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Nutrition and Gut Health

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioactives and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2018) | Viewed by 47031

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Guoyao Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Distinguished Professor, Texas A&M University, Departments of Animal Science and Medical Physiology and Faculty of Nutrition, College Station, Texas, United States

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The small intestine is a highly differentiated and complex organ with many functions. First, it is responsible for the terminal digestion and absorption of dietary nutrients and is, therefore, essential to health, growth, development, reproduction, and sustaining life in organisms. Second, the neonatal small intestine can absorb immunoglobulins from milk before the “gut closure”, which is important for the immunity of newborns. Third, the gut separates the internal milieu of organisms from their external environment; therefore, it is critical for the exclusion of food-borne pathogens and preventing the translocation of luminal microorganisms into blood. Finally, as the largest lymphoid organ in the body, the small intestine participates in immune surveillance of the intestinal epithelial layer and regulation of mucosal responses to foreign antigens. In contrast to the small intestine, the large intestine harbors large amounts of microorganisms that ferment carbohydrates, proteins, and amino acids to form short-chain fatty acids, H2S, ammonia, indoles, skatole, and other metabolites, and are susceptible to the development of tumors. Nutrition is a major factor affecting gut health. With the support of Int J Mol Sci, this Special Issue welcomes manuscripts from studies with humans and animal models (e.g., pigs, rats, mice, cats, dogs, and fish).

Prof. Dr. Guoyao Wu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Intestine
  • Nutrition
  • Metabolism
  • Health
  • Disease

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

8 pages, 255 KiB  
Editorial
Nutrition and Gut Health: Recent Advances and Implications for Development of Functional Foods
by Guoyao Wu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(12), 10075; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms241210075 - 13 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1430
Abstract
The small intestine is a highly differentiated and complex organ with many nutritional, physiological, and immunological functions [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Gut Health)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

