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[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185177.].

A decrease in the abundance and biodiversity of intestinal bacteria within the dominant phylum Firmicutes has been observed repeatedly in Crohn disease (CD) patients. In this study, we determined the composition of the mucosa-associated microbiota of CD patients at the time of surgical resection and 6 months later using FISH analysis. We found that a reduction of a major member of Firmicutes, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, is associated with a higher risk of postoperative recurrence of ileal CD. A lower proportion of F. prausnitzii on resected ileal Crohn mucosa also was associated with endoscopic recurrence at 6 months. To evaluate the immunomodulatory properties of F. prausnitzii we analyzed the anti-inflammatory effects of F. prausnitzii in both in vitro (cellular models) and in vivo [2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid (TNBS)-induced] colitis in mice. In Caco-2 cells transfected with a reporter gene for NF-κB activity, F. prausnitzii had no effect on IL-1β-induced NF-κB activity, whereas the supernatant abolished it. In vitro peripheral blood mononuclear cell stimulation by F. prausnitzii led to significantly lower IL-12 and IFN-γ production levels and higher secretion of IL-10. Oral administration of either live F. prausnitzii or its supernatant markedly reduced the severity of TNBS colitis and tended to correct the dysbiosis associated with TNBS colitis, as demonstrated by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis. F. prausnitzii exhibits anti-inflammatory effects on cellular and TNBS colitis models, partly due to secreted metabolites able to block NF-κB activation and IL-8 production. These results suggest that counterbalancing dysbiosis using F. prausnitzii as a probiotic is a promising strategy in CD treatment.

Early treatment may prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in individuals who are at high risk. Lifestyle interventions and the hypoglycemic drug metformin have been shown to reduce T2DM incidence. The effectiveness of such interventions may be enhanced by targeting environmental factors such as the intestinal microbiota, which has been proven to predict the response to lifestyle interventions and play a part in mediating the glucose-lowering effects of metformin. Shifts in the intestinal microbiota “towards a more balanced state” may promote glucose homeostasis by regulating short-chain fatty acids’ production. This study aimed to investigate the safety and effect of a multi-strain probiotic on glycemic, inflammatory, and permeability markers in adults with prediabetes and early T2DM and to assess whether the probiotic can enhance metformin’s effect on glycaemia. A randomised controlled pilot study was conducted in 60 adults with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and with prediabetes or T2DM (within the previous 12 months). The participants were randomised to a multi-strain probiotic (L. plantarum, L. bulgaricus, L. gasseri, B. breve, B. animalis sbsp. lactis, B. bifidum, S. thermophilus, and S. boulardii) or placebo for 12 weeks. Analyses of the primary outcome (fasting plasma glucose) and secondary outcomes, including, but not limited to, circulating lipopolysaccharide, zonulin, and short chain fatty acids and a metagenomic analysis of the fecal microbiome were performed at baseline and 12 weeks post-intervention. The results showed no significant differences in the primary and secondary outcome measures between the probiotic and placebo group. An analysis of a subgroup of participants taking metformin showed a decrease in fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, insulin resistance, and zonulin; an increase in plasma butyrate concentrations; and an enrichment of microbial butyrate-producing pathways in the probiotic group but not in the placebo group. Probiotics may act as an adjunctive to metformin by increasing the production of butyrate, which may consequently enhance glucose management.

A promising new treatment approach for major depressive disorder (MDD) targets the microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis, which is linked to physiological and behavioral functions affected in MDD. This is the first randomized controlled trial to determine whether short-term, high-dose probiotic supplementation reduces depressive symptoms along with gut microbial and neural changes in depressed patients. Patients with current depressive episodes took either a multi-strain probiotic supplement or placebo over 31 days additionally to treatment-as-usual. Assessments took place before, immediately after and again four weeks after the intervention. The Hamilton Depression Rating Sale (HAM-D) was assessed as primary outcome. Quantitative microbiome profiling and neuroimaging was used to detect changes along the MGB axis. In the sample that completed the intervention (probiotics N  = 21, placebo N  = 26), HAM-D scores decreased over time and interactions between time and group indicated a stronger decrease in the probiotics relative to the placebo group. Probiotics maintained microbial diversity and increased the abundance of the genus Lactobacillus , indicating the effectivity of the probiotics to increase specific taxa. The increase of the Lactobacillus was associated with decreased depressive symptoms in the probiotics group. Finally, putamen activation in response to neutral faces was significantly decreased after the probiotic intervention. Our data imply that an add-on probiotic treatment ameliorates depressive symptoms (HAM-D) along with changes in the gut microbiota and brain, which highlights the role of the MGB axis in MDD and emphasizes the potential of microbiota-related treatment approaches as accessible, pragmatic, and non-stigmatizing therapies in MDD. Trial Registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov , identifier: NCT02957591.

