title: Nondigestible Fructans Alter Gastrointestinal Barrier Function, Gene Expression, Histomorphology, and the Microbiota Profiles of Diet-Induced Obese C57BL/6J Mice.
abstract: Obesity is associated with compromised intestinal barrier function and shifts in gastrointestinal microbiota that may contribute to inflammation. Fiber provides benefits, but impacts of fiber type are not understood.
  
  
  
  We aimed to determine the impact of cellulose compared with fructans on the fecal microbiota and gastrointestinal physiology in obese mice.
  
  
  
  Eighteen-wk-old male diet-induced obese C57BL/6J mice (n = 6/group; 40.5 g) were fed high-fat diets (45% kcal fat) containing 5% cellulose (control), 10% cellulose, 10% short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS), or 10% inulin for 4 wk. Cecal and colon tissues were collected to assess barrier function, histomorphology, and gene expression. Fecal DNA extracts were subjected to 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon-based Illumina MiSeq sequencing to assess microbiota.
  
  
  
  Body weight gain was greater (P < 0.05) in scFOS-fed than in 10% cellulose-fed mice. Both groups of fructan-fed mice had greater (P < 0.05) cecal crypt depth (scFOS: 141 μm; inulin: 145 μm) than both groups of cellulose-fed mice (5% and 10%: 109 μm). Inulin-fed mice had greater (P < 0.05) cecal transmural resistance (101 Ω × cm(2)) than 5% cellulose-fed controls (45 Ω × cm(2)). Inulin-fed mice had lower (P < 0.05) colonic mRNA abundance of Ocln (0.41) and Mct1 (0.35) than those fed 10% cellulose (Ocln: 1.28; Mct1: 0.90). Fructan and cellulose groups had different UniFrac distances of fecal microbiota (P < 0.05) and α diversity, which demonstrated lower (P < 0.01) species richness in fructan-fed mice. Mice fed scFOS had greater (P < 0.05) Actinobacteria (15.9%) and Verrucomicrobia (Akkermansia) (17.0%) than 5% controls (Actinobacteria: 0.07%; Akkermansia: 0.08%). Relative abundance of Akkermansia was positively correlated (r = 0.56, P < 0.01) with cecal crypt depth.
  
  
  
  Fructans markedly shifted gut microbiota and improved intestinal physiology in obese mice, but the mechanisms by which they affect gut integrity and inflammation in the obese are still unknown.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences.
authors.forename: Tzu-Wen
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences.
authors.forename: Kimberly D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Cephas
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, and Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.
authors.forename: Hannah D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Holscher
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences.
authors.forename: Katherine R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences.
authors.forename: Heather F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Mangian
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL.
authors.forename: Kelly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Tappenden
authors.affiliation: Division of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Animal Sciences, and ksswanso@illinois.edu.
authors.forename: Kelly S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Swanson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D002482:Cellulose / Q000494:pharmacology; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005630:Fructans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000187:drug effects*; D015870:Gene Expression; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007444:Inulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008820:Mice, Obese; D027501:Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D062793:Occludin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D027981:Symporters / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D000099233:Monocarboxylate Transport Protein 1
chemical_list: D002482:Cellulose; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005630:Fructans; D007444:Inulin; D027501:Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters; D062793:Occludin; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D027981:Symporters; D000099233:Monocarboxylate Transport Protein 1; C568986:Ocln protein, mouse
keywords: fiber; gut microbiota; intestinal permeability; obesity; tight junctions