Cistanche deserticola polysaccharide regulated the gut microbiota-SCFAs-Th17/Treg cell axis and ameliorated the inflammation of postmenopausal osteoporosis

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2023.105811
• Publication Date: 2023-09-28T11:10:26Z
• Authors: Jingna Gu; Yizhou Zheng; Hongmei Yang; Yanyang Li; Shuowen Liu; Yequn Wu; Lingzhi Ren; Yang Yu; Yongling Long
• Keywords: Inflammation; 0301 basic medicine; Short-chain fatty acids; 03 medical and health sciences; Postmenopausal osteoporosis; Nutrition. Foods and food supply; TX341-641; Gut microbiota; Th17/Treg cell balance

Chronic inflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO). Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by the gut microbiota (GM) have emerged as key regulators of the inflammatory response. Cistanche deserticola polysaccharide (CDP), derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Cistanche deserticola, possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties. However, the precise mechanism by which CDP modulates inflammation in PMO via the gut-bone axis remains elusive. In this study, we elucidated that CDP could effectively restore GM composition, ameliorate intestinal mucosal damage, elevate SCFA levels, rebalance the Th17/Treg cells equilibrium, attenuate the accumulation of proinflammatory cytokines, potentially facilitate osteoblast differentiation, potentially suppress osteoclastogenesis, and enhance bone microarchitecture in PMO mice. Collectively, our findings provided compelling evidence that CDP alleviated PMO-associated inflammation, potentially mediated through the intricate interplay between GM-derived SCFAs and the Th17/Treg cells.