Gut microbiota modulates weight gain in mice after discontinued smoke exposure.

Cigarette smoking constitutes a leading global cause of morbidity and preventable death, and most active smokers report a desire or recent attempt to quit. Smoking-cessation-induced weight gain (SCWG; 4.5 kg reported to be gained on average per 6-12 months, >10 kg year in 13% of those who stopped smoking) constitutes a major obstacle to smoking abstinence, even under stable or restricted caloric intake.

High-Throughput Screen Identifies Host and Microbiota Regulators of Intestinal Barrier Function.

Background & Aims: The intestinal barrier protects intestinal cells from microbes and antigens in the lumen-breaches can alter the composition of the intestinal microbiota, the enteric immune system, and metabolism. We performed a screen to identify molecules that disrupt and support the intestinal epithelial barrier and tested their effects in mice.

Methods: We performed an imaging-based, quantitative, high-throughput screen (using CaCo-2 and T84 cells incubated with lipopolysaccharide; tumor necrosis factor; histamine; receptor antagonists; and libraries of secreted proteins, microbial metabolites, and drugs) to identify molecules that altered epithelial tight junction (TJ) and focal adhesion morphology.