19 pages, 2253 KiB  
Article
High-Amylose Maize, Potato, and Butyrylated Starch Modulate Large Intestinal Fermentation, Microbial Composition, and Oncogenic miRNA Expression in Rats Fed A High-Protein Meat Diet
by Tina S. Nielsen, Zach Bendiks, Bo Thomsen, Matthew E. Wright, Peter K. Theil, Benjamin L. Scherer and Maria L. Marco
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(9), 2137; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms20092137 - 30 Apr 2019
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 5420
Abstract
High red meat intake is associated with the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), whereas dietary fibers, such as resistant starch (RS) seemed to protect against CRC. The aim of this study was to determine whether high-amylose potato starch (HAPS), high-amylose maize starch (HAMS), [...] Read more.
High red meat intake is associated with the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), whereas dietary fibers, such as resistant starch (RS) seemed to protect against CRC. The aim of this study was to determine whether high-amylose potato starch (HAPS), high-amylose maize starch (HAMS), and butyrylated high-amylose maize starch (HAMSB)—produced by an organocatalytic route—could oppose the negative effects of a high-protein meat diet (HPM), in terms of fermentation pattern, cecal microbial composition, and colonic biomarkers of CRC. Rats were fed a HPM diet or an HPM diet where 10% of the maize starch was substituted with either HAPS, HAMS, or HAMSB, for 4 weeks. Feces, cecum digesta, and colonic tissue were obtained for biochemical, microbial, gene expression (oncogenic microRNA), and immuno-histochemical (O6-methyl-2-deoxyguanosine (O6MeG) adduct) analysis. The HAMS and HAMSB diets shifted the fecal fermentation pattern from protein towards carbohydrate metabolism. The HAMSB diet also substantially increased fecal butyrate concentration and the pool, compared with the other diets. All three RS treatments altered the cecal microbial composition in a diet specific manner. HAPS and HAMSB showed CRC preventive effects, based on the reduced colonic oncogenic miR17-92 cluster miRNA expression, but there was no significant diet-induced differences in the colonic O6MeG adduct levels. Overall, HAMSB consumption showed the most potential for limiting the negative effects of a high-meat diet. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Gut Health)
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13 pages, 4524 KiB  
Article
Dietary l-Tryptophan Supplementation Enhances the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Function in Weaned Piglets: Implication of Tryptophan-Metabolizing Microbiota
by Haiwei Liang, Zhaolai Dai, Jiao Kou, Kaiji Sun, Jingqing Chen, Ying Yang, Guoyao Wu and Zhenlong Wu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(1), 20; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms20010020 - 21 Dec 2018
Cited by 60 | Viewed by 5707
Abstract
l-Tryptophan (Trp) is known to play an important role in the health of the large intestine. However, a role of dietary Trp in the small-intestinal mucosal barrier and microbiota remains poorly understood. The present study was conducted with weaned piglets to address [...] Read more.
l-Tryptophan (Trp) is known to play an important role in the health of the large intestine. However, a role of dietary Trp in the small-intestinal mucosal barrier and microbiota remains poorly understood. The present study was conducted with weaned piglets to address this issue. Postweaning piglets were fed for 4 weeks a corn- and soybean meal-based diet supplemented with 0 (Control), 0.1, 0.2, or 0.4% Trp. The small-intestinal microbiota and serum amino acids were analyzed by bacterial 16S rRNA gene-based high-throughput sequencing methods and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. The mRNA levels for genes involved in host defense and the abundances of tight-junction proteins in jejunum and duodenum were measured by real time-PCR and Western blot techniques, respectively. The concentrations of Trp in the serum of Trp-supplemented piglets increased in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with the control group, dietary supplementation with 0.2–0.4% Trp reduced the abundances of Clostridium sensu stricto and Streptococcus in the jejunum, increased the abundances of Lactobacillus and Clostridium XI (two species of bacteria that can metabolize Trp) in the jejunum, and augmented the concentrations of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) as well as mRNA levels for porcine β-defensins 2 and 3 in jejunal tissues. Moreover, dietary Trp supplementation activated the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling and increased the abundances of tight-junction proteins (zonula occludens (ZO)-1, ZO-3, and claudin-1) in jejunum and duodenum. We suggested that Trp-metabolizing bacteria in the small intestine of weaned pigs primarily mediated the beneficial effects of dietary Trp on its mucosal integrity, health, and function. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Gut Health)
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22 pages, 3745 KiB  
Article
Development of Biomarkers for Inhibition of SLC6A19 (B0AT1)—A Potential Target to Treat Metabolic Disorders
by Kiran Javed, Qi Cheng, Adam J. Carroll, Thy T. Truong and Stefan Bröer
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(11), 3597; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms19113597 - 14 Nov 2018
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6991
Abstract
Recent studies have established that dietary protein restriction improves metabolic health and glucose homeostasis. SLC6A19 (B0AT1) is the major neutral amino acid transporter in the intestine and carries out the bulk of amino acid absorption from the diet. Mice lacking SLC6A19 [...] Read more.
