Viewport Size Code:
Login | Create New Account
picture

  MENU

About | Classical Genetics | Timelines | What's New | What's Hot

About | Classical Genetics | Timelines | What's New | What's Hot

icon

Bibliography Options Menu

icon
QUERY RUN:
HITS:
PAGE OPTIONS:
Hide Abstracts   |   Hide Additional Links
NOTE:
Long bibliographies are displayed in blocks of 100 citations at a time. At the end of each block there is an option to load the next block.

Bibliography on: Microbiome

The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project: Providing world-wide, free access to classic scientific papers and other scholarly materials, since 1993.

More About:  ESP | OUR CONTENT | THIS WEBSITE | WHAT'S NEW | WHAT'S HOT

ESP: PubMed Auto Bibliography 01 Feb 2026 at 01:34 Created: 

Microbiome

It has long been known that every multicellular organism coexists with large prokaryotic ecosystems — microbiomes — that completely cover its surfaces, external and internal. Recent studies have shown that these associated microbiomes are not mere contamination, but instead have profound effects upon the function and fitness of the multicellular organism. We now know that all MCEs are actually functional composites, holobionts, composed of more prokaryotic cells than eukaryotic cells and expressing more prokaryotic genes than eukaryotic genes. A full understanding of the biology of "individual" eukaryotes will now depend on an understanding of their associated microbiomes.

Created with PubMed® Query: microbiome[tiab] NOT pmcbook NOT ispreviousversion

Citations The Papers (from PubMed®)

-->

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Li L, Wang H, Gao Y, et al (2026)

Integrative profiling of gut microbiome, bacteriophagenome, and predicted metabolome in obese adults: novel insights into intervention targets.

BMC microbiology pii:10.1186/s12866-025-04682-1 [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Zhang J, Deng J, He B, et al (2026)

The study on the identification of cross-boundary microbiome enterotypes between high-altitude and coastal populations and their predictive value.

BMC microbiology pii:10.1186/s12866-025-04578-0 [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Bracken AK, Malarney KP, PV Chang (2026)

Chemical Proteomics Reveals Regulation of Bile Salt Hydrolases via Oxidative Post-translational Modifications.

Journal of the American Chemical Society [Epub ahead of print].

The gut microbiome is the vast, diverse ecosystem of microorganisms that inhabits the human intestines and provides numerous essential functions for the host. One such key role is the metabolism of primary bile acids that are biosynthesized in the host liver into a plethora of secondary bile acids produced by gut bacteria. These metabolites serve as both antimicrobial and chemical signaling agents within the host. The critical microbial enzyme that plays a gatekeeping role in secondary bile acid metabolism is bile salt hydrolase (BSH), a cysteine hydrolase that is primarily known for its deconjugating and reconjugating activities on bile acid substrates. Despite the crucial nature of these biotransformations, regulation of BSH activity is not well understood. Here, we found that the catalytic cysteine 2 (Cys2) within the BSH active site exists in multiple sulfur oxidation states including sulfenic acid (Cys-SOH). Importantly, we show this reversible oxidative post-translational modification (oxPTM) ablates BSH catalytic activity. We have leveraged this discovery to develop a chemoproteomic platform featuring a sulfenic acid-reactive bile acid probe to profile BSH Cys2 oxPTMs throughout the gut microbiome. Our results reveal that though most gut microbiota-associated BSHs exist in the active Cys2-SH state, some are preferentially and reversibly inactivated in the Cys2-SOH state. This reversible oxidation of Cys2 may serve as a general mechanism to regulate BSH activity in vivo in response to a changing physiological environment.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Dimmers F, Reichert D, Wigmann C, et al (2026)

Effects of solar-simulated (UVB plus UVA) radiation on the skin microbiome: An exploratory study.

Photochemistry and photobiology [Epub ahead of print].

This exploratory in vivo study investigated the impact of solar-simulated ultraviolet (UV) radiation (UVB plus UVA) on the composition of the human skin microbiome in healthy male volunteers. Thirty Caucasian men were exposed to suberythemal and erythemal doses of UV radiation (0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 minimal erythema dose, MED) on defined areas of the lower back. Skin swabs were collected from both irradiated (n = 243) and nonirradiated control sites (n = 81) 30 min, 24 h, and 96 h postexposure. The microbial profiles were generated using flow cytometry, and the data were analyzed via the open-access bioinformatic platform FlowSoFine™. The results revealed pronounced alterations in the microbial composition, with changes already detectable 30 min after exposure. Although partial recovery was observed over time, certain microbial shifts persisted. Further analysis indicated dose-dependent trends in microbiome changes, suggesting a potential relationship between the extent of microbial alteration and the applied UV dose. These results suggest that even low, nonerythematous exposure to solar-simulated UV radiation can rapidly alter the microbial balance of the skin and emphasize the role of UV radiation as a potent modulator of the skin microbial homeostasis.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Sun G, Cheng H, M Yin (2026)

Oral hygiene and cancer risk: emerging evidence and public health perspectives.

Discover oncology pii:10.1007/s12672-026-04527-x [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Costa-Santos M, Sario S, Mendes RJ, et al (2026)

Seasonal dynamics and core stability of the bacterial microbiome of a Drosophila suzukii wild population.

Scientific reports pii:10.1038/s41598-026-37656-y [Epub ahead of print].

Drosophila suzukii (spotted-wing drosophila, SWD) is an invasive pest with pronounced sexual dimorphism and seasonal polyphenism. While seasonal morphotypes are well documented, how these phenotypic traits shape the SWD microbiome remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate how sex and seasonal phenotypes shape microbiome composition in SWD. We hypothesize that these factors drive microbial shifts, with some taxa varying between phenotypes and others forming a stable core. Understanding these patterns may reveal microbiome-associated adaptations relevant to SWD ecology and management. To investigate this, we monitored SWD microbiome dynamics over one year by collecting individuals during spring, summer, and autumn of 2022 and winter of 2023 from an organic farm in northern Portugal. Bacterial communities were compared using 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing. This SWD population retained a core bacterial community, highly represented by Gluconobacter, Pseudomonas, Commensalibacter and Pantoea, consistent with other SWD Portuguese populations. Moreover, microbiome composition varied significantly across seasons but not between sexes, although females exhibited higher microbial alpha diversity. Linear discriminant analysis of relative abundance (LEfSe) revealed enrichment of Morganella, Methanosaeta, Serratia, Duganella, Frateuria, Suttonella, and Janthinobacterium in winter groups. However, functional prediction analyses revealed no significant differences in microbiome functional potential across seasons, suggesting functional redundancy despite taxonomic variation. This study offers baseline insights into the seasonal stability and plasticity of the D. suzukii microbiome, contributing to a deeper ecological understanding of this invasive pest.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Shen Y, C Solís-Lemus (2026)

Bayesian chain graph models to characterize microbe-environment dynamics.

Mathematical biosciences and engineering : MBE, 23(2):499-546.

Microbiome data require statistical models that can simultaneously decode microbes' reaction to the environment and interactions among microbes. While a multiresponse linear regression model seems like a straight-forward solution, we argue that treating it as a graphical model is problematic given that the regression coefficient matrix does not encode the conditional dependence structure between response and predictor nodes. This observation is especially important in biological settings when we have prior knowledge on the edges from specific experimental interventions that can only be properly encoded under a conditional dependence model. Here, we propose a chain graph model with two sets of nodes (predictors and responses) whose solution yields a graph with edges that indeed represent conditional dependence, thus agreeing with the experimenter's intuition on the average behavior of nodes under treatment. The solution to our model is sparse via the Bayesian linear regression (LASSO). In addition, we propose an adaptive extension so that different shrinkages can be applied to different edges to incorporate edge-specific prior knowledge. Our model is computationally inexpensive through an efficient Gibbs sampling algorithm and can account for binary, counting, and compositional responses via an appropriate hierarchical structure. We test the performance of our model in a variety of simulated datasets, thereby showing superior performance to state-of-the-art approaches. We further apply our model to human gut and soil microbial compositional datasets, and we highlight that CG-LASSO can estimate biologically meaningful network structures in the data. Our software is available as an R package at https://github.com/YunyiShen/CAR-LASSO.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Kuribayashi S, Naik N, Miller AW, et al (2026)

Micro-Management: How the Male Reproductive Microbiome Shapes Male Fertility.

Fertility and sterility pii:S0015-0282(26)00048-8 [Epub ahead of print].

IMPORTANCE: One in six couples worldwide experience infertility, and male factors contribute to at least half of these cases. The pathophysiology of male infertility is complex and often multifactorial, and the male reproductive microbiome has now been implicated as a potentially critical component in male reproductive health and disease.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the emerging evidence describing the male reproductive microbiome with a focus on clinically relevant aspects within spermatogenesis and reproductive outcomes.

EVIDENCE REVIEW: We performed a librarian-led search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science and a targeted PubMed search for antibiotic and probiotic trials, focusing on human studies that reported male reproductive microbiome data together with semen parameters, oxidative, DNA-damage, or inflammatory indices, or assisted reproduction outcomes. Given heterogeneity in design and laboratory methods, we conducted a narrative synthesis and integrated relevant mechanistic animal work.

FINDINGS: Across heterogeneous cohorts, anaerobe-leaning seminal profiles (often with Prevotella or Atopobium) are more often linked to higher oxidative stress, greater sperm DNA fragmentation, and lower motility or total motile count. In contrast, Lactobacillus-rich profiles more often align with better redox status and DNA integrity. Couple-level data show rapid and robust partner microbiome exchange that can shift semen over short periods. Work on the gut-testis axis has identified a link between gut dysbiosis and systemic inflammation with semen quality via the gut-testis axis. Proposed mechanisms underlying the effect of the microbiome on fertility include local inflammation, oxidative injury, altered seminal rheology (e.g., viscosity/viscoelastic properties of seminal plasma), adherence/biofilms, and immune-metabolic crosstalk. Small trials to date using antibiotics and/or probiotics show variable benefits; durability and reproductive endpoints remain limited.

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Emerging evidence supports a role for the male reproductive microbiome in sperm function and fertility and highlights it as a potential target for clinical intervention. However, predominantly small, cross-sectional studies and methodological heterogeneity limit causal inference and immediate translation, underscoring the need for longitudinal, couple-integrated cohorts and adequately powered randomized trials of targeted microbiome modulation.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Young RB, Correia GDS, DA MacIntyre (2026)

Host, microbial and environmental drivers of vaginal microbiota composition.

Fertility and sterility pii:S0015-0282(26)00049-X [Epub ahead of print].

The human vagina harbours a microbial community that differs markedly in compositional structure from all mammals, including closely related primates. Lactobacilli are the most abundant vaginal species, and their dominance in this niche are associated with protection against adverse health outcomes including preterm birth, sexually transmitted infections and bacterial vaginosis. However, the vaginal environment can also support compositions of diverse anaerobic bacteria, which have been linked to poor reproductive health outcomes. Here, we review current knowledge on host and microbial determinants that influence microbial community structure within the vaginal niche, emphasising the interplay between host physiology, immune and metabolic interactions as well as lifestyle factors. This integrated understanding provides a foundation for linking vaginal microbiome compositions to clinically relevant phenotypes and highlights mechanisms that could be exploited to promote improved reproductive health.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Saeed Q, Lu X, Farooqi ZUR, et al (2026)

Root Traits and Rhizosphere Responses as Emerging Bioindicators of Microplastic Pollution in Agricultural Soils: A review.

Environmental research pii:S0013-9351(26)00194-5 [Epub ahead of print].

In agricultural soils, crop roots are central to regulating soil health, nutrient cycling, and long-term carbon sequestration through rhizosphere-driven processes such as root exudation, microbial modulation, and litter decomposition. However, the increasing prevalence of microplastics (MPs) in farmlands arising from mulching films, sewage sludge, composts, and atmospheric deposition is increasingly recognized as a pervasive threat to root-soil-microbe interactions. This review focused on how crop root traits (architecture, chemistry, turnover) are influenced by MPs and explores their cascading impacts on rhizosphere functionality, with a specific focus on their potential as emerging bioindicators of MPs pollution in agricultural soils. MPs disrupt root morphology, alter microbial communities, reduce carbon inputs as exudates, and interfere with organo-mineral associations, and reshape rhizosphere responses that govern soil aggregation, nutrient availability, and microbial carbon stabilization. These responses vary across crop functional types, including grasses, legumes, vegetables, and fodder crops, reflecting differences in root architecture, turnover, and rhizosphere regulation. Collectively, these trait-based responses provide integrative and sensitive indicators of MPs stress in agroecosystems. We highlight future research strategies emphasizing rhizosphere engineering such as microbiome manipulation, exudation modulation, breeding for resilient root traits, and multi-indicator integration, to mitigate MPs stress and enhance overall ecosystem resilience. Collectively, this review underscores the potential of root-based bioindicators and rhizosphere responses as robust tools for monitoring MPs pollution and supporting sustainable soil management in plastic-impacted agroecosystems.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Barash JR, Sambol SP, Skinner AM, et al (2026)

Clostridioides difficile colonization of Twin Patients Recovering From Infant Botulism.

Anaerobe pii:S1075-9964(26)00002-8 [Epub ahead of print].

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of Clostridioides difficile co-colonization of 107 California patients with suspect infant botulism (IB) was studied over a two-year period. One set of twins with lab-confirmed IB and C. difficile co-colonization was followed longitudinally and their isolated C. difficile was typed by restriction endonuclease analysis (REA).

METHODS: Stool specimens sent to California Department of Public Health for routine IB diagnostic testing were cultured for C. botulinum and C. difficile. After diagnostic testing identified twin IB patients, their stools collected at weekly and monthly intervals were cultured to determine duration of C. botulinum and C. difficile co-colonization until three consecutive specimens were culture negative for each organism.

RESULTS: Twins X and Y were colonized by C. botulinum for a duration of nearly three and four months, followed by C. difficile for eight and seven months, respectively. Continuous colonization by C. difficile was identified in each twin as C. botulinum colonization was waning. They sequentially shared four identical REA types, three toxigenic and one non-toxigenic, including epidemic strain type J9. Neither twin developed C. difficile illness and colonization ceased spontaneously in each.

CONCLUSIONS: C. difficile co-colonization of laboratory-confirmed IB patients is infrequently encountered. IB in both twins was followed by asymptomatic C. difficile colonization. Risk factors for their respective co-colonization remain unknown, including if previous illness with IB was a potential contributing factor. Although the environmental source of the colonizing strains was not determined, this study highlights the ability of C. difficile to spread to close contacts and persist in the infant intestinal microbiome.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Weiler BA, Kron N, Bonacolta AM, et al (2026)

Temporal transcriptional rhythms govern coral-symbiont function and microbiome dynamics.

Cell host & microbe pii:S1931-3128(26)00024-7 [Epub ahead of print].

Diel rhythms align physiological processes with light/dark cycles, driving predictable oscillations in gene expression and protein activity through tightly controlled transcriptional-translational feedback loops. This study presents in situ transcriptomic analyses of the stony coral Pseudodiploria strigosa and its photosymbionts, Breviolum sp., at key daily time points. P. strigosa shows precise transcriptional control: dawn triggers a molecular reset marked by RNA metabolism and protein turnover; midday emphasizes anabolic and phosphate-regulated pathways; dusk reflects transitional lipid and amino acid metabolism; and midnight reveals stress responses, mRNA catabolism, and mitochondrial organization. Photosymbionts display subtler diel patterns, with photoprotection at dawn, metabolite transport and nitrogen cycling through midday/dusk, and cell cycle and ion homeostasis at night. Microbial communities show time-dependent restructuring of co-occurrence networks, driving diel-related functional consequences like changes in microbial metabolism. These findings present a system-level molecular framework of diel regulation across the coral-photosymbiont-microbe holobiont, revealing time-specific transcriptional control of coordinated function and homeostasis.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Ramos-Madrigal J (2026)

The potential of plant palaeogenomic research.

Current opinion in plant biology, 90:102856 pii:S1369-5266(25)00170-0 [Epub ahead of print].

Plant palaeogenomics has transformed the way we study plant evolution. After a slow start, the last decade has seen a shift from the study of a few genomic markers to genome-wide data and complete genomes across multiple species. These studies have changed fundamental ideas about plant domestication and evolution. The field still has great potential to unlock. Emerging approaches promise to recover genomic information from both plants and their associated microbes from macrobotanical remains, providing a new perspective to study deep-time plant-microbiome coevolution. Environmental DNA preserved in ancient sediments may soon yield complete plant genomes, expanding our ability to study population dynamics well before the rise of agriculture. Ancient genomes also provide a reservoir of lost genetic diversity that we could exploit to improve crop resilience and adaptation.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Widyarman AS, Bur R, Udawatte NS, et al (2026)

Mouthrinses differentially rewire salivary virus-microbiome interaction dynamics in COVID-19 patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Archives of oral biology, 184:106524 pii:S0003-9969(26)00028-2 [Epub ahead of print].

OBJECTIVE: In this randomized clinical trial (RCT) we evaluated the efficacy of mouthrinses containing sodium chlorite (NaClO2), povidone iodine (PVP-I), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) compared to sterile water control in modulating salivary SARS-CoV-2 viral load and the oral microbiome in COVID-19 patients.

METHODS: Forty PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients were randomly allocated to four groups (n = 10 each) and rinsed with 10 ml of their assigned solution for 30 s. Saliva was collected pre-rinse and at 5-min, 3-hour, and 6-hour post-rinse. Viral load was quantified via RT-qPCR targeting N and ORF1ab genes, and oral microbiome was analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing.

RESULTS: CPC reduced viral load by 1.5-fold (P = 0.12), PVP-I by 1.2-fold (P = 0.18), and NaClO2 by 1.1-fold (P = 0.34) at 6-hour, though not statistically significant. Overall oral microbiome diversity and composition remained stable (P = 0.67), although CPC and PVP-I significantly altered specific taxa such as Leptotrichia sp. and Lautropia mirabilis. Moreover, CPC and PVP-I disrupted the salivary microbiome network with SARS-CoV-2 genes, namely N and ORF1ab genes.

CONCLUSION: This study to provide new insight into the modulation dynamics of mouthrinses on salivary SARS CoV-2 and oral microbiome, suggesting that CPC and PVP-I may provide potential health benefits by reducing viral load and modulating microbiome-virus networks.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Chen S, Li H, Ning M, et al (2026)

The association between gut microbiota and insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sleep medicine reviews, 86:102236 pii:S1087-0792(26)00008-0 [Epub ahead of print].