As an imbalance in the intestinal microbiota can lead to the development of several diseases (e.g., type 1 diabetes, cancer, among others), the use of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics to alter the gut microbiome has attracted recent interest. Postbiotics include any substance released by or produced through the metabolic activity of the microorganism, which exerts a beneficial effect on the host, directly or indirectly. As postbiotics do not contain live microorganisms, the risks associated with their intake are minimized. Here, we provided a critical review of postbiotics described in the literature, including their mechanisms of action, clinical characteristics, and potential therapeutic applications. We detailed the pleiotropic effects of postbiotics, including their immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. Although the use of postbiotics is an attractive strategy for altering the microbiome, further study into its efficacy and safety is warranted.

BackgroundThe effects of probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CECT 8145 (Ba8145) and those of its heat-killed form (h-k Ba8145) on human anthropometric adiposity biomarkers are unknown.ObjectiveTo assess the effect of Ba8145 and h-k Ba8145 ingestion on anthropometric adiposity biomarkers.DesignRandomized, parallel, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with abdominally obese individuals. Participants (n = 135) consumed 1 capsule/day containing 1010 colony forming unit (CFU) of Ba8145, 1010 CFU of h-k Ba8145, or placebo (maltodextrin) for 3 months.ResultsBa8145 ingestion decreased waist circumference, waist circumference/height ratio, and Conicity index (P < 0.05) versus its baseline. Changes versus the placebo group reached significance (P < 0.05) after the h-k Ba8145 treatment. Ba8145 decreased the body mass index compared with baseline and placebo group (P < 0.05). The decrease in visceral fat area after Ba8145 treatments reached significance (P < 0.05) only after h-k Ba8145. When analyses by gender were performed, significance remained only for women. Diastolic blood pressure and HOMA index decreased (P < 0.05) after h-k Ba8145. Gut microbiome analyses showed an increase in Akkermansia spp. after Ba8145 treatment, particularly in the live form, which was inversely related to weight (P = 0.003).ConclusionsIn abdominally obese individuals, consumption of Ba8145, both as viable and mainly as heat-killed cells, improves anthropometric adiposity biomarkers, particularly in women. An increase in the gut Akkermansia genus appears as a possible mechanism involved. Our results support Ba8145 probiotic as a complementary strategy in obesity management.

RationaleProbiotics have beneficial effects on the nervous system by modulating the gut-brain axis. Additionally, vitamin D supplementation presents a potential way for ameliorating neuropsychological disorders, particularly in regions with a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency.ObjectivesThe current clinical trial aimed to investigate the role of co-administered supplementation of probiotics and Vitamin D on the different inflammatory aspects of patients with Parkinson’s disease.MethodsForty-six patients with PD were recruited From the Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Tehran, Iran. These patients were randomly allocated to one of the two treatment groups: Group A, who received probiotic/vitamin D supplements (n = 23), and Group B who received placebo capsules (n = 23) for 12 weeks. As primary outcomes, Interferon-Gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-10, Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-α), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum were evaluated at the baseline and the end of the trial. Moreover, Additional questionnaire-based factors including gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) were evaluated.ResultsOur findings demonstrated that the consumption of probiotic/vitamin D supplements leads to a significant decrease in IL-1β, INF-γ, IL-6, and MDA levels, while showing a significant increase in IL-10 and TAC levels compared to the placebo group (P < 0.05). Additionally, it leads to a significant decrease in the disease severity, anxiety, and gastrointestinal problems in PD patients in comparison to the placebo group (P < 0.05).ConclusionsGiven the acknowledged role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease on one hand, and the recognized anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects associated with probiotics and vitamin D on the other hand, the concurrent administration of probiotics and vitamin D supplements emerges as a promising and potentially effective treatment option for individuals with PD.