A human‐origin probiotic cocktail therapy for aging‐related leaky gut and inflammation by modulating microbiota‐taruine‐tight junction axis

Inflammation is a major risk factor of morbidity and mortality in older adults. Although its precise etiology is unknown, low grade inflammation in older adults is commonly associated with increased intestinal epithelial permeability (leaky gut) and abnormal (dysbiotic) gut microbiota. The lack of treatments to reduce aging‐related microbiota dysbiosis, intestinal permeability and inflammation, and the increasing older population culminates on a rise in aging‐related comorbidities, constituting a significant public health concern. Here we demonstrated that a human‐origin probiotics cocktail containing 5‐lactobacilli and 5 enterococci isolated from infant gut, prevented high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced microbiota dysbiosis, intestinal permeability, inflammation, metabolic dysfunctions and physical function decline in older mice. Probiotic‐modulated gut microbiota primarily reduced intestinal permeability by increasing tight junctions, which in turn reduced inflammation. Mechanistically, probiotic modulated microbiota in a way to increased bile salt hydrolase activity, which in turn increased taurine abundance in the gut that stimulated tight junctions and suppressed gut leakiness. Further, in Caenorhabditis elegans , taurine increased life span, reduced adiposity and intestinal permeability, and enhanced physical function. The results suggest that such probiotic therapy could prevent or treat aging‐related intestinal permeability and inflammation in elderly. Support or Funding Information This work was supported by funding from Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health and Wake Forest School of Medicine.