Consumption of Butylated Starch Alleviates the Chronic Restraint Stress-Induced Neurobehavioral and Gut Barrier Deficits Through Reshaping the Gut Microbiota

Abstract

The beneficial effect of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) on host health has been well recognized based on the booming knowledge from gut microbiome research. The role of SCFA in influencing psychological function is highlighted in recent years but has not been fully elucidated. In this study, the SCFA-acylated starches were used to accomplish a sizeable intestine-targeted release of the SCFAs, and the neurobehavioral, immunological, and microbial effects were further investigated. Acetylated-, butylated-, and isobutylated-starch could attenuate the depression-like behaviors and excessive corticosterone production in chronically stressed mice. Butylated- starch significantly reduced the colonic permeability via increasing the tight junction proteins (including ZO-1, Claudin, and Occludin) gene expression and reduced the level of the inflammatory cytokines (including IL-1β and IL-6). The butylated starch’s neurological and immunological benefits may be derived from the gut microbiome modifications, including normalizing the abundance of certain beneficial microbes (Odoribacter and Oscillibacter) and metabolomic pathways (Tryptophan synthesis and Inositol degradation). The present findings further validate the brain-beneficial effect of butyrate and offer novel guidance for developing novel food or dietary supplements for improving mental health.

Marked shifts in gut microbial structure and neurotransmitter metabolism in fresh inmates revealed a close link between gut microbiota and mental health: A case-controlled study

“…The gut microbiota in inmates showed decreased diversity, which was consistent with previous reports that stressor exposure significantly decreased the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota ( Nikolova et al, 2021 ) while treatment with probiotic showed positive psychological effects and was accompanied with increased gut bacterial diversity ( Messaoudi et al, 2011 ). Previous investigations have demonstrated that SCFAs, especially butyrate, were effective to ameliorate depression and anxiety-like behaviors by up-regulating the tight junction protein expression in brain ( Tian et al, 2021 ). In our study, many SCFAs/butyrate-producing genera were significantly lower in inmates than unimprisoned control, which supported the previous report that the depressive disorders were characterized by a reduction of anti-inflammatory butyrate-producing bacteria ( Tian et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Previous investigations have demonstrated that SCFAs, especially butyrate, were effective to ameliorate depression and anxiety-like behaviors by up-regulating the tight junction protein expression in brain ( Tian et al, 2021 ). In our study, many SCFAs/butyrate-producing genera were significantly lower in inmates than unimprisoned control, which supported the previous report that the depressive disorders were characterized by a reduction of anti-inflammatory butyrate-producing bacteria ( Tian et al, 2021 ).…”

How Microbes Affect Depression: Underlying Mechanisms via the Gut–Brain Axis and the Modulating Role of Probiotics

“…After absorption at the colon, butyrate is utilized by colonocyte for energy production, some of which then travels through the systemic circulation and reaches the brain through the blood-brain barrier [49][50][51]. In animal studies, butyrate was shown to accelerate BDNF expression in the hippocampus via inhibition of histone deacetylase [52], and to improve depressive behavior in stress-induced depression model mice [53]. As previously mentioned, several studies have revealed a lower level of butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut microbiota of MDD patients, and butyrate-producing Faecalibacterium and Coprococcus bacteria were positively associated with higher quality of life indicators in a cohort study of the Flemish Gut Flora Project [54].…”

Resilience and the Gut Microbiome: Insights from Chronically Socially Stressed Wild-Type Mice

“…Treatment for 28 days with L. reuteri could restore some changesinf the microbiome as a result of CSDS and also influence the serotonine metabolism [45]. Contra intuition, it reduced acetate and total SCFAs in the stressed mice while treatment with butyrate, for example, has been shown to have rather anti-depressant effect in rodents before [46,47]. Such discrepancies might also rely on the dosage of the administered probiotics.…”