title: Fermented barley and soybean (BS) mixture enhances intestinal barrier function in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic or relapsing immune system activation and inflammation within the gastrointestinal tract. The lack of safety and efficacy of standard therapies, the use of food supplements for managing IBD is increasing, and many studies have reported that various food supplements provide many beneficial effects for the IBD.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study aimed to evaluate the anti-colitis effects of dietary supplementation with a fermented barley and soybean mixture (BS) on intestinal inflammation using a murine model of IBD. Female C57BL/6 mice were administered with either BS (100 and 200 mg/kg/day) or vehicle (PBS) control through oral gavages for 3 days and received 5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) drinking water to induce colitis. Mice body weight was measured every two days and disease activity index (DAI) score was determined on Day 15; mice were sacrificed and colons were analyzed by H & E staining and RT-PCR. We also measured intestinal barrier function in vitro using DSS-treated Caco-2 cells by assessing ZO-1 immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting and in vivo by measuring serum level of FITC-Dextran and by performing bacteria culture from mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) extract. The gut microbiota was examined by real time PCR using fecal DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that BS alleviated the severity of colitis in a DSS-induced colitis mouse model, and suppressed levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in colonic tissue. Moreover, BS prevented epithelial barrier dysfunction, inducing an increase of tight junction protein levels in colonic tissues, BS also inhibited FITC-dextran permeability, and suppressed bacterial translocation to MLNs. In addition, BS increased the levels of Lactobacilli and Bacteroides, which have anti-inflammatory properties.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that BS has protective roles against inflammatory bowel disease through changes in inflammatory activity, tight junction protein expression, and gut microbiota composition in DSS-induced colitis.
authors.affiliation: Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gachon University, Incheon, 21999, Republic of Korea.|Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Genomics, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Kyu
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.affiliation: Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gachon University, Incheon, 21999, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seungho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gachon University, Incheon, 21999, Republic of Korea.|Research Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 410-769, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ju-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Sempio Fermentation Research Center, Osong, 363-954, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Eung
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Sempio Fermentation Research Center, Osong, 363-954, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Serk
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Hurh
authors.affiliation: Sempio Fermentation Research Center, Osong, 363-954, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gachon University, Incheon, 21999, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Yeou
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gachon University, Incheon, 21999, Republic of Korea. eyeball@hanmail.net.|College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21999, Republic of Korea. eyeball@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Seung Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000187:drug effects; D001467:Hordeum / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry*; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016264:Dextran Sulfate
keywords: Dietary supplementation; Fermented foods; Food supplements; Inflammatory bowel disease; Intestinal bowel disease; Intestinal microbiota