Maria Ukhanova - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Maria Ukhanova
Figure S3. UniFrac beta diversity analysis (Nâ =â 13). (PDF 48 kb)
Figure S2. Chao1 rarefaction diversity (Îą-diversity, Nâ =â 13). (PDF 110 kb)
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the origin... more which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To investigate the efficacy of phage supplementation in reducing pathogen numbers, mice were treated via oral gavage with a Listeria monocytogenes phage preparation (designated ListShield) before being orally infected with L. monocytogenes. The concentrations of L. monocytogenes in the liver, spleen, and intestines were significantly lower (P <.05) in the phage-treated than in the control mice. Phage and antibiotic treatments were similarly effective in reducing the levels of L. monocytogenes in the internal organs of the infected mice. However, the significant weight loss detected in the control and antibiotic-treated groups was not observed in the infected, ListShield-treated mice. Long-term (90 days), biweekly treatment of uninfected mice with ListShield did not elicit detectable changes in the microbiota of their large intestines or deleterious changes i...
Poster Presentations - Proffered Abstracts, 2020
Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the differences in breast tissue microbiot... more Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the differences in breast tissue microbiota composition by breast side (left versus right) within an individual woman and compare the microbiota of healthy and breast tumor tissue between women. We further aimed to determine whether certain bacterial taxa may be associated with breast tumors. Methods: Bilateral healthy breast tissue samples (n=36) were collected from ten women who received routine mammoplasty procedures at the University of Florida Department of Surgery. Archived breast tumor samples (n=10) were obtained from an established biorepository. Bacterial DNA was extracted from tissues, amplified via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Microbiota data were analyzed using QIIME and RStudio. Results: The most abundant phyla in both tumor and healthy tissues were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. A total of 38 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found to be significantly different in terms of differential abundance between tumor and healthy tissues (absolute effect size range: 0.761-3.98). The OTUs with the largest absolute effect size associated with higher relative abundance in breast tumors were of Flavobacterium species (R2=3.98), Acinetobacter species (R2=3.64), [Mogibacteriaceae] family (R2=3.34), and Clostridiales order (R2=3.21). Alpha diversity (Shannon Diversity Index) was similar in healthy and tumor tissue (4.98 vs. 4.84; p=0.350). Based on unweighted UniFrac measures, breast tumor samples clustered distinctly from healthy samples (R2=0.10; p=0.001). Microbiota composition in healthy samples clustered within women (R2=0.20; p=0.012) and by breast side (left or right) within a woman (R2=0.36; p=0.001). Conclusion: We identified significant differences in microbiota composition between women and between breasts of the same woman. These results warrant further investigation to elucidate the potential relationship between breast tissue microbiota and breast cancer. Citation Format: Emily M. Klann, Jessica M. Williamson, Massimiliano S. Tagliamonte, Maria Ukhanova, Jaya Ruth Asirvatham, Harvey Chim, Lusine Yaghjyan, Volker Mai. Microbiota composition in bilateral healthy breast tissue and breast tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Microbiome, Viruses, and Cancer; 2020 Feb 21-24; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(8 Suppl):Abstract nr B31.
The FASEB Journal, 2014
Aging is associated with dysregulated immune function. It was hypothesized that ingestion of a pr... more Aging is associated with dysregulated immune function. It was hypothesized that ingestion of a probiotic would induce a beneficial shift in gut microbiota composition resulting in a greater proport...
The FASEB Journal, 2012
Gut microbiota provides important functions to the human host. Modifying microbiota towards a ... more Gut microbiota provides important functions to the human host. Modifying microbiota towards a 'beneficial' composition is a promising approach for improving intestinal and overall health. Fibers an...
