The effect of algal polysaccharides laminarin and fucoidan on colonic pathology, cytokine gene expression and Enterobacteriaceae in a dextran sodium sulfate-challenged porcine model.
The algal polysaccharides laminarin (LAM) and fucoidan (FUC) have potent anti-inflammatory activities in the gastrointestinal tract. Our objective was to examine the impact of prior consumption of LAM and/or FUC on pathology and inflammation following a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) challenge in pigs. Pigs (n 7/group) were assigned to one of five experimental groups for 56 d. From 49-55 d, distilled water or DSS was administered intragastrically. The experimental groups were: (1) basal diet + distilled water (control); (2) basal diet + DSS (DSS); (3) basal diet + FUC + DSS (FUC + DSS); (4) basal diet + LAM + DSS (LAM + DSS); and (5) basal diet + LAM + FUC + DSS (LAMFUC + DSS). The DSS group had decreased body-weight gain (P < 0·05) and serum xylose (P < 0·05), and increased proximal colon pathology score (P < 0·05), diarrhoeal score (P < 0·001) and colonic Enterobacteriaceae (P < 0·05) relative to the control group. The FUC + DSS (P < 0·01), LAM + DSS (P < 0·05) and LAMFUC + DSS (P < 0·05) groups had improved diarrhoeal score, and the LAMFUC + DSS (P < 0·05) group had improved body weight relative to the DSS group. The FUC + DSS group (P < 0·001), LAM + DSS group (P < 0·05) and LAMFUC + DSS group (P < 0·001) had lower IL-6 mRNA abundance relative to the DSS group. The LAM + DSS group had reduced Enterobacteriaceae in proximal colon digesta relative to the DSS group (P < 0·05). In conclusion, FUC or a combination of FUC and LAM improved body-weight loss, diarrhoeal scores and clinical variables associated with a DSS challenge in pigs, in tandem with a reduction in colonic IL-6 mRNA abundance.
School of Agriculture and Food Science , College of Life Sciences, University College Dublin , Belfield, Dublin 4 , Republic of Ireland.
C J
CJ
O'Shea
School of Agriculture and Food Science , College of Life Sciences, University College Dublin , Belfield, Dublin 4 , Republic of Ireland.
J V
JV
O'Doherty
School of Veterinary Medicine , College of Life Sciences, University College Dublin , Belfield, Dublin 4 , Republic of Ireland.
J J
JJ
Callanan
School of Agriculture and Food Science , College of Life Sciences, University College Dublin , Belfield, Dublin 4 , Republic of Ireland.
D
D
Doyle
School of Veterinary Medicine , College of Life Sciences, University College Dublin , Belfield, Dublin 4 , Republic of Ireland.
K
K
Thornton
School of Veterinary Medicine , College of Life Sciences, University College Dublin , Belfield, Dublin 4 , Republic of Ireland.
T
T
Sweeney
Cytokines; DSS, dextran sodium sulphate; Dextran sodium sulfate; Enterobacteriaceae; FUC, fucoidan; Fucoidan; LAM, laminarin; LAMFUC, laminarin+ fucoidan; Laminarin; Pigs; UC, ulcerative colitis; Ulcerative colitis