Oat protein isolate- β-glucan conjugate nanoparticles bound to β-carotene effectively alleviate immunosuppression by regulating gut microbiota

• Published in: Food & function Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 1867 - 1883
• Main Authors: Zhong, Lei, Hu, Qiuhui, Zhan, Qiping, Zhao, Mingwen, Zhao, Liyan
• Format: Journal Article
• Published: 19.02.2024
• ISSN: 2042-6496; 2042-650X
• DOI: 10.1039/d3fo05158g

Individuals with immune disorders cannot establish an adequate defense to pathogens, leading to gut microbiota dysbiosis. β-Carotene can regulate immune response, but its bioavailability in vivo is very low. Herein, we developed a glycosylated oat protein-based nanoparticle to improve the application of β-carotene for mitigating cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression and gut microbiota imbalance in mice. The results showed that the nanoparticles facilitated a conversion of β-carotene to retinol or retinyl palmitate into the systemic circulation, leading to an increased bioavailability of β-carotene. The encapsulated β-carotene bolstered humoral immunity by elevating immunoglobulin levels, augmenting splenic T lymphocyte subpopulations, and increasing splenic cytokine concentrations in immunosuppressed mice. This effect was accompanied by the alleviation of pathological features observed in the spleen. In addition, the encapsulated β-carotene restored the abnormal gut microbiota associated with immunosuppression, including Erysipelotrichaceae, Akkermansia , Bifidobacterium and Roseburia . This study suggested that nanoparticles loaded with β-carotene have great potential for therapeutic intervention in human immune disorders by specifically targeting the gut microbiota. β-carotene-loaded nanoparticles, stabilized by Maillard-type oat protein isolate- Pleurotus ostreatus β-glucan conjugates, can mitigate immunosuppression through the regulation of gut microbiota.