Link between gut and type 1 diabetes

Scientists have found that targeting micro-organisms in the gut, known as microbiota, could have the potential to prevent type 1 diabetes. University of Queensland researcher Dr. Emma Hamilton-Williams investigated differences in the gut microbiota, comparing those susceptible to type 1diabetes to those protected against the autoimmune disease.

This research has shown there is a genetic component to microbiota and the immune response involved in regulating it, this means that changes in the microbiota in type 1 diabetes occur before symptoms develop, and are not just a side-effect of the disease. Therapies targeting the microbiota could therefore have the potential to help prevent type 1 diabetes in the future.

An immunotherapy targeting T-cells associated with type 1 diabetes resulted in dramatic changes in the gut biology and altered the microbiota in mice models. Genetic susceptibility and change in immune system function led to alterations in the microbiota. The implications are that a person's genetics contribute to an unhealthy microbiota as well as their diet.
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Western diet may cause liver inflammation

Liver inflammation occurs when the organ becomes larger than normal. Diet, gender, and different antibiotic treatments can alter the gut microbiota as well as bile acid profile and have different effects on liver inflammation.

Farnesold x receptor FxR, is a member of the family of nuclear hormone receptors. Broad-spectrum antibiotics, which eliminated most gut bacteria, affected hepatic inflammation differently in FXR-deficient mice, the diet provided will determine the how it affects gut bacteria.

 In control diet-fed mice, a cocktail of ampicillin, neomycin and vancomycin blocked hepatic neutrophil and lymphocyte infiltration. The cocktail of antibiotics Abx was not able to eliminate hepatic inflammation in Western diet-fed Farnesold x receptor knock out FXR KO mice.

Other investigation showed that many inflammatory genes had higher expression levels in Western diet than control diet-fed FXR KO mice after antibiotics treatment.

Analyzing the composition of the gut microbiota, researchers discovered that that Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes persisted after the broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment in the Western diet-fed FXR KO mice.

Adverse effects of Western diet on the liver may be explained by the persistence of pro-inflammatory Proteobacteria and the reduction of anti-inflammatory Firmicutes in the gut.
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Drinking tequila can prevent osteoporosis

Osteoporosis occurs when the body fails to replace old bone with new. This results in porous and weak skeleton.

Scientists found that substances from the tequila plant may help boost levels of calcium and magnesium, minerals that help keep bones strong.

The study found that sugars from the tequila plant could be used to treat osteoporosis, an agonising condition caused by the weakening of the bones.

Researchers found the blue variety of the Agave tequilana plant, which is used to make tequila, could help to keep the bones healthy.

Substances in the plant improve the absorption of calcium and magnesium in the body, which are essential minerals to help maintain bone health.

Dr Mercedes López, leader of the project from the Centre for Research and Advanced Studies in Mexico, said: 'The consumption of fructans contained in the agave, in collaboration with adequate intestinal micriobiota, promotes the formation of new bone.

To investigate the effects of the tequila plant, the researchers conducted experiments with mice. They removed  the ovaries from female mice in order to induce osteoporosis.

Researchers then fed the mice sugars from the tequila plant. After eight weeks bone samples were taken to measure the absorption of minerals and osteocalcin, a protein that indicates the production of new bone.

Dr López said: 'It was found that mice that consumed this fructans [sugars] synthesized nearly 50 per cent more of such protein, in addition that the diametre of their bones was higher compared with the subjects which were not supplied with derivatives of the agave.'

The substances help boost calcium levels by travelling to the large intestine, where they interact with bacteria in the gut.

Once in the large intestine, the agave sugars are able to 'catch' calcium and magnesium molecules and help transport them through the cells of the body.

'This way, we have a second chance to take advantage of the nutrients that were no longer available to the body,' Dr López said.

'However, it is very important that people have a healthy intestinal microbiome, because only then it is possible that bacteria ferment fructans to transform them into fatty acids.'

Imbalance of skin bacteria can cause acne

Dr. Huiying Li of the David Geffen school of medicine at the University of California-Los Angeles and colleagues suggest that acne may be caused by strain of bacteria.

Acne is a skin disease that involves the oil glands at the base of hair follicles, it's very common at the face, neck, chest, and back.

Propionibacterium is responsible for acne development, dr Li and his colleagues tested 72 adults for their Study, 38 had acne and 34 did not.

DNA shotgun sequencing method was used to check makeup of skin microbiota for each individual and discovered that adults with acne had higher level of virulence-related genes associated with the production of bacteria toxins that cause skin inflammation.