Recent studies have established that dietary protein restriction improves metabolic health and glucose homeostasis. SLC6A19 (B0AT1) is the major neutral amino acid transporter in the intestine and carries out the bulk of amino acid absorption from the diet. Mice lacking SLC6A19 show signs of protein restriction, have improved glucose tolerance, and are protected from diet-induced obesity. Pharmacological blockage of this transporter could be used to induce protein restriction and to treat metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. A few novel inhibitors of SLC6A19 have recently been identified using in vitro compound screening, but it remains unclear whether these compounds block the transporter in vivo. To evaluate the efficacy of SLC6A19 inhibitors biomarkers are required that can reliably detect successful inhibition of the transporter in mice. A gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based untargeted metabolomics approach was used to discriminate global metabolite profiles in plasma, urine and faecal samples from SLC6A19ko and wt mice. Due to inefficient absorption in the intestine and lack of reabsorption in the kidney, significantly elevated amino acids levels were observed in urine and faecal samples. By contrast, a few neutral amino acids were reduced in the plasma of male SLC6A19ko mice as compared to other biological samples. Metabolites of bacterial protein fermentation such as p-cresol glucuronide and 3-indole-propionic acid were more abundant in SLC6A19ko mice, indicating protein malabsorption of dietary amino acids. Consistently, plasma appearance rates of [14C]-labelled neutral amino acids were delayed in SLC6A19ko mice as compared to wt after intra-gastric administration of a mixture of amino acids. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to validate the potential use of these metabolites as biomarkers. These findings provide putative metabolite biomarkers that can be used to detect protein malabsorption and the inhibition of this transporter in intestine and kidney. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Gut Health)
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12 pages, 1054 KiB  
Article
Dietary Supplementation with Trihexanoin Enhances Intestinal Function of Weaned Piglets
by Tao Wu, Kang Li, Dan Yi, Lei Wang, Di Zhao, Yang Lv, Lin Zhang, Hongbo Chen, Binying Ding, Yongqing Hou and Guoyao Wu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(10), 3277; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms19103277 - 22 Oct 2018
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3827
Abstract
Trihexanoin is a short-chain triglyceride (SCT). Many studies have reported that SCTs play important roles in the maintenance of intestinal epithelial structure and function. The present work was to investigate the effects of trihexanoin on growth performance, carbohydrate and fat metabolism, as well [...] Read more.
Trihexanoin is a short-chain triglyceride (SCT). Many studies have reported that SCTs play important roles in the maintenance of intestinal epithelial structure and function. The present work was to investigate the effects of trihexanoin on growth performance, carbohydrate and fat metabolism, as well as intestinal morphology and function in weaned piglets. Twenty weaned piglets (21 ± 2 d) were randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: The control group (basal diet supplemented with 0.5% soya oil); the TH group (basal diet supplemented with 0.5% trihexanoin). Dietary trihexanoin supplementation significantly reduced diarrhea rate; increased the concentrations of LDL, HDL and total protein in plasma; decreased cholesterol concentrations and glutamyl transpeptidase activity in plasma; improved intestinal morphologic structure; altered the mRNA levels and abundances of proteins related to glycogen and fat metabolism, mucosal barrier function, antioxidant capacity and water transport capacity; and altered the community of intestinal microflora. These results indicate that dietary trihexanoin supplementation could reduce diarrhea, regulate carbohydrate and fat metabolism, exert beneficial effects on the intestinal mucosal barrier, protect the intestinal mucosa from injuries, improve intestinal transport and absorption, and enhance antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 0.5% trihexanoin improves the intestinal function and health of weaned piglets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Gut Health)
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14 pages, 2450 KiB  
Article
Regulatory Efficacy of the Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Microalgae Spirulina platensis on Lipid Metabolism and Gut Microbiota in High-Fat Diet Rats
by Tian-Tian Li, Yuan-Yuan Liu, Xu-Zhi Wan, Zi-Rui Huang, Bin Liu and Chao Zhao
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(10), 3075; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms19103075 - 09 Oct 2018
Cited by 67 | Viewed by 6053
Abstract
Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with photo-diode array detector and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry was employed to analyze the major fatty acids in Spirulina platensis 95% ethanol extract (SPL95). The effects of SPL95 on hepatoprotection were evaluated, including liver tissue histopathology, liver, and serum [...] Read more.
Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with photo-diode array detector and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry was employed to analyze the major fatty acids in Spirulina platensis 95% ethanol extract (SPL95). The effects of SPL95 on hepatoprotection were evaluated, including liver tissue histopathology, liver, and serum biochemical analysis. The active principle of SPL95 revealed a hypolipidemic effect, as indicated by down-regulating the mRNA and protein levels of sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor-1c, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase, acetyl CoA carboxylase pathway, and upregulating adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase-α in liver. SPL95 enriched the beneficial bacteria, including Prevotella, Alloprevotella, Porphyromonadaceae, Barnesiella, and Paraprevotella. Treatment with SPL95 led to a decrease in microbes, such as Turicibacter, Romboutsia, Phascolarctobacterium, Olsenella, and Clostridium XVIII, which were positively correlated with serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels, but negatively correlated with the serum high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels. These results provide evidence that the fatty acid from SPL95 may be used as a novel adjuvant therapy and functional food to regulate gut microbiota in obese and diabetic individuals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Gut Health)
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12 pages, 1304 KiB  
Article
Effects of Oat Bran on Nutrient Digestibility, Intestinal Microbiota, and Inflammatory Responses in the Hindgut of Growing Pigs
by Beibei He, Yu Bai, Lili Jiang, Wei Wang, Tiantian Li, Ping Liu, Shiyu Tao, Jiangchao Zhao, Dandan Han and Junjun Wang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(8), 2407; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms19082407 - 15 Aug 2018
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 5341
Abstract
