Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) Extract Attenuates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Acute Experimental Colitis by Improving Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids Compositions in Mice

Abstract

Drugs for inflammatory bowel diseases can be associated with serious side effects, and the development of alternative candidate resources derived from natural products has attracted considerable attention. Oyster extract (OE) derived from Crassostrea gigas contains glycogen, taurine, and amino acids, and has been assigned diverse health-promoting properties. This study investigated the anti-colitis effect of OE intake on fecal microbiota and its metabolites of acute experimental colitis mouse model induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). C57BL/6J mice (male) were divided into three groups: (1) American Institute of Nutrition (AIN) 93G diet + DSS-untreated, (2) AIN93G diet + DSS-treated, and (3) 5% OE diet + DSS-treated. Mice were fed each diet for 21 days, and then administered 2.5% DSS solution to induce acute colitis for 7 days. In DSS-induced colitis mice, OE decreased body weight loss and increased disease activity index during the DSS-induced period. In addition, OE tended to decrease the colon length shortening and the relative spleen weight and alleviated colonic tissue damage. Moreover, OE improved fecal short-chain fatty acids compositions and altered the structure of fecal microbiota. These results provide insight into the health-promoting property of OE in alleviating DSS-induced acute colitis, providing a basis for the development and use of functional foods.

Dietary Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) Extract Ameliorates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Chronic Experimental Colitis by Improving the Composition of Gut Microbiota in Mice

“…Compared with the control + DSS group, OE intake (the OE + DSS group) could alleviate colonic length shortening, as well as increase in the relative spleen weight, colonic histopathological scores (regeneration), and blood in the stool scores on day 16 (a DAI evaluation item). Previously, we reported that OE intake has an ameliorative effect on acute experimental colitis induced by DSS administration [ 15 ]. These indicate that OE intake ameliorates acute and chronic experimental colitis induced by DSS administration.…”

“…The preparation of OE from C. gigas , as well as its nutrient composition, have been described in our previous report [ 15 ].…”

“…Table S1 presents the composition of the experimental diet based on AIN-93G [ 18 ], with equal amounts of carbohydrate (645 g/kg), protein (200 g/kg), fat (70 g/kg), and sodium chloride (4.12 g/kg). As reported in our previous studies [ 9 , 14 , 15 ], the OE concentration in the experimental diet was set at 5.0% ( w / w ). Mice were housed in individual breeding cages (cat.…”

“…319-08901; Nippon Gene Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) and 10% formalin solution for Tissue Fixation (Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemicals, Osaka, Japan), respectively. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE)-stained distal colon specimens were prepared and scored for inflammation, crypt damage, regeneration, and extent, as previously reported [ 15 , 20 ].…”

“…In contrast, we have reported that dietary OE can affect the gut microbiota community and bacterial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in rodent models [ 13 , 14 ]. On examining the effect of OE intake on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a well-known underlying cause of gut environment deterioration, OE, could alleviate symptoms of acute experimental colitis in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse model, partly by improving the gut environment, including the microbiota community (composition and diversity) and SCFA composition [ 15 ]. However, human IBD is a chronic symptom of this relapsing and remitting state, and an acute experimental colitis mouse model does not comprehensively simulate human IBD.…”