Dietary Supplementation throughout Life with Non-Digestible Oligosaccharides and/or n-3 Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Healthy Mice Modulates the Gut–Immune System–Brain Axis

Abstract

The composition and activity of the intestinal microbial community structures can be beneficially modulated by nutritional components such as non-digestible oligosaccharides and omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs). These components affect immune function, brain development and behaviour. We investigated the additive effect of a dietary combination of scGOS:lcFOS and n-3 PUFAs on caecal content microbial community structures and development of the immune system, brain and behaviour from day of birth to early adulthood in healthy mice. Male BALB/cByJ mice received a control or enriched diet with a combination of scGOS:lcFOS (9:1) and 6% tuna oil (n-3 PUFAs) or individually scGOS:lcFOS (9:1) or 6% tuna oil (n-3 PUFAs). Behaviour, caecal content microbiota composition, short-chain fatty acid levels, brain monoamine levels, enterochromaffin cells and immune parameters in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) and spleen were assessed. Caecal content microbial community structures displayed differences between the control and dietary groups, and between the dietary groups. Compared to control diet, the scGOS:lcFOS and combination diets increased caecal saccharolytic fermentation activity. The diets enhanced the number of enterochromaffin cells. The combination diet had no effects on the immune cells. Although the dietary effect on behaviour was limited, serotonin and serotonin metabolite levels in the amygdala were increased in the combination diet group. The combination and individual interventions affected caecal content microbial profiles, but had limited effects on behaviour and the immune system. No apparent additive effect was observed when scGOS:lcFOS and n-3 PUFAs were combined. The results suggest that scGOS:lcFOS and n-3 PUFAs together create a balance—the best of both in a healthy host.

A Focus on Enterochromaffin Cells among the Enteroendocrine Cells: Localization, Morphology, and Role

“…It is known that the change in the distribution and in the number of ECs can depend on the diet type and the gut microbiota [ 110 , 111 ]. These authors studied the health status of pigs fed with a rye-type and hybrid rye-type grains, and they showed that neither of the rye grains modified the homeostasis and the somatostatin production by neuroendocrine cells.…”

“…These authors studied the health status of pigs fed with a rye-type and hybrid rye-type grains, and they showed that neither of the rye grains modified the homeostasis and the somatostatin production by neuroendocrine cells. These results are important in a wider strategy for developing a new nutritional plan for pigs [ 110 ]. Successively, the same authors evaluated the number of the ECs in the small intestine of suckling piglets stimulated with red kidney bean lectin [ 111 ].…”

Dietary Marine Hydrolysate Improves Memory Performance and Social Behavior through Gut Microbiota Remodeling during Aging

“…Nutrition appears as an interesting innovative approach for preventing or delaying the development of age-related cognitive social behavior deficits by targeting microbiota [24]. Indeed, several studies reported the effects of nutrition on gut microbiota, notably peptides and omega-3 PUFAs [25][26][27][28][29][30]. We previously demonstrated that dietary supplementation with a fish hydrolysate containing low-molecular-weight peptides and n-3 LC-PUFAs effectively prevent age-related spatial short-term memory deficits and influence navigation strategies during spatial learning [31].…”