Oat bran has drawn great attention within human research for its potential role in improving gut health. However, research regarding the impact of oat bran on nutrient utilization and intestinal functions in pigs is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate [...] Read more.
Oat bran has drawn great attention within human research for its potential role in improving gut health. However, research regarding the impact of oat bran on nutrient utilization and intestinal functions in pigs is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of oat bran on nutrient digestibility, intestinal microbiota, and inflammatory responses in the hindgut of growing pigs. Twenty-six growing pigs were fed either a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with 10% oat bran (OB) within a 28 day feeding trial. Results showed that digestibility of dietary gross energy, dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein were lower in the OB group compared to the CON group on day 14, but no differences were observed between the two groups on day 28. In the colon, the relative abundance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) associated with Prevotella, Butyricicoccus, and Catenibacterium were higher, while those associated with Coprococcus and Desulfovibrio were lower in the OB group compared to the CON group. Oat bran decreased mRNA expression of caecal interleukin-8 (IL-8), as well as colonic IL-8, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) of the pigs. In summary, oat bran treatment for 28 day did not affect dietary nutrient digestibility, but promoted the growth of cellulolytic bacteria and ameliorated inflammatory reactions in the hindgut of growing pigs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Gut Health)
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13 pages, 2065 KiB  
Article
Allyl Isothiocyanate Ameliorates Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis in Mouse by Enhancing Tight Junction and Mucin Expression
by Min Woo Kim, Seungho Choi, Sun Yeou Kim, Yeo Sung Yoon, Ju-Hee Kang and Seung Hyun Oh
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(7), 2025; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms19072025 - 12 Jul 2018
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 6420
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic or recurrent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Even though the current strategies to treat IBD include anti-inflammatory drugs and immune modulators, these treatments have side-effects. New strategies are, therefore, required to overcome the limitations of [...] Read more.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic or recurrent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Even though the current strategies to treat IBD include anti-inflammatory drugs and immune modulators, these treatments have side-effects. New strategies are, therefore, required to overcome the limitations of the therapies. In this study, we investigated the anti-colitic effects of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), which is an active ingredient present in Wasabia japonica. The DSS-induced colitis model in the mouse was used to mimic human IBD and we observed that AITC treatment ameliorated the severity of colitis. We further studied the mechanism involved to ameliorate the colitis. To investigate the involvement of AITC on the intestinal barrier function, the effect on the intercellular tight junction was evaluated in the Caco-2 cell line while mucin expression was assessed in the LS174T cell line. AITC positively regulated tight junction proteins and mucin 2 (MUC2) against DSS-induced damage or depletion. Our data of in vivo studies were also consistent with the in vitro results. Furthermore, we observed that MUC2 increased by AITC is dependent on ERK signaling. In conclusion, we propose that AITC can be considered as a new strategy for treating IBD by modulating tight junction proteins and mucin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Gut Health)
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14 pages, 1441 KiB  
Article
Dietary Supplementation with Oleum Cinnamomi Improves Intestinal Functions in Piglets
by Dan Yi, Qiuhong Fang, Yongqing Hou, Lei Wang, Haiwang Xu, Tao Wu, Joshua Gong and Guoyao Wu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(5), 1284; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms19051284 - 25 Apr 2018
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4955
Abstract
The present study was to determine the efficacy of dietary supplementation with oleum cinnamomi (OCM) on growth performance and intestinal functions in piglets. Sixteen piglets (24-day-old) were randomly assigned to the control or OCM groups. Piglets in the control group were fed a [...] Read more.
The present study was to determine the efficacy of dietary supplementation with oleum cinnamomi (OCM) on growth performance and intestinal functions in piglets. Sixteen piglets (24-day-old) were randomly assigned to the control or OCM groups. Piglets in the control group were fed a basal diet, whereas piglets in the OCM group were fed the basal diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg OCM. On day 20 of the trial, blood samples and intestinal tissues were obtained from piglets. Compared with the control group, dietary OCM supplementation increased (p < 0.05) average daily feed intake, plasma insulin levels, villus width and villous surface area in the duodenum and jejunum, DNA levels and RNA/DNA ratios in the ileum, the abundance of Enterococcus genus and Lactobacillus genus in caecum digesta, mRNA levels for epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), Ras, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2), b-cell lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-xL), villin, junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A), myxovirus resistance (MX) 1, MX2 and regenerating islet-derived protein 3 gamma (REG3G), and protein abundances of Ras and claudin-1, but decreased (p < 0.05) diarrhoea incidence; the abundances of Enterobacteriaceae family, Enterococcus genus, Lactobacillus genus, Bifidobacterium genus, and Clostrium coccoides in the colon digesta, and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) mRNA levels and caspase-3 protein abundance in the jejunal mucosa of piglets. Taken together, these data indicate that dietary OCM supplementation modulates intestinal microbiota and improves intestinal function in weanling pigs. OCM is an effective feed additive and alternative to feed antibiotics for improving intestinal health in swine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition and Gut Health)
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