Cancer Research, 2020
Purpose: The plausible roles of the gut microbiome (GM) in obesity as well as breast cancer have ... more Purpose: The plausible roles of the gut microbiome (GM) in obesity as well as breast cancer have been discussed in recent reviews. The associations of GM with mammographic breast density (BD), a well-established strong breast cancer risk factor, also associated with body mass index (BMI), are poorly studied. We examined GM profiles in relation to BD and BMI in a sample of healthy postmenopausal women. Methods: Women were recruited in mammography clinics at Moffitt Cancer Center and via recruitment announcements at the University of Florida. Eligible women were postmenopausal, had a BMI ≤35 kg/m2, and had not taken oral/IV antibiotics within 30 days and/or more than two separate antibiotic regimens within the previous three months. All women provided a fecal sample and comprehensive information on breast cancer risk factors including body weight and height. Mammographic BD was available for 69 women recruited at Moffitt and was classified according to the American College of Radiolog...
Cancer Causes & Control, 2021
PURPOSE We examined gut microbiome (GM) profiles in relation to mammographic breast density (BD) ... more PURPOSE We examined gut microbiome (GM) profiles in relation to mammographic breast density (BD) and body mass index (BMI) in healthy postmenopausal women. METHODS Eligible women were postmenopausal, had a BMI ≤ 35 kg/m2, and had not recently taken oral/IV antibiotics. All women provided a fecal sample and information on breast cancer risk factors. Mammographic BD was classified with the American College of Radiology's BI-RADS BD classification system. Bacterial DNA was isolated from fecal samples and the V1-V2 hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA were sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform. We examined associations of GM with indices of within-sample (alpha) diversity and the ratio of the two main phyla (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes; F/B ratio) with BD and BMI. RESULTS Among 69 women with BD data, 39 had low BD (BI-RADS I/II) and 30 had high BD (BI-RADS III/IV). BMI was inversely associated with BD (mean BMI = 23.8 and 28.0 in women with high and low BD, respectively, p = 1.07 × 10-5). Similar levels of GM diversity were found across weight groups according to Shannon (p = 0.83); Inverse Simpson (p = 0.97); and Chao1 (p = 0.31) indices. F/B ratio and microbiota diversity were suggestively greater in women with high vs. low BD (p = 0.35, 0.14, 0.15, and 0.17 for F/B ratio, Shannon, Inverse Simpson and Chao1, respectively). CONCLUSION Suggestive differences observed in women with high and low BD with respect to GM alpha diversity and prevalence of specific GM taxa need to be confirmed in larger studies.
Cancer Causes & Control, 2020
Purpose Previous reports suggest that a complex microbiome exists within the female human breast ... more Purpose Previous reports suggest that a complex microbiome exists within the female human breast that might contribute to breast cancer etiology. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the variation in microbiota composition by breast side (left versus right) within individual women and compare the microbiota of normal and breast tumor tissue between women. We aimed to determine whether microbiota composition differs between these groups and whether certain bacterial taxa may be associated with breast tumors. Methods Bilateral normal breast tissue samples (n = 36) were collected from ten women who received routine mammoplasty procedures. Archived breast tumor samples (n = 10) were obtained from a biorepository. DNA was extracted, amplified, and sequenced. Microbiota data were analyzed using QIIME and RStudio. Results The most abundant phyla in both tumor and normal tissues were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. There were statistically significant differences in the relative abundance of various bacterial taxa between groups. Alpha diversity (Simpson's index) was significantly higher in normal compared to tumor samples (0.968 vs. 0.957, p = 0.022). Based on unweighted UniFrac measures, breast tumor samples clustered distinctly from normal samples (R 2 = 0.130; p = 0.01). Microbiota composition in normal samples clustered within women (R 2 = 0.394; p = 0.01) and by breast side (left or right) within a woman (R 2 = 0.189; p = 0.03). Conclusion Significant differences in diversity between tumor and normal tissue and in composition between women and between breasts of the same woman were identified. These results warrant further research to investigate the relationship between microbiota and breast cancer.
ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 2020
Peripheral immunity is thought to be dysregulated in Parkinson's disease (PD) and may provide... more Peripheral immunity is thought to be dysregulated in Parkinson's disease (PD) and may provide an avenue for novel immunotherapeutic interventions. Gut microbiota is a potential factor for modulating immunotherapy response. Considering the possibly complex role of the gut-brain axis in PD, we used a preclinical model to determine the effects of gut microbiota dynamics in mice receiving an immunotherapeutic intervention compared to controls. A total of 17 M83 heterozygous transgenic mice were used in this study. Mice in the treatment arm (N=10) received adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) by injection and control mice (N=7) were injected with saline at 8 weeks of age. All mice received peripheral α-syn fibrils to hasten parkinsonian symptoms via an intramuscular injection one week later (9 weeks of age; baseline). Fecal pellets were collected from all mice at three time points post injection (baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks). DNA from each stool sample was extracted, 16S rDNA amplified and sequenced, and analyzed using QIIME2 and RStudio. Differences in the relative abundance of bacterial taxa were observed over time between groups. No significant differences in alpha diversity were found between groups at any timepoint. UniFrac measures of phylogenetic distance between samples demonstrated distinct clustering between groups post-baseline (p=0.002). These differences suggest that the gut microbiome may be capable of influencing immunotherapy outcomes. Conclusively, we observed distinctly different microbiota dynamics in treated mice compared to those in the control group. These results suggest a correlation between the gut-brain axis, PD pathology, and immunotherapy.
Current Developments in Nutrition, 2020
Objectives The objective of this secondary analysis was to characterize the relationships between... more Objectives The objective of this secondary analysis was to characterize the relationships between the most abundant genera of the fecal microbiome and sex, fiber intake scores, stress, stool consistency and body mass index (BMI) in healthy young adults using data from the 1-week baseline period of a clinical study. Methods Data from a total of 182 participants (n = 120 female) with a mean age of 19.7 ± 0.1 y (mean ± SEM) and a healthy body mass index (BMI; 23.4 ± 0.3 kg/m2) were used. Participants self-reported stool consistency (Bristol stool score) as an estimate of gastrointestinal transit time and stress (0 = no stress to 10 = extremely stressed) daily for 1 week. The Rapid Eating Assessment-short questionnaire was completed at the end of baseline to assess intake frequency of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The food frequency scores from the 3 food categories were summed for the fiber intake score. Microbial composition was determined by 16s rRNA sequencing of 1 stool samp...
Current Developments in Nutrition, 2020
Objectives Constipation is a common and debilitating nonmotor symptom of Parkinson's disease ... more Objectives Constipation is a common and debilitating nonmotor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) that is poorly understood and has limited treatment options. A preliminary pilot study conducted at our center suggests that a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes foods rich in fermentable fibers and antioxidants, can reduce symptoms of constipation in patients with PD, but may also result in unintended reductions in body weight. This may potentially attenuate the benefit of this dietary intervention. The primary outcome of this project is to test the efficacy of a Mediterranean diet intervention on improving the clinical symptoms of constipation in PD. Secondary outcomes will determine the effect of this intervention on body composition, fecal microbial communities and markers of intestinal inflammation and permeability. Methods This is a 10-week, randomized, controlled, parallel study. Participants with PD (diagnosed by a movement disorder neurologist) who have symptoms of const...
The incidence of locally acquired dengue infections increased during the last decade in the Unite... more The incidence of locally acquired dengue infections increased during the last decade in the United States, compelling a sustained research effort on the dengue mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, and its microbiome, which has been shown to influence virus transmission success. We examined the ‘metavirome’ of four populations of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes collected in 2016-2017 from Manatee County, Florida. Unexpectedly, we discovered that dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV4) was circulating in these mosquito populations, representing the first documented case of such a phenomenon in the absence of a local DENV4 human case in this county over a two-year period. We confirmed that all of the mosquito populations carried the same DENV4 strain, assembled its full genome, validated infection orthogonally by reverse transcriptase PCR, traced the virus origin, estimated the time period of its introduction to the Caribbean region, as well as explored the viral genetic signatures and mosquito-specific vir...
