Restoration of the integrity of rat caeco-colonic mucosa by resistant starch, but not by fructo-oligosaccharides, in dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis

Abstract

Butyrate is recognised as efficient in healing colonic inflammation, but cannot be used as a long-term treatment. Dietary fibre that produces a high-butyrate level when fermented represents a promising alternative. We hypothesised that different types of dietary fibre do not have the same efficiency of healing and that this could be correlated to their fermentation characteristics. We compared short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and type 3 resistant starch (RS) in a previously described dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model. Seventytwo Sprague -Dawley rats received water (control rats) or DSS (50 g DSS/l for 7 d then 30 g DSS/l for 7 (day 7) or 14 (day 14) d). The rats were fed a basal diet (BD), or a FOS or RS diet creating six groups: BD-control, BD-DSS, FOS-control, FOS-DSS, RS-control and RS-DSS. Caeco-colonic inflammatory injuries were assessed macroscopically and histologically. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) were quantified in caeco-colon, portal vein and abdominal aorta. At days 7 and 14, caecal and distal macroscopic and histological observations were improved in RS-DSS compared with BD-DSS and also with FOS-DSS rats. Caeco-colonic SCFA were reduced in FOS-DSS and RS-DSS groups compared with healthy controls. The amount of butyrate was higher in the caecum of the RS-DSS rats than in the BD-DSS and FOS-DSS rats, whereas distal butyrate was higher in FOS-DSS rats. Partially explained by higher luminal levels of SCFA, especially butyrate, the healing effect of RS confirms the involvement of some types of dietary fibre in inflammatory bowel disease. Moreover, the ineffectiveness of FOS underlines the importance of the type of dietary substrate.

Changes in Bowel Microbiota Induced by Feeding Weanlings Resistant Starch Stimulate Transcriptomic and Physiological Responses

“…The greater weight gain of conventional relative to germ- free rats has been explained previously in terms of energy harvest by the large-bowel microbiota (37). Although many studies have explored the health-promoting aspects of consuming RS and other nondigestible carbohydrates (4,24,27), the results from this report indicate that the effects on the host are extremely complex. We have shown that RS-induced alterations in microbiota composition resulted in elevated expression of Gsta2, which belongs to one of two supergene families that encode glutathione S-transferases.…”

The Composition of Intestinal Bacteria Affects the Level of Luminal IgA

“…This can bias experimental results, particularly in an immunological study. For instance, Umemoto et al 17) reported that fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) suppressed colonic inflammation in a dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis model using the Sprague-Dawley rat, while Moreau et al 18) reported the ineffectiveness of FOS in the same colitis model. Therefore, the construction of defined intestinal microflora is necessary, and the information should be available to researchers.…”

Prebiotics in Chronic Intestinal Inflammation

“…Resistant starch also reduced DSS-induced colitis, whereas fructo-oligosaccharides did not show improvement. 74 A reduction of inflammation in the DSS model was also shown with goat milk oligosaccharides (GMO) as reported by Oligofructose and inulin (OFI) alone or 2 B. infantis strains (DSM 15158 and DSM 15159), isolated from infant feces, with and without OFI were fed to rats for 14 days in DSS-induced colitis. OFI alone or the B. infantis strains with and without OFI improved the DSS-induced acute colitis.…”