Journal: Cell reports. Medicine

Article Title: Biomimetic superabsorbent hydrogel acts as a gut protective dynamic exoskeleton improving metabolic parameters and expanding A. muciniphila.

doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101235

Figure Lengend Snippet: Figure 6. OSH abets rapid Akkermansia muciniphila expansion both in vivo and in vitro (A) Experimental scheme for short-term A. muciniphila abundance quantification upon HFHCC and OSH administration. Relative A. muciniphila abundance was normalized to the total 16S rRNA levels (n = 5 mice/group). (B) Fecal A. muciniphila relative abundance (normalized to total 16S rRNA) 2 weeks after microbiota depletion with a broad-spectrum antibiotic cocktail. (C) Scheme for in vitro culture of A. muciniphila. (D) A. muciniphila growth curve expressed as optical density at 600 nm wavelength (OD600nm) in the presence or absence of OSH; AUC (n = 6 repetitions), unpaired t test, **p < 0.01. (E) AUC of A. muciniphila growth curves with decreasing concentrations of type III porcine mucin (0.05%–0%). Multiple unpaired t test, **p < 0.01; line at mean with SEM. (F) A. muciniphila growth in the presence of OSH vs. fermentable fiber inulin and gel-forming fiber psyllium. (G) A. muciniphila growth curve in presence of OSH vs. OSH individual components: carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), citric acid (CA), and the two components together un-cross-linked. (H) A. muciniphila growth curve in presence of OSH vs. a gel-forming compound of synthetic origin. (I) A. muciniphila growth curve expressed as OD600nm in the presence of OSH vs. a gel-forming compound of synthetic origin and combination of the last with OSH individual components (CMC and CA and CMC + CA). (F–I) #p < 0.0001, one- or two-way ANOVA, Dunnett’s post-test relative to OSH vs. control, inulin, and psyllium, mean of two independent tests, line at mean with SEM.

Article Snippet: For the NASH setting, we used a High-Fat, HighCholesterol and Carbohydrates (HFHCC) diet [5TJT, TestDiet, USA; 4.49 Kcal/g, 40% from fat, 1% cholesterol plus 42 g/L of a mixture of fructose and D-glucose (55:45 w/w) in the drinking water] or a Methionine-choline-deficient diet (MCDD) (TD.90262, Envigo).

Techniques: In Vivo, In Vitro, Control

Journal: Cell reports. Medicine

Article Title: Biomimetic superabsorbent hydrogel acts as a gut protective dynamic exoskeleton improving metabolic parameters and expanding A. muciniphila.

doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101235

Figure Lengend Snippet: Figure 7. FMT of OSH-shaped gut microbiota reduces body weight and restores glucose and insulin metabolism in HFHCC-fed mice (A) Experimental design of the FMT. (B) Recipients’ body weight variation expressed as percentage of basal, where basal is the weight before the first FMT oral gavage; AUC of body-weight variation curve. (C and D) Intraperitoneal GTT and ITT, respectively. (E) Liver weight. (F) Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) serum levels in recipient mice after 4 weeks of FMT. (G) Liver histology. H&E and ORO staining for liver triglycerides. Scale bars, 50 and 100 mm (ORO and H&E). (H and I) Histological score of steatosis grade and NAFLD activity score, respectively, after 4 weeks of FMT. (J) Recipients’ serum LDL levels (*p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01, one-way ANOVA, Dunnett’s post-test, line at mean with SEM; number of mice per group n = 4 autologous FMT [HFHCC in HFHCC-fed recipients], n = 4 FMT 2% OSH in HFHCC recipients, n = 5 FMT 4% OSH in HFHCC recipients in A–J).

Article Snippet: For the NASH setting, we used a High-Fat, HighCholesterol and Carbohydrates (HFHCC) diet [5TJT, TestDiet, USA; 4.49 Kcal/g, 40% from fat, 1% cholesterol plus 42 g/L of a mixture of fructose and D-glucose (55:45 w/w) in the drinking water] or a Methionine-choline-deficient diet (MCDD) (TD.90262, Envigo).

Techniques: Staining, Activity Assay