Research progress on edible mushroom polysaccharides as a novel therapeutic strategy for inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex condition linked to the gut microbiota, host metabolism, and the immune system. Edible mushroom polysaccharides (EMPs) are gaining attention for their benefits, particularly as prebiotics that help balance gut microbial, a key factor in IBD. With their scalable production, diverse hydrophilic properties, and demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in both laboratory and animal studies, EMPs show promise for easing IBD symptoms. By supporting a healthy gut microbiome through various mechanisms, EMPs can play an important role in preventing and managing IBD, ultimately benefiting overall health and opening new treatment avenues. This review examines how EMPs affect IBD, focusing on their role in shaping gut microbiota, restoring gut barriers, regulating immune function, and influencing pathways related to colitis. It also explores their impact on the microbiota-gut-multi organ axis and overall host health, as well as the relationship between EMPs preparation, structure, and bioactivity, along with their potential applications in food and medicine. This investigation provides valuable insights into the intricate connections between the gut, immune system, and systemic inflammation system, highlighting how EMPs are key players in this complex interaction.

Multi-Effects of Natural Plant Bioactive Components on Intestinal Health in Pigs: Promising Feed-Antibiotic Alternatives?

The poor intestinal health induced by management, stress, or infection remains a substantial challenge restricting the rapid development of the pig industry. Some natural plant bioactive components (NPBCs) have garnered considerable interest owing to their multifarious benefits, including enhancing intestinal morphology, digestion and absorption, barrier function, immune function, and regulating the gut microbiota. However, there are critical factors, such as the lack of standardized production technologies, lower stability and bioavailability, and unclear mechanisms of NPBCs, severely limiting their feeding efficacy and their application in animal production. Here, we conducted a comprehensive review of the recent advances regarding the impacts of NPBCs on pig gut health. Additionally, we highlighted the key areas that warrant further in-depth investigation. Taken together, NPBCs could be green, safe, and effective feed additives by constructively overcoming their limitations, and they are expected to have broader applications in animal husbandry.

Mechanisms of the effects of turpiniae folium extract on growth performance, immunity, antioxidant activity and intestinal barrier function in LPS-challenged broilers

Turpiniae folium extract (TFE) has shown anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in broilers. However, its mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the underlying mechanisms by which TFE influences growth performance, jejunal morphology, immune function, antioxidant capacity and barrier integrity in broilers challenged with Lipopolysaccharide (LPS). A total of 240 one-day-old female broilers were randomly divided into four groups with six replicates of ten birds each. A 2 × 2 factorial design with TFE (basal diets supplemented with 0 or 500 mg/kg TFE) and LPS challenge (intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg/kg body weight of sterile saline or LPS at 21, 23 and 25 days of age). The trial lasted for 26 days. The results showed that: Prior to the LPS challenge, dietary supplementation with TFE for 21 days increased both average daily gain (ADG) (P = 0.037) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) (P = 0.045) in broilers. During the LPS challenge period, LPS challenge led to a decline in growth performance and a negative impact on intestinal morphology, while TFE supplementation significantly reversed these adverse effects, as evidenced by increases in ADG (P = 0.004), ADFI (P = 0.046), jejunal villus height (VH) (P = 0.035), the villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH/CD) (P = 0.007) and decreases in the feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) (P = 0.025), jejunal crypt depth (CD) (P = 0.049). LPS induced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in the jejunum, leading to a significant upregulation of pro-inflammatory factor gene and protein expression, and a marked downregulation of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant gene and protein expression. TFE supplementation mitigated these effects by yielding completely opposite results except for the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) protein (P = 0.916). LPS negatively regulates the expression of genes and proteins involved in intestinal mucosal barrier function. In contrast, TFE supplementation significantly upregulated the expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) (P < 0.001) gene and ZO-1 (P < 0.001), occludin (OCLN) (P < 0.001), claudin (CLDN) (P < 0.001) proteins. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with TFE effectively counteracts the intestinal immune and oxidative stress induced by LPS challenge in broilers, improves intestinal mucosal barrier integrity and tissue morphology, and ultimately mitigates the negative impact of LPS on broiler growth performance. This effect may involve the modulation of the Nrf2 and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways.