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2019
Journal of Functional Foods, 2019
Abstract The aim was to assess whether citrus pomace increases stool frequency in healthy adults.... more Abstract The aim was to assess whether citrus pomace increases stool frequency in healthy adults. In this randomised, blinded, controlled trial, healthy adults (62% females) received a beverage containing pomace (473 mL/day, providing 10 g fibre/day, n = 111) or control (n = 110) for 3 weeks. Stool frequency, Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS), and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) scores were self-assessed. 24-h diet recalls were completed once/week. Stool microbiota were analysed by 16S rRNA sequencing and qPCR. Mean total daily fibre intake was higher with pomace vs. control (P Clinicaltrials.gov # NCT02979496 .
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2019
Although the over-use of antibiotics during food animal production is a potential driver of antim... more Although the over-use of antibiotics during food animal production is a potential driver of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms (ARMs), a high prevalence of cefotaxime resistant bacteria (CRB) has been observed in grazing animals raised without antibiotic supplementation. In this cross-sectional study, the prevalence and concentration of CRB in beef cattle on grazing farms were investigated. Fecal samples from the rectoanal junction of cattle (n = 840) and environmental samples (n = 258) were collected from 17 farms in North and Central Florida in the United States, and a survey of farm characteristics, animal husbandry practices, and antibiotic usage was conducted. CRB were detected in fecal samples from 47.4% of all cattle, with the prevalence ranging from 21.1 to 87.5% on farms, and significantly higher (P < 0.001) in calves compared to adult cows (54.1 vs. 41.8%). Environmental samples had a higher prevalence than fecal samples (P < 0.001), with CRB detected in 88.6% of water, 98.7% of soil, and 95.7% of forage samples. Compared to the concentration (log CFU/g) of CRB in fecal samples (2.95, 95% CI: 2.89, 3.02), the concentration of CRB was higher (P < 0.001) in soil and forage samples (5.37, 95% CI: 5.16, 5.57) and lower (P < 0.001) in water samples (1.08, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.36). Soil microbiota from farms with high prevalence of CRB clustered closer together and the proportion of Phylum Proteobacteria was higher on farms with high prevalence of CRB resistance. Large farming operations were associated with a 58% higher likelihood of CRB detection in fecal samples. Regular
Nutrition Research, 2018
Dietary fiber stimulates the growth of potentially beneficial bacteria (eg, bifidobacteria), yet ... more Dietary fiber stimulates the growth of potentially beneficial bacteria (eg, bifidobacteria), yet most Americans do not meet daily fiber recommendations. Resistant maltodextrin (RMD), a fermentable functional fiber, may help individuals meet total fiber recommendations and potentially increase bifidobacteria. It was hypothesized that fecal bifidobacteria counts/ng fecal DNA would increase after adding 25 g RMD to inadequate fiber diets of healthy adults. In this double-blind, controlled crossover study, 51 participants (26.3 ± 6.8 years, mean ± SD) were randomized to consume 0, 15, and 25 g RMD daily for 3 weeks followed by a 2-week washout. Participants collected all stools for 2 days at weeks 0 and 3 of each intervention for stool wet weight (WW) measurements and fecal bifidobacteria counts. Weekly 24-hour dietary recalls assessed total fiber intake. Only 25 g RMD resulted in a change (final minus baseline) in bifidobacteria that was significant compared with 0 g (0.17 ± 0.09 vs -0.17 ± 0.09 log10[counts], respectively, mean ± SEM, P = .008). Stool WW increased only with 25 g (150 ± 11 vs baseline 121±11 g/d; P = .011). Mean daily total fiber intake (including RMD) was significantly higher (both P< .001) with 15 g (17.8 ± 0.6 g/1000 kcal or 4184 kJ) and 25 g (25.3 ± 1.1 g/1000 kcal) compared with 0 g RMD (8.4±0.4 g/1000 kcal). Mean daily total fiber intakes exceeded recommendations (14 g/1000 kcal) with 15 and 25 g of RMD, and 25 g RMD increased fecal bifidobacteria counts and stool WW, suggesting health benefits from increasing total fiber intake.
