Ningning He

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder marked by impaired social communication and restricted repetitive behaviors. Metabolic dysregulation is increasingly recognized as a key intermediate mechanism linking genetic and environmental factors to abnormal neurodevelopment in ASD. This review summarizes ASD-related metabolic abnormalities involving gut microbial metabolites, energy metabolism, neurotransmitter pathways, and immune–metabolic crosstalk. Such metabolic disturbances affect neurodevelopment via immune activation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disrupted neurotransmitter homeostasis, ultimately impairing synaptic plasticity and neural connectivity. We also outline the preclinical and clinical progress of metabolite-targeted interventions, which show potential to modulate relevant metabolic pathways. However, it should be noted that improvements in specific metabolic biomarkers may only be associated with, rather than definitively drive, behavioral changes. However, current studies are constrained by inconsistent trial designs, small cohorts, and inadequate mechanistic verification; furthermore, interindividual metabolic heterogeneity limits universal intervention efficacy. We discuss clinical translation barriers and propose future priorities: defining metabolic subtypes, validating biomarkers, and developing precision metabolic interventions. Elucidating these metabolic mechanisms will advance targeted, personalized therapies to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in ASD.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has emerged as the most widespread chronic liver disease globally, impacting up to 38% of adults worldwide. 1 It encompasses a wide ...

Pectic oligosaccharides alleviate MASLD by enriching Phocaeicola dorei to restore intestinal vitamin B7 synthesis and reduce hepatic lipid accumulation.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with elusive etiology and limited therapeutic options, accompanied by potential side effects. In this study, to investigate the therapeutic potential of Antarctic krill oil (AKO) in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse colitis model, animal experiments, molecular assays, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were conducted. Our results revealed that supplementation of AKO significantly alleviated colitis symptoms, such as weight loss, and inflammatory responses. Moreover, multi-omics analyses demonstrated that AKO inhibited the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, remodeled beneficial gut microbiota, and reshaped metabolite profiles associated with glycerolphospholipid metabolism. Remarkably, AKO alleviated DSS-induced colitis, accompanied by coordinated changes in the gut microbiota, metabolites, and transcriptome, which were associated with suppression of key inflammatory pathways. These findings present experimental evidence for the potential of AKO as a marine-based nutritional intervention for UC, and offer novel perspectives on microbiota-targeted therapies for inflammatory diseases.

A single-material system that seamlessly combines bioaerosol sampling, subsequent pathogen detection, and on-demand inactivation represents a pivotal but unmet goal for intelligent environmental health monitoring. Herein, a Janus air filter membrane (AIE-LGFM) was developed with fully biobased lignin-gelatin for this specific purpose. This membrane is constructed through a green phase-separation process, forming a water-dissolvable and tunable porous network with a high interception efficiency (99.4%) and low pressure drop (40 mbar). Significantly, a gemini-type aggregation-induced emission (AIE) surfactant (G-MeOTTVP) was synthesized, featuring a symmetric cationic structure that confers superior surface activity and bacterial targeting ability, alongside strong near-infrared fluorescence emission (755 nm) and a high reactive oxygen species yield. This AIE gemini surfactant is asymmetrically coated onto the membrane, creating a Janus architecture that spatially separates its functions. The functionalized front side serves as a strong and light-activated bactericidal surface, while the pristine back side enables high-fidelity microbial capture for visual detection. The AIE-LGFM demonstrates outstanding field performance, accurately monitoring airborne microbes while enabling on-site photodynamic elimination. This work thus pioneers an eco-friendly and versatile membrane platform that unifies the all-in-one "sampling-detection-elimination" workflow, opening new avenues for intelligent management of airborne biological threats.

Obesity-induced metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a prevalent metabolic disorder, and therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiota hold considerable promise. Phocaeicola vulgatus (P. vulgatus) is a gut commensal bacterium that plays an important role in modulating the composition and metabolism of gut microbiota. This study demonstrated that the abundance of P. vulgatus is significantly negatively correlated to obesity-induced MetS and complications in human metagenomic data. Oral gavage of P. vulgatus significantly ameliorated high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced MetS symptoms in mice, reducing body weight, systemic inflammation, and hepatic steatosis. Furthermore, multiomics analyses indicated that P. vulgatus treatment significantly enhanced the production of gut microbiota-derived spermidine and spermine. Subsequently, population-based analysis confirmed a strong negative correlation between plasma spermidine levels and MetS progression, supporting that such parameters may serve as potential biomarkers for MetS. This study reveals a potential mechanism, bridging commensal probiotic and spermidine metabolism, with implications for treating obesity-induced MetS.

Early-onset preeclampsia (EOPE) is a serious condition characterized by dysregulated trophoblast Invasiveness, leading to inadequate reconstruction of uter

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease marked by intestinal barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. This study examined the therapeutic potential of lacto-N-triose II (LNT II), a core component of human milk oligosaccharides, in colitis. Results showed LNT II significantly alleviated disease pathology, restored epithelial barrier integrity, and modulated inflammatory responses. It reversed colitis-induced microbial dysbiosis and altered key metabolites such as D-xylulosonic acid, Sakacin P, and taurocholic acid. Transcriptomic analysis revealed LNT II suppresses inflammation via the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Integrated multiomics analysis established a complete mechanistic cascade: LNT II remodels gut microbiota, regulates specific metabolites, and inhibits the PI3K-Akt pathway to alleviate colitis. These findings provide comprehensive experimental evidence supporting LNT II as a novel prebiotic therapy for UC, demonstrating its efficacy through systematic regulation of the microbiota-metabolite-immune network.