Chitosan Ameliorates DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis Mice by Enhancing Intestinal Barrier Function and Improving Microflora

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC) has been identified as one of the inflammatory diseases. Intestinal mucosal barrier function and microflora play major roles in UC. Modified-chitosan products have been consumed as effective and safe drugs to treat UC. The present work aimed to investigate the effect of chitosan (CS) on intestinal microflora and intestinal barrier function in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mice and to explore the underlying mechanisms. KM (Kunming) mice received water/CS (250, 150 mg/kg) for 5 days, and then received 3% DSS for 5 days to induce UC. Subsequently, CS (250, 150 mg/kg) was administered daily for 5 days. Clinical signs, body weight, colon length, and histological changes were recorded. Alterations of intestinal microflora were analyzed by PCR-DGGE, expressions of TNF-α and tight junction proteins were detected by Western blotting. CS showed a significant effect against UC by the increased body weight and colon length, decreased DAI (disease activity index) and histological injury scores, and alleviated histopathological changes. CS reduced the expression of TNF-α, promoted the expressions of tight junction proteins such as claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1 to maintain the intestinal mucosal barrier function for attenuating UC in mice. Furthermore, Parabacteroides, Blautia, Lactobacillus, and Prevotella were dominant organisms in the intestinal tract. Blautia and Lactobacillus decreased with DSS treatment, but increased obviously with CS treatment. This is the first time that the effect of original CS against UC in mice has been reported and it is through promoting dominant intestinal microflora such as Blautia, mitigating intestinal microflora dysbiosis, and regulating the expressions of TNF-α, claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1. CS can be developed as an effective food and health care product for the prevention and treatment of UC.

The Effects of Chitosan Oligosaccharide (COS) Treatment on Oxidative Stress and Its Relation with Intestinal Microflora in Rats Exposed To Cadmium

“…It was also reported that Mel treatment increased the Lactobacillus spp. counts in large intestines of colitic mice which was consistent with present study (Wang et al 2019). It can be also expressed that Cd+Mel treatment may be reduced Enterobacteriaceae count and lead to increase Lactobacillus spp./Lactococcus spp.…”

Community Metabolic Interactions, Vitamin Production and Prebiotic Potential of Medicinal Herbs Used for Immunomodulation

“…consume H 2 generated from fermentation of sugars, relieving the inhibition of further fermentation reactions and displayed increased relative abundance in an herb-specific manner. This genus has been associated with improved barrier function and reduced inflammation in models of murine ulcerative colitis in response to chitosan supplementation ( Wang et al, 2019 ). Blautia producta reduced poly (I:C)-induced inflammatory cytokine expression in HT-29 cells ( Pathmanathan et al, 2020 ).…”

A Glycosaminoglycan-Rich Fraction from Sea Cucumber Isostichopus badionotus Has Potent Anti-Inflammatory Properties In Vitro and In Vivo

“…FCS may also have had indirect protective actions. DSS disrupts the intestine microbiota, leading to loss of protective and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria and a concomitant expansion in the populations of opportunistic pathobionts [ 40 , 41 , 42 ]. In previous studies, FCS partially ameliorated intestinal dysbiosis associated with experimental metabolic syndromes [ 22 , 41 ].…”