Figure S3. UniFrac beta diversity analysis (Nâ =â 13). (PDF 48 kb)
Figure S2. Chao1 rarefaction diversity (Îą-diversity, Nâ =â 13). (PDF 110 kb)
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the origin... more which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To investigate the efficacy of phage supplementation in reducing pathogen numbers, mice were treated via oral gavage with a Listeria monocytogenes phage preparation (designated ListShield) before being orally infected with L. monocytogenes. The concentrations of L. monocytogenes in the liver, spleen, and intestines were significantly lower (P <.05) in the phage-treated than in the control mice. Phage and antibiotic treatments were similarly effective in reducing the levels of L. monocytogenes in the internal organs of the infected mice. However, the significant weight loss detected in the control and antibiotic-treated groups was not observed in the infected, ListShield-treated mice. Long-term (90 days), biweekly treatment of uninfected mice with ListShield did not elicit detectable changes in the microbiota of their large intestines or deleterious changes i...
Poster Presentations - Proffered Abstracts, 2020
Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the differences in breast tissue microbiot... more Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the differences in breast tissue microbiota composition by breast side (left versus right) within an individual woman and compare the microbiota of healthy and breast tumor tissue between women. We further aimed to determine whether certain bacterial taxa may be associated with breast tumors. Methods: Bilateral healthy breast tissue samples (n=36) were collected from ten women who received routine mammoplasty procedures at the University of Florida Department of Surgery. Archived breast tumor samples (n=10) were obtained from an established biorepository. Bacterial DNA was extracted from tissues, amplified via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Microbiota data were analyzed using QIIME and RStudio. Results: The most abundant phyla in both tumor and healthy tissues were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. A total of 38 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found to be significantly different in terms of differential abundance between tumor and healthy tissues (absolute effect size range: 0.761-3.98). The OTUs with the largest absolute effect size associated with higher relative abundance in breast tumors were of Flavobacterium species (R2=3.98), Acinetobacter species (R2=3.64), [Mogibacteriaceae] family (R2=3.34), and Clostridiales order (R2=3.21). Alpha diversity (Shannon Diversity Index) was similar in healthy and tumor tissue (4.98 vs. 4.84; p=0.350). Based on unweighted UniFrac measures, breast tumor samples clustered distinctly from healthy samples (R2=0.10; p=0.001). Microbiota composition in healthy samples clustered within women (R2=0.20; p=0.012) and by breast side (left or right) within a woman (R2=0.36; p=0.001). Conclusion: We identified significant differences in microbiota composition between women and between breasts of the same woman. These results warrant further investigation to elucidate the potential relationship between breast tissue microbiota and breast cancer. Citation Format: Emily M. Klann, Jessica M. Williamson, Massimiliano S. Tagliamonte, Maria Ukhanova, Jaya Ruth Asirvatham, Harvey Chim, Lusine Yaghjyan, Volker Mai. Microbiota composition in bilateral healthy breast tissue and breast tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Microbiome, Viruses, and Cancer; 2020 Feb 21-24; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(8 Suppl):Abstract nr B31.
The FASEB Journal, 2014
Aging is associated with dysregulated immune function. It was hypothesized that ingestion of a pr... more Aging is associated with dysregulated immune function. It was hypothesized that ingestion of a probiotic would induce a beneficial shift in gut microbiota composition resulting in a greater proport...
The FASEB Journal, 2012
Gut microbiota provides important functions to the human host. Modifying microbiota towards a ... more Gut microbiota provides important functions to the human host. Modifying microbiota towards a 'beneficial' composition is a promising approach for improving intestinal and overall health. Fibers an...