Exopolysaccharide of Levilactobacillus brevis M-10 Improved Physiological and Biochemical Indicators and Gut Microbiota in DSS-Induced Colitis Mice

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a typical type of inflammatory bowel disease, which is often recurrent and directly related with colorectal cancer. Therefore, early prevention and treatment for UC is very necessary. Therefore, it is necessary to find efficient substances to treat the UC with less side effects than drugs. Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are important bioactive constituents of lactic acid bacteria. The study evaluated the effects of EPS1 produced by Levilactobacillus brevis M-10 on UC by determining the weight, the disease activity index (DAI) and the physiological and biochemical indexes. The pathological structures of colon were observed. The gut microbiota and the short-chain fatty acids were analyzed. The results demonstrated high dose (HD) of EPS1 (400 mg/kg-BW) that had the best effects on UC mice. The HD group restored body weight, decreased DAI and alleviated shortening of the length of the colon, recovered liver tissue, declined lipopolysaccharide, and myeloperoxidase. Also the HD group showed that the expression of tight junction proteins increased, IL-10 up-regulated, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α down-regulated, and the gut microbiota dysbiosis balanced. The HD group markedly elevated the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Unclassified-Lachnospiraceae, and Unclassified- Muribaculaceae. Acetic acid, propionic acid, and n-butyric acid were significantly increased in the HD group (P < 0.05). The study could provide a theoretical basis and material support for the exploration of safe functional food in alleviating and preventing UC.

Plant-Derived Polysaccharides Benefit Weaned Piglets by Regulating Intestinal Microbiota: A Review

The intestine harbors a community of bacteria that is intestinal microbiota, which is a complex and highly diverse community. This review discusses the gut microbiota in piglets, including the role of intestinal homeostasis in maintaining piglet health and the various factors that influence gut microbiota. Nutritional interventions, particularly the supplementation of plant-derived polysaccharides, including dietary fiber, for weaned piglets have been shown to enhance the abundance and colonization of beneficial intestinal microbes, reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal infections, and decrease the frequency of diarrhea, thereby improving gut health and growth performance. In this context, various polysaccharides, such as those derived from Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa), Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (licorice), and Lycium barbarum L. (wolfberry), Panax ginseng C.A. Mey. (ginseng), and Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge (astragalus) has demonstrated significant success. Additionally, dietary fibers such as inulin, pectin, beta-glucans, gums, cellulose, resistant starch, and starch derivatives have shown potential in regulating the gastrointestinal microbiota. Research has also explored the correlation between the structural characteristics of dietary polysaccharides and their biological activities. This review will pave the way for the development and utilization of plant-derived polysaccharides as effective non-antibiotic alternatives to restore gut microbial balance in weaning piglets.

Lentinan attenuates allergic airway inflammation and epithelial barrier dysfunction in asthma via inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway

BACKGROUND

Allergic asthma has been regarded as an inflammatory disease mediated by type 2 immunity. The treatment of progressive forms of asthma remains unsatisfactory despite substantial progress in drug development. Lentinan (LTN), a specific polysaccharide derived from Lentinus edodes, exhibits anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions. Nevertheless, the effect and underlying mechanisms of Lentinan on asthma remain unclear.

PURPOSE

This research investigated the regulatory role of Lentinan on allergic airway inflammation and epithelial barrier dysfunction in HDM (house dust mite)-induced asthma.

STUDY DESIGN

HDM-induced C57BL/6 mice received different dosages of Lentinan through intraperitoneal injections, to observe the effect of Lentinan against allergic airway inflammation and epithelial barrier dysfunction in asthma.

METHODS

Mice were intranasally administered HDM extract solution on days 0, 1, 2 and on days 8 to 12, establishing the allergic asthma model. On days 8 to 12, mice were intraperitoneally administered varying doses of Lentinan (5/10/20mg/kg) 1h before HDM challenge. On day 14, samples were harvested for analysis. Cell counting, flow cytometry, ELISA, HE and PAS staining, IF staining, western blotting, RT-PCR, and bioinformatic analysis were conducted to delve into the underlying functions and mechanisms of Lentinan in asthma.

RESULTS

Our study revealed that the treatment of Lentinan significantly ameliorated allergic airway inflammation and improved epithelial barrier dysfunction in experimental mice. Following Lentinan treatment, there was a significant reduction in eosinophil counts, accompanied by a diminished presence of type 2 cytokines. Reversal of epithelial barrier dysfunction after treatment was also observed. The therapeutic mechanism involved suppression of the PI3K/AKT/ NF-κB pathway.

CONCLUSION

Our research illuminated the protective role of Lentinan in allergic airway inflammation and impaired epithelial barrier, suggesting LTN could be an innovative and promising candidate for asthma treatment.