Emerging evidence suggests interactions between gut microbiota and sleep regulation, but specific associations with insomnia remain unclear. This systematic review evaluated alterations in gut microbiota in patients with insomnia compared with healthy controls. A systematic literature search was performed on eight databases from inception to June 2025. Case-control, cohort, and cross-sectional studies examining gut microbiota in adults with insomnia versus healthy controls were included. Fourteen studies encompassing 9036 participants (58.4 % female) were included. Alpha diversity was reduced in patients with insomnia in most of the included studies, among which observed species significantly decreased (SMD: 0.90, 95 % CI: 1.39, -0.40, k = 5). Beta diversity analysis revealed a consistently distinct microbial community structure between individuals with insomnia and healthy controls. Taxonomically, insomnia correlated with shifted Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratios. Meta-analyses revealed alterations in key genera, including significantly decreased Faecalibacterium and Lachnospira, and significantly increased Blautia and Eubacterium hallii. Changes in gut microbiota were also correlated with inflammatory markers and metabolic disturbances. In summary, gut microbiota dysbiosis was associated with insomnia and characterized by reduced microbial diversity and altered bacterial composition. These findings suggest potential applications for microbial biomarkers in insomnia diagnosis and subtyping, and the development of personalized microbiota-targeted interventions.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Kumar S, Srivastava S, Tan CS, et al (2026)

Correlation between oral disease and neurodegenerative disorders: Role of biological proteins for the modulation of oral-brain axis and gut-brain axis.

Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 262:115480 pii:S0927-7765(26)00068-8 [Epub ahead of print].

Biological proteins play a crucial role at the intersection of oral health and neuroscience, offering promising opportunities for improved diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. This review highlights the molecular, inflammatory, and biochemical pathways linking oral diseases, particularly periodontal disease and microbial dysbiosis, with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Key inflammatory, neuroprotective, and tissue-repair proteins play a crucial role in maintaining both oral integrity and neural function. Advances in proteomics and molecular imaging have clarified how protein misfolding, aggregation, and immune responses drive neuroinflammation and cognitive decline. Emerging therapies include protein-based biomaterials, such as hydrogels, nanocarriers, and protein-polymer hybrids, for delivering neuroprotective and regenerative agents through oral and nasal routes. Early diagnosis is being transformed by salivary proteomics and transcriptomics, enabling non-invasive detection of neurodegenerative biomarkers. Host-defense peptides and antimicrobial proteins also show promise in controlling oral infections that may exacerbate brain inflammation. Integrating oral biology, biomaterials science, and neuroscience is accelerating clinical translation through the development of innovative scaffolds and smart delivery systems. Despite challenges in biomarker validation and clinical application, advances in artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, and protein engineering are driving the future of personalized regenerative and preventive medicine. Overall, biological proteins provide a critical molecular link between oral and neural health, paving the way for novel non-invasive diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Yousaf MW, Nadeem AH, Nadeem MF, et al (2026)

The role of artificial intelligence in sarcopenia: Advances, applications, and future directions.

Computational biology and chemistry, 122:108930 pii:S1476-9271(26)00055-1 [Epub ahead of print].

Sarcopenia, the gradual loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function, is a growing concern in aging populations. Early detection is vital to reduce the risk of frailty, disability, and mortality, yet traditional diagnostic methods such as imaging and physical performance tests are often costly, inconsistent, or difficult to implement in routine care. Artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), is emerging as a powerful tool in sarcopenia research and clinical practice. This review explores how AI is being applied to early detection, imaging-based diagnosis, prediction of functional outcomes, and personalized monitoring. Models trained on large datasets, such as NHANES, have demonstrated strong predictive performance using standard clinical variables. DL has enabled automated analysis of CT scans for muscle segmentation, reducing the need for manual interpretation. At the same time, ML systems integrated with wearable devices allow real-time tracking of physical function. Emerging approaches such as explainable AI, federated learning, and the integration of diverse data sources, including omics and microbiome profiles, are expanding opportunities for individualized care. Despite these advances, significant challenges remain, including variability in data quality, limited model transparency, algorithmic bias, and ethical concerns. Regulatory oversight and clinician engagement will be key to successful implementation. AI offers a promising path toward proactive, scalable, and personalized management of sarcopenia.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Singh D, Liu J, Luo J, et al (2026)

Sugar-sweetened orange beverages: A silent risk factor for colorectal cancer?.

Nutrition and health [Epub ahead of print].

BackgroundEriodictyol is a flavonoid primarily found in citrus fruits for dietary consumption. Laboratory studies have shown that it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help prevent colorectal cancer (CRC). However, consuming eriodictyol through citrus drinks and added sugars may increase the risk of CRC. These beverages can raise blood sugar levels and disrupt the gut microbiome, potentially increasing the risk of CRC.AimThis study aims to evaluate the relationship between dietary intake of eriodictyol flavonoid, commonly consumed through citrus drinks or sugar-sweetened orange beverages, and the increased risk of CRC, as well as its connection with diabetic patients.MethodsData from 53,914 participants in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial were analyzed using Dietary Questionnaire (DQX) and Dietary History Questionnaire (DHQ). LASSO regression identified significant associations, while restricted cubic spline analysis examined nonlinear relationships between eriodictyol intake and CRC risk.ResultsDiabetes was confirmed as a significant risk factor for CRC in both the DHQ and DQX cohorts. Additionally, higher eriodictyol intake was associated with increased CRC risk in the DQX group, suggesting a possible link between diabetes, elevated eriodictyol consumption, and CRC development. The primary source of dietary eriodictyol in the USA is sugar-sweetened beverages.ConclusionsThe findings show that hyperglycemic patients have a notably higher risk of CRC, and this increased risk remains even with dietary intake of eriodictyol, a flavonoid commonly found in citrus fruits and increasingly consumed through citrus beverages in industrialized countries.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Rustamova N, Wali A, Litao N, et al (2026)

Characterization and biological activities of endophytic bacteria from Vernonia anthelmintica flowers.

Folia microbiologica [Epub ahead of print].

Endophytic bacteria associated with medicinal plants are a vital component of the plant microbiome and represent a valuable biological resource. This study investigates the diversity and biological activities of endophytic bacteria isolated from the flowers of Vernonia anthelmintica, a medicinal plant native to China. The research focuses on evaluating the cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic properties of natural products derived from these bacteria, as well as their effects on melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity in B16 cells. A total of 32 bacterial strains were isolated and cultured, of which eight crude extracts exhibiting antimicrobial activity were selected for further analysis. These isolates. belong to four genera: Bacillus, Streptococcus, Priestia and Paenibacillus. Among them, Priestia megaterium XJB-41 demonstrated the most substantial pharmacological potential, warranting further investigation to optimize its culture conditions for enhanced bioactive compound production. The optimal growth conditions for P. megaterium XJB-41 were determined to be LB and Nutrient Broth (NB) media, with peptone as the carbon source and yeast extract as the nitrogen source, under 24 h of incubation. These conditions significantly enhanced both bacterial growth and metabolite yield. Moreover, two secondary metabolites: cyclo(D-leu-L-pro) [1] and 2-benzoxazolone [2] were isolated for the first time from the ethyl acetate fraction of P. megaterium XJB-41. This strain shows promise for further investigation as a potential source of therapeutic agents.

RevDate: 2026-01-30
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Moreiras-Arias N, Nieto-Fontarigo JJ, Salgado FJ, et al (2026)

Novel Therapeutic Strategies for Atopic Dermatitis: Biomarker Modulation and Clinical Implications. A Systematic Review.

Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology, 69(1):4.

Advances in the understanding of atopic dermatitis (AD) pathogenesis have driven the development of innovative systemic therapies targeting key immunologic pathways. This systematic review summarizes current evidence on the impact of biologic agents, Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, and other emerging treatments on AD-related biomarkers and their correlation with clinical outcomes. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published between 2014 and 2024. Eighty studies met the inclusion criteria. Dupilumab was the most extensively investigated therapy, followed by tralokinumab, JAK inhibitors, and novel agents such as amlitelimab, stapokibart, and tezepelumab. Across drug classes, consistent reductions in CCL17/TARC, LDH, and total IgE levels were observed, generally paralleling clinical improvement in EASI and SCORAD scores. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed normalization of Th2/Th22 inflammatory signatures and restoration of barrier-related gene expression, while microbiome studies showed a reduction in Staphylococcus aureus colonization. Despite these advances, the heterogeneity of study designs and analytical techniques limits the comparability of results. CCL17 and LDH currently represent the most reliable biomarkers associated with disease severity and treatment response, although their limited specificity restricts clinical applicability. Future research should aim to validate integrated biomarker panels combining immunologic, transcriptomic, and microbiomic data to enable precision medicine approaches in atopic dermatitis management.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Koch BL, Singla-Rastogi M, RW Innes (2026)

Extracellular Vesicles and Extracellular RNAs in Plant-Microbe Interactions.

Annual review of plant biology [Epub ahead of print].

Plants and microbes exchange macromolecules such as RNA and proteins. How this exchange is accomplished is poorly understood, but extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been proposed as likely vehicles. Here, we review recent work on the biogenesis and functions of plant EVs and the current evidence in support of and against their role in cross-kingdom RNA interference. Plant EVs, like EVs from other kingdoms of life, are released in part by the fusion of multivesicular bodies with the plasma membrane, a complex and conserved mechanism involving lipid-modifying proteins, the exocyst complex, and Rab GTPases. Though some plant EV subpopulations are involved in immunity, it appears unlikely that plant EVs contribute to cross-kingdom RNA interference. Recent work has shown that plants secrete extravesicular RNA, including small RNAs and long noncoding RNAs, into the leaf apoplast and onto leaf surfaces, while very little RNA is found inside of EVs. We propose that these free extracellular RNAs play a central role in maintaining a healthy leaf microbiome.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Han SH, He MT, Baek KW, et al (2026)

Protective Effect of Luteolin Isolated from Taraxacum coreanum Against Neuroinflammatory Responses Induced by Lipopolysaccharide: Involvement of Gut-Brain Axis.

Journal of agricultural and food chemistry [Epub ahead of print].

Neuroinflammation can be brought on by intestinal inflammatory agents and metabolites generated by the gut microbiota that can pass across the blood-brain barrier. Taraxacum coreanum is rich in the bioactive compound luteolin (LT), a molecule known for its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The current research investigated whether LT prevents inflammatory responses and barrier dysfunction in the brain and gut of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-injected mice. LT (10 and 20 mg/kg/day) effectively lowered the brain levels of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines triggered by LPS stimulation. Moreover, occludin and ZO-1 are two tight junction proteins whose expression was markedly elevated by LT. In the intestine, LT not only attenuated the levels of inflammatory mediators but also markedly upregulated tight junction protein expression relative to the LPS-treated group. LT markedly reversed LPS-induced dysbiosis by increasing beneficial taxa such as Bacteroidota, Actinobacteriota, Murivaculaceae, and Lactobacillus. In addition, LT reduced the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Desulfovibrio. Collectively, LT from Taraxacum coreanum may attenuate neuroinflammation and maintain blood-brain barrier integrity by suppressing inflammatory responses, protecting the gut barrier, and modulating the gut microbiome.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Koçak Ö, Sharafi P, Gökdemir Ş, et al (2026)

[Changes in Gut Microbiome Profile in Pregnant Women with Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Comparative Study Based on 16S rRNA Sequencing].

Mikrobiyoloji bulteni, 60(1):53-71.

Hyperemesis gravidarum (HEG) is a pregnancy complication characterized by severe nausea, vomiting more than four times a day and dehydration, especially occurring in the first trimester of pregnancy. In recent years it has been shown that the intestinal bacterial microbiome profile may be associated with a wide range of diseases. The aim of this study was to determine whether the intestinal bacterial microbiome profiles differ between pregnant women diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum (HEG) and those with healthy pregnancies. Fresh stool samples were collected from 15 pregnant women diagnosed with HEG and 14 healthy pregnant women who did not have any complaints in the first trimester. After DNA isolation from the samples, 16S rRNA gene-based microbial profiling was performed with next-generation sequencing. The 16S rRNA V3-V4 region was sequenced with paired-end reads (2×250 base pair) on the Illumina MiSeq platform. The average sequence number for each sample was similar (HEG= ~2.54 million, control= ~1.48 million; p> 0.05). After quality filtering, reads obtained from all samples were analyzed by rarefaction at equal depth. Alpha diversity measures were found to be significantly higher in the HEG group compared to the control group (Shannon, ACE, and Chao1 indices; p< 0.05 for all). In the beta diversity analysis, it was observed that the gut microbiome compositions of the two groups were separated; In the Principal Coordinates Analysis plot, the groups were clearly clustered and the group difference was found to be statistically significant by PERMANOVA test (p< 0.01). Significant differences were also found in the comparisons at the taxonomic level. At the class level, the relative abundance of Clostridia was significantly higher in the HEG group (p< 0.05), while the class Bacilli was dominant in the control group (p< 0.05). At the family level, the abundances of Lachnospiraceae and Prevotellaceae were found to be significantly higher in the HEG group than in the control group (p< 0.05). In contrast, at the family level, the rates of Enterobacteriaceae and at the genus level, the rates of Escherichia-Shigella were found to be significantly higher in the control group (p< 0.05). Some bacterial taxa detected only in the HEG group samples were also noteworthy: Collinsella, Blautia, and Dialister genera, which are only found in the intestines of patients with HEG, were not detected in the control group. In conclusion, these findings reveal that there are significant differences between the intestinal microbiome profiles of pregnant women with HEG and healthy pregnant women. The high microbial diversity observed in the HEG group and changes in certain bacterial groups suggest that processes related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism may play a role in the pathogenesis of HEG. In the future, the clinical significance and possible therapeutic targets of these differences can be evaluated with more comprehensive studies aiming at clarifying causality.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Motta EVS, Seong J, Dickey M, et al (2026)

Divergent microbiome signatures between managed and wild honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations in South Texas.

Microbiology spectrum [Epub ahead of print].

UNLABELLED: Animal microbiomes are shaped by a complex interplay of host genetics, environment, and lifestyle. Transitions of animals from wild to managed or domesticated conditions can impact the structure and function of their microbiomes. Among insects, the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a promising model for studying these dynamics, given its long history of domestication and importance in agriculture. Despite extensive research on managed honey bee microbiomes, direct comparisons with wild populations remain scarce. Here, we compared the gut microbiomes of wild honey bee colonies from the Welder Wildlife Refuge in South Texas, which have remained unmanaged for over 30 years, with those from the closest managed apiary, located approximately 40 miles away. Using quantitative PCR and 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing, we found that managed bees harbored significantly higher bacterial loads but lower microbial diversity than wild bees. Although both groups shared a conserved microbiome dominated by core bacterial genera, distinct amplicon sequence variants and predicted metabolic pathway profiles differentiated them. Managed bee microbiomes were enriched in amino acid interconversion and antibiotic resistance-associated pathways, whereas wild bee microbiomes exhibited broader metabolic versatility, including amino acid biosynthesis and aromatic compound degradation. PCR screening further revealed a higher prevalence of tetracycline resistance markers in managed bees. Together, these findings indicate that long-term absence of human management and distinct ecological pressures shape honey bee gut microbiomes, influencing community composition and potentially functional capacity, underscoring the importance of natural environments to maintain microbial diversity and resilience.

IMPORTANCE: Understanding how human management shapes the microbiomes of domesticated species is essential for predicting their resilience to environmental stressors. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are critical pollinators whose health and productivity are closely tied to their gut microbiota, but nearly all microbiome studies have focused on managed colonies. This study leverages the Welder Wildlife Refuge in South Texas, one of the few documented and well-studied sites in the United States where honey bee colonies have persisted unmanaged for decades, to directly compare managed and wild populations. We show that managed bees harbor higher bacterial loads but reduced microbial diversity and greater antibiotic resistance potential. These findings demonstrate that long-term absence of human intervention can preserve microbial diversity, offering insights into how domestication, antibiotic exposure, and environmental simplification influence the evolution and ecology of host-associated microbiomes.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Panattoni A, De Boeck I, Wittouck S, et al (2026)

Exploring the functional microbiome of pigs within the porcine respiratory disease complex: viral-bacterial co-infections and virulence factor profiling.

Microbiology spectrum [Epub ahead of print].

Respiratory infections are among the most impacting on pigs' health and economic productivity. Despite this, detailed insights into the microbial community of the lower respiratory tract (LRT) are currently lacking, mainly because of difficulties in the processing of respiratory samples. In this study, we characterized the microbiota of the LRT of finisher pigs aged 3-5 months with respiratory symptoms for both the viral and bacterial components, using a previously validated metagenomic diagnostic assay and a full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing approach, respectively. Functional characterization was carried out using metagenomic shotgun sequencing, revealing the presence of specific virulence factors (VFs). Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) and swine Influenza A Virus (swIAV) were the most prevalent viruses, being detected in 30% and 23% of the tested samples, respectively. Mesomycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Glaesserella parasuis, and Pasteurella multocida were the three most abundant bacterial taxa based on both sequencing approaches, while other detected bacterial taxa consisted mainly of Streptococcus, Clostridium, and Rothia species. Detected virulence factors belonged mainly to Mesomycoplasma and Pasteurella and consisted of adhesion factors such as p102, p97, p146, mhp108, mhp107 and the hemolysin-encoding gene hlyA for Mesomycoplasma, and adhesin-encoding ptfA and endoxtoxin-related gene lpxC for Pasteurella. Our data show how the microbial community of the lower respiratory tract in pigs with respiratory symptoms includes key viral (PRRSV, swIAV) and bacterial pathogens (M. hyopneumoniae, G. parasuis, and P. multocida), along with specific virulence factors likely contributing to disease.IMPORTANCEThe obtained results offer insights into the composition of the swine respiratory tract microflora, opening new perspectives on its correlation with viral infections, functional characteristics, and overall health conditions. Moreover, the present study provides technical advancement on the possibility of extracting and amplifying bacterial DNA from low-biomass respiratory samples, with the resulting possibility of identifying virulence factors and better understanding their contribution to the disease state. These discoveries pave the way for future studies aimed at improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment strategies for respiratory disease in both veterinary and human medicine.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Li Y, Li Q, Quan K, et al (2026)

Adjunctive probiotic therapy sustains symptom relief in gastroesophageal reflux disease through gut microbiome-metabolome remodeling.

mSystems [Epub ahead of print].

