title: Xylo-oligosaccharides alone or in synbiotic combination with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis induce bifidogenesis and modulate markers of immune function in healthy adults: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, factorial cross-over study.
abstract: Prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics are dietary ingredients with the potential to influence health and mucosal and systemic immune function by altering the composition of the gut microbiota. In the present study, a candidate prebiotic (xylo-oligosaccharide, XOS, 8 g/d), probiotic (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bi-07, 109 colony-forming units (CFU)/d) or synbiotic (8 g XOS+109 CFU Bi-07/d) was given to healthy adults (25-65 years) for 21 d. The aim was to identify the effect of the supplements on bowel habits, self-reported mood, composition of the gut microbiota, blood lipid concentrations and immune function. XOS supplementation increased mean bowel movements per d (P= 0·009), but did not alter the symptoms of bloating, abdominal pain or flatulence or the incidence of any reported adverse events compared with maltodextrin supplementation. XOS supplementation significantly increased participant-reported vitality (P= 0·003) and happiness (P= 0·034). Lowest reported use of analgesics was observed during the XOS+Bi-07 supplementation period (P= 0·004). XOS supplementation significantly increased faecal bifidobacterial counts (P= 0·008) and fasting plasma HDL concentrations (P= 0·005). Bi-07 supplementation significantly increased faecal B. lactis content (P= 0·007), lowered lipopolysaccharide-stimulated IL-4 secretion in whole-blood cultures (P= 0·035) and salivary IgA content (P= 0·040) and increased IL-6 secretion (P= 0·009). XOS supplementation resulted in lower expression of CD16/56 on natural killer T cells (P= 0·027) and lower IL-10 secretion (P= 0·049), while XOS and Bi-07 supplementation reduced the expression of CD19 on B cells (XOS × Bi-07, P= 0·009). The present study demonstrates that XOS induce bifidogenesis, improve aspects of the plasma lipid profile and modulate the markers of immune function in healthy adults. The provision of XOS+Bi-07 as a synbiotic may confer further benefits due to the discrete effects of Bi-07 on the gut microbiota and markers of immune function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK.
authors.forename: Caroline E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Childs
authors.affiliation: Active Nutrition, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Kantvik FI-02460, Finland.
authors.forename: Henna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Röytiö
authors.affiliation: Pharmatest Services Limited, Turku FI-20520, Finland.
authors.forename: Esa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alhoniemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK.
authors.forename: Agnes A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fekete
authors.affiliation: Active Nutrition, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Kantvik FI-02460, Finland.
authors.forename: Sofia D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Forssten
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK.
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hudjec
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK.
authors.forename: Ying Ni
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK.
authors.forename: Cara J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Steger
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK.
authors.forename: Parveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yaqoob
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK.
authors.forename: Kieran M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Tuohy
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rastall
authors.affiliation: Active Nutrition, DuPont Nutrition and Health, Kantvik FI-02460, Finland.
authors.forename: Arthur C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ouwehand
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, The University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AP, UK.
authors.forename: Glenn R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Gibson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003672:Defecation; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D056692:Prebiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D058616:Synbiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D005965:Glucuronates; C508609:IL10 protein, human; C508598:IL4 protein, human; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D015850:Interleukin-6; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D056692:Prebiotics; D014280:Triglycerides; C570991:xylooligosaccharide; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4