The Effect of Immunobiotic/Psychobiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus Strain INMIA 9602 Er 317/402 Narine on Gut Prevotella in Familial Mediterranean Fever: Gender-Associated Effects.

Possible mechanisms involved in sex-dependent differences in the gut microbiota have a growing interest worldwide, but the effects of probiotics dependence on the gender of the host have remained outside of researchers' attention until now. Previously, our research data described gender-specific differences in the gut microbiota of Armenian Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients. Taking into account the possible association of Prevotella spp. with depressive disorders, the aim of the current investigations was an evaluation of changes in the abundance of gut Prevotella of FMF patients in association with the patient's depression and gender. The differences between healthy and FMF diseased gut microbiota in terms of Prevotella abundance were revealed. In addition, the gender-dependent effects of immunobiotic/psychobiotic Narine on the abundance of gut Prevotella of FMF patients and patients' depression scores were shown by us in this study.

The Effectiveness of Potential Probiotics Lactobacillus rhamnosus Vahe and Lactobacillus delbrueckii IAHAHI in Irradiated Rats Depends on the Nutritional Stage of the Host.

Several species of eukaryotic organisms living in the high mountain areas of Armenia with naturally occurring levels of radiation have high adaptive responses to radiation. We speculate on the role of the gastrointestinal microbiota in this protection against radiation. Therefore, seventeen microorganisms with high antagonistic activities against several multi-drug-resistant pathogens were isolated from the human and animal gut microbiota, as well as from traditional Armenian fermented products. These strains were tested in vivo on Wistar rats to determine their ability to protect the eukaryotic host against radiation damages. The efficiency of the probiotics' application and the dependence on pre- and post-radiation nutrition of rats were described. The effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus Vahe, isolated from a healthy breastfed infant, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii IAHAHI, isolated from the fermented dairy product matsuni, on the survival of irradiated rats, and their blood leucocyte and glucose levels, were considered to be the most promising, based on this study's results.

Low-Dose Electron-Beam Irradiation for the Improvement of Biofilm Formation by Probiotic Lactobacilli.

The effects of 50-150 gray electron-beam irradiation on the biofilm-formation ability and cell surface hydrophobicity of the commercial strain, Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS®-1, from Lacto-G (a marketed synbiotic formulation) and the putative probiotic, L. rhamnosus Vahe, were evaluated. No significant changes in cell surface hydrophobicity were found after irradiation, while increases in biofilm-formation abilities were documented for both investigated microorganisms 0.22 ± 0.03 vs. 0.149 ± 0.02 (L. rhamnosus Vahe, 150 Gy) and 0.218 ± 0.021 vs. 0.17 ± 0.012 (L. acidophilus DDS®-1, 150 Gy). Given this, the use of electron-beam irradiation (50-100 Gy) for the treatment of L. rhamnosus Vahe and L. acidophilus DDS®-1 cells may be considered in product sterilization, quality improvement, and packaging practices.

Plant-associated and soil microbiota composition as a novel criterion for the environmental risk assessment of genetically modified plants.

The impact of genetically modified plants on plant-associated and surrounding soil microorganisms is an uninvestigated area of environmental risk assessment. Biological markers such as lysine racemase, phosphomannose isomerase, and sulfadiazine are in use or suggested for use in plant genetic transformation technologies to confirm that the uptake of DNA has occurred. Similar to the effects of antibiotic-resistance genes, these markers might change the host plant's microbiota. Taking into account the importance of the microbiota in plant growth and protection from pathogens as well as in the lives of both humans and animals, we propose novel criteria for the environmental risk assessment of genetically modified plants: the composition of the plant microbiota and plant-associated soil microbiota. In addition to the possible impact of genetic transformation technologies on the plant microbiota highlighted in this report, the microbiota of genetically modified plants (and/or plant-associated soil microbiota) should be investigated in a comparative study of genetically modified and unmodified plant-derived microbiotas. This could potentially provide important information to farmers when considering the adoption of genetically modified plants.

Effects of Probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus Strain INMIA 9602 Er 317/402 and Putative Probiotic Lactobacilli on DNA Damages in the Small Intestine of Wistar Rats In Vivo.

Double-strand breaks in the DNA of the small intestine in male Wistar rats were studied using a neutral comet assay after 7 days of feeding with a single strain probiotic formulation Narine (Vitamax-E, Armenia), containing Lactobacillus acidophilus strain Er-2317/402 Narine, and putative probiotics L. rhamnosus Vahe and L. delbrueckii IAHAHI. Type 0 (undamaged DNA), type 1 (head diameter 13.18-17.08 µm), and type 2 (14.15-µm head diameter) damaged DNA comets were studied in control and lactobacilli-fed rats using the neutral comet assay. Lactobacilli-fed rats were shown to carry only type 0 (undamaged) DNA.Thus, the effects of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus strain INMIA 9602 Er 317/402 and putative probiotic lactobacilli on DNA damage in the small intestine of Wistar rats in vivo was shown, and the neutral comet assay is suggested as a potential tool for the in vivo selection of putative probiotics with DNA-protective activity.