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are standard therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but long-term use causes dysbiosis, gastrointestinal side effects, and symptom relapse after discontinuation. Probiotics may offer adjunctive benefits by modulating the gut ecosystem. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a multi-strain probiotic (Lihuo) with rabeprazole in GERD and its impact on gut microbiota and metabolome. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 120 GERD patients assigned to receive rabeprazole with either Lihuo (n = 64) or placebo (n = 56) for 8 weeks, followed by 4 weeks of probiotic or placebo alone. The primary outcome was change in the Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) score. Secondary outcomes included Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, endoscopic healing, and multi-omics profiling (shotgun metagenomics, phageome, and untargeted/targeted metabolomics). Compared with the placebo group, the probiotic group exhibited a pronounced 36.51% reduction in RDQ scores after 12 weeks of intervention (P = 0.017), alongside a higher numerical endoscopic healing rate (36.84% vs 12.50%; P = 0.365). Metagenomics revealed enrichment of Bifidobacterium animalis, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Clostridium sp900540255, with reductions in Bacteroides uniformis and Clostridium Q fessum. Metabolomics showed increased γ-aminobutyric acid, succinate, citrulline, and short-chain fatty acids levels, with interesting microbe-metabolite correlations such as Bifidobacterium animalis-γ-aminobutyric acid and Bacteroides fragilis-succinate (r ≥ 0.30, P < 0.01). Our findings support that adjunctive probiotic therapy sustains post-PPI symptom relief, associated with targeted modulation of gut microbiota and bioactive metabolites.IMPORTANCELong-term proton pump inhibitor use in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may disrupt gut microbiota and cause symptom relapse after discontinuation. We found that adjunctive probiotic therapy sustained reflux reduction post-proton pump inhibitor. Probiotic use enriched beneficial taxa (Bifidobacterium and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum) and increased γ-aminobutyric acid, succinate, citrulline, and short-chain fatty acids. Strong correlations linked microbial shifts to metabolic and clinical improvements. This study demonstrates that adjunctive probiotic therapy enhances symptom control and supports microbial-metabolic homeostasis in GERD.CLINICAL TRIALSThis study is registered with the Chinese Clinial Trial Registry as ChiCTR2000038409.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Koo WLY, Thng KX, Tiew PY, et al (2026)

The Airway Microbiome in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A Guide for Clinicians.

British journal of hospital medicine (London, England : 2005), 87(1):50163.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive and debilitating respiratory condition marked by chronic symptoms and frequent exacerbations, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality. The advent of molecular microbiology and next-generation sequencing (NGS) has expanded our understanding of the lung microbiome, and integration of microbiome datasets with other omics reveals important microbial-metabolic-immuno-inflammatory interactions that influence COPD pathogenesis. Recent studies have highlighted dysbiosis of the airway microbiome, with shifts in bacterial, viral, and fungal communities playing a crucial role in disease progression, exacerbations and clinical outcomes. Moreover, microbiome changes are observed in COPD associated overlap syndromes, complicating diagnosis and treatment. This review synthesizes current microbiome research in COPD, focusing on its clinical relevance, including its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic tool. We additionally discuss the challenges of integrating microbiome data into clinical practice, emphasizing the need for personalized, precision medicine approaches to optimize COPD management and improve patient outcomes.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Yang J, Wang B, Yu Y, et al (2026)

Gut Microbiota and Metabolome Dynamics Along Gastric Cancer Progression: An Exploratory Multi-Omics Analysis.

Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition), 31(1):46553.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) remains a major global health burden, particularly in East Asia, with complex etiologies involving Helicobacter pylori infection, diet, host genetics, and environmental exposures. GC development follows the Correa sequence (CS), a multistep cascade from gastritis to atrophy, erosion, and carcinoma. Although gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis and metabolic reprogramming have each been implicated in GC, their integrated dynamics across CS remain incompletely defined.

METHODS: We recruited participants across five groups: normal controls (G1), gastritis (G2), atrophy (G3), erosion (G4), and GC (G5). Fecal and gastric tissue samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics under both ion modes. Microbial diversity was assessed by α- and β-diversity indices, linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), and functional prediction. Metabolic features were profiled by UHPLC-Q Exactive Orbitrap MS, and differential metabolites were identified using t-tests and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Diagnostic potential was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

RESULTS: Microbial α-diversity decreased significantly with progression, particularly in G3, while compositional shifts included depletion of Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium alongside enrichment of Actinobacteria, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Lachnoclostridium. LEfSe identified Bifidobacterium and Oscillospiraceae as potential biomarkers of advanced stages. ROC analyses demonstrated strong discriminatory power, with the class Actinobacteria achieving an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.935 in distinguishing controls from GC. Fecal metabolomics revealed reductions in anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and increases in pro-inflammatory metabolites emerging at G3, while tissue metabolomics showed broader reprogramming in GC involving amino acid, nucleotide, lipid, and energy metabolism. Notably, erosion (G4) exhibited transitional features, whereas atrophy (G3) marked a distinct metabolic "breakpoint".

CONCLUSIONS: By integrating GM and metabolomic data, this study delineates stage-specific microbial and metabolic alterations along the CS. Atrophy represents a pivotal inflection point in the transition from homeostasis to carcinogenesis, while erosion serves as a transitional state. Combined microbiota-metabolite signatures hold promise for non-invasive early detection, disease stratification, and mechanistic insights into metabolic dependencies in GC.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Wang Z, Ma Y, Li M, et al (2026)

Akkermansia muciniphila Ameliorates Chronic Sleep Deprivation-Induced Glucose Intolerance and Inflammatory Cytokine Activation.

Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition), 31(1):45680.

OBJECTIVE: Emerging evidence indicates that Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila or AKK) regulates host glucose metabolism through multiple pathways. In this study, we examined the therapeutic effects of A. muciniphila on chronic sleep deprivation (CSD)-induced glucose dysregulation and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS: A modified multiplatform water environment method was used to generate a mouse model of CSD. The mice were divided into three groups: the control (CON) group (ad libitum sleep), the CSD group (subjected to sleep deprivation), and the CSD+AKK group (CSD mice were supplemented with A. muciniphila at 3 × 10⁸ CFU per mouse, three times per week). After an 8-week intervention, glucose metabolism was assessed. Serum concentrations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were measured. The mRNA expression and protein expression of mucin 2 (MUC2) and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in the colon tissue were analyzed. Goblet cells in colon tissues were quantified using Alcian Blue-Periodic Acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) staining. Additionally, changes in gut microbiome diversity and composition among groups were compared.

RESULTS: CSD induced significant glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, evidenced by increased area under the curve (AUC) of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and fasting insulin levels compared to the CON group (all p < 0.05). This was accompanied by a marked impairment of the colonic mucosal barrier, characterized by a profound loss of goblet cells and downregulation of key barrier components, MUC2 and ZO-1, at both the mRNA and protein levels (all p < 0.05). Intervention with A. muciniphila significantly ameliorated CSD-induced glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and colonic barrier damage. Furthermore, CSD elevated serum levels of LPS, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β (all p < 0.05), which were effectively mitigated by A. muciniphila intervention. 16S rDNA sequencing confirmed the successful colonization of A. muciniphila, as its absolute abundance was significantly greater in the CSD+AKK group than in the CSD group. In addition, A. muciniphila intervention affected the abundance of Burkholderiales bacterium, Lactococcus garvieae, and other bacterial strains in the intestine.

CONCLUSION: A. muciniphila supplementation effectively ameliorated CSD-induced glucose intolerance, reduced the serum levels of LPS and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β), and restored intestinal barrier integrity by upregulating MUC2 and ZO-1 expression in colon tissues.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Polena H, Callejon S, Salvert M, et al (2025)

An innovative ecobiological wound repair cream that restores the microbiome.

European journal of dermatology : EJD, 35(6):508-518.

Small everyday wounds would benefit from optimal healing conditions, and the role of the microbiome in this process is being increasingly discussed. Objectives: To evaluate a wound repair cream (Cicabio Crème+, NAOS Ecobiology Company, Bioderma, France), assessing its effects on the skin microbiome and wound healing. The impact on the microbiome was evaluated by monitoring restoration of diversity after disinfection. The efficacy of the repair complex was assessed ex vivo using a 3D wound-healing human skin model to analyse closure and protein expression. Short-term evaluation of adherence, gas permeability, wound protection, and hydration was assessed. In vivo efficacy was examined through two clinical studies: one on healing erosive areas and another after chemical peel. After disinfection, the cream accelerated restoration of microbiome diversity (+31%, p=0.001) without promoting pathogenic/commensal bacteria or altering the level of Staphylococcus epidermidis (p=0.193). In a 3D wound-healing model, the repair complex enhanced wound closure, promoting protein expression (Ki67, loricrin, CD44, collagen XVII, VII, III) and re-epithelialisation. The cream adhered to the skin, allowed gas exchange, and provided protection and hydration. In vivo, the cream reduced transepidermal water loss (day 4: p=0.016; day 7: p=0.014), erythema (day 7: p=0.023), and functional signs (day 4: p=0.032) of erosive wounds. Following chemical peels, the cream reduced inflammation (day 7: p=0.037), visible damage (day 7: p=0.029), and skin pH (day 1: p<0.001). We demonstrate, for the first time, protection of microbiome diversity, stimulation of wound closure, and preservation of skin pH using a wound repair cream.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Mahen KK, Massey WJ, Orabi D, et al (2026)

Gut microbe-derived trimethylamine shapes circadian rhythms through the host receptor TAAR5.

eLife, 14:.

Elevated levels of the gut microbe-derived metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) are associated with cardiometabolic disease risk. However, the mechanism(s) linking TMAO production to human disease are incompletely understood. Initiation of the metaorganismal TMAO pathway begins when dietary choline and related metabolites are converted to trimethylamine (TMA) by gut bacteria. Gut microbe-derived TMA can then be further oxidized by host flavin-containing monooxygenases to generate TMAO. Previously, we showed that drugs lowering both TMA and TMAO protect mice against obesity via rewiring of host circadian rhythms (Schugar et al., 2022). Although most mechanistic studies in the literature have focused on the metabolic end product TMAO, here we have instead tested whether the primary metabolite TMA alters host metabolic homeostasis and circadian rhythms via trace amine-associated receptor 5 (TAAR5). Remarkably, mice lacking the host TMA receptor (Taar5[-/][-]) have altered circadian rhythms in gene expression, metabolic hormones, gut microbiome composition, and diverse behaviors. Also, mice genetically lacking bacterial TMA production or host TMA oxidation have altered circadian rhythms. These results provide new insights into diet-microbe-host interactions relevant to cardiometabolic disease and implicate gut bacterial production of TMA and the host receptor that senses TMA (TAAR5) in the physiologic regulation of circadian rhythms in mice.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Liu Y, Rong L, Cheng Y, et al (2025)

Topographic controls on soil organic carbon partitioning and enzyme dynamics in nutrient-poor soils.

Frontiers in microbiology, 16:1735665.

INTRODUCTION: Understanding the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) in sloping farmlands is critical, as they play a vital role in the global carbon cycle and soil health. Although prior research has focused on physical carbon loss due to erosion, the biological mechanisms by which slope gradients affect microbial carbon cycling remain poorly understood.

METHODS: Soil samples were collected from maize fields with three slope gradients (30°, 45°, and 60°) across different growth stages. Key indicators were determined as follows: SOC by potassium dichromate oxidation (external heating method); DOC by ultrapure water extraction (1:5 ratio) and organic carbon analyzer; POC by sodium hexametaphosphate dispersion, 53-μm sieving, and chromic acid oxidation; soil Ca[2+], Mg[2+], and Cl[-] by EDTA complexometric titration and silver nitrate titration, respectively; invertase (SUC) by 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid colorimetry; polyphenol oxidase (SPPO) and peroxidase (SPOD) by commercial kits with L-dopa as substrate. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS 26 (One-way ANOVA with LSD post-hoc test, Pearson correlation analysis) and Origin 2024 (Principal Component Analysis, PCA). Normality of data was verified prior to analysis, and significance was set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS: Results showed that SOC levels decreased with increasing slope steepness, while DOC peaked at 45°. SPPO and SPOD activities (involved in recalcitrant carbon decomposition) were significantly elevated at 60°. SUC activity was positively correlated with DOC, while oxidase activities were positively associated with POC and negatively with Mg[2+].

DISCUSSION: This study identifies a critical slope threshold (30°-45°) for DOC loss: DOC availability on steeper slopes stimulates microbial synthesis of SPPO and SPOD, enhancing recalcitrant carbon degradation and potentially intensifying long-term SOC depletion. The identification of this threshold provides insights for designing microbiome-informed strategies to mitigate soil degradation and safeguard ecological security.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Yan W, Du N, Zhang K, et al (2025)

Bilirubin-microbiota interaction: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies in neonatal jaundice.

Frontiers in microbiology, 16:1749152.

Recent studies have revealed a complex interplay between bilirubin metabolism and the gut microbiota. Bilirubin functions as a potent antioxidant and signaling molecule in humans, and its concentration-dependent effects on distinct microbial taxa indicate that the compound exerts selective pressure on the gut ecosystem. The gut microbiota modulates bilirubin metabolism by altering intestinal pH, producing and activating Bilirubin metabolic enzyme, and bile acids. Because perturbations in bilirubin handling are especially common-and potentially neurotoxic-in neonates, a concise synthesis of recent progress is warranted. Here we review how microbial communities reshape bilirubin flux, how bilirubin and its conjugates, in turn, sculpt microbial ecology, and how the dynamic equilibrium between conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin in hyperbilirubinaemia is influenced by the microbiome. Regulating gut microbiota to accelerate bilirubin clearance or attenuate its toxicity may therefore offer a tractable therapeutic avenue.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Sun Y, Ding M, Zheng W, et al (2025)

Manganese-oxidizing Exiguobacterium acetylicum 4-3-1 reduces cadmium accumulation in spinach.

Frontiers in microbiology, 16:1734825.

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in edible plants is a significant global concern. This research explores the potential of a manganese-oxidizing rhizobacterium, Exiguobacterium acetylicum 4-3-1, to promote spinach growth while reducing Cd uptake. The bacterium produces indole-3-acetic acid and siderophores and effectively removed 73.74% of free CdCl2. Under Cd stress (10.5 mg/kg), E. acetylicum 4-3-1 significantly increased spinach biomass by 184.3% (dry weight) and chlorophyll content by 33.99%, while decreasing the Cd concentration in spinach leaves by 53.07% through both intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms. Intrinsically, E. acetylicum 4-3-1 inoculation up-regulated pathways related to photosynthesis and energy metabolism in spinach, while down-regulating genes linked to heavy metal transport. Extrinsically, it oxidizes Mn(II) to form manganese oxides that may immobilize Cd. Moreover, inoculation with strain 4-3-1 altered the rhizosphere microbiome of spinach, increasing the presence of beneficial bacteria like Bacillales. A synthetic community (SynCom) composed of Bacillus subtilis and E. acetylicum 4-3-1 demonstrated synergistic effects on spinach growth under Cd stress. Thus, E. acetylicum 4-3-1 has the potential for Cd bioremediation in crops and promotes sustainable agriculture.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Yang RL, Lu Q, Liang EM, et al (2026)

Strengthening causal inference and analytical rigor in the Wumei Pills-Lactobacillus reuteri-intestinal stem cell axis for chemotherapy-induced mucositis.

World journal of stem cells, 18(1):114114.

A recent preclinical study reported that Wumei Pills (WMP) and Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) mitigate 5-fluorouracil-induced intestinal mucositis by promoting intestinal stem cell (ISC)-mediated repair via Wnt/β-catenin signaling. The mechanistic interpretation rests largely on systemic inflammation readouts, correlative microbiota changes, and immunohistochemistry of pathway markers. From a clinical standpoint, chemotherapy-induced mucositis remains a common and burdensome toxicity that leads to dose reductions, treatment delays, and infection risk; current care is largely supportive and does not directly restore ISC-mediated repair. This unmet need motivates rigorous appraisal of the proposed "WMP → L. reuteri → ISC/Wnt" axis. To highlight key methodological considerations that may affect causal inference and analytical rigor in the proposed "WMP → L. reuteri → ISC/Wnt" pathway. This letter critically appraises the study's design, endpoints, and analyses against current best practices in mucositis biology, microbiome causality testing, Wnt/β-catenin pathway validation, and preclinical statistics, and synthesizes concrete, literature-grounded remedies. Six issues with potential impact on interpretation were identified: (1) Reliance on serum cytokines/lipopolysaccharide to infer local mucosal inflammation, with limited tissue-level indices (e.g., myeloperoxidase, interleukin-1β, immune-cell infiltration); (2) Absence of necessity/sufficiency tests to verify microbiota mediation (e.g., L. reuteri depletion, WMP-donor fecal microbiota transplantation, probiotic add-back); (3) Pathway evidence tiering - Wnt/β-catenin activation not confirmed by β-catenin nuclear translocation or downstream targets (Axin2, c-Myc, cyclin D1), and Lgr5 quantification/specificity insufficient; (4) Statistical design under-specified (power justification, blinded assessment, control of multiple comparisons) and potential cage effects unmodeled; (5) Limited dose-response and safety profiling for WMP/L. reuteri; and (6) Constrained generalizability (single sex/strain/age, lack of ABX-only controls, single time-point). The reported benefits of WMP and L. reuteri in chemotherapy-induced mucositis are promising, but stronger causal and analytical foundations are needed. Incorporating tissue-level inflammation readouts, microbiota loss-/gain-of-function designs, definitive Wnt/β-catenin activation assays, rigorous statistical practices (including mixed-effects models for cage clustering and multiplicity control), dose-response/safety evaluation, and broader experimental scope (sex/age/strain, ABX-only controls, time-course) will yield more robust and translationally relevant conclusions.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Zhang X, Zhang Z, Peng Q, et al (2026)

The Immunogenetic Landscape of Allergic Rhinitis: from Cellular Effectors to Gene Regulation and Targeted Therapies.

International journal of biological sciences, 22(3):1322-1345.

Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is a highly prevalent type 2 inflammatory disease driven by a complex immunogenetic background. This review aims to systematically delineate the immunogenetic landscape of AR, elucidating the complete knowledge chain from macroscopic cellular interactions and microscopic molecular regulation to precision targeted therapies. The article first dissects the two core immune axes driving the pathological process of AR: one is the classic adaptive immune pathway, centered on Th2 cells, which mediates IgE production, eosinophil infiltration, and mucus hypersecretion through the secretion of cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13; the other is the innate immune initiation pathway, in which nasal epithelial cells act as "sentinels" by releasing "alarmins" like TSLP and IL-33, leading to the rapid activation of type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s). The review then delves into the sophisticated signaling networks that regulate these immune responses, with a particular focus on the classic IL-4/STAT6/GATA3 signaling axis and its negative regulatory mechanisms. Building on this, the article further elaborates on the genetic susceptibility architecture of AR, highlighting key risk loci identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), such as variants in antigen presentation genes (HLA), epithelial barrier genes (FLG), and genes related to cytokine signaling pathways. To connect genetics with the environment, this review systematically summarizes epigenetic regulatory mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and microRNAs (miRNAs), and discusses the long-range immunomodulatory effects of nasal and gut microbiota dysbiosis on AR via the "gut-nasal axis". Finally, from a translational medicine perspective, the article demonstrates how a profound understanding of these pathophysiological mechanisms has successfully spurred the development of highly effective targeted biologics, such as omalizumab (targeting IgE), dupilumab (targeting the IL-4Rα receptor, thus blocking IL-4/IL-13 signaling), and tezepelumab (targeting TSLP). This review integrates the latest multidimensional research advances in immunology, genetics, epigenetics, and microbiome studies of AR, providing a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding its complex pathogenesis and for the development of future personalized treatment strategies.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Jang HR, Kim HJ, Kim BY, et al (2026)

Combining sorafenib with spermine and sphingosine synergistically enhances anticancer efficacy by modulating metabolic pathways and gut microbiome in hepatocellular carcinoma.

International journal of biological sciences, 22(3):1082-1102.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which makes up about 90% of liver cancer, is the third leading cause of cancer-related death. Recent studies suggest that metabolites derived from the gut microbiome may offer new therapeutic opportunities for HCC. In this study, we explored whether microbial metabolites could enhance the effectiveness of sorafenib, a first-line multi-kinase inhibitor used in advanced HCC. Through a screen of a microbiome metabolite library, we identified spermine and sphingosine as potential candidates that boosted anticancer effects of sorafenib in HepG2, Huh7, and SK-Hep-1 cells. These metabolites worked synergistically with sorafenib to suppress tumor growth in cultured HCC cells, patients-derived HCC organoids, and a xenograft mouse model. Mechanistically, spermine triggered cell cycle arrest at the S phase, while sphingosine and sorafenib induced G1 arrest, contributing to an increased sub-G1 population and apoptosis when combined. Notably, sorafenib treatment led to the downregulation of SMOX (a key catabolic enzyme for spermine), as well as SPHK1 and CERS1 (critical enzymes involved in sphingosine metabolism), whose high expression levels are associated with poorer survival outcomes in liver cancer patients according to TCGA data. A 16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that combination of sorafenib with spermine or sphingosine alters the gut microbiome, increasing the relative abundance of Faecalibaculum, inversely correlated with tumor sizes in a xenograft mouse model. Therefore, we propose that combining sorafenib with spermine or sphingosine could enhance its anti-HCC effects by promoting apoptosis and reducing the expression of metabolic enzymes. Moreover, Faecalibaculum may serve as a potential microbiome-based prognostic marker for HCC.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Wang N, Ma L, Huang Y, et al (2026)

Tumor microbiome-transcriptome crosstalk identifies Prevotella as an immunotherapeutic predictor in NSCLC.

Theranostics, 16(7):3426-3446.

Background: The tumor-resident microbiome plays a pivotal role in shaping the tumor immune microenvironment; however, its relationship with the host transcriptome and the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remains largely uncharacterized in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between tissue-resident microbiota, host transcriptomic alterations, and immunotherapy response in NSCLC. Methods: Paired tumor (T) and paracancerous tissue (PT) samples from patients with NSCLC were analyzed using 2bRAD-M and bulk RNA sequencing to generate comprehensive microbiome and transcriptome profiles. The conditional mutual information algorithm was employed to systematically investigate intratumoral microbe-host interactions. Associations between key microbes and patient prognosis, ICI response, and response to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapy were assessed across four independent local clinical cohorts. Results: Higher microbial richness, α-diversity, and β-diversity were observed in PT samples than in T samples. Specifically, PT-resident Bradyrhizobium and Prevotella were identified as key bacterial taxa significantly associated with immune cell populations, including CD8[+] T cells, natural killer cells, and activated dendritic cells. Among these, PT-resident Prevotella, but not Bradyrhizobium, was independently associated with improved prognosis of patients with NSCLC and ICI response in both local clinical sets and public datasets. Furthermore, a combined diagnostic model integrating PT-resident Prevotella abundance with routine clinical blood indicators demonstrated markedly superior predictive performance for ICI response compared with the conventional biomarker PD-L1. By contrast, PT-resident Prevotella exhibited no association with treatment response in the EGFR-targeted therapy cohort. Conclusion: PT-resident Prevotella is strongly associated with the prognosis and ICI response in patients with NSCLC. Moreover, integration of PT-resident Prevotella with routine clinical blood indicators holds promise as a potential auxiliary diagnostic tool to facilitate personalized immunotherapy in NSCLC.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

De Laffolie J, AC Hauer (2025)

Editorial: Advances towards precision medicine in pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease.

Frontiers in medicine, 12:1765757.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Aldoori J, Mitra S, Davie A, et al (2026)

The effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on short-chain fatty acid production and the gut microbiome in an in vitro colonic fermentation model.

Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England), 7:e1.

Oral administration of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to rodents and humans is associated with an increase in gut bacteria that are predicted to synthesise short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). We tested the hypothesis that physiological levels of omega-3 PUFAs in the distal intestinal lumen (1-50 μg/mL) are associated with increased SCFA synthesis in an in vitro fermentation model using faecal slurry from 10 healthy participants (mean age 30 years), with and without exogenous dietary fibres. SCFAs were measured by gas chromatography-flame ionisation detection (n = 10), and changes in bacterial composition were analysed by shotgun metagenomic sequencing (n = 6). In the presence of omega-3 PUFAs, there was a mean 9.3% (no inulin; P = 0.03) and 19.3% (+ 0.01 mg/mL inulin; P = 0.01) increase in total SCFA concentration at 24 h compared with paired control fermentations. Omega-3 PUFAs had a limited effect on the fermentation model microbiome in the absence of inulin. However, omega-3 PUFAs (50 μg/mL) were associated with increased abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae compared with paired control fermentations, if inulin (0.01 mg/mL) was present. Prebiotic activity of omega-3 PUFAs drives SCFA synthesis in an in vitro colonic fermentation model and is augmented by the soluble fibre inulin.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Gao YQ, Hou QY, Hou XW, et al (2025)

Metagenomics-based characterization of fecal microbiome and resistome of laying hens during the production cycle.

Frontiers in veterinary science, 12:1740567.

The extensive use of antimicrobials in livestock has accelerated the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), raising serious global concerns. Poultry feces are recognized as important reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their associated mobile genetic elements (MGEs); however, the microbial community characteristics and ARG profiles of laying hens across different laying stages remain poorly understood. In this study, 40 fecal samples were collected from laying hens at five sampling points, including the early laying stage (HE), three peak laying stages (HPI, HPII, and HPIII), and the late laying stage (HL), with eight randomly selected samples per stage. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was conducted to characterize the taxonomic structure and functional profiles of the intestinal microbiota and to systematically analyze the diversity and distribution patterns of ARGs. The results showed that most ARGs were harbored by bacteria belonging to the phyla Pseudomonadota and Bacillota, with Escherichia coli serving as the primary carrier of antibiotic resistance genes. Moreover, significant correlations were observed between the co-abundance and co-occurrence of ARGs and MGEs, suggesting that MGEs play a key role in facilitating ARG dissemination. Overall, these findings provide novel insights into the prevalence of ARGs in laying hens across different laying stages and may inform strategies to mitigate the spread of antimicrobial resistance in poultry production systems.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Luo L, Huang G, Yang H, et al (2026)

Revisiting multi-region 16S sequencing in gastric cancer.

World journal of gastrointestinal oncology, 18(1):114708.

Wu et al recently applied multi-region 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the gastric cancer microbiome, demonstrating improved taxonomic resolution and detection sensitivity over conventional single-region approaches. While the study represents a valuable methodological step forward, it remains limited by single-center design, lack of quantitative calibration, and insufficient control for contamination and inter-laboratory variability. This editorial critically appraises these methodological gaps and emphasizes that future efforts must focus on harmonized, consensus-driven workflows to ensure reproducibility and clinical reliability. The translational potential of multi-region 16S lies in moving from descriptive microbial profiling to actionable clinical integration, particularly for recurrence prediction, treatment-response monitoring, and perioperative complication risk assessment. By addressing these methodological, economic, and ethical challenges, the field can advance toward evidence-based and clinically deployable microbiome-guided precision oncology.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Dias HM, Jain R, Santos VA, et al (2026)

Reproducible Emu-Based Workflow for High-Fidelity Soil and Plant Microbiome Profiling on HPC Clusters.

Bio-protocol, 16(2):e5577.

Accurate profiling of soil and root-associated bacterial communities is essential for understanding ecosystem functions and improving sustainable agricultural practices. Here, a comprehensive, modular workflow is presented for the analysis of full-length 16S rRNA gene amplicons generated with Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing. The protocol integrates four standardized steps: (i) quality assessment and filtering of raw reads with NanoPlot and NanoFilt, (ii) removal of plant organelle contamination using a curated Viridiplantae Kraken2 database, (iii) species-level taxonomic assignment with Emu, and (iv) downstream ecological analyses, including rarefaction, diversity metrics, and functional inference. Leveraging high-performance computing resources, the workflow enables parallel processing of large datasets, rigorous contamination control, and reproducible execution across environments. The pipeline's efficiency is demonstrated on full-length 16S rRNA gene datasets from yellow pea rhizosphere and root samples, with high post-filter read retention and high-resolution community profiles. Automated SLURM scripts and detailed documentation are provided in a public GitHub repository (https://github.com/henrimdias/emu-microbiome-HPC; release v1.0.2, emu-pipeline-revised) and archived on Zenodo (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17764933). Key features • Implement rigorous quality control (QC) of raw 16S rRNA Nanopore reads and sequencing controls. • Remove plant organelle contamination with a curated Kraken2 database. • Perform high-resolution taxonomic assignment of full-length 16S rRNA reads using Emu. • Integrate downstream statistical analyses, including rarefaction, PERMANOVA, and DESeq2 differential abundance. • Conduct scalable microbiome diversity and functional analyses with FAPROTAX.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Nouso K, Wakuta A, Shiota S, et al (2026)

Effect of Butyrate-Producing Enterobacteria and Proton Pump Inhibitors on Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment With Durvalumab and Tremelimumab.

JGH open : an open access journal of gastroenterology and hepatology, 10(1):e70346.

AIM: The gut microbiome modulates immune responses, and butyrate-producing bacteria have been linked to improved immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) efficacy. Conversely, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may negatively impact ICI outcomes by altering gut microbiota. This study aims to elucidate their effects in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: This retrospective multicenter cohort study included 208 HCC patients treated with durvalumab plus tremelimumab at 25 hospitals in Japan. Patients were classified into a butyric acid group (n = 27), who ingested drugs containing butyrate-producing enterobacteria, and a non-butyric acid group (n = 181), as well as a PPI group (n = 107) and a non-PPI group (n = 101). Overall survival (OS) was analyzed using inverse probability of treatment weighting, and risk factors were assessed with Cox proportional hazards modeling. Tumor response was evaluated by RECIST v1.1.

RESULTS: No significant OS differences were observed between the butyric acid and non-butyric acid groups (p = 0.921), or between PPI and non-PPI groups (p = 0.917). The objective response rate was 3.7% in the butyric acid group versus 15.5% in the non-butyric acid group (p = 0.543) and 15.8% in the PPI group versus 12.1% in the non-PPI group (p = 0.222). Disease control rates were comparable. Multivariate analysis identified ECOG performance status (p = 0.019) and ALBI score (p < 0.001) as independent prognostic factors, while butyrate-producing bacteria and PPI use were not associated with survival outcomes.

CONCLUSION: Neither butyrate-producing bacteria nor PPI use significantly influenced the efficacy of durvalumab plus tremelimumab in HCC. The liver's immunotolerant microenvironment may limit the impact of microbiome modulation on ICI efficacy.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Uppala PK, Karanam SK, R Maddi (2026)

Science of fecal microbiota transplant: From history to cutting-edge clinical practice.

World journal of gastrointestinal endoscopy, 18(1):113133.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a pioneering medical technique designed to re-establish a balanced gut microbiome by transferring processed stool from a rigorously screened donor into the gastrointestinal tract of a recipient. Initially conceived as a last-resort therapy for recurrent Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infections - a challenging condition frequently resistant to conventional antibiotics - FMT has achieved impressive clinical response rates, often surpassing 80% in resolving recurrent C. difficile infections. This remarkable success has generated significant enthusiasm for its potential use in addressing a broader spectrum of disorders linked to disrupted gut microbial populations, including inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, metabolic syndrome, and various autoimmune and neurological conditions. However, the wider clinical integration of FMT is accompanied by several notable challenges. These include the need for optimal donor selection, comprehensive long-term follow-up of recipients, standardization of stool processing and delivery methods, and thorough economic evaluation to establish cost-effectiveness. Safety remains a top priority, with particular attention paid to minimizing the risk of infectious disease transmission and preventing unwanted immune responses. Regulatory standards for FMT vary internationally, with some nations categorizing it as a biologic therapy or experimental treatment, while others have established more formalized approval processes. This article offers a comprehensive examination of FMT, covering its historical evolution, underlying mechanisms, current clinical applications, safety protocols, and regulatory landscape. By consolidating the latest research and clinical guidelines, it aims to educate clinicians, researchers, and policymakers on the expanding role of FMT in modern healthcare.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Abenavoli L, Yosypenko K, Yurchyshena Y, et al (2026)

Effect of supplementation with synbiotics in metabolic syndrome: mechanisms and clinical implications.

Minerva gastroenterology pii:S2724-5985.25.04054-9 [Epub ahead of print].

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex and multifactorial condition that represents a major global health challenge. It is characterized by a cluster of interrelated metabolic abnormalities, including central obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, all of which substantially increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and other related complications. Growing evidence underscores the pivotal role of the gut microbiota in regulating host metabolism, modulating immune responses, and influencing the chronic low-grade inflammatory state associated with MetS. Among emerging therapeutic approaches, synbiotics, defined as synergistic combinations of probiotics and prebiotics, have attracted considerable interest. Therefore, in the present narrative review, we aim to find out the feasibility and effectiveness of synbiotic supplements, as well as to evaluate their impact on people with MetS. By selectively stimulating the growth and activity of beneficial microbial taxa while directly introducing health-promoting strains, synbiotics may restore microbial balance, improve metabolic homeostasis, and attenuate inflammatory pathways. Future research should prioritize personalized nutrition strategies and microbiome-tailored interventions, taking into account individual variability in gut microbial composition and host metabolic responses. Such precision approaches could optimize synbiotic efficacy and safety, positioning them as a viable adjunctive treatment for MetS within an integrated lifestyle and pharmacological framework. Ultimately, large-scale, high-quality randomized controlled trials are essential to confirm current promising findings and to establish clear guidelines for clinical application.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Nasrah R, RT Jagoe (2026)

The gut microbiome and dietary interventions in cancer cachexia.

Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care pii:00075197-990000000-00278 [Epub ahead of print].

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The gut microbiome (GM) is altered in cancer cachexia, and it is possible that such GM changes may promote or sustain features of cancer cachexia including changes in host metabolism and anorexia. As a result, there is growing interest in GM-focused interventions to address cancer cachexia. In this review, the factors that likely contribute to changes in GM in cancer cachexia are highlighted. Also, this review presents recent data on GM-derived predictive biomarkers for response to dietary interventions in cachexia.

RECENT FINDINGS: The importance of maintaining or increasing energy intake to combat cancer cachexia has become clearer in recent years. However, there is wide inter-individual variation in response to changes after dietary interventions. Two recent studies have reported GM features which predict response to different types of dietary interventions: enteral feeding in pancreatic cancer patients, and oral nutritional counselling promoting an energy and protein dense diet in a mixed cancer group attending a specialized cancer cachexia clinic. Each study reported that increased abundance of a specific GM taxon predicted a more favourable response to the dietary intervention used.

SUMMARY: GM features may prove to be important in identifying patients with cancer cachexia who are more or less likely to respond well to current dietary interventions. This has clear clinical implications and utility. Further studies will be needed to determine whether GM-targeted interventions can be developed to improve response to dietary interventions and the management of cachexia more generally.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Vasconcelos DS, Harris DJ, Tarroso P, et al (2026)

Shaped by Fire: Unravelling the Impact of Fire on Lizard Gut Microbiome.

Molecular ecology, 35(2):e70255.

In recent decades, wildfire regimes have changed significantly, with increases in frequency, severity and area affected, leading to major habitat alterations that may impact species ecology. While fire's role in plant ecology is well studied, its effects on animal biotic interactions remain poorly understood. In northern Portugal, where wildfires are common, the native rock-dwelling lizard Podarcis lusitanicus may thrive postfire due to its preference for open rocky outcrops, which expand after fires. This suggests not only resilience but also a capacity for persistence in postfire disturbances driven by habitat preferences. However, changes in prey availability after fire induce dietary shifts in this insectivorous lizard, potentially affecting trophic interactions and, consequently, gut microbiota communities. Gut microbiota influence host fitness through effects on nutrition, immunity and behaviour; on the other hand, gut microbiota are affected by variations in diet and environment. This study assessed how fire history affects P. lusitanicus gut microbiota. Sampling occurred across 12 sites in northern Portugal, representing three fire histories: long-unburned, burned in 2016 and burned in 2022. Cloacal swabs were analysed by metabarcoding the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Results showed that gut bacterial composition varied with fire history, as well as with sex, body size and diet. Females had higher microbial richness despite similar diet richness between sexes. While microbiome composition shifted, predicted microbiome function remained relatively stable, indicating both resilience and ecological flexibility in fire-prone environments. These findings enhance understanding of how lizard microbiomes respond to environmental disturbances and may help predict host and microbiota tolerance under changing fire regimes.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Yang M, He Y, Miao X, et al (2026)

Rhodotorula mucilaginosa JAASSRY1 Ameliorates Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppression by Regulating Gut Microbiota and Activation of Spleen TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Pathway.

