Microbiota and Metabolite Profiling as Markers of Mood Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study in Obese Patients

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of several neurological and psychiatric diseases, but few studies report the contribution of biological features in the occurrence of mood disorders in obese patients. The aim of the study is to evaluate the potential links between serum metabolomics and gut microbiome, and mood disturbances in a cohort of obese patients. Psychological, biological characteristics and nutritional habits were evaluated in 94 obese subjects from the Food4Gut study stratified according to their mood score assessed by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The fecal gut microbiota and plasma non-targeted metabolomics were analysed. Obese subjects with increased negative mood display elevated levels of Coprococcus as well as decreased levels of Sutterella and Lactobacillus. Serum metabolite profile analysis reveals in these subjects altered levels of several amino acid-derived metabolites, such as an increased level of L-histidine and a decreased in phenylacetylglutamine, linked to altered gut microbiota composition and function rather than to differences in dietary amino acid intake. Regarding clinical profile, we did not observe any differences between both groups. Our results reveal new microbiota-derived metabolites that characterize the alterations of mood in obese subjects, thereby allowing to propose new targets to tackle mood disturbances in this context. Food4gut, clinicaltrial.gov: NCT03852069

Insight into the prebiotic concept: lessons from an exploratory, double blind intervention study with inulin-type fructans in obese women

Objective To highlight the contribution of the gut microbiota to the modulation of host metabolism by dietary inulin-type fructans (ITF prebiotics) in obese women. Methods A double blind, placebo controlled, intervention study was performed with 30 obese women treated with ITF prebiotics (inulin/oligofructose 50/50 mix; n=15) or placebo (maltodextrin; n=15) for 3 months (16 g/day). Blood, faeces and urine sampling, oral glucose tolerance test, homeostasis model assessment and impedancemetry were performed before and after treatment. The gut microbial composition in faeces was analysed by phylogenetic microarray and qPCR analysis of 16S rDNA. Plasma and urine metabolic profiles were analysed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Results Treatment with ITF prebiotics, but not the placebo, led to an increase in Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii; both bacteria negatively correlated with serum lipopolysaccharide levels. ITF prebiotics also decreased Bacteroides intestinalis, Bacteroides vulgatus and Propionibacterium, an effect associated with a slight decrease in fat mass and with plasma lactate and phosphatidylcholine levels. No clear treatment clustering could be detected for gut microbial analysis or plasma and urine metabolomic profile analyses. However, ITF prebiotics led to subtle changes in the gut microbiota that may importantly impact on several key metabolites implicated in obesity and/or diabetes. Conclusions ITF prebiotics selectively changed the gut microbiota composition in obese women, leading to modest changes in host metabolism, as suggested by the correlation between some bacterial species and metabolic endotoxaemia or metabolomic signatures

Metabolically healthy obesity: Myth or reality? [Lobèse métaboliquement sain”: Mythe ou réalité?]

no abstract availabl

Hoe kunnen we de obesitas-epidemie verklaren ?

Obesitas is een complexe en multifactoriële ziekte (1). Het is het resultaat van een interactie tussen genetische en omgevingsfactoren. Deze leiden tot een chronisch gebrek aan evenwicht tussen energie-inname en -uitgave, waarbij het energieoverschot zich ophoopt in de vorm van triglyceriden, voornamelijk in het vetweefsel (2). Obesitas is dus het resultaat van een verandering in de energiehomeostase. In de afgelopen 40 jaar is de prevalentie van zwaarlijvigheid wereldwijd verdubbeld (3). Prognoses schatten dat 20% van de wereldbevolking, oftewel een miljard mensen, in 2025 zwaarlijvig zal zijn. Geen bevolking ter wereld of leeftijdsgroep wordt gespaard. Deze epidemie veroorzaakt talrijke comorbiditeiten die de levensverwachting kunnen verkorten. Tegelijkertijd veroorzaakt het een verminderde productiviteit en verhoogt het de kosten voor de gezondheidszorg. Deze synthese heeft als doel twee vragen te beantwoorden: ten eerste, wat zijn de oorzaken van deze epidemie? En ten tweede, waarom krijgen alleen bepaalde patiënten hiermee te maken