Simulated human digestion and fermentation of a high-molecular weight polysaccharide from Lentinula edodes mushroom and protective effects on intestinal barrier

Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) is an important edible mushroom and polysaccharides are its major constituents with proven health benefits. The study was to investigate the gut bacterial fermentation and subsequent effects on gut barrier function of a glucan-rich polysaccharide, LePS40 precipitated from the mushroom water extract with 40 % (v/v) ethanol. LePS40 consisted of a β-(1→3)-glucan main chain with substitution in the C-6 position with side chains mainly composed of (1 → 6)-linked β-Glcp residues, (1 → 6)-linked α-Galp residues and terminal residues of β-Glcp. LePS40 was found highly resistant to digestive enzymes and gastric acid in simulated human gastrointestinal tract, but highly fermentable during in vitro human fecal fermentation. The fecal fermentation degradation of LePS40 appeared to selectively break the glucoside linkage in view of the dramatic decrease in the glucose molar ratio (12.68 to 1.07). Compared with the prebiotic reference FOS, LePS40 led to much higher levels of butyric, and propionic acid and a lower level of acetic acid. Moreover, LePS40 enhanced the abundance of some beneficial bacterial populations, but decreased the bacteria possibly linked with fatty-liver disease and colorectal cancer. Furthermore, the fecal fermentation products of LePS40 showed a potential protective effect on intestinal barrier function against inflammatory damage in Caco-2/Raw264.7 co-culture model. These findings suggest the potential of LePS40 for improvement of gut health through modulation of gut microbiota.

Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Alleviates Intestinal Inflammation and Cell Apoptosis via the MKK3/6-P38 Pathway in a Piglet Model

This study investigates the underlying mechanism through which dietary supplementation of pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium (PQQ) alleviates intestinal inflammation and cell apoptosis in piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Seventy-two barrows were divided into three groups: control (CTRL), LPS challenged (LPS), and LPS challenged with PQQ supplementation (PQQ + LPS). On d 7, 11, and 14, piglets received intraperitoneal injections of LPS or 0.9% of NaCl (80 μg/kg). After a 4 h interval following the final LPS injection on d 14, blood samples were obtained, and all piglets were euthanized for harvesting jejunal samples. The results showed that dietary supplementation of PQQ improved the damage of intestinal morphology, increased the down-regulated tight junction proteins, and reduced the increase of serum diamine oxidase activity, the intestinal fatty acid binding protein, and TNF-α levels in piglets challenged with LPS (p < 0.05). The proteomics analysis revealed a total of 141 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), consisting of 64 up-regulated DEPs and 77 down-regulated DEPs in the PQQ + LPS group compared to the LPS group. The KEGG pathway analysis indicated enrichment of the tight junction pathway and the apoptosis pathway (p < 0.05). Compared to the LPS group, the piglets in the PQQ + LPS group had increased levels of Bcl-2 protein, reduced positive apoptosis signals, and a decrease in the abundance of MKK 3/6 and p-p38 proteins (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of PQQ could alleviate jejunal inflammatory damage and cell apoptosis in piglets challenged with LPS through the MKK3/6-p38 signaling pathway.

Effects of different ratios of soluble to insoluble dietary fiber on growth performance and intestinal health of piglets

This study investigated the impact of different ratios of soluble to insoluble dietary fiber (SDF:IDF) formulations by sugar beet pulp (SBP) supplementation on piglet growth performance, nutrient digestibility, immune function, intestinal morphology, intestinal microbiota and intestinal health. A total of 60 crossbred piglets (Duroc × [Landrace × Yorkshire]) at 40 d old with body weight of 10.0 ± 0.3 kg were randomly assigned to 5 treatments with 6 replicates per treatment and 2 piglets per replicate in a 21-d trial. The dietary treatments included a corn-soybean meal diet (0% SBP supplementation; CON), and diets supplemented with 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% SBP, representing different SDF:IDF ratios at 10.16%, 13.53%, 16.79%, 19.86%, and 24.81%, respectively. The results indicated that the 8% SBP treatment had a negative effect on feed-to-gain ratio (linear, P = 0.009) compared with the CON treatment (P = 0.021). The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of crude protein was lower in treatments supplemented with SBP (P = 0.002) and showed a linear decrease (P = 0.001), while the ATTD of IDF showed a linear increase (P = 0.037) in four SBP treatments compared to the CON treatment. The 4% SBP treatment increased serum concentrations of triglyceride (quadratic, P = 0.019) and K (linear, P < 0.0037), and decreased alanine transaminase concentration (quadratic, P = 0.015) compared with the CON treatment. The concentrations of Cit, Cys, Ile, Leu, Orn, Arg, taurine, urea, 1-methylhistidine, α-aminoadipic acid, α-aminobutyric acid and cystathionine in the 4% SBP treatment were highest among all treatments (P < 0.05). The serum concentrations of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, transforming growth factor-β, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the 6% SBP treatment were higher than those in the CON treatment (P < 0.05), which also increased mucin-2 and G protein-coupled receptor 41 mRNA expression (P < 0.05) in colonic mucosa compared with the CON treatment and improved the intestinal barrier function. Diets containing more than 19.86% SDF:IDF could impair the intestinal health in piglets when SBP was used as the SDF source. Supplementing nursery piglet diets with 16.79% to 19.86% SDF:IDF is recommended for improving intestinal barrier function, increasing short-chain fatty acids concentrations, and improving intestinal microbiota composition.

