Dietary Casein and Soy Protein Isolate Modulate the Effects of Raffinose and Fructooligosaccharides on the Composition and Fermentation of Gut Microbiota in Rats

• Published in: Journal of food science Vol. 81; no. 8; pp. H2093 - H2098
• Main Authors: Bai, Gaowa, Ni, Kuikui, Tsuruta, Takeshi, Nishino, Naoki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2016; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Acetic acid; Acids; Animals; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - growth & development; Bacteria - metabolism; Bacteroides; Bifidobacterium; Bifidobacterium - drug effects; Bifidobacterium - growth & development; Bifidobacterium - metabolism; Butyric acid; Butyric Acid - metabolism; Carbohydrates; Casein; Caseins - metabolism; Caseins - pharmacology; Cecum; Cecum - metabolism; Cellulose; Clostridium perfringens; Concentration (composition); Concentration gradient; Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis; Diet; Dietary Proteins - metabolism; Dietary Proteins - pharmacology; Feces - microbiology; Feeding; Female; Fermentation; Fermentation - drug effects; Food science; Fructooligosaccharides; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - drug effects; Gel electrophoresis; Immunoglobulin A; Intestinal microflora; Lactobacillus; Lactobacillus - drug effects; Lactobacillus - growth & development; Lactobacillus - metabolism; Microbiota; Oligosaccharides; Oligosaccharides - metabolism; Oligosaccharides - pharmacology; Polymers; Populations; Prebiotics; Protein sources; Proteins; Raffinose; Raffinose - metabolism; Raffinose - pharmacology; Rats; Rodents; Soy products; Soybean Proteins - metabolism; Soybean Proteins - pharmacology
• DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.13391
• ISSN: 0022-1147

Although diet has an important influence on the composition of gut microbiota, the impact of dietary protein sources has only been studied to a minor extent. In this study, we examined the influence of different dietary protein sources regarding the effects of prebiotic oligosaccharides on the composition and metabolic activity of gut microbiota. Thirty female rats were fed casein and soy protein isolate with cellulose, raffinose (RAF), and fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Microbiota composition was examined by real‐time qPCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Dietary protein source affected cecum microbiota; acetic acid concentration and Lactobacillus spp. populations were greater with soy protein than with casein. Prebiotic oligosaccharides had distinctive effects on gut microbiota; RAF increased the acetic acid concentration and Bifidobacterium spp. populations, and FOS increased the butyric acid concentration regardless of the dietary protein. Likewise, Bifidobacterium sp., Collinsella sp., and Lactobacillus sp. were detected in microbiota of the rats fed RAF, and Bacteroides sp., Roseburia sp., and Blautia sp. were seen in microbiota of the rats fed FOS. Interactions between dietary proteins and prebiotic oligosaccharides were observed with Clostridium perfringens group populations and cecum IgA concentration. RAF and FOS decreased C. perfringens group populations in casein‐fed rats, and the combination of soy protein and RAF substantially increased cecum IgA concentration. These results indicate that dietary proteins can differentially modulate the effects of prebiotic oligosaccharides on gut fermentation and microbiota, depending on the type of carbohydrate polymers involved. Practical Application Prebiotic raffinose and fructooligosaccharides increased acetic acid and butyric acid concentrations in the cecum, respectively. Bifidobacterium sp., Collinsella sp., and Lactobacillus sp. were observed with raffinose feeding, while Bacteroides sp., Roseburia sp., and Blautia sp. were seen with fructooligosaccharides feeding. Dietary proteins can modulate the effects of prebiotic oligosaccharides. Cecum acetic acid concentration and Lactobacillus spp. populations were increased by soy protein compared with casein feeding, and cecum IgA concentration increased when combining soy protein and raffinose. Although raffinose and fructooligosaccharides induced a decrease in Clostridium perfringens group populations, this trend was only seen with casein feeding.