title: Different human gut models reveal the distinct fermentation patterns of Arabinoxylan versus inulin.
abstract: Different in vitro models have been developed to assess how food compounds affect the human gut microbiota. Using two such models (SHIME(R) and TIM-2), we compared how long-chain arabinoxylan (LC-AX), a wheat-derived potentially prebiotic fiber, and inulin (IN), a well-established prebiotic compound, modulate SCFA production and bifidobacteria composition. While both the SHIME and TIM-2 differ in experimental design, they both demonstrated that LC-AX and IN specifically increased the health-promoting metabolites propionate and butyrate, respectively. Furthermore, LC-AX stimulated Bifidobacterium longum, while IN stimulated other bifidobacteria including Bifidobacterium adolescentis. The SHIME experiment also revealed that effects of LC-AX were more persistent during the 2-week wash-out period. These results confirm a recent in vivo study, during which humanized rats were treated with the same LC-AX/IN. In conclusion, results from different human gut models suggest that, besides IN, LC-AX are promising prebiotic candidates with high specificity toward Bifidobacterium longum and a selective propionate increase.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University , Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium ;
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van den Abbeele
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venema
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Van de Wiele
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Verstraete
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Possemiers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D005285:Fermentation; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007444:Inulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D064307:Microbiota; D008954:Models, Biological; D056692:Prebiotics / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology; D051381:Rats; D014990:Xylans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D056692:Prebiotics; D014990:Xylans; D007444:Inulin; C085118:arabinoxylan