Necroptosis contributes to the intestinal toxicity of deoxynivalenol and is mediated by methyltransferase SETDB1

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a secondary metabolite produced by fungi, which causes serious health issues worldwide due to its widespread presence in human and animal diets. Necroptosis is a newly proposed cell death mode and has been proposed as a potential mechanism of intestinal disease. This study aimed to investigate the role of necroptosis in intestinal damage caused by DON exposure. Piglets were fed diets with or without 4 mg/kg DON for 3 weeks or given a gavage of 2 mg/kg BW DON or sterile saline to investigate the effects of chronic or acute DON exposure on the gut, respectively. IPEC-1 cells were challenged with different concentrations of DON to investigate the effect of DON exposure on the intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in vitro. Subsequently, the inhibitors of necroptosis were used to treat cells or piglets prior to DON challenge. Chronic and acute DON exposure both caused morphological damage, reduction of disaccharidase activity, decrease of tight junction protein expression, inflammation of the small intestine, and necroptosis of intestinal epithelial cells in piglets. Necroptosis was also detected when IPEC-1 cell damage was induced by DON in vitro. The suppression of necroptosis in IPEC-1 cells by inhibitors (necrostatin-1 (Nec-1), GSK'872, or GW806742X) alleviated cell death, the decrease of tight junction protein expression, oxidative stress, and the inflammatory response induced by DON. Furthermore, pre-treatment with Nec-1 in piglets was also observed to protect the intestine against DON-induced enterotoxicity. Additionally, the expression of histone methyltransferase SETDB1 was abnormally downregulated upon chronic and acute DON exposure in piglets, and necroptosis was activated in IPEC-1 cells due to knockout of SETDB1. Collectively, these results demonstrate that necroptosis of IECs is a mechanism of DON-induced enterotoxicity and SETDB1 mediates necroptosis upon DON exposure in IECs, suggesting the potential for targeted inhibition of necroptosis to alleviate mycotoxin-induced enterotoxicity and intestinal disease.

Natural Products with Potential Effects on Hemorrhoids: A Review

Hemorrhoid disease is a common anorectal disorder affecting populations worldwide, with high prevalence, treatment difficulties, and considerable treatment costs. Compared to other treatment options, medical therapy for hemorrhoids offers minimal harm, more dignity to patients, and is more economical. Unfortunately, there are few chemical hemorrhoid medications available clinically, which makes the search for efficacious, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly new medication classes a focal point of research. In this context, searching for available natural products to improve hemorrhoids exhibits tremendous potential. These products are derived from nature, predominantly from plants, with a minor portion coming from animals, fungi, and algae. They have excellent coagulation pathway regulation, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and tissue regeneration activities. Therefore, we take the view that they are a class of potential hemorrhoid drugs, prevention products, and medication add-on ingredients. This article first reviews the factors contributing to the development of hemorrhoids, types, primary symptoms, and the mechanisms of natural products for hemorrhoids. Building on this foundation, we screened natural products with potential hemorrhoid improvement activity, including polyphenols and flavonoids, terpenes, polysaccharides, and other types.