Journal of microbiology and biotechnology, 36:e2510031 pii:jmb.2510.10031.

The present study was designed to evaluate the ameliorative effects of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa JAASSRY1 (JAASSRY1) on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppression in mice. Immunocompromised mice were established by intraperitoneal injection of CTX (80 mg/kg/bw) for three consecutive days, followed by JAASSRY1 orally administered of JAASSRY1 for 21 days. Various immunological parameters, including immune organ indices, spleen cytokine levels, and immunoglobulin profiles, were evaluated. JAASSRY1 prevented CTX-induced immune damage by reversing weight loss and immune organ atrophy, suppressing the expression of IL-6, IL-17, and IFN-γ in the spleen (P< 0.01), and restoring levels of IgA and IgG, while up-regulating IL-4 (P< 0.01). Furthermore, JAASSRY1 attenuated immunosuppressive spleen injury by modulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway and regulating the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. JAASSRY1 also alleviated CTX-induced dysbiosis by enhancing the abundance of Colidextribacter and reducing the levels of Parabacteroides and Bacteroides. A significant association was observed between specific gut microbiome Bacteroides and immune parameters (P< 0.01). Above all, JAASSRY1 demonstrates efficacy in ameliorating immunosuppression through the modulation of the "gut microbiota-spleen" axis, providing a basis for the development of probiotic formulations with immunomodulatory properties.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Han Y, Xie D, Shan X, et al (2026)

Glutamine: A spatially precise "GPS Signal" shaping the root microbiota.

Journal of integrative plant biology [Epub ahead of print].

This commentary on Tsai et al. (2025) highlights glutamine's important role in attracting beneficial bacteria to colonize plant roots, deciphers its links to Casparian strip integrity, and explores its dual functions. This finding reveals how plants use chemical signals to shape their root microbiome for better health.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Yang J, He Y, Huang J, et al (2025)

Decoding resistome profiles and horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes across the pork production chain under One Health sectors.

Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.), 221(Pt 1):117259.

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance has become a global threat to public health. Intensive antibiotic use in swine farming has accelerated the proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in animal-derived foods, making the production chain a potential ARG transmission route to humans. However, shared resistome profiles and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) mechanisms along this chain remain unclear. Here, we systematically investigated the resistome profile, ARGs' host, and potential HGT of ARGs across interconnected swine farm, slaughterhouse, and retail market by metagenomic assembly and binning. From 42 metagenomes, 1354 ARG subtypes were identified, with 303 shared across all interfaces. Both microbiome and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) contributed to the variation in ARG profiles. Pseudomonadota were the dominant drivers that shape the resistome through plasmid-mediated HGT. Among the 133 reconstructed ARG-carrying genomes (ACGs), 38 of them carried multiple ARGs, indicating the potential mobility of ARGs. Notably, 3 ACGs taxonomically assigned to Pseudomonas_E alcaligenes, Serratia_J grimesii, and Escherichia coli carrying 9, 13, and 41 ARGs, respectively. Furthermore, MetaCHIP analysis uncovered 445 potential HGT events, and ARGs including CpxR, macB, fusA, and vanR were annotated as potentially transferred subtypes. This study decodes the resistome profiles and tracks horizontal ARG transfer at the community level across the entire pork supply chain - from swine farms to retail outlets. To our knowledge, few studies have explored ARG transmission subtypes and directional flows among humans, pigs, and environmental compartments in the pork production chain using metagenomic approaches. These findings highlight the important role of the pork production chain as a critical transmission vector for ARGs under One Health framework.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Okoye CO, Abhadiomhen SE, Ezenwanne BC, et al (2025)

Machine learning-based predictive modeling of foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in food microbiomes using omics techniques: A systematic review.

Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.), 221(Pt 1):117255.

The globalization of food systems has heightened the risk of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter, exacerbated by rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Traditional pathogen identification and AMR risk surveillance methods are often labor-intensive and low-throughput, while single-omics approaches fail to capture microbial complexity. Moreover, reliance on individual machine learning (ML) models limits predictive robustness, posing challenges to food safety and public health. This systematic review evaluates ML-based predictive modeling integrated with omics techniques (genomics, metagenomics, and transcriptomics) for foodborne pathogen and AMR risk surveillance. Following PRISMA guidelines, 1245 articles from PubMed, Scopus, and other databases (2015-2025) were screened, selecting 13 relevant studies. These studies applied ML algorithms, including Random Forest (RF), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Support Vector Machines (SVM), to enhance predictive accuracy. The selected studies demonstrated predictive accuracies up to 99 % and AUROC scores above 0.90. Key discoveries include genetic markers for Salmonella virulence, Listeria attribution to fruits and dairy, and 145 mobile antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in poultry. Despite these advancements, limitations such as small sample sizes, inconsistent metadata, overfitting, and computational scalability hinder real-world implementation. This review underscores the potential of ML-driven omics frameworks to revolutionize foodborne pathogen and AMR risk monitoring, paving the way for smarter, more resilient food safety systems. However, methodological inconsistencies necessitate standardized protocols, larger datasets, and explainable AI (XAI) to improve reliability and applicability in global food safety monitoring.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Zhang T, Liao Z, Bi J, et al (2025)

Multi-omics analysis reveals microbial community succession and aroma enhancement mechanisms during spontaneous oak-barrel fermentation of chardonnay wine.

Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.), 221(Pt 1):117249.

Spontaneous oak-barrel fermentation contributes to terroir-associated attributes and enhances aroma complexity in wines; however, the microbial succession dynamics and mechanisms underlying aroma enhancement remain unclear. This study comprehensively analyzed the dissolved oxygen concentrations, physicochemical properties, microbial community structures, and aroma compounds during spontaneous oak-barrel fermentation of Chardonnay wine. The results demonstrated that during spontaneous fermentation, dissolved oxygen concentrations varied among different barrel types, with the highest levels observed in new oak barrels, followed by old oak barrels, and the lowest in stainless-steel barrels. Microbiome analysis indicated that the predominant microorganisms included Saccharomyces, Hanseniaspora, Metschnikowia, Fructobacillus, Lactobacillus, and Gluconobacter, all of which were closely associated with aroma compounds formation. The differences in bacterial community composition between different oak barrels were minimal, while the differences in fungal composition were more pronounced. Metabolome analysis identified 15 key differential aroma compounds among the different barrel types, mainly esters, higher alcohols, and acids. Fermentation in new oak barrels exhibited higher concentrations of ester and acid compounds, while fermentation in stainless-steel barrels showed higher levels of higher alcohol compounds. This study elucidates for the first time various oak barrel types influence aroma differentiation during spontaneous fermentation primarily through the interaction between dissolved oxygen and microbial communities. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing oak barrel usage and enhancing Chardonnay wine quality.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Wang Y, Zhao L, Huang S, et al (2025)

High-fat diet-induced obesity disrupts the gut microbiome and mucus secretion to aggravate experimental colitis.

Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.), 221(Pt 1):117245.

Obesity and its associated comorbidities have emerged as a major public health crisis. Accumulating evidence indicates that a high fat diet (HFD) may promote intestinal injury. However, the roles of intestinal goblet cells and specific gut microbiota composition in colitis under obesity conditions remain unclear. In this study, we employed a HFD-induced obesity model combined with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to induce colitis in mice. Our results reveal that obesity exacerbates DSS-induced colitis in the colon, as evidenced by increased intestinal barrier injury. These changes are associated with impaired goblet cell maturation, reduced mucus production, and a disrupted microbiota composition, notably characterized by an enrichment of pro-inflammatory bacteria Escherichia-Shigella and Helicobacter. In vitro, combined HFD and DSS treatment suppresses mucus secretion and alters the metabolic profile of LS174T cells, particularly affecting amino acid metabolism. Collectively, our findings reveal that HFD-induced obesity aggravates colitis severity, involving disruption of goblet cell function and gut microbial homeostasis, highlighting the importance of dietary intervention in obese individuals to alleviate intestinal inflammation.

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-29

Roth W, Lo E, De Leon O, et al (2025)

Understanding the Relationship Between Cerebrovascular Disease and the Gut Microbiome.

Stroke (Hoboken, N.J.), 5(1):e001272.

While traditional vascular risk factors (eg, hypertension, dyslipidemia, tobacco use) account for 20% of the explained variance in carotid atherosclerosis, they remain a prominent focus for primary and secondary ischemic stroke prevention strategies. Among other potential contributors to atheroma formation and cerebrovascular disease, the gut microbiome has become increasingly implicated as a mediator of vascular risk. The foods we eat, coupled with our physiology and exposures (eg, antibiotics, supplements), directly contribute to atherosclerotic disease in complex ways that are mediated by gastrointestinal flora and metabolic by-products. Proliferation of "pathogenic" gut microbes such as Enterobacteriaceae and Streptococcus spp, decrement of "commensal" species such as Akkermansia spp and the biodiversity of gut flora are directly related to an individual's dietary intake and exposure history. Each of these components of the gut microbiome correlate with the development or progression of many conditions including atherosclerosis. Moreover, the metabolism of certain substrates found in animal products (notably l-carnitine and choline) and of refined sugars by these microorganisms leads to buildup of circulating metabolites with known links to atherogenesis, platelet activation, atrial fibrillation, and other adverse vascular outcomes. Several of these toxic metabolites, including trimethylamine and trimethylamine N-oxide, have been extensively studied in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. Trimethylamine and trimethylamine N-oxide represent not only biomarkers of gut dysbiosis and cardiovascular risk, but they are increasingly recognized as therapeutic targets for novel interventions in atherosclerotic vascular disease. The individualized targeting of one's microbiome, and perhaps more generalized targeting of toxic microbial metabolites, has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of vascular disease. In this review, we summarize the latest evidence illustrating the impact of the microbiome on cerebrovascular disease and highlight the potential applications of this information on individualized and global scales.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Clutter CH, DT Leung (2026)

Tracing MR1 expression across tissues to find the perfect MAIT.

Journal of leukocyte biology pii:8443976 [Epub ahead of print].

Mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are part of a T cell subset that is activated upon presentation of B2 vitamin (riboflavin) metabolites by the major histocompatibility complex, class I related (MR1) protein. Though there is a clear relationship between microbial production of riboflavin and MAIT cell development and persistence, little is known about the cells that primarily communicate with MAIT cells and other MR1-restricted T cells. Elegant work by Deng et al demonstrates that it is macrophages from the lung and peritoneum that express the highest amount of MR1 and are the most efficient at presenting vitamin B antigens to MAIT cells. This landmark study not only definitively identifies and maps the key antigen presenting cell populations involved in MAIT cell activation, it also reveals a bidirectional relationship between MR1 expression and the host microbiome. While further work on how these findings translate to human MAIT cell biology is needed, this study has provided us with unprecedented insights into the mechanistic interplay and microbial ecology of MR1 presentation of riboflavin metabolites.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Ross SM (2026)

Forever Young, Part 3: Urolithin A: A Gut Microbiome-Derived Metabolite and Its Role in Aging.

Holistic nursing practice [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Luan J, Zhang X, Chen T, et al (2026)

Adolescent exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces male reproductive damage via the microbiome-gut-testis axis.

Journal of nanobiotechnology pii:10.1186/s12951-026-04069-y [Epub ahead of print].

Polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs), are increasingly associated with reduced male fertility, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. Here, we systematically unraveled a novel microbiome-gut-testis axis mediating PS-NPs-induced reproductive toxicity. Adolescent rats exposed to PS-NPs for 5 weeks induced dose-dependent testicular injury, characterized by disrupted spermatogenesis, and compromised blood-testis barrier. Single-cell atlases revealed spermatogenic arrest, abnormal immune microenvironment, and perturbed testicular cell communication upon exposure to PS-NPs. Furthermore, multi-omics analysis highlighted the activation of NF-κB/IL-17/HIF-1 and inhibition of PPAR-γ signaling, contributing to increased DNA damage and apoptosis, suppressed autophagy, and dysregulated energy-lipid metabolism. Additionally, PS-NPs exposure initiated gut microbial dysbiosis, significantly increasing pro-inflammatory bacteria, while reducing beneficial commensals. This microbial disruption compromised intestinal barrier integrity, leading to elevated circulating LPS levels. Subsequent activation of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway propagated inflammatory responses to testes. Crucially, FMT from PS-NPs-exposed donors reproduced the damage in healthy recipients, thus suggesting gut microbiota as a causal mediator. Therapeutically, DI intervention effectively mitigated the reproductive toxicity by restoring gut barrier integrity, rebalancing microbial communities, and suppressing inflammation. Our findings unveil a gut microbiome-centric mechanism for nanoplastic-induced male reproductive toxicity, and identify DI as a promising therapeutic candidate, accordingly providing critical insights for environmental risk assessment.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Zhang X, Xu J, Chen M, et al (2026)

Aspergillus fumigatus in mechanically ventilated pneumonia- independent mortality risk and synergistic microbiome signatures from a multicenter mNGS cohort.

BMC pulmonary medicine pii:10.1186/s12890-026-04131-3 [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Hu S, Luo C, Wan S, et al (2026)

Modulating the gut microbiome to enhance cancer immunotherapy: a systematic review and Meta-Analysis of probiotics and FMT as adjuncts.

BMC cancer pii:10.1186/s12885-026-15655-6 [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Kamitaki N, Handsaker RE, Hujoel MLA, et al (2026)

Human and bacterial genetic variation shape oral microbiomes and health.

Nature [Epub ahead of print].

Human genetic variation influences all aspects of our biology, including the oral cavity[1-3], through which nutrients and microbes enter the body. Yet it is largely unknown which human genetic variants shape a person's oral microbiome and potentially promote its dysbiosis[3-5]. We characterized the oral microbiomes of 12,519 people by re-analysing whole-genome sequencing reads from previously sequenced saliva-derived DNA. Human genetic variation at 11 loci (10 new) associated with variation in oral microbiome composition. Several of these related to carbohydrate availability; the strongest association (P = 3.0 × 10[-188]) involved the common FUT2 W154X loss-of-function variant, which associated with the abundances of 58 bacterial species. Human host genetics also seemed to powerfully shape genetic variation in oral bacterial species: these 11 host genetic variants also associated with variation of gene dosages in 68 regions of bacterial genomes. Common, multi-allelic copy number variation of AMY1, which encodes salivary amylase, associated with oral microbiome composition (P = 1.5 × 10[-53]) and with dentures use in UK Biobank (P = 5.9 × 10[-35], n = 418,039) but not with body mass index (P = 0.85), suggesting that salivary amylase abundance impacts health by influencing the oral microbiome. Two other microbiome composition-associated loci, FUT2 and PITX1, also significantly associated with dentures risk, collectively nominating numerous host-microbial interactions that contribute to tooth decay.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Salem GM, Azamor T, Familiar-Macedo D, et al (2026)

Mechanistic insights into the impact of prenatal viral infections on maternal and offspring immunity.

Npj viruses, 4(1):7.

Global outbreaks of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and respiratory viruses - severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza, accounted for ~50 million infections in 2024. Prenatal exposure to these viruses poses substantial risks to maternal and fetal health, yet the underlying immunological mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Despite differences in viral biology and transmission, mounting evidence reveals a convergent theme of maternal immune activation during pregnancy. Even without vertical transmission, virus-elicted maternal immune responses alter the maternal-fetal interface and gut microbiome, reshaping fetal immunity and birth outcomes. These immune perturbations increase susceptibility to infections, neurodevelopmental disorders, and immune-mediated diseases later in life. Here, we discuss viral immune evasion strategies that modulate maternal immunity and review current clinical and emerging therapeutic approaches aimed at mitigating long-term consequences in exposed children. Understanding how prenatal viral exposure shapes lifelong health is critical for developing targeted interventions and reducing postnatal disease burden.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Abdelhameed A, Hussein RH, Hatem ZA, et al (2026)

From niche to niche: investigating microbial communities and their specialised metabolite gene clusters in human microbiomes.

World journal of microbiology & biotechnology, 42(2):65.

Diverse microbial communities within the human microbiome perform vital functions which influence both health and disease in hosts. Specialized metabolites produced by microbes via biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) drive ecological interactions and offer possibilities for therapeutic application. The biosynthetic capabilities of microorganisms present in human microbiomes are still mostly unexplored despite metagenomics advancements. The study examines the variety of microbial communities and BGC locations through metagenomic data from 1,191 samples across eight human microbiomes taken from the IMG/M database. Kraken2 executed taxonomic classification while antiSMASH v6.1.1 identified BGCs. The study used BiG-SCAPE to build a sequence similarity network while Bracken and Pavian tools analyzed microbial diversity. A total of 25,681 BGCs were identified, of which 97.5%, showed no significant match to existing clusters in MIBIG database, indicating substantial potential for novel biosynthetic discoveries . Showing no match to existing clusters in the MIBiG database which shows huge potential for new biosynthetic discoveries. New strains were discovered that produce unique RiPPs, NRPs, and siderophores primarily within the microbiomes of the large intestine, oral cavity, and skin. The large intestine showed maximum microbial and biosynthetic diversity compared to other areas while the biliary tract and nasal cavity displayed minimal diversity. New BGCs associated with antibiotic, cytotoxic, and immune-modulating functions present potential therapeutic uses. The investigation uncovers essential information about how microbial communities develop specific functions within various body regions. Uncharacterized BGC discoveries present new opportunities for drug development and treatments that target microbiomes.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Duttagupta S, Messaoudene M, Hunter S, et al (2026)

Fecal microbiota transplantation plus immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma: the phase 2 FMT-LUMINate trial.

Nature medicine [Epub ahead of print].

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have improved outcomes for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma, yet over half of patients exhibit primary resistance. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) may overcome resistance to anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy. The clinical activity and safety of FMT plus anti-PD-1 in NSCLC or anti-PD-1 plus anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) therapy in melanoma have not been evaluated. Here we report results from FMT-LUMINate, a multicenter, open-label, phase 2 trial assessing healthy donor FMT plus anti-PD-1 in NSCLC (n = 20) or anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 (dual ICI) in melanoma (n = 20), in the first-line setting. Eligible patients received a single FMT via oral capsules prior to ICI initiation. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) in NSCLC. Secondary endpoints included ORR in melanoma, safety and donor-host microbiome similarity. In NSCLC, the ORR was 80% (16/20), meeting the study primary endpoint. In melanoma, the ORR was 75% (15/20). FMT was deemed safe in both cohorts by an independent data and safety monitoring committee, with no grade 3 or higher adverse events (AEs) in NSCLC and 13 (65%) patients experiencing grade 3 or higher AEs in melanoma. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing revealed that responders developed a distinct post-FMT gut microbiome composition, independent of acquired donor-recipient similarity or strain-level engraftment. Responders exhibited significantly greater loss of baseline bacterial species compared to non-responders, with frequent depletion of Enterocloster citroniae, E. lavalensis and Clostridium innocuum. This finding was reproduced across three published FMT oncology trials. We recolonized antibiotic-treated, tumor-bearing mice with post-FMT stool from two responder patients, and reintroduction of the specific bacterial species that were lost after FMT abrogated the antitumor effect of ICI. Taken together, these findings confirm the clinical activity of FMT in combination with ICI and suggest that the elimination of deleterious taxa is required for FMT-mediated therapeutic benefit. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04951583 .

