标题为“灵菌红素对感染金黄色葡萄球菌小鼠肠道菌群的调节作用

Introduction

Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterial pathogen that can cause a range of infections, from minor skin infections to life-threatening conditions such as sepsis and pneumonia. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of S. aureus has made it increasingly difficult to treat these infections, highlighting the need for new approaches to control this pathogen. One promising strategy is to use natural compounds that can modulate the host immune response and alter the composition of the gut microbiota to enhance resistance to infection. In this study, we investigated the effects of a natural compound called Lingzhi red pigment (LRP) on the gut microbiota of mice infected with S. aureus.

Methods

Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: control, LRP, S. aureus, and LRP + S. aureus. The mice in the LRP group received a daily oral dose of LRP (50 mg/kg body weight) for 7 days, while the mice in the S. aureus and LRP + S. aureus groups were orally infected with S. aureus (2 × 108 CFU/mouse) on day 4. Fecal samples were collected on days 0, 4, 7, and 10 for microbiota analysis using high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene.

Results

The results showed that LRP treatment significantly altered the composition of the gut microbiota in the mice, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, while reducing the abundance of harmful bacteria such as Enterococcus and Staphylococcus. In addition, LRP treatment enhanced the expression of antimicrobial peptides in the gut and increased the production of short-chain fatty acids, which are known to have immunomodulatory effects. Interestingly, the effects of LRP treatment were more pronounced in the mice infected with S. aureus, with a greater increase in beneficial bacteria and a greater decrease in harmful bacteria compared to the non-infected mice.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our results suggest that LRP has a beneficial effect on the gut microbiota and the host immune response, which may enhance resistance to S. aureus infection. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these effects and to determine the optimal dose and duration of LRP treatment for controlling S. aureus infections.