The regulatory effect of polysaccharides on the gut microbiota and their effect on human health: A review

Polysaccharides with low toxicity and high biological activities are a kind of biological macromolecule. Recently, growing studies have confirmed that polysaccharides could improve obesity, diabetes, tumors, inflammatory bowel disease, hyperlipidemia, diarrhea, and liver-related diseases by changing the intestinal micro-environment. Moreover, polysaccharides could promote human health by regulating gut microbiota, enhancing production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), improving intestinal mucosal barrier, regulating lipid metabolism, and activating specific signaling pathways. Notably, the biological activities of polysaccharides are closely related to their molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, glycosidic bond types, and regulation of gut microbiota. The intestinal microbiota can secrete glycoside hydrolases, lyases, and esterases to break down polysaccharides chains and generate monosaccharides, thereby promoting their absorption and utilization. The degradation of polysaccharides can produce SCFAs, further regulating the proportion of gut microbiota and achieving the effect of preventing and treating various diseases. This review aims to summarize the latest studies: 1) effect of polysaccharides structures on intestinal flora; 2) regulatory effect of polysaccharides on gut microbiota; 3) effects of polysaccharides on gut microbe-mediated diseases; 4) regulation of gut microbiota on polysaccharides metabolism. The findings are expected to provide important information for the development of polysaccharides and the treatment of diseases.

Therapeutic Potential of Fungal Polysaccharides in Gut Microbiota Regulation: Implications for Diabetes, Neurodegeneration, and Oncology

This review evaluates the therapeutic effects of polysaccharides derived from mushroom species that have medicinal and edible properties. The fungal polysaccharides were recently studied, focusing on their modulation of the gut microbiota and their impact on various diseases. The study covers both clinical and preclinical studies, detailing the results and highlighting the significant influence of these polysaccharides on gut microbiota modulation. It discusses the potential health benefits derived from incorporating these polysaccharides into the diet for managing chronic diseases such as diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the interaction between fungal polysaccharides and the gut microbiota, underscoring their role in modulating the gut microbial community. It presents a systematic analysis of the findings, demonstrating the substantial impact of fungal polysaccharides on gut microbiota composition and function, which may contribute to their therapeutic effects in various chronic conditions. We conclude that the modulation of the gut microbiota by these polysaccharides may play a crucial role in mediating their therapeutic effects, offering a promising avenue for further research and potential applications in disease prevention and treatment.

The Effects of Lentinan on the Hematological and Immune Indices of Dairy Cows

In this study, we investigated the effects of lentinan (LNT) on hematological parameters, immune indices, and metabolite levels in dairy cows. We randomly assigned forty Holstein cows to four treatment groups. The treatments consisted of 0, 5, 10, and 15 g/d of LNT. Compared with the control group, the addition of 10 g/d of LNT decreased the content of ALT and IL-8 but simultaneously increased the content of IL-4 in the cows' serum. Supplementation with 10 g/d of LNT decreased the levels of lymphocyte, RDW, ALT, AST, TC, IL-2, and IL-8, but, concurrently, in-creased the levels of granulocytes and IL-4 in their serum. In addition, supplementation with 15 g/d of LNT decreased the levels of RDW, TC, IL-2, and IL-8, but, at the same time, increased the levels of IL-4 and IgM in their serum. For the metabolomic analysis, cows fed with 0 and 10 g/d of LNT were selected. The results showed that 10 metabolites, including reduced nicotinamide riboside and trehalose, were upregulated in the 10 g/d group. These differential metabolites were enriched in tyrosine metabolism and trehalose degradation and altered two metabolic pathways of ubiquinone and other terpene quinone biosynthesis, as well as starch and sucrose metabolism. These findings provide evidence that LNT could be used to reduce the risk of inflammation in dairy cows.

The effect of lentinan on dexamethasone-induced immunosuppression in mice

The immune system acts as a vital defense barrier against pathogenic invasions, and its stable operation is crucial for maintaining body health. Nevertheless, various natural or artificial factors can compromise the body's immune function, leading to immunosuppression, which may interfere with the efficacy of vaccination and increase the susceptibility of the body to disease-causing pathogens. In an effort to ensure successful vaccinations and improve overall physical well-being, the search for appropriate immune regulators to enhance immunity is of paramount importance. Lentinan (LNT) has a significant role in immune regulation and vaccine adjuvants. In the present study, we constructed an immunosuppressive model using dexamethasone (DEX) and demonstrated that LNT could significantly improved antibody levels in immunosuppressive mice and stimulated T-lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation in intestinal Peyer's patches. LNT also increased the production of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in the duodenal fluid, the number of goblet cells, and the proportion of mucin area. Moreover, LNT modulated the intestinal microbiota and increased the production of short-chain fatty acids. Additionally, LNT promoted the proliferation, differentiation, and pro-inflammatory cytokines production of DEX-treated splenic T lymphocytes in vitro. Thus, the present study highlights the potential of LNT in reversing immunosuppression and avoiding the failure of vaccination.

