Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic immune-mediated disorder, whose etiology is not fully understood and for which no effective treatment is available. Recently, research has focused on the dysbiosis of gut microbiome in UC. However, the results so far remain inconsistent and insufficient to understand the microbial component in UC pathogenesis. In this study, we determine specific changes in the gut microbial profile in Polish UC patients compared to healthy subjects for the first time. Using 16S rRNA gene-based analysis we have described the intestinal microbial community in a group of 20 individuals (10 UC patients and 10 controls). Our results after multiple hypothesis testing correction demonstrated substantially lower gut microbiome diversity in UC cases compared to the controls and considerable differences at the phylum level, as well as among 13 bacterial families and 20 bacterial genera (p < 0.05). UC samples were more abundant in Proteobacteria (8.42%), Actinobacteria (6.89%) and Candidate Division TM7 (2.88%) than those of healthy volunteers (2.57%, 2.29% and 0.012%, respectively). On the other hand, Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia were presented at a lower level in UC relative to the controls (14% and 0% vs 27.97% and 4.47%, respectively). In conclusion, our results show a reduced gut microbial diversity in Polish UC patients, a reduction of taxa with an anti-inflammatory impact and an increased abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria.

Although the application of medical marijuana and cannabinoid drugs is controversial, it is a part of modern-day medicine. The list of diseases in which cannabinoids are promoted as a treatment is constantly expanding. Cases of significant improvement in patients with a very poor prognosis of glioma or epilepsy have already been described. However, the occurrence of side effects is still difficult to estimate, and the current knowledge of the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids is still insufficient. In our opinion, the answers to many questions and concerns regarding the medical use of cannabis can be provided by pharmacogenetics. Knowledge based on proteins and molecules involved in the transport, action, and metabolism of cannabinoids in the human organism leads us to predict candidate genes which variations are responsible for the presence of the therapeutic and side effects of medical marijuana and cannabinoid-based drugs. We can divide them into: receptor genes—CNR1, CNR2, TRPV1, and GPR55, transporters—ABCB1, ABCG2, SLC6A, biotransformation, biosynthesis, and bioactivation proteins encoded by CYP3A4, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP2A6, CYP1A1, COMT, FAAH, COX2, ABHD6, ABHD12 genes, and also MAPK14. This review organizes the current knowledge in the context of cannabinoids pharmacogenetics according to individualized medicine and cannabinoid drugs therapy.

The modification of the microbiome through fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is becoming a very promising therapeutic option for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Our pilot study aimed to assess the effectiveness of multi-session FMT treatment in active ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Ten patients with UC were treated with multi-session FMT (200 mL) from healthy donors, via colonoscopy/gastroscopy. Patients were evaluated as follows: at baseline, at week 7, and after 6 months, routine blood tests (including C reactive protein (CRP) and calprotectin) were performed. 16S rRNA gene (V3V4) sequencing was used for metagenomic analysis. The severity of UC was classified based on the Truelove–Witts index. The assessment of microbial diversity showed significant differences between recipients and healthy donors. FMT contributed to long-term, significant clinical and biochemical improvement. Metagenomic analysis revealed an increase in the amount of Lactobacillaceaea, Micrococcaceae, Prevotellaceae, and TM7 phylumsp.oral clone EW055 during FMT, whereas Staphylococcaceae and Bacillaceae declined significantly. A positive increase in the proportion of the genera Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Rothia, Streptococcus, and Veillonella and a decrease in Bacillus, Bacteroides, and Staphylococcus were observed based on the correlation between calprotectin and Bacillus and Staphylococcus; ferritin and Lactobacillus, Veillonella, and Bifidobacterium abundance was indicated. A positive change in the abundance of Firmicutes was observed during FMT and after 6 months. The application of multi-session FMT led to the restoration of recipients’ microbiota and resulted in the remission of patients with active UC.

It is crucial to consider the importance of the microbiome and the gut–lung axis in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This pilot study examined the fecal microbial composition of patients with COVID-19 following a 3-month recovery. Using for the first time metagenomic analysis based on all hypervariable regions (V1-V9) of the 16S rRNA gene, we have identified 561 microbial species; however, 17 were specific only for the COVID-19 group (n = 8). The patients’ cohorts revealed significantly greater alpha diversity of the gut microbiota compared to healthy controls (n = 14). This finding has been demonstrated by operational taxonomic units (OTUs) richness (p < 0.001) and Chao1 index (p < 0.01). The abundance of the phylum Verrucomicrobia was 30 times higher in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy subjects. Accordingly, this disproportion was also noted at other taxonomic levels: in the class Verrucomicrobiae, the family Verrucomicrobiaceae, and the genus Akkermansia. Elevated pathobionts such as Escherichia coli, Bilophila wadsworthia, and Parabacteroides distasonis were found in COVID-19 patients. Considering the gut microbiota’s ability to disturb the immune response, our findings suggest the importance of the enteric microbiota in the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This pilot study shows that the composition of the microbial community may not be fully restored in individuals with SARS-CoV-2 following a 3-month recovery.

Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) is one of the safest and most commonly used anaesthetic agents for intravenous general anaesthesia. However, in clinical practice, a large inter-individual variability in response to propofol is observed. To limit the risk of adverse effects, pharmacogenetic investigations are recommended. The aim of our study was to verify the impact of genetic changes c.516G>T in the CYP2B6, c.98T>C in the UGT1A9 and c.1075A>C in the CYP2C9 genes on the individual propofol pharmacokinetic profile in the Polish patients undergoing general anaesthesia. Eighty-five patients from the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Regional Hospital in Poznan, Poland, anaesthetised with propofol for surgery, were enrolled in the study. We have genotyped CYP2B6, UGT1A9 and CYP2C9 polymorphisms with the use of pyrosequencing. HPLC measurements of propofol plasma concentration were applied for a pharmacokinetic analysis of the anaesthetic. We identified poor (20), intermediate (42) and rapid (23) metabolisers of propofol, which constituted 24%, 49% and 27% of the group, respectively. Homozygotes c.516 T/T in the CYP2B6 gene were statistically more often found in the rapid metabolisers group (p < 0.05). However, polymorphisms c.98T>C in the UGT1A9 and c.1075A>C in the CYP2C9 genes did not affect the pharmacokinetic profile of propofol. The mean propofol retention time (MRT) correlated with the patient’s body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.05). From all the analysed changes, only polymorphism c.516G>T in the CYP2B6 gene and BMI affect the metabolism rate of propofol and may play an important role in the optimisation of propofol anaesthesia.