Effects of the soluble fibre pectin on intestinal cell proliferation, fecal short chain fatty acid production and microbial population.
OBJECTIVE
Although pectin, a dietary fibre, has been suggested to possess some trophic effects on the intestine, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of pectin on rat intestinal cell proliferation and the intraluminal environment.


METHODS
Control and pectin-fed rats were given a fibre-free elemental diet (ED) and an ED containing 2.5% pectin, respectively. On the 15th day, the length, weight and number of Ki-67-positive cells from each intestinal segment, and the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and microbial population in the caecum were measured. Plasma glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) concentration and GLP-2 receptor (GLP-2R) mRNA levels in the epithelium were also determined.


RESULTS
Pectin supplementation resulted in significant increases in the length, weight, and number of Ki-67-positive cells in the ileum, caecum and colon. Although pectin supplementation did not affect the caecal microbial flora that produced SCFAs, the caecal SCFA content was significantly increased. Pectin supplementation also induced an increase in the plasma GLP-2 concentration, but did not affect the GLP-2R mRNA levels in the small intestine.


CONCLUSIONS
The increases in the caecal SCFAs and plasma GLP-2 levels induced by pectin supplementation may cause mucosal proliferation in the lower intestinal tract.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga, Japan. tetsufuk@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp
Tetsuya
T
Fukunaga
Masaya
M
Sasaki
Yoshio
Y
Araki
Toshihiko
T
Okamoto
Takashi
T
Yasuoka
Tomoyuki
T
Tsujikawa
Yoshihide
Y
Fujiyama
Tadao
T
Bamba
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D053767:Glucagon-Like Peptide 2; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000382:microbiology; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010368:Pectins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; C000593835:Glp1r protein, rat; D053767:Glucagon-Like Peptide 2; D000067757:Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D010455:Peptides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018027:Receptors, Glucagon; D004763:Glucagon-Like Peptides; D010368:Pectins