A high-fructose diet (HFrD) has been
reported to exacerbate
dextran
sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. 2′-Fucosyllactose (FL)
and galactooligosaccharide (GOS) have been shown, respectively, to
have preventive and ameliorative effects on colitis, while limited
research has explored whether GOS and FL may be equally protective
or preventive in mice with HFrD. Here, we evaluated the protective
effects of FL and GOS on colitis exacerbated by feeding HFrD and explored
the underlying mechanisms. DSS-induced colitis was studied in four
randomized C57BL/6J male mice (n = 8 mice/group).
Among them, three groups were fed with HFrD, and two received either
GOS or FL treatment, respectively. Gut microbial composition was analyzed
by 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Intestinal barrier integrity and inflammatory
pathway expression were measured using qPCR, immunofluorescence, and
Western blot methods. Compared to the HFrD group, GOS or FL treatment
increased the α-diversity of the gut microbiota, reduced the
relative abundance of Akkermansia, and increased
the content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), respectively. Compared
with the HFrD group, GOS or FL treatment improved the loss of goblet
cells and the reduction of tight junction protein expression, thereby
improving intestinal barrier integrity. Also, GOS or FL inhibited
the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and oxidative stress to
suppress the inflammatory cascade compared with the HFrD group. These
findings suggest that GOS or FL intake can alleviate HFrD-exacerbated
colitis, with no significant difference observed between GOS and FL
treatments.