Modulation of gut microbiota by swimming and probiotic intervention in a mice model of diet- and pollution-induced inflammation

Introduction: A high-fat diet rich in Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) and exposure to air pollution (AP) can induce gut dysbiosis, leading to inflammation and metabolic disorders. Swimming training (ST) and probiotic consumption have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory benefits. This study aimed to investigate the combined effect of ST and probiotic supplementation on the gut microbiota in mice fed an AGEs diet and exposed to AP. Material & Methods: 54 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into nine groups (n=6 mice): 1) control, 2) mice exposing AP, 3) mice consuming AGEs, 4) AP+swimming, 5) AP +probiotic, 6) AP+swimming and probiotic, 7) AP+AGEs+probiotic, 8) AP+AGEs+swimming, 9) AP+AGEs+swimming+probiotic consumption. Following the intervention, stool samples were collected, and the gut microbiota composition was analyzed via qPCR of 16s rDNA to assess dysbiosis. Results: Exposure to AP and an AGE-rich diet significantly reduced the abundance of beneficial bacteria, including Akkermansia muciniphila (p=0.0001), Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (p<0.0001), and the phylum Bacteroidetes (p=0.001). Probiotic supplementation and ST independently increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria (p<0.01). The combination of ST and probiotics demonstrated the most significant effect, effectively restoring the populations of these beneficial microbes (p<0.01). Conclusion: ST and probiotic supplementation are effective strategies for mitigating the gut dysbiosis caused by a high-AGEs diet and air pollution. Their combined application shows a synergistic potential in restoring gut health, suggesting a promising non-pharmacological approach to prevent related inflammatory and metabolic conditions.