A mouse model for the study of diet-induced changes in intestinal microbiome composition on renal calcium oxalate crystal formation.

Currently available animal models for calcium oxalate kidney stones are limited in their translational potential. Particularly with increasing interest in gut microbiota involvement in kidney stone disease, there are limited animal models which can be used. As such, we have developed a novel diet-induced hyperoxaluria murine model which addresses some of the shortcomings of other currently available models.

Design and reporting of prebiotic and probiotic clinical trials in the context of diet and the gut microbiome.

Diet is a major determinant of the gastrointestinal microbiome composition and function, yet our understanding of how it impacts the efficacy of prebiotics and probiotics is limited. Here we examine current evidence of dietary influence on prebiotic and probiotic efficacy in human studies, including potential mechanisms. We propose that habitual diet be included as a variable in prebiotic and probiotic intervention studies.

Effect of diet on the gut mycobiome and potential implications in inflammatory bowel disease.

The gut microbiome is a complex, unique entity implicated in the prevention, pathogenesis, and progression of common gastrointestinal diseases. While largely dominated by bacterial populations, advanced sequencing techniques have identified co-inhabiting fungal communities, collectively referred to as the mycobiome. Early studies identified that gut inflammation is associated with altered microbial composition, known as gut dysbiosis.

Insights Into Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Effects of Dietary Fatty Acid Intake With a Focus on Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Using Preclinical Models.

While the aetiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been linked to genetic susceptibility coupled with environmental factors, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Among the environmental factors, diet and the gut microbiota have been implicated as drivers of immune dysregulation in IBD. Indeed, epidemiologic studies have highlighted that the increase in incidence of IBD parallels the increase in dietary intake of omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and the change in balance of intake of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids.

Gut microbiome-associated predictors as biomarkers of response to advanced therapies in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review.

Loss of response to therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has led to a surge in research focusing on precision medicine. Three systematic reviews have been published investigating the associations between gut microbiota and disease activity or IBD therapy. We performed a systematic review to investigate the microbiome predictors of response to advanced therapy in IBD.

User testing to modify the MyHealthyGut digital health application for inflammatory bowel disease.

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease, characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation, can be subcategorized into Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The treatment for these conditions is unique to each patient and may include lifestyle changes, pharmaceutical intervention, and surgery. Lifestyle changes, such as dietary intervention, are a cornerstone of inflammatory bowel disease symptom management.

Curated and harmonized gut microbiome 16S rRNA amplicon data from dietary fiber intervention studies in humans.

Next generation amplicon sequencing has created a plethora of data from human microbiomes. The accessibility to this scientific data and its corresponding metadata is important for its reuse, to allow for new discoveries, verification of published results, and serving as path for reproducibility. Dietary fiber consumption has been associated with a variety of health benefits that are thought to be mediated by gut microbiota.

Highly Sensitive, Flow Cytometry-Based Measurement of Intestinal Permeability in Models of Experimental Colitis.

Background & Aims: Increased intestinal permeability is seen in a variety of inflammatory conditions such as enteric infections and inflammatory bowel disease. Because barrier function can provide a key biomarker of disease severity, it often is assayed in animal models. A common methodology involves gavaging mice with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated dextran (FITC-D), followed by cardiac puncture to assay plasma fluorescence on a spectrophotometer.

Prebiotic Enriched Exclusive Enteral Nutrition Suppresses Colitis via Gut Microbiome Modulation and Expansion of Anti-inflammatory T Cells in a Mouse Model of Colitis.

Background & Aims: Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is used to treat pediatric Crohn's disease (CD), but therapeutic benefits are variable, and EEN can lead to microbial dysbiosis. Because of reported lower efficacy EEN is not routinely used to treat pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC). Inulin-type fructans (IN) beneficially modulate the gut microbiome and promote expansion of anti-inflammatory immune cells.

Genomic insights from Monoglobus pectinilyticus: a pectin-degrading specialist bacterium in the human colon.

Pectin is abundant in modern day diets, as it comprises the middle lamellae and one-third of the dry carbohydrate weight of fruit and vegetable cell walls. Currently there is no specialized model organism for studying pectin fermentation in the human colon, as our collective understanding is informed by versatile glycan-degrading bacteria rather than by specialist pectin degraders. Here we show that the genome of Monoglobus pectinilyticus possesses a highly specialized glycobiome for pectin degradation, unique amongst Firmicutes known to be in the human gut.