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Boswellia serrata Extract and Its Bioactive Compound 3-O-Acetyl-11-Keto-β-Boswellic Acid (AKBA) Induce ROS-Mediated Intracellular Clearance of Porphyromonas gingivalis in Human Gingival Epithelial Cells

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  Abstract Porphyromonas gingivalis  is a keystone pathogen in periodontitis, known for its ability to invade gingival epithelial cells and persist intracellularly. Conventional antimicrobials are often ineffective against intracellular pathogens, and natural products remain poorly explored in this context. Here, we investigated the antimicrobial effects of  Boswellia serrata  extract and its bioactive compounds on the dynamics of  P. gingivalis  infection in human gingival epithelial cells. During early times of infection,  B. serrata  extracts stimulated phagocytosis and increased bacterial internalization, suggesting modulation of epithelial uptake mechanisms. At later times of infection,  B. serrata  increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in host cells and markedly reduced intracellular bacterial load. The antimicrobial effect was abolished by the ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine, confirming a role for oxidative mechanis...
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Interactions Between Gut Commensal Bacteria and Polysaccharides Derived from Algae and Legumes: Identification of Metabolites Produced and Pathways Involved

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  Highlights • Chickpea oligosaccharides are broadly utilized by gut commensal bacteria. • Algal polysaccharide use is limited to specific Bacteroidota species. • Algae and chickpea fibers enhance short-chain faty acid production. • Transcriptomics reveal coordinated genes for raffinose metabolism.
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The Foods That Fight Inflammation

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 Chronic inflammation can be a silent killer, but your diet can play a role in tamping it down.
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Molecular basis for anti-jumbo phage immunity by AVAST type 5

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  Highlights • Avs5 is activated at the early phage infection vesicle • Avs5 hydrolyzes NAD +  to block jumbo phage nucleus formation • Divergent Avs5 clades sense JADA to inhibit jumbo phage infection • JADA is an essential early phage protein with a novel protein fold
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Ketogenic diet alleviates septic lung injury via microbial gut-lung axis

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  Highlights • Ketogenic diet (KD) alleviates sepsis-induced lung injury via the gut microbiota • KD-enriched lactobacilli produce azelaic acid (AZA) that migrates to sepsis lung • Lung AZA induces MerTK +  macrophages via PPAR-γ toward efferocytosis • AZA associates with improved clinical outcomes in patients with sepsis
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Divergent tumor immunity determined by bacteria-cancer cell engagement

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  Highlights • Intratumor bacteria promote breast cancer metastatic recurrence in a preclinical model • Cytosolic bacteria induce immune suppressive neutrophils via cGAS-STING-IL-17B • Intra- and extracellular bacteria can play opposite roles in determining neutrophil states • A bacteria invasion signature is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients
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The differential impact of three different NAD+ boosters on circulatory NAD and microbial metabolism in humans

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Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(H)) and its phosphorylated form NADP(H) are vitamin B 3 -derived redox cofactors essential for numerous metabolic reactions and protein modifications. Various health conditions are associated with disturbances in NAD +  homeostasis. To restore NAD +  levels, the main biosynthetic pathways have been targeted, with nicotinamide (Nam), nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) being the most prominent boosters. However, while many preclinical studies have examined the effects of these precursors, a direct comparison in humans is lacking, and recent rodent research suggests that the NAD + -boosting effects of NR and NMN may depend on their microbial conversion to nicotinic acid (NA), a mechanism not yet confirmed in humans. Here we show in a randomized, open-label, placebo-controlled study in 65 healthy participants that 14 days of supplementation with NR and NMN, but not Nam, comparably increases circulatory NAD + ...
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