The Immunomodulatory Effect of β-Glucan Depends on the Composition of the Gut Microbiota
This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between the immunomodulatory effects of β-glucan and the composition of gut microbiota in mice. The mice were fed a diet containing β-glucan for 3 weeks, and feces, blood, and tissues were then collected to analyze the immunomodulatory effect and gut mi...
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Published in | Foods Vol. 12; no. 17; p. 3148 |
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Main Authors | , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Basel
MDPI AG
22.08.2023
MDPI |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between the immunomodulatory effects of β-glucan and the composition of gut microbiota in mice. The mice were fed a diet containing β-glucan for 3 weeks, and feces, blood, and tissues were then collected to analyze the immunomodulatory effect and gut microbiota composition. Based on the results of the analysis of the expression level of immune-associated proteins, the high immunomodulatory effect group (HIE) and low immunomodulatory effect group (LIE) were categorized. Before the β-glucan diet, the proportions of the phylum Bacteroidota, family Muribaculaceae, and family Lactobacillaceae were significantly higher in HIE than in LIE. Furthermore, the genus Akkermansia was absent before the β-glucan diet and increased after β-glucan diet. These microbes had the ability to metabolize β-glucan or were beneficial to health. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that variation in the composition of gut microbiota among individuals can result in varying expressions of β-glucan functionality. This outcome supports the notion that β-glucan may be metabolized through diverse pathways by gut microbes originally possessed by mice, subsequently producing various metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids. Alternatively, the viscosity of the intestinal mucosa could be enhanced by β-glucan, potentially promoting the growth of certain bacteria (e.g., the genus Akkermansia). This study provides insights into the intricate interplay between β-glucan, gut microbiota, and immunomodulation. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 2304-8158 2304-8158 |
DOI: | 10.3390/foods12173148 |