Xiangyu Bian

Background/Objectives: Obesity is closely associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and impaired glucose and lipid metabolism. However, single probiotic or prebiotic interventions often yield only limited metabolic improvements. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a synbiotic formulation comprising Lacto-N-tetraose (LNT) and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis MN-Gup (MN-Gup) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model. Methods: In this study, an HFD-induced obese mouse model was used to investigate whether the synbiotic formulation of LNT and MN-Gup could ameliorate obesity-related metabolic dysregulation, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and gut microbiota imbalance. Mice were treated with LNT alone, MN-Gup alone, or the synbiotic at different doses. Serum biochemical parameters, glucose tolerance, lipid profiles, liver histopathology, intestinal barrier markers, gut microbiota composition, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels were analyzed. Results: High-dose synbiotic intervention significantly outperformed single-component treatments in reducing weight gain, improving glucose tolerance and lipid profiles, and attenuating hepatic lipid accumulation and injury in mice. These metabolic changes were accompanied by improved markers of intestinal barrier integrity and modulation of gut microbiota composition, characterized by the enrichment of beneficial genera (e.g., Akkermansia, Leuconostoc, and Alistipes) alongside a reduction in obesity-associated taxa (including Desulfovibrionaceae_unclassified, Colidextribacter, Helicobacter, Erysipelatoclostridium, Peptococcaceae_unclassified, and Firmicutes_unclassified). Spearman correlation analysis revealed associative links between microbial alterations and host metabolic markers. Conclusions: Collectively, these findings suggest that the synbiotic formulation comprising high-dose LNT and MN-Gup offers potential benefits for managing high-fat diet-induced metabolic dysregulation in mice.

Background/Objectives: Early-life skeletal growth is critical for achieving optimal peak bone mass. This study aimed to investigate whether synbiotic supplementation with 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL) and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Hi188 (Hi188) influences bone development in growing mice and its potential association with gut microbial modulation. Methods: Three-week-old BALB/c mice were orally supplemented with 2′-FL, Hi188, or their combinations at low and medium doses for 7 weeks. Bone length, microarchitecture and mechanical properties were analyzed. Serum bone turnover markers and osteogenic gene expression were analyzed by ELISA and qRT-PCR, respectively. Gut microbiota composition, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production were analyzed by 16S-rRNA sequencing and GC-FID, respectively. Correlation associations among microbial taxa, SCFAs, and skeletal parameters were also assessed. Results: Medium-dose synbiotic supplementation significantly increased tibial and spine length without altering body weight or intestinal histology. Trabecular bone density and volume fraction were elevated, accompanied by reduced trabecular separation and improved mechanical strength. Serum BALP levels were increased and TRACP-5b levels were reduced, together with upregulation of osteogenesis- and matrix-related genes. Synbiotic treatment also modulated gut microbial composition, enriched SCFA-associated taxa, and significantly enhanced total and individual SCFA levels. Correlation analyses revealed selective associations among specific microbial taxa, SCFAs, and skeletal structural and molecular parameters. Conclusions: Medium doses of synbiotic supplementation were associated with improved skeletal growth and bone quality during development, alongside coordinated modulation of bone remodeling and gut microbial metabolic activity. These findings suggest its potential as a functional nutritional strategy for supporting early bone health.

Background/Objectives: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a widespread nutritional disorder characterized by impaired iron absorption, inflammation-associated iron restriction, and disrupted iron homeostasis. Increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota play an important role in iron metabolism; however, the mechanisms underlying probiotic-assisted iron supplementation remain unclear. Our research group previously conducted in vitro fermentation screening experiments and obtained a bacterial strain, B. lactis Ca360, which possesses iron absorption-enhancing activity. Methods: In this study, an IDA mouse model induced by a low-iron diet was used to investigate whether B. lactis Ca360 could synergistically improve iron metabolism when combined with iron supplementation. Mice were treated with FeSO₄ alone or FeSO₄ combined with B. lactis Ca360, and hematological parameters, organ indices, serum iron-related markers, histopathological changes, duodenal iron metabolism-related gene expression, hepatic inflammatory responses, gut microbiota composition, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels, and correlation networks were analyzed. Results: Iron deficiency induced typical anemia phenotypes, multi-organ dysfunction, intestinal iron absorption dysregulation, hepatic inflammation, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Compared with FeSO₄ alone, the combined intervention more effectively improved hematological parameters, reduced organ indices, restored liver and spleen histological integrity, normalized intestinal iron metabolism-related gene expression, and alleviated hepatic inflammation. In addition, B. lactis Ca360 markedly reshaped gut microbiota composition, enriching SCFA-producing anaerobic genera, including Ruminococcus, Roseburia, Acetatifactor, Intestinimonas, Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group_unclassified, and Oscillibacter, accompanied by increased acetate, propionate, and butyrate levels. Spearman correlation analysis further revealed close associations between gut microbiota remodeling, improved iron metabolism, reduced inflammatory status, and recovery of anemia-related phenotypes. Conclusions: Overall, these findings demonstrate that B. lactis Ca360 enhances the efficacy of iron supplementation by modulating SCFA-producing and anti-inflammatory gut microbiota, thereby coordinately regulating intestinal iron absorption, inflammation, and systemic iron homeostasis, supporting probiotic-assisted iron supplementation as a promising nutritional strategy for IDA management.