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Fernandes R, Jabbarizadeh B, Rajeh A, et al (2026)

Fecal microbiota transplantation plus immunotherapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: the phase 1 PERFORM trial.

Nature medicine [Epub ahead of print].

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) improve outcomes in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) but are hindered by immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Modulation of the gut microbiome may enhance efficacy and mitigate toxicity, yet the safety and mechanisms of healthy donor fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in mRCC remain unexplored. In this phase 1 trial, 20 treatment-naive patients with mRCC received encapsulated healthy donor FMT (LND101) combined with ipilimumab/nivolumab (n = 16), pembrolizumab/axitinib (n = 3) or pembrolizumab/lenvatinib (n = 1). The primary endpoint was safety, defined by the incidence and severity of irAEs. Secondary endpoints included clinical response (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1), gut microbiome and immune correlates and patient-reported quality of life. The safety endpoint was met with 50% (10/20) of patients experiencing grade 3 irAEs and no serious FMT-related toxicities or grade 4 or 5 irAEs. Among evaluable patients, the objective response rate was 50% (9/18), including two complete responses (11%, 2/18). Notably, most treatment responders did not develop any grade 3 or higher irAEs. Alpha (α) diversity improvement and durable engraftment of taxa and metabolic functions associated with anti-inflammatory properties correlated with reduced toxicity and improved response. Conversely, patients experiencing grade 3 irAEs exhibited expansion of Segatella copri, particularly with ipilimumab/nivolumab, and elevated levels of donor-derived microbial enzymes previously linked to pro-inflammatory activity. Resilience to toxicity correlated with the maintenance of protective metabolites and increased levels of immune regulatory cells, whereas the presence of grade 3 irAEs and S. copri enrichment was associated with high immune dysregulation. These findings demonstrate the safety and potential for functional microbiome engraftment to optimize response and minimize toxicity in ICI-treated mRCC. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04163289 .

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Porcari S, Ciccarese C, Heidrich V, et al (2026)

Fecal microbiota transplantation plus pembrolizumab and axitinib in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: the randomized phase 2 TACITO trial.

Nature medicine [Epub ahead of print].

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common malignancy with limited durable responses to first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based therapies. Emerging evidence implicates the gut microbiome in modulating ICI efficacy. In the investigator-initiated, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled phase 2a TACITO trial, we evaluated whether fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from complete ICI responders enhances clinical outcomes in treatment-naive patients with metastatic RCC (mRCC) receiving pembrolizumab + axitinib. The primary endpoint was the rate of patients free from disease progression at 12 months after randomization (12-month progression-free survival (PFS)). Secondary endpoints were median PFS and median overall survival, objective response rate (ORR), safety and microbiome changes, after randomization. Forty-five patients randomly received donor FMT (d-FMT) or placebo FMT (p-FMT). Although the primary endpoint was not met (70% versus 41% for d-FMT versus p-FMT, respectively, P = 0.053), the secondary endpoint of median PFS was significantly longer with d-FMT (24.0 months in the d-FMT arm versus 9.0 months in the p-FMT arm; hazard ratio = 0.50, P = 0.035). The ORR was 52% of patients in the d-FMT arm and 32% of patients receiving placebo. Microbiome analysis confirmed donor strain engraftment and increased α-diversity and larger microbiome shifts (β-diversity) compared with baseline composition in the d-FMT treatment group. Acquisition or loss of specific strains, but not total engraftment, was associated with the primary endpoint. Our findings support the safety and potential efficacy of selected donor FMT to enhance ICI-based treatment in mRCC, which deserves further investigations. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04758507 .

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Rahat MTI, Sumi MSA, Nurejannath M, et al (2026)

Identification of bacterial key genes and therapeutic targets in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes through bioinformatics analysis.

Scientific reports pii:10.1038/s41598-026-36467-5 [Epub ahead of print].

Hypertension (HTN) coexisting with type 2 diabetes (T2D) significantly increases cardiovascular risk, yet most microbiome studies have focused on these diseases separately and have overlooked their combined microbial gene-level mechanisms. The coexistence of HTN and T2D may create a distinct gut microbial environment where metabolic and vascular pathways intersect but the specific bacterial genes and molecular interactions underlying this dual phenotype remain largely unknown. To address this gap, this study aimed to identify bacterial key genes (bKGs) associated with hypertension coexisting with type-2 diabetes (HTNT2D) and to explore therapeutic agents targeting these bKGs through integrated bioinformatics approaches. A total of 124 gut microbiome samples, including 95 healthy controls (HC) and 29 HTNT2D cases were analyzed. Diversity analysis revealed significantly higher microbial richness and distinct clustering in HTNT2D, indicating altered microbial community structure. Differential abundance analysis identified 19 bacterial genera across four dominant phyla, while functional prediction uncovered 195 enriched metabolic pathways and 257 associated genes. To refine these finding, protein-protein interaction analysis highlighted 10 hub genes (acpP, dnaG, fusA, gltB, guaA, gyrB, lacZ, mdh, purF and tktA) as potential drivers of HTNT2D pathogenesis. Molecular docking analysis of these bKGs revealed binding affinities ranging from - 4.109 to -9.961 kcal/mol and three top-ranked drug candidates named Naringin-fusA (-9.961 kcal/mol), Neohesperidin-mdh (-9.818 kcal/mol), and Bromocriptine-gyrB (-9.446 kcal/mol) were selected as potential drugs based on their binding affinities. Subsequent molecular dynamics simulations performed for 100 ns confirmed the stability of their complexes, supporting their biological relevance. Drug-likeness and ADMET evaluations pointed to Bromocriptine as the most suitable compound though further safety validation will be necessary. Overall, this study provides novel insights into the gut microbiome signatures of HTNT2D and identifies bKGs with therapeutic potential. These computationally identified candidates can be prioritized for experimental validation to advance microbiome-based diagnostics and targeted therapies for HTNT2D management.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Di Grazia G, Sánchez-Bayona R, Casals-Pascual C, et al (2026)

Dynamic biomarkers in hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer trials: a new hope for precision oncology.

NPJ breast cancer pii:10.1038/s41523-026-00904-5 [Epub ahead of print].

Hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer evolves in response to therapy, demanding smarter, adaptive biomarker-based treatment strategies. We review emerging dynamic biomarkers to guide therapeutic decision-making, spanning tissue and liquid biopsies, metabolic imaging, and microbiome profiling, that capture tumor or host-related changes over time. By contrasting Academic and Industry approaches, we advocate for a cultural shift in clinical trial design and implementation, aiming to move from reactive to proactive Oncology.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Raethong N, Patumcharoenpol P, W Vongsangnak (2026)

Modeling diet-gut microbiome interactions and prebiotic responses in Thai adults.

NPJ biofilms and microbiomes pii:10.1038/s41522-026-00921-z [Epub ahead of print].

The impact of diet on gut microbial metabolism is essential for advancing microbiome-based health interventions. This study introduces a novel systems biology pipeline that integrates genome-scale metabolic models (GSMMs) with Thai dietary intake data to simulate gut microbiome metabolism and assess prebiotic responses. Utilizing metagenomic data from healthy Thai adults and an average Thai diet derived from national surveys, community-scale metabolic models (CSMMs) were developed and simulated under both typical dietary and prebiotic-supplemented condition. Flux variability analysis was employed to assess metabolic capacities, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production in relation to microbial taxonomy. The results promisingly revealed inter-individual variability in SCFA profiles, with Bacteroides and Phocaeicola notably linked to isobutyrate production and Bifidobacterium emerged as a key responder to prebiotic supplementation. This integrative framework offers biological insights into diet-gut microbiome interactions and provides a foundation for the development of precision nutrition strategies tailored to the Thai population.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Solis S, Maldonado EM, Mukhopadhyay S, et al (2026)

Self-aggregating Lactiplantibacillus plantarum enhances type-I interferon responses via the cytosolic sensors NOD2 and cGAS.

Gut microbes, 18(1):2615490.

The gut microbiome plays a critical role in health, disease and immunity. To date, we have access to large datasets describing how the microbial diversity present in the gut correlates with many clinical conditions. However, the microbiome composition is taxonomically complex; influenced by many environmental factors; and variable between individuals and communities, thereby limiting functional and mechanistic insights into the microbiota‒host interactions. We are still unsure of the molecular mechanisms by which gut commensal microbes intrinsically possess to interact with the immune system and induce beneficial responses. This study has addressed this important question by revealing that only certain members of Lactobacillaceae, a bacterial family very well known for its probiotic properties, interact very intimately with macrophages because of their ability to simultaneously overexpress adhesive cell wall proteins and to self-aggregate, leading to significant production of type I interferon (IFN-I) cytokines. IFN-I cytokines are essential to confer protection against viral infections and auto-immune disorders. Specifically, we have proved that this enhanced IFN-I feature is strain-dependent and predominantly driven by cGAS, a molecule that activates the cytosolic sensor STING upon the recognition of bacterial DNA. Furthermore, another cytosolic sensor, NOD2, seems to be an additional stimulus to amplify IFN-I production, suggesting the involvement of successive molecular events for a prominent probiotic response. Our findings provide insight into how specific molecules of probiotic bacteria modulate or stimulate host responses, providing a better understanding of the molecular crosstalk between the microbiome and immune cells.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Lee H, Lee MH, Seo SH, et al (2026)

Integrated Microbiome and Metabolomic Profiling to Identify Potential Biomarkers of Major Depressive Disorder.

Journal of microbiology and biotechnology, 36:e2512014 pii:jmb.2512.12014.

The pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) remains incompletely understood, hindering the development of objective diagnostic markers. While the microbiota-gut-brain axis is implicated in MDD, the functional link between gut dysbiosis and systemic metabolism remains largely obscure. To address this, we employed an integrated multi-omics approach combining 16S rRNA gene sequencing, GC-MS analysis of urine and plasma, complemented by UPLC-QTOF-MS profiling of plasma, in a Korean cohort (n = 69). We identified distinct taxonomic shifts, specifically the enrichment of the Eubacterium eligens group and Veillonella in MDD patients. Integrated correlation analysis revealed a functional "gut-lipid axis", where these taxa were strongly associated with alterations in host acylcarnitine and fatty acid metabolism. Notably, diagnostic evaluation demonstrated that the plasma metabolic profile yielded superior predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.862) compared to the gut microbiota (AUC = 0.654). Our findings suggest that while the gut microbiome provides mechanistic insights into lipid dysregulation, the circulating metabolome serves as a more robust, proximal diagnostic readout for MDD.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Park CK, Bae SH, Park HW, et al (2026)

Development of Large Language Model Specialized into Microbiome Datasets: an Application of Self-Evaluation and Scoring Comparison with Conventional Natural Language Processing Markers.

Journal of microbiology and biotechnology, 36:e2511050 pii:jmb.2511.11050.

The gut microbiome plays a fundamental role in host metabolism, immune regulation, and disease development. With the rapid accumulation of multi-omics and literature data, the microbiome field now faces the challenge of efficiently extracting scientific insights from massive, heterogeneous datasets. Artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) provide promising tools to address this complexity by enabling integrative analysis and knowledge synthesis across diverse biological sources. In this study, we developed METABOLISM, a microbiome-specialized LLM fine-tuned on 160,000 scientific abstracts to enhance literature-based contextual understanding of microbiome-liver interactions and related biological mechanisms. Using LoRA-based parameter-efficient training, METABOLISM was optimized for domain-specific reasoning and response generation. Model performance was evaluated through both automated Phi-4 scoring (a large language model-based evaluator for relevance, informativeness, and fluency) and structured human expert rubric assessments involving 20 domain specialists. The fine-tuned METABOLISM achieved superior relevance and clarity scores (mean > 7.5 ± 0.06) compared with general-purpose LLMs such as Gemma-3-12B-IT and ChatGPT-4o. Correlation analysis revealed weak to moderate negative relationships (R = -0.65, p < 0.0001) between traditional NLP metrics (BLEU, ROUGE) and human expert rubric scores, with a similar trend observed for correlations with Phi-4-based automated evaluation scores, indicating the limitations of surface-level similarity measures in biomedical contexts. Overall, our findings demonstrate that microbiome-adapted LLMs can effectively distill high-volume scientific data into biologically meaningful insights, supporting more efficient and interpretable research in microbiology and systems biology.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Zhang Y, SJ Zhu (2026)

Role of bile acid metabolites in regulating viral infections.

Trends in microbiology pii:S0966-842X(25)00371-3 [Epub ahead of print].

Gut microbiota-derived bile acids are emerging as pivotal regulators of viral pathogenesis. They exhibit dual roles by directly blocking or promoting viral entry, while also systemically tuning immune responses. This forum discusses how spatiotemporal mapping of these interactions can address unresolved questions and inspire novel microbiome-based antiviral strategies.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Shen X, Li SB, Gao MJ, et al (2026)

Relationship Between Fecal Bile Acid Profile and Intestinal Microbiota in Patients With Chronic Radiation Enteritis.

Journal of digestive diseases [Epub ahead of print].

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the relationship between fecal bile acid (BA) profile and intestinal microbiota in patients with chronic radiation enteritis (CRE).

METHODS: Altogether 60 patients with cervical cancer (CC) who visited Xijing Hospital between December 2022 and September 2023 were enrolled, including 20 patients who did not undergo any treatment (the CC group), 20 patients who developed CRE after radical radiotherapy (the CRE group), and 20 patients who did not experience CRE after radical radiotherapy (the non-CRE [NRE] group). Patients' characteristics and fecal samples were collected. Fecal BA profiles were quantified, and intestinal microbiota were analyzed by using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Differentially expressed BAs and microorganisms were identified across groups, and their correlations were assessed using Spearman's correlation analysis.

RESULTS: In patients with CRE, BA metabolism was characterized by increased proportions of primary BAs and decreased proportions of secondary BAs, particularly lithocholic acid and its isomers. In addition, the abundance of beneficial bacterial genera, such as Bifidobacterium and Megasphaera, was reduced, whereas that of potentially pathogenic genera, including Megamonas and Dorea, was increased. Furthermore, a bidirectional relationship between BA metabolism and intestinal microbiota was observed.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CRE present notable alterations in BA metabolism and intestinal microbiota. CRE may trigger a harmful feedback mechanism driven by the interaction between these two factors. Targeted regulation of BA metabolism and intestinal microbiota may be a promising therapeutic approach for the management of CRE.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05728060.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Vijay-Kumar M, Yeoh BS, AT Gewirtz (2026)

Hydroxylation matters! Microbial bile acid metabolism and colorectal cancer.

Gut pii:gutjnl-2025-337583 [Epub ahead of print].

RevDate: 2026-01-29
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Murcia-Soriano LF, Venegas-Sanabria LC, Arias-Blanco D, et al (2026)

Microbes and ageing beyond the gut: the oral microbiome and frailty, sarcopenia and neurocognitive disorders in the elderly - a scoping review protocol.

BMJ open, 16(1):e106590 pii:bmjopen-2025-106590.

INTRODUCTION: Population ageing is a global phenomenon that has resulted in an increase in the number of patients with chronic diseases and geriatric syndromes. Frailty, sarcopenia and neurocognitive disorders are among the most prevalent conditions affecting older adults and have a direct effect on their quality of life, and can impact the burden and budgets of health systems. Recently, the oral microbiome has gained attention as it may be a factor that potentially influences the onset and progression of these syndromes. However, this is still a new line of research that has not been deeply explored. This scoping review protocol aims to explore how the oral microbiome may be associated with the onset of prevalent geriatric syndromes, frailty, sarcopenia and neurocognitive disorders, providing a picture of the current evidence and potential gaps for future research.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The scoping review will follow the Johanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and will be reported accordit to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines (PRISMA-ScR). Searches will be conducted in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central, CINAHL, LILACS and Epistemonikos from inception to December 2025. Independent reviewers will perform the study selection and data extraction. A descriptive analysis of information will be conducted, highlighting oral microorganisms associated with these syndromes and emerging trends in the evidence. Original research studies in any language will be included. We will include randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, case-control studies and other relevant designs if they investigate the oral microbiome and its relation to geriatric syndromes in adults aged 65 or older, regardless of geographic location or setting.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Cai XX, Zhang HT, Wang YX, et al (2026)

[Role and research progress of dental medicine in physical anthropology studies].

Zhonghua kou qiang yi xue za zhi = Zhonghua kouqiang yixue zazhi = Chinese journal of stomatology, 61(2):266-272 [Epub ahead of print].

Physical anthropology is a discipline that studies human physical characteristics and their evolutionary patterns through the analysis of human biological remains. Oral tissues such as teeth and jawbones, serving as crucial or even exclusive materials among human biological remains, establish dental medicine's central role in this field. This paper reviewed the advances in dental medicine's research on key physical anthropology topics and methodologies, including human origins and evolution, paleopathology, paleodietary reconstruction, and paleomicrobiology. In human origins and evolution research, dental morphology provides crucial evidence for identifying population relationships. Paleopathology reflects ancient survival pressures, subsistence economies, and cultural behavioral patterns through oral diseases. Paleodietary research reconstructs ancient dietary structures using dental microwear, trace elements, stable isotopes, and calculus microfossils (e.g., starch grains, ancient DNA, ancient proteins). Paleomicrobiology explores the evolution of health and disease through the oral microbiome. Current research faces limitations including narrow observation of oral diseases, inconsistent diagnostic criteria, and insufficient interdisciplinary integration. Future efforts should enhance multidisciplinary collaboration among dental medicine, archaeology, anthropology, and other fields. This multi-perspective approach will systematically elucidate the evolutionary trajectory of oral health and disease, enrich the historical context of dental medicine, and provide insights for contemporary prevention and treatment of oral diseases.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Pillay D, Kuppusamy UR, B Arumugam (2026)

Role of terpenes and terpenoids in cross-talk between adipocyte browning and gut microbiome in obesity.

