Prebiotic effects of diet supplemented with the cultivated red seaweed Chondrus crispus or with fructo-oligo-saccharide on host immunity, colonic microbiota and gut microbial metabolites

• DOI: 10.1186/s12906-015-0802-5
• Publication Date: 2015-08-13T09:58:57Z
• Authors: Jinghua Liu; Saveetha Kandasamy; Junzeng Zhang; Christopher W. Kirby; Tobias Karakach; Jeff Hafting; Alan T. Critchley; Franklin Evans; Balakrishnan Prit...
• Keywords: Prebiotic

Gastrointestinal microbial communities are diverse and composed of both beneficial pathogenic groups. Prebiotics, such as digestion-resistant fibers, influence the composition gut microbiota, can contribute to improvement host health. The red seaweed Chondrus crispus is rich in dietary fiber oligosaccharides, however its prebiotic potential has not been studied date.Prebiotic effects were investigated with weaning rats fed a cultivated C. crispus-supplemented diet. Comparison standards included fructo-oligo-saccharide (FOS) diet basal colonic microbiome was profiled 16S rRNA sequencing-based Phylochip array. Concentrations short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) feacal samples determined by gas chromatography flame ionization detector (GC-FID) analysis. Immunoglobulin levels blood plasma analyzed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histo-morphological parameters proximal colon tissue characterized hematoxylin eosin (H&E) staining.Phylochip array analysis indicated differing among diet-supplemented control groups, group (2.5% supplementation) showing larger separation from than other treatment In 2.5% group, population bacteria Bifidobacterium breve increased (4.9-fold, p=0.001), abundance species Clostridium septicum Streptococcus pneumonia decreased. Higher concentrations (i.e., metabolites), including acetic, propionic butyric acids, found faecal crispus-fed rats. Furthermore, FOS supplemented showed significant improvements histo-morphology. moisture noted elevated immunoglobulin (IgA IgG) observed 0.5% compared feed group.The results suggest multiple effects, influencing communities, health immune modulation crispus.