding values in the vehicle control group. Moreover, monocyte and macrophage infiltration in the aortic sinus was markedly reduced in the HJ500 group. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of the whole aorta showed that the mRNA levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, CD68 and IL-18 were significantly decreased in the HJ500 group. Collectively, these findings suggest that HJ may suppress atherosclerosis by inhibiting lipid accumulation and the expression of pro-atherogenic factors, and it may be effective at preventing the development of atherosclerosis.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can ameliorate renal injury and accelerate repair of acute kidney injury. Herein, we developed a collagen/poly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) hydrogel as an injectable scaffold for the delivery of mouse MSCs (mMSCs) and anti-oxidant drugs into injured sites. By the introduction of γ-PGA into conventional collagen, the viscosity of collagen was reduced at ambient temperature for easy handling, while the elastic and viscous moduli of collagen were increased and a new porous structure was generated near body temperature. When in situ gel-forming collagen/γ-PGA hydrogels loaded with mMSCs and α-lipoic acid (LA) were administered to a mouse model of renal dysfunction, they significantly attenuated the level of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, which resulted from the increased retention of therapeutic mMSCs and the controlled release of anti-oxidant drugs at the injured site. These findings suggested that this novel type of hydrogel could be applied as an injectable scaffold for use in regenerative medicine.

Binge drinking among alcohol consumers is a common occurrence, and may result in the development of numerous diseases, including liver disorders. It has previously been reported that natural killer T (NKT) cells induce alcohol-associated liver injury by promoting neutrophil infiltration. In the present study, the role of the orphan nuclear receptor small heterodimer partner (SHP), which is encoded by the NR0B2 gene, in acute binge drinking-induced liver injury was investigated. SHP-knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) control mice were intragastrically administered single doses of alcohol. The plasma concentrations of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in SHP-KO mice following alcohol treatment were significantly increased compared with WT mice. However, results of oil red O staining and 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining indicated that levels of acute binge drinking-associated hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress were not significantly different between WT and SHP-KO alcohol-treated mice. Notably, tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA expression in the liver of SHP-KO mice was significantly increased following alcohol administration, compared with WT mice. Furthermore, the mRNA expression levels of C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2 and interleukin-4, which are all potent chemoattractants of NKT cells, as well as neutrophil expression levels, were significantly increased in the livers of SHP-KO mice compared with WT mice following alcohol administration, as determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. Enhanced infiltration of NKT cells, determined by flow cytometry, was also demonstrated in the livers of SHP-KO mice following alcohol administration, compared with WT mice. The results of the present study indicate that SHP may be involved in liver-associated protective mechanisms, with regards to the attenuation of damage caused by acute binge drinking, via regulation of NKT cell and neutrophil migration to the liver. The modulation of SHP may be a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of acute binge drinking-induced liver injury.

No abstract

The clinical efficacy and the rebound phenomenon were studied in a left-right double-blind trial comparing triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and hydrocortisone 17-butyrate (HC 17-B, Locoid®). The trial comprised 19 patients with rosacea-like dermatitis of whom 7 did not receive treatment and 12 were pretreated with betamethasone valerate (BMV). Tetracycline was given all the time as additional treatment. Clinically there was no significant difference between TA and HC 17-B. No rebound phenomenon was observed. If corticosteroids are to be used at all in rosacea or rosacea-like dermatitis, preference is given to HC 17-B.