Fitoterapia pii:S0367-326X(26)00032-8 [Epub ahead of print].

Obesity, a major global health concern, is a complex condition characterized by excessive accumulation of fat that can result in various other health complications like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The intricate interactions between the gut microbiota and adipocyte browning, the process that transforms white adipose tissue (WAT) into metabolically active beige or brown-like adipose tissue (BAT) have gained considerable attention as a therapeutic strategy against obesity and related metabolic disorders. Terpenes and terpenoids have emerged as promising natural compounds to combat obesity and its associated metabolic complications. Terpenoids have been shown to exert anti-adipogenic effects, thus attenuating adipocyte hypertrophy, adipose tissue inflammation and oxidative stress through various mechanisms. The compounds have also been shown to modulate the composition and activity of gut microbiota, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria while inhibiting the proliferation of harmful ones. These alterations in gut microbiota composition have been linked to improved metabolic parameters, including enhanced energy expenditure, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced adiposity. Recent studies have highlighted the potential role of gut microbiota in mediating the effects of terpenoids on adipocyte browning, suggesting a complex interplay between these factors. However, the interplay has not been reviewed thus far. Therefore, this review highlights the role and mechanisms of terpenes and terpenoids in the cross-talk between adipocyte browning and the gut microbiome as potential therapeutic strategies for obesity. Studies were identified and screened through academic database searches and synthesized narratively. The review also includes challenges and future perspectives in introducing the compounds as alternate treatments for obesity.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Yuasa H, Bermudez DA, Konishi K, et al (2026)

Bacterial communities in pond water of kuruma shrimp Penaeus japonicus farms with different reported disease histories.

Journal of invertebrate pathology pii:S0022-2011(26)00026-1 [Epub ahead of print].

Penaeid shrimp aquaculture is expanding worldwide, but recurrent infectious diseases remain a major threat to production. Interestingly, some farming environments sustain long-term stable production performance. To investigate the microbial basis of this condition, we performed 16S rRNA gene-based bacterial community analysis of rearing water from two farms with different reported disease histories. The stable production performance farm (Taketomijima) was characterized by a low-diversity bacterial community dominated by unclassified Rhodobacteraceae, whereas the variable production performance farm (Tanegashima) harbored a highly diverse and heterogeneous community. Despite the higher diversity, the variable production performance environment showed less stability across ponds, while the stable production performance farm exhibited a uniform and resilient microbiome structure. These results demonstrate that community composition and dominance of specific taxa, rather than overall diversity, are critical for disease prevalence. Our findings provide new insight into microbial factors of disease outcomes and lay the foundation for microbiome-informed management strategies to improve the sustainability and resilience of shrimp aquaculture.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Domari MA, Khani A, Sahebzadeh N, et al (2026)

Gut microbes modulate Helicoverpa armigera immunity and affect its susceptibility to microbial pathogens.

Journal of invertebrate pathology pii:S0022-2011(26)00024-8 [Epub ahead of print].

Emerging research underscores the critical roles of host-associated microbiota in modulating immunity and disease resistance in insects. However, the interplay between gut microbes and innate immune pathways remains incompletely understood in lepidopteran pests. This study investigates if manipulation of the gut microbiome affects immune responses and pathogen susceptibility in Helicoverpa armigera larvae. To do this, the gut microbiome of the larvae was removed using antibiotic treatment. Subsequently, the expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) including attacin and defensin, and antioxidant genes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), dual oxidase (DUOX) and NADPH oxidase (NOX)were assessed following challenge with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and Beauveria bassiana (Bb). Our results revealed that microbiome depletion reduced the expression of attacin and defensin in fat body and gut, and suppressed SOD gene expression in the gut. The bioassay tests showed that depletion of microbiota resulted in increased larval vulnerability to the pathogens compared to the control larvae. We also tested whether microbial infection affects gut microbiota and found that intrahemocoelic microbial injection induced both humoral and gut immunity, resulting in suppression of gut microbiota, highlighting a crosslink between humoral and gut immunity. Together, these results underscore a conserved requirement for microbiota-derived signals in priming specific innate immune pathways and provide insight into how microbiome manipulation may impact the success of biological control strategies. These findings suggest that targeted manipulation of the gut microbiome could be harnessed to enhance pest susceptibility to biocontrol agents, thereby offering a promising avenue for improving microbial pest control.

RevDate: 2026-01-29

Akhtara N, MK Bharali (2026)

Recurrent amoxicillin exposure disrupts colonic homeostasis through oxidative stress, DNA repair dysregulation, and gut dysbiosis-driven inflammation.

Chemico-biological interactions, 427:111939 pii:S0009-2797(26)00047-5 [Epub ahead of print].

The present study investigated the impact of recurrent amoxicillin exposure on colonic health in a mouse model, applying a multi-parametric approach. Twenty animals were randomly divided into two groups, out of which one group received oral amoxicillin (100 mg/kg BW), administered every other week for twelve weeks. Histological and ultra-structural analyses (SEM and TEM) of colonic tissues revealed crypt degeneration, mucosal thinning, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the treated group. Biochemical assays demonstrated significantly elevated lipid peroxidation along with reduced antioxidant defences, indicative of oxidative stress. Immunohistochemistry confirmed oxidative DNA damage, accompanied by aberrant expression of DNA repair genes, indicating impaired genomic maintenance. Faecal microbiota profiling showed a pronounced loss of microbial load and enrichment of opportunistic pathogens, alongside a paradoxical increase in short-chain fatty acid levels. These alterations correlated with significantly upregulated inflammatory gene expression (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-17 & IL-1β), indicating microbiome destabilization and heightened inflammatory signalling. Overall, recurrent amoxicillin exposure disrupted colonic homeostasis through dysbiosis, oxidative stress, genotoxicity, and inflammation, underscoring the potential risks of antibiotic therapy.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Kindtler NL, Sheikh S, He R, et al (2026)

Microbial diversity loss affects old and modern barley cultivars differently under varying nitrogen sources.

Microbiological research, 306:128458 pii:S0944-5013(26)00022-4 [Epub ahead of print].

Soil microbial diversity is crucial for plant nutrition and health, yet how its loss affects plant performance remains unclear. We used a dilution-to-extinction approach to test how declining rhizo-microbiome diversity influences two barley cultivars: the modern RGT Planet and the older Babushka. Plants were grown in sterilized systems amended with mineral or organic nitrogen and inoculated with microbiome treatments (10[-][1], 10[-][3], 10[-][5], and 10[-][7] dilutions), plus a no-inoculum treatment. We used amplicon sequencing (16S, ITS, 18S) to profile rhizosphere communities, and quantified plant biomass, shoot nitrogen, and chitin mineralization. Protists and fungi were present in 10[-][1] and 10[-][3] but absent in all others. Microbiome inoculum and nitrogen source explained most variation in rhizo-microbiome composition, with cultivar having a smaller effect. Under organic nitrogen, Babushka showed a marked decline in biomass with decreasing diversity, whereas RGT was largely unaffected, indicating that the older cultivar relied more on a diverse microbiome to maintain growth. At intermediate diversity, when protists and fungi were lost, both cultivars showed improved growth and shoot nitrogen, coinciding with shifts in bacterial composition and loss of potential pathogens. Hence, reduced diversity did not always impair growth, suggesting functional compensation. Under mineral nitrogen, both cultivars were less sensitive to diversity loss. Overall, nitrogen source and cultivar identity modulated plant responses to microbial diversity loss. Diverse microbiomes promoted efficient use of organic nitrogen, particularly for the older cultivar, while the modern cultivar maintained growth at lower diversity. Our results demonstrate that the consequences of diversity loss are context-dependent and cultivar-specific.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Shakir Shakir HN, Alias-Castillo AJ, Bertini-Pérez D, et al (2026)

Effectiveness of probiotic supplementation in managing depressive symptoms and inflammatory status in patients with depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 58:106554 pii:S0261-5614(25)00333-4 [Epub ahead of print].

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Depression is a multifactorial disorder influenced by genetic, biochemical, psychological, and environmental factors, and it significantly impacts quality of life. Probiotics, especially Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, have been proposed as adjunct therapies due to their capacity to modulate gut microbiota and the gut-brain axis. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of probiotic supplementation on depressive symptoms and inflammatory status in individuals with depression.

METHODS: Articles were identified through searches in databases including PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, and Zenodo, using terms related to depression, microbiome, and probiotics. The search, conducted between January and February 2025, yielded 780 articles. After removing duplicates and applying eligibility criteria, 13 studies were included in the systematic review and 7 in the meta-analysis.

RESULTS: Probiotic supplementation was significantly associated with improvement in depressive symptoms (p < 0.00001). However, no significant changes were found in inflammatory biomarkers, including interleukin-6 (p = 0.45) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (p = 0.21).

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that probiotics may help alleviate depressive symptoms, although their effect on inflammation remains uncertain. Further high-quality studies are necessary to clarify underlying mechanisms and determine the clinical relevance of probiotics as adjunctive therapy in depression..

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Vijayasimha M, M Srikanth (2026)

From association to action: Advancing microbiome evidence toward decision-grade insights in Japanese encephalitis virus research.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Tanunchai B, Schröder O, Schädler M, et al (2026)

Dynamics of the plastisphere microbiome in agricultural soils under changing climatic conditions.

Journal of hazardous materials, 503:141151 pii:S0304-3894(26)00129-9 [Epub ahead of print].

Plastic pollution is a growing environmental concern, particularly in agricultural soils where plastics are widely used. Biodegradable plastics such as polybutylene succinate (PBS) and polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) are increasingly promoted as sustainable alternatives, yet their environmental fate under changing climate and land-use conditions remains poorly understood. This study investigated the plastisphere microbiome associated with PBS, PBAT, and polyethylene (PE) as a reference, under conventional and organic farming systems and both ambient and simulated future climate scenarios. We assessed microbial colonization, plastic degradation, and bacterial-fungal interactions over one year of soil exposure. Agricultural practices significantly influenced the PBS plastisphere microbiome and PBAT bacterial richness, while climate effects were minor and limited to specific time points. No treatment significantly affected the molar mass loss of biodegradable plastics, although PBS degraded faster than PBAT. Microbial community composition shifted over time, with bacterial and fungal richness peaking at 160 or 270 days, and gene copy numbers highest at 60 or 365 days. Early colonization was dominated by a few genera, including Sphingomonas, Hymenobacter, Massilia, Vishniacozyma, Alternaria, and Mycosphaerella, many of which are known plastic colonizers and potential degraders. Co-occurrence networks revealed positive associations between dominant bacterial and fungal taxa. These findings provide new insights into the temporal dynamics and environmental drivers of plastisphere microbiomes in agricultural soils. Understanding microbial succession and interactions on biodegradable plastics is essential for assessing their degradation potential and environmental risks, particularly regarding microplastic formation and the persistence of plastic residues in terrestrial ecosystems.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

de Jong MJ, Zhou J, Derikx LAAP, et al (2026)

Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Associated With Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Pre- and Post-liver Transplantation.

Transplantation [Epub ahead of print].

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)-associated inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is considered a distinct IBD phenotype, with probably a distinct pathogenesis according to genome-wide association studies and mucosal immunology and microbiome studies. Management of IBD in patients with PSC presents with specific monitoring and therapeutic challenges. Both IBD-related and treatment-related complications have to be carefully considered in the context of hepatobiliary disease, end-stage liver disease, and liver transplant recipients. Standard IBD drug therapies are generally effective and well-tolerated in PSC-IBD, both pre- and post-liver transplantation. However, evidence of direct benefit on PSC progression is limited and largely based on surrogate endpoints such as alkaline phosphatase reduction. Vedolizumab and adalimumab have shown modest biochemical improvements in selected cohorts, although no therapy has demonstrated consistent disease-modifying effects on PSC. Based on current available data, vancomycin seems promising to improve IBD and PSC outcomes. In patients with an indication for colectomy, counseling on functional outcome in general and on disease-specific risks of recurrent intestinal inflammation, neoplasia, and PSC progression is warranted. Immunosuppressive regimens posttransplant and persistent intestinal inflammation influence graft survival and PSC recurrence. Thus, management in patients with PSC and IBD requires a tailored, risk-adapted approach, integrating control of intestinal inflammation, hepatobiliary monitoring, and cancer surveillance. This contemporary review aimede to elucidate the current understanding regarding the efficacy and safety of medical and surgical therapies used for IBD in light of the pre- and posttransplant course of patients with PSC-IBD.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Yao ML, Lin P, Hua K, et al (2026)

The biosynthetic gene cluster landscape of the oral microbiome across health and dental caries.

Journal of industrial microbiology & biotechnology pii:8443351 [Epub ahead of print].

Specialized metabolites encoded by biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in the oral microbiome remain largely unexplored in the context of oral health and disease. Previous genome-centric surveys have identified hundreds of uncharacterized BGCs in the oral cavity associated with health and disease, but these studies relied on reference genomes and did not capture strain-level variation or the native distribution of BGCs. Here, we assembled three independently sourced metagenomic datasets from healthy and dental caries samples, extracted BGCs, and quantified their metagenomic abundance and transcriptional activity. We found that aryl polyene, ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP), and nonribosomal peptide (NRP) encoding BGCs were the most prominent BGCs identified across the three metagenomic datasets. We grouped the identified BGCs into homology-based gene cluster families (GCFs) and found that specific GCFs were consistently associated with either health or caries across diverse taxa, suggesting that some specialized metabolites may perform conserved ecological functions. Conversely, other BGCs showed more restricted taxonomic distributions and were linked to disease-associated taxa, such as Propionibacterium acidifaciens, suggesting niche-specific biosynthetic capacities within the oral environment. Applying elastic-net regression to the metatranscriptomic dataset further identified a subset of 51 BGCs out > 3 000 that distinguished healthy from caries samples, reinforcing the discriminatory power of BGC expression patterns. Together, these results demonstrate that BGCs provide functional resolution beyond taxonomic profiling and that BGC expression, rather than genomic presence alone, differentiates oral microbial community states. This underscores the relevance of specialized metabolism to oral health and supports the use of BGC-centric analyses to interrogate microbial interactions underlying community stability and disease-associated shifts.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Molasy B, M Wrzosek (2026)

The Wound Microbiome in Chronic Wounds: A Biomarker and Therapeutic Target.

Journal of applied microbiology pii:8443341 [Epub ahead of print].

Chronic wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and pressure ulcers, remain a major global healthcare challenge, associated with substantial morbidity, risk of limb loss, and high healthcare costs. Increasing evidence indicates that the wound microbiome modulates inflammation, tissue repair, and responses to therapy, thereby influencing clinical outcomes. This review summarizes current knowledge on the composition and function of chronic wound microbial communities and discusses their clinical relevance as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Microbiome structure is shaped by wound etiology, chronicity, anatomical site, and host comorbidities. Dysbiosis and biofilm formation contribute to persistent inflammation, antimicrobial tolerance, and delayed healing. Advances in sequencing and multi-omics technologies have improved microbial characterization and enabled the identification of candidate microbial signatures associated with healing trajectories. Emerging microbiome-modulating strategies such as probiotics, bacteriophages, topical oxygen approaches and nanotechnology-based interventions show potential to shift wound ecosystems toward a pro-healing state; however, robust clinical validation remains limited. Further clinical studies are needed to validate microbiome-guided diagnostics and interventions and to establish standardized protocols for their application in clinical practice.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Nihel AB, Rania AD, Hamadou OH, et al (2026)

Nanopore sequencing of the Tunisian gut microbiome: effect of the DNA extraction methods.

Brazilian journal of microbiology : [publication of the Brazilian Society for Microbiology], 57(1):47.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Silveira KA, Ramiro-Garcia J, Lawless C, et al (2026)

Mutual dosing of tungsten, molybdenum and selenium impact anaerobic digestion microbiome.

Biometals : an international journal on the role of metal ions in biology, biochemistry, and medicine [Epub ahead of print].

Metals are critical in anaerobic digestion, but their co-occurrence effects on microbiome structure and function are underexplored. This study hypothesized that exposure of methanogenic granules to a trace element (TE) mixture alongside molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W) or selenium (Se)-would alter (i) extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) protein and carbohydrate content, (ii) microbial composition and function (iii) methanogenic pathways.To test this, anaerobic batch reactors (n = 35) were set up in a fed batch mode, with sacrificial reactors (n = 14) used to collect biomass for analyses, including DNA: RNA co-extraction, amplicon sequencing, and determination of the concentrations of total and soluble metals, Scanning Electron Microscopy- Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) and EPS extraction over a 24-day period.The results reveal that, Mo and W increased the concentration of soluble Fe in abiotic controls, enhancing Fe and S retention. The presence of W, Mo, W + Se, and Se had a positive effect on methane production, with W + Se and W enhancing acetoclastic methanogenesis. Additionally, Se increased EPS protein and carbohydrate contents in the biomass. Shifts in the microbiome composition were mainly driven by Mo and Se, with typically dominant Anaerolineacaeae, Capriciproducens, Macelibacteroides and Clostridium sensu stricto 5 taxa. Functional potential suggested an enrichment of nucleotide metabolism and, importantly, Vitamin (B12, B6 and B9) metabolic potential.These finding inform Anaerobic digestion (AD) stakeholders about the impacts of Fe, W, Mo, and Se co-dosing on process performance and microbiome structure and function, offering insights to optimize biogas production through tailored metal supplementation combinations, given demonstrations at lab and pilot scales.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Hoedt EC, Burns GL, Kang S, et al (2026)

Altered Duodenal Mucosa-Associated Microbiota and Immune Profiles in Functional Dyspepsia: A Study of Host-Microbiome Homeostasis.

Neurogastroenterology and motility, 38(1):e70238.

BACKGROUND: Recent work suggests an altered duodenal mucosa-associated microbiota (d-MAM) in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) when compared to controls. This may reflect alterations in host-microbiome homeostasis. Given the specific mucosal immune signatures identified in FD, we hypothesize that these signatures are associated with specific microbial changes. We aim to profile the d-MAM to identify microbes associated with known changes in FD mucosal and peripheral immunity.

METHODS: Upper gastrointestinal biopsies were collected from 11 outpatient controls and 17 FD patients. Specific biopsies were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing, histology, and mucosal lamina propria mononuclear cell (LPMC) isolation. Where available, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated. PBMC and LPMC populations were analyzed for T-cell populations by flow cytometry.

