Engineering topics

Pepoyan, Astghik

Publications and source records attributed to Pepoyan, Astghik.

3 records

DOE OSTI2025

Preliminary Evidence for Sex-Specific Trends in Probiotic Modulation of Gut Saccharibacteria in Familial Mediterranean Fever Patients: Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus INMIA 9602 Er 317/402 and Escherichia coli M-17

Candidate Phyla Radiation bacteria are emerging members of the human microbiota, particularly in oral and gut environments. Saccharibacteria were previously identified in the gut microbiota of healthy individuals and women diagnosed with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), a monogenic autoinflammatory disorder prevalent in the eastern Mediterranean region, including Armenia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and diversity of Saccharibacteria spp. and its basebiont Schaalia odontolytica in FMF patients, explore gender differences, and evaluate the modulation potential of two locally produced probiotics: Lactobacillus acidophilus INMIA9602 Er317/402 (Narine®, VITAMAX-E, Yerevan, Armenia) and Escherichia coli M-17 (Colibacteron®, VITAMAX-E, Yerevan, Armenia). The abundance and behavior of saccharibacteria and S. odontolytica appear to vary depending on health status and sex. Placebo administration caused both quantitative and qualitative shifts, suggesting a possible interaction between Candidatus saccharibacteria spp. and Schaalia odontolytica, though the underlying biological significance remains to be clarified. Narine administration appeared to increase the abundance of Candidatus saccharibacteria operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in FMF women and S. odontolytica OTUs in FMF men, whereas Colibacteron selectively decreased certain OTUs, predominantly in FMF women. These findings underscore the need to further investigate saccharibacteria’s role in systemic inflammation and probiotic-mediated modulation of the gut microbiota.

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology↗

DOE OSTI2024

Placebo-resistant gut bacteria: Akkermansia muciniphila spp. and Familial Mediterranean fever disease

Introduction: Despite numerous investigations into the impact of drugs/probiotics on the gut microbiota composition in Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) patients, the question as to whether there exists a significant bacterial diversity(ies) independent of the placebo effect that can be reliably considered in clinical and nutritional trials remains unresolved. Methods: This study represents the in augural analysis of the placebo’s influence on the gut microbiota of both healthy individuals and FMF afflicted men, utilizing previously collected data from PhyloChip™ DNA microarray experiments. A total of 15 healthy and 15 FMF male volunteers, aged 18 to 50, participated in this partially randomized placebo trial, which is accessible through the GEO Series accession number GSE111835. Results and Discussion: Key findings from current investigations include i. the anticipated divergence in gut bacteria resistance to placebo between healthy and FMF individuals, ii. the minor impact of placebo on gut bacterial diversities in healthy individuals, with Enterobacteriaceae diversities identified as placebo-resistant among “healthy” gut bacteria, and iii. the comprehensive influence of placebo on all bacterial phyla in the gut microbiome of FMF patients, extending to nearly all bacterial genera, except for the resilience of gut Akkermansia muciniphila spp. to placebo in FMF patients. This study underscores the susceptibility of Faecalibacterium, Blautia, and Clostridium genera to placebo. Consequently, this investigation holds significance for the proper design of placebo-controlled trials and establishes a foundation for further exploration of the gut-brain axis. Furthermore, it contributes valuable insights to discussions regarding proposals for probiotic therapies, particularly focusing on Faecalibacterium spp., Blautia spp., and Clostridium spp.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2023

Host genetics and gut microbiota composition: Baseline gut microbiota composition as a possible prognostic factor for the severity of COVID-19 in patients with familial Mediterranean fever disease

It is known that the gut microbiome of a healthy person affects the process of COVID-19 after getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is also believed that colchicine can alleviate the severity of COVID-19. Current investigations aimed to evaluate the associations between the baseline gut microbiota composition of healthy and Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) - carrier Armenian men populations, and the severity of the COVID-19 disease after their infection with the SARS-CoV-2. The study has a purpose of answering three core questions: i. Do the characteristics of gut microbiome of Armenians affect the course of COVID-19 severity? ii. How does the COVID-19 disease course on go for FMF patients who have been taking colchicine as a medication over the years after getting infected with SARS-CoV-2? iii. Is there an initial gut micribiota structure pattern for non-FMF and FMF patients in the cases when COVID-19 appears in mild form? The gut microbiota composition in non-FMF and FMF patients before the first infection (mild and moderate course of COVID-19) was considered. COVID-19 was diagnosed by SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swab and/or sputum. The number of patients with male FMF with mild COVID-19 was approximately two times higher than that of non-FMF male subjects with COVID-19. In addition, an association of COVID-19 disease severity with the baseline gut Prevotella, Clostridium hiranonis, Eubacterium biforme, Veillonellaceae, Coprococcus, and Blautia diversities in the non-FMF and FMF populations were revealed by us, which can be used as risk/prognostic factor for the severity of COVID-19.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