Cancer Research, 2020
Purpose: The plausible roles of the gut microbiome (GM) in obesity as well as breast cancer have ... more Purpose: The plausible roles of the gut microbiome (GM) in obesity as well as breast cancer have been discussed in recent reviews. The associations of GM with mammographic breast density (BD), a well-established strong breast cancer risk factor, also associated with body mass index (BMI), are poorly studied. We examined GM profiles in relation to BD and BMI in a sample of healthy postmenopausal women. Methods: Women were recruited in mammography clinics at Moffitt Cancer Center and via recruitment announcements at the University of Florida. Eligible women were postmenopausal, had a BMI ≤35 kg/m2, and had not taken oral/IV antibiotics within 30 days and/or more than two separate antibiotic regimens within the previous three months. All women provided a fecal sample and comprehensive information on breast cancer risk factors including body weight and height. Mammographic BD was available for 69 women recruited at Moffitt and was classified according to the American College of Radiolog...
Cancer Causes & Control, 2021
PURPOSE We examined gut microbiome (GM) profiles in relation to mammographic breast density (BD) ... more PURPOSE We examined gut microbiome (GM) profiles in relation to mammographic breast density (BD) and body mass index (BMI) in healthy postmenopausal women. METHODS Eligible women were postmenopausal, had a BMI ≤ 35 kg/m2, and had not recently taken oral/IV antibiotics. All women provided a fecal sample and information on breast cancer risk factors. Mammographic BD was classified with the American College of Radiology's BI-RADS BD classification system. Bacterial DNA was isolated from fecal samples and the V1-V2 hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA were sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform. We examined associations of GM with indices of within-sample (alpha) diversity and the ratio of the two main phyla (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes; F/B ratio) with BD and BMI. RESULTS Among 69 women with BD data, 39 had low BD (BI-RADS I/II) and 30 had high BD (BI-RADS III/IV). BMI was inversely associated with BD (mean BMI = 23.8 and 28.0 in women with high and low BD, respectively, p = 1.07 × 10-5). Similar levels of GM diversity were found across weight groups according to Shannon (p = 0.83); Inverse Simpson (p = 0.97); and Chao1 (p = 0.31) indices. F/B ratio and microbiota diversity were suggestively greater in women with high vs. low BD (p = 0.35, 0.14, 0.15, and 0.17 for F/B ratio, Shannon, Inverse Simpson and Chao1, respectively). CONCLUSION Suggestive differences observed in women with high and low BD with respect to GM alpha diversity and prevalence of specific GM taxa need to be confirmed in larger studies.
Cancer Causes & Control, 2020
Purpose Previous reports suggest that a complex microbiome exists within the female human breast ... more Purpose Previous reports suggest that a complex microbiome exists within the female human breast that might contribute to breast cancer etiology. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the variation in microbiota composition by breast side (left versus right) within individual women and compare the microbiota of normal and breast tumor tissue between women. We aimed to determine whether microbiota composition differs between these groups and whether certain bacterial taxa may be associated with breast tumors. Methods Bilateral normal breast tissue samples (n = 36) were collected from ten women who received routine mammoplasty procedures. Archived breast tumor samples (n = 10) were obtained from a biorepository. DNA was extracted, amplified, and sequenced. Microbiota data were analyzed using QIIME and RStudio. Results The most abundant phyla in both tumor and normal tissues were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. There were statistically significant differences in the relative abundance of various bacterial taxa between groups. Alpha diversity (Simpson's index) was significantly higher in normal compared to tumor samples (0.968 vs. 0.957, p = 0.022). Based on unweighted UniFrac measures, breast tumor samples clustered distinctly from normal samples (R 2 = 0.130; p = 0.01). Microbiota composition in normal samples clustered within women (R 2 = 0.394; p = 0.01) and by breast side (left or right) within a woman (R 2 = 0.189; p = 0.03). Conclusion Significant differences in diversity between tumor and normal tissue and in composition between women and between breasts of the same woman were identified. These results warrant further research to investigate the relationship between microbiota and breast cancer.
ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 2020
Peripheral immunity is thought to be dysregulated in Parkinson's disease (PD) and may provide... more Peripheral immunity is thought to be dysregulated in Parkinson's disease (PD) and may provide an avenue for novel immunotherapeutic interventions. Gut microbiota is a potential factor for modulating immunotherapy response. Considering the possibly complex role of the gut-brain axis in PD, we used a preclinical model to determine the effects of gut microbiota dynamics in mice receiving an immunotherapeutic intervention compared to controls. A total of 17 M83 heterozygous transgenic mice were used in this study. Mice in the treatment arm (N=10) received adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) by injection and control mice (N=7) were injected with saline at 8 weeks of age. All mice received peripheral α-syn fibrils to hasten parkinsonian symptoms via an intramuscular injection one week later (9 weeks of age; baseline). Fecal pellets were collected from all mice at three time points post injection (baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks). DNA from each stool sample was extracted, 16S rDNA amplified and sequenced, and analyzed using QIIME2 and RStudio. Differences in the relative abundance of bacterial taxa were observed over time between groups. No significant differences in alpha diversity were found between groups at any timepoint. UniFrac measures of phylogenetic distance between samples demonstrated distinct clustering between groups post-baseline (p=0.002). These differences suggest that the gut microbiome may be capable of influencing immunotherapy outcomes. Conclusively, we observed distinctly different microbiota dynamics in treated mice compared to those in the control group. These results suggest a correlation between the gut-brain axis, PD pathology, and immunotherapy.
Current Developments in Nutrition, 2020
Objectives The objective of this secondary analysis was to characterize the relationships between... more Objectives The objective of this secondary analysis was to characterize the relationships between the most abundant genera of the fecal microbiome and sex, fiber intake scores, stress, stool consistency and body mass index (BMI) in healthy young adults using data from the 1-week baseline period of a clinical study. Methods Data from a total of 182 participants (n = 120 female) with a mean age of 19.7 ± 0.1 y (mean ± SEM) and a healthy body mass index (BMI; 23.4 ± 0.3 kg/m2) were used. Participants self-reported stool consistency (Bristol stool score) as an estimate of gastrointestinal transit time and stress (0 = no stress to 10 = extremely stressed) daily for 1 week. The Rapid Eating Assessment-short questionnaire was completed at the end of baseline to assess intake frequency of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The food frequency scores from the 3 food categories were summed for the fiber intake score. Microbial composition was determined by 16s rRNA sequencing of 1 stool samp...
Current Developments in Nutrition, 2020
Objectives Constipation is a common and debilitating nonmotor symptom of Parkinson's disease ... more Objectives Constipation is a common and debilitating nonmotor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) that is poorly understood and has limited treatment options. A preliminary pilot study conducted at our center suggests that a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes foods rich in fermentable fibers and antioxidants, can reduce symptoms of constipation in patients with PD, but may also result in unintended reductions in body weight. This may potentially attenuate the benefit of this dietary intervention. The primary outcome of this project is to test the efficacy of a Mediterranean diet intervention on improving the clinical symptoms of constipation in PD. Secondary outcomes will determine the effect of this intervention on body composition, fecal microbial communities and markers of intestinal inflammation and permeability. Methods This is a 10-week, randomized, controlled, parallel study. Participants with PD (diagnosed by a movement disorder neurologist) who have symptoms of const...
The incidence of locally acquired dengue infections increased during the last decade in the Unite... more The incidence of locally acquired dengue infections increased during the last decade in the United States, compelling a sustained research effort on the dengue mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, and its microbiome, which has been shown to influence virus transmission success. We examined the ‘metavirome’ of four populations of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes collected in 2016-2017 from Manatee County, Florida. Unexpectedly, we discovered that dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV4) was circulating in these mosquito populations, representing the first documented case of such a phenomenon in the absence of a local DENV4 human case in this county over a two-year period. We confirmed that all of the mosquito populations carried the same DENV4 strain, assembled its full genome, validated infection orthogonally by reverse transcriptase PCR, traced the virus origin, estimated the time period of its introduction to the Caribbean region, as well as explored the viral genetic signatures and mosquito-specific vir...