KEY RESULTS: Comparing the histological and immune measures between FD and controls revealed significant differences with decreased villi goblet cells and increased LPMC CD4 Central Memory, LPMC CD8, and PBMC CD4+ Central Memory Th17 in FD patients. Specific microbiome associations found that in controls, villi goblet cells positively correlated with Massilia and negatively with Exiguobacterium. Additionally, controls had a negative correlation between LPMC CD4 Central Memory and Veillonella. Notably, FD patients demonstrated a significant negative correlation between LPMC CD8 and Sulfophobococcus, and a positive correlation between PBMC CD4+ Central Memory Th17 and both Gemella and Fusobacterium.

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: Our findings contribute to a growing body of evidence, indicating FD patients exhibit distinct alterations in d-MAM and immune profiles compared to controls. Furthermore, the immune-microbiome associations within control populations were absent in FD patients, suggesting a loss of host-microbiome homeostasis that may contribute to FD pathophysiology.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Díaz S, Eisfeld AJ, Palma-Cuero M, et al (2026)

Gut microbiota and parasite dynamics in an Amazonian community undergoing urbanization in Colombia.

mSphere [Epub ahead of print].

Studies on human gut microbiota have recently highlighted a significant decline in bacterial diversity associated with urbanization, driven by shifts toward processed diets, increased antibiotic usage, and improved sanitation practices. This phenomenon has been largely overlooked in the Colombian Amazon, despite rapid urbanization in the region. In this study, we investigate the composition of gut bacterial microbiota and intestinal protozoa and soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) in both urban and rural areas of Leticia, located in the southern Colombian Amazon. Despite their geographic proximity, the urban population is predominantly non-indigenous, while indigenous communities mostly inhabit the rural area, resulting in notable lifestyle differences between the two settings. Our analyses reveal a reduction in bacterial families linked to non-processed diets, such as Lachnospiraceae, Spirochaetaceae, and Succinivibrionaceae, in the urban environment compared to their rural counterparts. Prevotellaceae, typically associated with non-processed food consumption, shows a significantly higher abundance in urban Leticia. STH infections were primarily detected in rural Leticia, while intestinal protozoa were ubiquitous in both rural and urban areas. Both types of parasites were associated with higher gut bacterial richness and diversity. Additionally, microbial metabolic prediction analysis indicated differences in pathways related to unsaturated fatty acid production and aerobic respiration between rural and urban bacterial microbiomes. This suggests a tendency toward changes in the urban microbiota that may lead to increased susceptibility to non-communicable chronic diseases. These findings provide new insights into the impact of urbanization on gut microbiota dynamics in the Amazonian context and underscore the need for further research into any associated health outcomes.IMPORTANCEChanges in the diversity and composition of gut microbiota in urban populations have been linked to the rise of non-communicable chronic diseases, such as autoimmune conditions, diabetes, and cancer. As developing countries undergo a demographic shift toward increased urbanization, accompanied by changes in diet, housing, and medication use, there is a concerning loss of microbial diversity. Therefore, it is essential to investigate microbiota changes in overlooked populations, such as indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon basin. A better understanding of local and generalizable changes in gut microbial composition through urbanization may facilitate the development of targeted programs aimed at promoting lifestyle and diet changes to prevent diseases that healthcare systems may be ill-equipped to effectively address.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Retherford SA, Woodruff KL, Harstine BR, et al (2026)

The Bull Reproductive Microbiome: A Comparative Analysis of Microbial Communities within Semen and Organs of the Bull Reproductive System†.

Biology of reproduction pii:8443107 [Epub ahead of print].

Semen from mature, healthy bulls contains commensal microbes. Potential internal sources of seminal microbes have not been extensively evaluated. Objectives were to 1) assess whether the testes of the bull contain commensal microbes and to compare the composition of the putative testicular microbiome to that of semen and rumen fluid and 2) determine whether other organs of the bull reproductive system contain microbial populations. Here, we demonstrate that the testes of the bull contain a low biomass, yet diverse, microbiome. Interestingly, the microbial composition of rumen fluid, semen and testicular tissue were each dissimilar from one another, indicating that each source contains a unique microbiota. Only four core amplicon sequence variants, Acinetobacter, Enterobacteriaceae (E. coli), Jeotgalicoccus, and Kiritimatiellae WCHB1-41, were shared between semen and the testes. Along with the testes, microbial populations were also present within the penile and pelvic urethra, seminal vesicles and epididymis of mature bulls. Of these anatomic niches, the microbial populations within the penile and pelvic urethra were the most diverse and shared the greatest number of core taxa (n = 72). The microbiota of the seminal vesicles, epididymis and the testes were significantly dissimilar from each other. Only one core taxa, Mycoplasma, was shared between the testes and epididymis. Collectively, our results demonstrate that semen and organs of the bull reproductive tract contain unique microbial populations. Further research is necessary to determine whether the microbial composition of organs of the bull reproductive system, such as the testes and epididymis, influence sperm viability and bull fertility.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

McAbee GN, AM Morse (2026)

Symptomatic Vitamin and Nutrient Deficiencies of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Potential for Treatment.

Journal of child neurology [Epub ahead of print].

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurobehavioral disorder. Children with ASD often have restrictive diets that can be due to food aversion, sensory sensitivities, ritualistic behavior, or comorbid gastrointestinal issues. Diet and nutritional status play a critical role in the health of neurodevelopment, and the microbiome, and can affect cognition, motor and sensory status, behavior, and sleep. Children with ASD are 5 times more likely to develop eating problems and secondary vitamin and nutritional deficiencies. Such dietary restriction has been causative of vitamin and nutritional deficiencies that can lead to permanent sequelae if not adequately identified and treated. Symptoms of these deficiencies can be subtle and misleading and, thus, underrecognized. This review discusses various symptomatic vitamin and nutrient deficiencies associated with dietary restrictions that can occur in children and adolescents with ASD of which clinicians need to be aware. With treatment, symptoms can be reversible. Without timely treatment, sequelae can be permanent.

RevDate: 2026-01-28

Tiwari P, Gupta A, Kaushik M, et al (2026)

Association of yoga with cognitive and gut microbiome changes in Alzheimer's disease: An exploratory case-control study.

Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD [Epub ahead of print].

BackgroundAlzheimer's disease (AD) is marked by cognitive decline, depressive symptoms, and gut microbial dysbiosis. Yoga may support cognitive and emotional health while modulating gut microbiota, but integrative clinical evidence is limited.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of a 12-week yoga intervention on cognition, depressive symptoms, and gut microbial diversity, composition, and function in Indian patients with mild AD.MethodsIn this hospital-based case-control study, 16 AD patients and 17 cognitively healthy controls (HCs) were recruited at AIIMS, New Delhi. AD diagnosis followed NIA-AA criteria, supported by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) assessments. AD participants underwent 60-min supervised yoga sessions daily for 12 weeks. Cognitive performance, depressive symptoms, and stool microbiota were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Metagenomic sequencing enabled taxonomic and functional profiling, with alpha diversity, beta diversity (Bray-Curtis distance), and differential abundance analyses performed using standard bioinformatics tools.ResultsYoga was associated with improved cognition (MoCA: 22.33 ± 2.34 → 25.44 ± 2.01; p = 0.001) and reduced depressive symptoms (PHQ-9: 5.78 ± 3.11 → 2.22 ± 1.71; p = 0.007). Alpha diversity remained stable, while beta diversity shifted post-yoga AD samples toward the HC cluster. Beneficial taxa (Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia intestinalis, Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia) increased, whereas pro-inflammatory taxa (Collinsella aerofaciens, Klebsiella spp.) decreased. Functional analysis showed partial recovery of metabolic and short-chain fatty acid pathways.ConclusionsA 12-week yoga intervention was associated with cognitive and mood improvements and partial normalization of gut microbial function in mild AD. Larger randomized trials with lifestyle monitoring and multi-omics integration are warranted to confirm causal mechanisms.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Xu J, Li J, Kong X, et al (2025)

Dysbiosis and metabolic pathway shifts in the gut microbiome of children with sepsis: a comparative analysis.

Frontiers in microbiology, 16:1715990.

BACKGROUND: The newly published Phoenix Sepsis Score in 2024 for assessing sepsis in children mainly focuses on respiratory, cardiological, coagulation and neurological indicators, whereas the gut microbiome also plays key roles in the occurrence and progression of sepsis. Additionally, emerging evidence suggests that specific biomarkers in gut microbiome are associated with disease progression. This study aimed to explore the differences in gut microbiome diversity, composition and function between septic and healthy children, and to establish correlations with clinical indicators and outcomes, providing new possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of sepsis.

RESULTS: Analysis of gut microbiome was performed in 20 sepsis children and 9 healthy controls aged between 3 and 18 years old. The anal swab samples were analyzed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing. Significant differences were observed in α and β diversity of gut microbiome between sepsis group and healthy controls groups. Especially, Shannon diversity was significantly correlated with white blood cell count, serum lactate, length of pediatric intensive care unit stay and length of hospital stay (all R > 0, p < 0.05). Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were both dominant in most of children in SG and HC groups, while three in SG showed extremely low combined abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes (<10%), which might be associated with chemistry therapy and death outcome. Bacteria associated with nosocomial infections, including genus taxa Acinetobacter, Prevotella, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Bacteroides, and Corynebacterium, can be dominant (relative abundance>70%) in sepsis group, which were absent in healthy control group. Enterococcus abundance not only predicted sepsis risk (AUC = 0.85) but also was correlated with 28-day mortality (R > 0, p = 0.004). Gene function prediction based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis indicated significant differences profile in SG and sepsis-deaths groups. The enriched gut microbiome genes were related to cellular proliferation, energy metabolism, signal transduction, the oxidative stress response and arginine metabolism.

CONCLUSION: Significant differences in diversity, taxa composition and gene function in the gut microbiome existed between septic and healthy children. The associations between gut microbiome dysbiosis and clinical indicators were identified. Enterococcus could be a biomarker to predict sepsis risk.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Deng L, Chen X, Pan S, et al (2025)

The developmental changes of fecal microbial composition and diversity in emu (Dromaius novaehallandiae) at early growth stages.

Frontiers in microbiology, 16:1744168.

The early postnatal period plays a crucial role in the establishment and maturation of the gut microbiome in avian hosts, significantly influencing their metabolic processes and overall health. This study was carried out to characterize the ontogenetic development of fecal microbiota in emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) during critical early growth stages from days 7 to 28 post-hatch using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results indicated that rank abundance and rarefaction curves confirmed adequate sequencing depth for capturing microbial diversity across all age groups. The dominant phyla of fecal microbiota in emus included Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, with successional shifts observed at order, family, and genus levels. As emus advanced in age, fecal microbiota underwent significant changes in microbial community, diversity, and function. The α-diversity indices (Observed species, Shannon, PD whole tree, Chao1, and ACE) in the feces of emus peaked significantly at d 21 (p < 0.05). The β-diversity analysis revealed significant structural differences in microbial communities between different ages, particularly between d14 and d7, d21 vs. d7, and d14 vs. d28 (p < 0.05). Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) identified 26 discriminative biomarkers with stage-specific enrichments, including Turicibacter (d7/d28), Erysipelotrichaceae (d7/d14), Bacteroidetes (d21), and Corynebacteriaceae as well as Actinobacteria (d28). T-test validation confirmed significant temporal variations in phylum (Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes) and genus-level abundances (e.g., Bacteroides and Lactobacillus) in the feces of emus (p < 0.05). PICRUSt functional prediction indicated age-dependent metabolic pathway enrichment, including amino and nucleotide sugar metabolism (d7), oxidative phosphorylation (d14), ABC transporters and cysteine metabolism (d21), and genetic information processing pathways (d28). These results demonstrated dynamic, stage-specific restructuring of the fecal microbiota and its metabolic potential during early development in emus. This research presented the initial longitudinal assessment of fecal microbiota development in emus throughout their crucial early developmental stage, revealing age-dependent alterations in microbial composition and metabolic activity that could guide enhanced nutritional and health approaches for ratites.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Wu Y, Zhou M, Wan Y, et al (2025)

The microbial conductor of cancer hallmarks: intratumoral microbiome as a multidimensional oncogenic modulator.

Frontiers in microbiology, 16:1695187.

The intratumoral microbiome, comprising diverse bacteria, fungi, and viruses residing within tumor tissues, is increasingly recognized as a multidimensional oncogenic modulator, acting akin to a "microbial conductor" orchestrating key cancer hallmarks. Its compositon exhibits substantial heterogeneity across individuals and is closely associated with the host immunity, the tumor microenvironment (TME), and therapeutic efficacy. Specific microbial species can "conduct" pro-tumorigenic processes by producing carcinogenic metabolites, dysregulating inflammatory signaling, or facilitating immune evasion. Conversely, other microorganisms may exert anti-tumorigenic effects by stimulating anti-tumor immunity or directly inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. Furthermore, the intratumoral microbiome can influence therapeutic outcomes by modulating the metabolism of chemotherapeutic agents or altering the efficacy of immunotherapies. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the intratumoral microbiome and its complex interplay with tumors holds immense potential to unravel fundamental mechanisms of cancer development and progression, while simultaneously revealing novel avenues for precision oncology strategies. This review outlines the biological roles of the microbiota in modulating the hallmarks of cancer hallmarks, summarizes current knowledge on its multidimensional interactions driving tumor progression, and discusses the translational potential of targeting or leveraging the intratumoral microbiome based on recent advancements. Future research integrating multi-omics profiling, spatial technologies, and functional validation will be essential for resolving methodological limitations and accelerating the clinical translation of microbiome-based interventions.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Karpe AV, Hegde P, Bletotu C, et al (2025)

Editorial: Antimicrobial resistance: causes, mechanisms and mitigation strategies for gut dysbiosis.

Frontiers in microbiology, 16:1765239.

RevDate: 2026-01-28
CmpDate: 2026-01-28

Yang SB, JH Moon (2025)

Microbial therapeutics for canine periodontal disease: current status and future perspectives.

Frontiers in veterinary science, 12:1748968.

Periodontal disease in dogs arises from ecological disruption of the oral microbiome. Sequencing-based studies and quantitative molecular analyses reveal characteristic dysbiotic transitions in affected dogs, with coordinated increases in Porphyromonas gulae, Prevotella, and Treponema, along with Treponema denticola and Tannerella forsythia, together with a loss of commensal-dominated genera such as Moraxella, Capnocytophaga, and members of the Neisseriaceae family. Rather than being driven by a single dominant pathogen, accumulating evidence indicates that canine periodontitis is driven by polymicrobial synergy within dysbiotic biofilms. This ecological perspective has stimulated growing interest in microbial therapeutics aimed at modulating community structure and function instead of relying solely on broad-spectrum antibiotics. Probiotics and postbiotics show potential in reducing halitosis and modulating epithelial innate immune responses. Bacteriophage-based approaches and predatory bacteria exhibit strain-specific antimicrobial activity in preclinical human or in vitro models, although their relevance to canine oral disease remains unvalidated. Synthetic biology and CRISPR-based antimicrobial systems provide conceptual frameworks for genotype-targeted modulation of virulence. Remaining challenges include transient microbial persistence, limited veterinary clinical evidence, biosafety concerns, and the absence of standardized regulatory pathways. Collectively, emerging microbial therapeutics highlight the potential but also the current limitations of ecology-guided, non-antibiotic strategies for canine periodontal therapy.

LOAD NEXT 100 CITATIONS

ESP Quick Facts

ESP Origins

In the early 1990's, Robert Robbins was a faculty member at Johns Hopkins, where he directed the informatics core of GDB — the human gene-mapping database of the international human genome project. To share papers with colleagues around the world, he set up a small paper-sharing section on his personal web page. This small project evolved into The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project.

ESP Support

In 1995, Robbins became the VP/IT of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. Soon after arriving in Seattle, Robbins secured funding, through the ELSI component of the US Human Genome Project, to create the original ESP.ORG web site, with the formal goal of providing free, world-wide access to the literature of classical genetics.

ESP Rationale

Although the methods of molecular biology can seem almost magical to the uninitiated, the original techniques of classical genetics are readily appreciated by one and all: cross individuals that differ in some inherited trait, collect all of the progeny, score their attributes, and propose mechanisms to explain the patterns of inheritance observed.

ESP Goal

In reading the early works of classical genetics, one is drawn, almost inexorably, into ever more complex models, until molecular explanations begin to seem both necessary and natural. At that point, the tools for understanding genome research are at hand. Assisting readers reach this point was the original goal of The Electronic Scholarly Publishing Project.

ESP Usage

Usage of the site grew rapidly and has remained high. Faculty began to use the site for their assigned readings. Other on-line publishers, ranging from The New York Times to Nature referenced ESP materials in their own publications. Nobel laureates (e.g., Joshua Lederberg) regularly used the site and even wrote to suggest changes and improvements.

ESP Content

When the site began, no journals were making their early content available in digital format. As a result, ESP was obliged to digitize classic literature before it could be made available. For many important papers — such as Mendel's original paper or the first genetic map — ESP had to produce entirely new typeset versions of the works, if they were to be available in a high-quality format.

ESP Help

Early support from the DOE component of the Human Genome Project was critically important for getting the ESP project on a firm foundation. Since that funding ended (nearly 20 years ago), the project has been operated as a purely volunteer effort. Anyone wishing to assist in these efforts should send an email to Robbins.

ESP Plans

With the development of methods for adding typeset side notes to PDF files, the ESP project now plans to add annotated versions of some classical papers to its holdings. We also plan to add new reference and pedagogical material. We have already started providing regularly updated, comprehensive bibliographies to the ESP.ORG site.

Electronic Scholarly Publishing
961 Red Tail Lane
Bellingham, WA 98226

E-mail: RJR8222 @ gmail.com

Papers in Classical Genetics

The ESP began as an effort to share a handful of key papers from the early days of classical genetics. Now the collection has grown to include hundreds of papers, in full-text format.

Digital Books

Along with papers on classical genetics, ESP offers a collection of full-text digital books, including many works by Darwin and even a collection of poetry — Chicago Poems by Carl Sandburg.

Timelines

ESP now offers a large collection of user-selected side-by-side timelines (e.g., all science vs. all other categories, or arts and culture vs. world history), designed to provide a comparative context for appreciating world events.

Biographies

Biographical information about many key scientists (e.g., Walter Sutton).

Selected Bibliographies

Bibliographies on several topics of potential interest to the ESP community are automatically maintained and generated on the ESP site.

ESP Picks from Around the Web (updated 28 JUL 2024 )