Fu brick tea (FT), known for regulating lipid metabolism, was studied to explore its lipid-lowering mechanism by analyzing its effects on gut microbes and adipose tissue. Mice were given chow, high-fat diet (HFD), or HFD + FT aqueous extract (FTE, 400 mg per kg BW). FTE reduced HFD-induced fat deposition, altered gut microbiota (enriched the “glycerolipid metabolism” pathway, reversed HFD-suppressed Firmicutes_bacterium_ASF500), and affected epididymal fat transcriptome (genes enriched in PPAR, glycerolipid/fatty acid metabolism). Four lipid-related genes (Lipf, Lep, Kdsr, Esrra) showed reversed expression patterns, while FTE treatment demonstrated no significant in vitro effects on adipocyte differentiation. FTE may exert lipid-lowering effects via regulating gut microbe/adipose glycerolipid metabolism, with downstream metabolites playing a key role. In summary, FTE may alleviate lipid deposition by elevating Firmicutes_bacterium_ASF500 to regulate dietary derived metabolites, which may enhance Esrra-mediated fatty acid oxidation-related gene expression, thereby improving triglyceride metabolism. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the specific roles and interactions of FTE's potential microbial and gene targets.

Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential preventive effect of Total Flavonoids from Sea Buckthorn Leaves (Fla) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice from an integrated perspective of “gut microbiota–host interaction,” and to elucidate its regulatory mechanism within the microbiota–metabolite–barrier–immune axis. Methods: A DSS-induced UC mouse model was established, and mice were randomly assigned into normal control, model, mesalazine, and Fla low, middle, and high–dose groups. Disease severity, colonic barrier integrity, inflammatory cytokines, gut microbiota composition, and short-chain fatty acid levels were evaluated using histopathological, molecular biological, and metabolomic analyses. Result: Fla significantly ameliorated colonic damage and other pathological symptoms. It enhanced intestinal barrier integrity by upregulating ZO-1, E-cadherin, and MUC2 expression and suppressed inflammation by reducing TNF-α and IL-6 levels. Furthermore, Fla reshaped gut microbiota, increasing beneficial Akkermansia abundance, and elevated short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, with the most pronounced effects observed at the middle dose. Conclusions: In summary, in this preventive model, Fla synergistically enhances intestinal barrier function and suppresses excessive local inflammatory responses by reshaping the gut microbiota and promoting SCFA production, ultimately alleviating UC. This study provides scientific evidence for the high-value utilization of sea buckthorn leaves (a by-product) and offers new insights for developing microbiome-based preventive strategies for UC.

Tremella fuciformis , commonly known as snow fungus, is a traditional edible and medicinal fungus widely used in Asian countries for centuries. Its main bioactive constituents, Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TFPs), have attracted considerable attention in both food and pharmaceutical industries due to their diverse biological activities. TFPs exhibit a broad spectrum of health-promoting effects, including microbial homeostasis, immuno-modulatory, antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemia, and others. This review summarizes recent advances in the extraction, purification, structural characterization, and pharmacological action of TFPs. The findings suggest that TFPs are promising natural bioactive compounds with potential applications in disease prevention and treatment, and they represent valuable candidates for the development of functional foods and therapeutic agents.

This study systematically investigated the dose–response relationship of resistant starch type 2 (RS2; Hi-maize 260; 0–15 g/L) on gut microbial composition, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)/gas output, and tryptophan catabolism using an in vitro fermentation model. The highest RS2 concentration (15 g/L) elicited optimal metabolic outcomes, including maximal SCFA production; significant H₂S reduction; and redirected tryptophan metabolism from potentially detrimental indoles toward neuroprotective metabolites. Microbial profiling revealed dose-dependent enrichment of saccharolytic taxa (Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus) with concomitant suppression of proteolytic pathobionts (e.g., Escherichia-Shigella). Correlation analyses revealed strong positive associations between beneficial microbes and both SCFAs and neuroprotective metabolites, whereas pathogenic taxa correlated inversely with these compounds. Collectively, these findings establish that functionally relevant microbiome modulation requires a sufficiently high, dose-tailored intake of RS2, providing a rational basis for precision dietary strategies aimed at improving host metabolic and gut health.

BACKGROUND: Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) leaves are rich in nutrients and bioactive ingredients. This study was aimed at evaluating the anti‐fatigue effect of the ethanol extract of M. oleifera leaves (MLEE) on mice and its primary mechanism of action using a weight‐loaded forced swimming test. In the present study, MLEE was prepared by ultrasound‐assisted extraction, and its anti‐fatigue effect and antioxidant capacity were evaluated in mice. Mice were administrated MLEE (320 mg kg⁻¹ body weight) for 15 days.RESULTS: MLEE supplementation significantly increased levels of glucose and non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA), while decreasing levels of lactate and blood urea nitrogen in serum (P < 0.05); the levels of glycogen in the liver and muscle were also increased, as was the activity of glycogen synthase and the level of NEFA in muscle (P < 0.05). According to a Western blot analysis, MLEE increased the expression of AMPKα1, JNK, AKT and STAT3 in the muscle of mice.CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that MLEE has an anti‐fatigue effect via the AMPK‐linked route, which enables it to control energy metabolism and enhance antioxidant enzyme activity. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.