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2019
Journal of Functional Foods, 2019
Abstract The aim was to assess whether citrus pomace increases stool frequency in healthy adults.... more Abstract The aim was to assess whether citrus pomace increases stool frequency in healthy adults. In this randomised, blinded, controlled trial, healthy adults (62% females) received a beverage containing pomace (473 mL/day, providing 10 g fibre/day, n = 111) or control (n = 110) for 3 weeks. Stool frequency, Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS), and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) scores were self-assessed. 24-h diet recalls were completed once/week. Stool microbiota were analysed by 16S rRNA sequencing and qPCR. Mean total daily fibre intake was higher with pomace vs. control (P Clinicaltrials.gov # NCT02979496 .
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2019
Although the over-use of antibiotics during food animal production is a potential driver of antim... more Although the over-use of antibiotics during food animal production is a potential driver of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms (ARMs), a high prevalence of cefotaxime resistant bacteria (CRB) has been observed in grazing animals raised without antibiotic supplementation. In this cross-sectional study, the prevalence and concentration of CRB in beef cattle on grazing farms were investigated. Fecal samples from the rectoanal junction of cattle (n = 840) and environmental samples (n = 258) were collected from 17 farms in North and Central Florida in the United States, and a survey of farm characteristics, animal husbandry practices, and antibiotic usage was conducted. CRB were detected in fecal samples from 47.4% of all cattle, with the prevalence ranging from 21.1 to 87.5% on farms, and significantly higher (P < 0.001) in calves compared to adult cows (54.1 vs. 41.8%). Environmental samples had a higher prevalence than fecal samples (P < 0.001), with CRB detected in 88.6% of water, 98.7% of soil, and 95.7% of forage samples. Compared to the concentration (log CFU/g) of CRB in fecal samples (2.95, 95% CI: 2.89, 3.02), the concentration of CRB was higher (P < 0.001) in soil and forage samples (5.37, 95% CI: 5.16, 5.57) and lower (P < 0.001) in water samples (1.08, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.36). Soil microbiota from farms with high prevalence of CRB clustered closer together and the proportion of Phylum Proteobacteria was higher on farms with high prevalence of CRB resistance. Large farming operations were associated with a 58% higher likelihood of CRB detection in fecal samples. Regular
Nutrition Research, 2018
Dietary fiber stimulates the growth of potentially beneficial bacteria (eg, bifidobacteria), yet ... more Dietary fiber stimulates the growth of potentially beneficial bacteria (eg, bifidobacteria), yet most Americans do not meet daily fiber recommendations. Resistant maltodextrin (RMD), a fermentable functional fiber, may help individuals meet total fiber recommendations and potentially increase bifidobacteria. It was hypothesized that fecal bifidobacteria counts/ng fecal DNA would increase after adding 25 g RMD to inadequate fiber diets of healthy adults. In this double-blind, controlled crossover study, 51 participants (26.3 ± 6.8 years, mean ± SD) were randomized to consume 0, 15, and 25 g RMD daily for 3 weeks followed by a 2-week washout. Participants collected all stools for 2 days at weeks 0 and 3 of each intervention for stool wet weight (WW) measurements and fecal bifidobacteria counts. Weekly 24-hour dietary recalls assessed total fiber intake. Only 25 g RMD resulted in a change (final minus baseline) in bifidobacteria that was significant compared with 0 g (0.17 ± 0.09 vs -0.17 ± 0.09 log10[counts], respectively, mean ± SEM, P = .008). Stool WW increased only with 25 g (150 ± 11 vs baseline 121±11 g/d; P = .011). Mean daily total fiber intake (including RMD) was significantly higher (both P< .001) with 15 g (17.8 ± 0.6 g/1000 kcal or 4184 kJ) and 25 g (25.3 ± 1.1 g/1000 kcal) compared with 0 g RMD (8.4±0.4 g/1000 kcal). Mean daily total fiber intakes exceeded recommendations (14 g/1000 kcal) with 15 and 25 g of RMD, and 25 g RMD increased fecal bifidobacteria counts and stool WW, suggesting health benefits from increasing total fiber intake.