Title
Dietary Curdlan Enhances Bifidobacteria and Reduces Intestinal Inflammation in Mice
Author
Rahman, S.
Davids, M.
van Hamersveld, P.H.P.
Welting, O.
Rahaoui, H.
Schuren, F.
Meijer, S.L.
van den Wijngaard, R.M.
Hakvoort, T.B.M.
de Jonge, W.J.
Heinsbroek, S.E.M.
Publication year
2021
Abstract
β-glucan consumption is known for its beneficial health effects, but the mode of action is unclear. While humans and mice lack the required enzymes to digest β-glucans, certain intestinal microbes can digest β-glucans, triggering gut microbial changes. Curdlan, a particulate β-glucan isolated from Alcaligenes faecalis, is used as a food additive. In this study we determined the effect of curdlan intake in mice on the intestinal microbiota and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced intestinal inflammation. The effect of curdlan on the human intestinal microbiota was assessed using i-screen, an assay for studying anaerobic microbial interactions. Mice received oral gavage with vehicle or curdlan for 14 days followed by DSS for 7 days. The curdlan-fed group showed reduced weight loss and colonic inflammation compared to the vehicle-fed group. Curdlan intake did not induce general microbiota community changes, although a specific Bifidobacterium, closely related to Bifidobacterium choerinum, was observed to be 10- to 100-fold more prevalent in the curdlan-fed group under control and colitis conditions, respectively. When tested in i-screen, curdlan induced a global change in the microbial composition of the healthy intestinal microbiota from a human. Overall, these results suggest that dietary curdlan induces microbiota changes that could reduce intestinal inflammation.
Subject
Curdlan
Microbiota
Intestinal inflammation
Biomedical Innovation
Healthy Living
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:c6c857dd-9b6d-4f98-a7ef-8301a2b64122
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13041305
TNO identifier
955844
Source
Nutrients, 13 (13), 1305
Document type
article