Inonotus obliquus polysaccharide are linear molecules that alter the abundance and composition of intestinal microbiota in Sprague Dawley rats

Introduction

The macromolecular polysaccharide Inonotus obliquus polysaccharide (IOP) is composed of various monosaccharides, and it could modulate the composition and diversity of intestinal flora. However, its impact on the intestinal flora in rats of different genders remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the structural changes of IOP and its effects on the intestinal flora after administration in male and female rats.

Methods

In this study, the molecular weight and purity of IOP were analyzed by high-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC) and phenol sulfuric acid method, and NMR was used to confirm the chemical structure of IOP. Sex hormone [testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2)] levels and intestinal microbial changes were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and 16S rRNA, respectively, after gavage of IOP (100 mg/kg) in male and female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats.

Results

HPGPC analysis showed that the average molecular weight (Mw) of IOP was 4,828  Da, and the total sugar content of the purified IOP was 96.2%, indicating that the polysaccharide is of high purity. NMR revealed that IOP is a linear macromolecule with an α-D-type glucose backbone. The results of ELISA and 16S rRNA showed that the IOP increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Clostridia_UCG-014 and Prevotellaceae_NK3B31, and reduced that of harmful bacteria, such as Colidextribacter and Desulfobacterota in the intestine of both male and female rats, and IOP changed the levels of sex hormones in male and female rats. Further analyses revealed that the increase in alpha diversity was higher in male than female rats. α diversity and β diversity revealed a significant difference in the composition of cecal microbiota between male and female rats in the control group, but IOP intake reduced this difference. Meanwhile, α analysis revealed a change in the composition of bacterial flora was more stable in male than female rats.

Conclusions

This study enhances our comprehension of the IOP structure and elucidates the alterations in intestinal flora following IOP administration in rats of varying genders. Nonetheless, further investigation is warranted to explore the specific underlying reasons for these discrepancies.

The Low-FODMAP Diet, IBS, and BCFAs: Exploring the Positive, Negative, and Less Desirable Aspects-A Literature Review

The literature about the association of branched short-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is limited. BCFAs, the bacterial products of the catabolism of branched-chain amino acids, are proposed as markers for colonic protein fermentation. IBS is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by low-grade inflammation and intestinal dysbiosis. The low-FODMAP diet (LFD) has increasingly been applied as first-line therapy for managing IBS symptoms, although it decreases the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), well known for their anti-inflammatory action. In parallel, high protein consumption increases BCFAs. Protein fermentation alters the colonic microbiome through nitrogenous metabolites production, known for their detrimental effects on the intestinal barrier promoting inflammation. Purpose: This review aims to explore the role of BCFAs on gut inflammation in patients with IBS and the impact of LFD in BCFAs production. Methods: A literature search was carried out using a combination of terms in scientific databases. Results: The included studies have contradictory findings about how BCFAs affect the intestinal health of IBS patients. Conclusions: Although evidence suggests that BCFAs may play a protective role in gut inflammation, other metabolites of protein fermentation are associated with gut inflammation. Further research is needed in order to clarify how diet protein composition and, consequently, the BCFAs are implicated in IBS pathogenesis or in symptoms management with LFD+.

Dietary emodin alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced intestinal mucosal barrier injury by regulating gut microbiota in piglets

This study was to determine the effects of dietary emodin (ED) on the intestinal mucosal barrier, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathways, and gut microbial flora in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced piglets. Twenty-four weaned piglets were chosen and 4 treatments were created by randomly distributing piglets into CON, ED, LPS, and ED_LPS groups. Experiments were done in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement and maintained for 21 d. Dietary treatment (a basal diet or 300 mg/kg ED) and immunological challenge (LPS or sterile saline) were 2 major factors. Intraperitoneal injections of LPS or sterilized saline were given to piglets on d 21. Six hours after the LPS challenge, all piglets were euthanized for sample collection and analysis. The results showed that piglets of the ED_LPS group had higher (P < 0.05) villus height to crypt depth ratio (VCR), and lower (P < 0.05) plasma D-lactate and diamine oxidase (DAO) than the LPS group. Furthermore, ED inhibited (P < 0.05) the decrease of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) activities and increase of malonaldehyde level (P < 0.05) in jejunal mucosa induced by LPS. The mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α) were significantly reduced (P < 0.05), and the mRNA levels of antioxidant enzyme genes (GPX-1, SOD2 and CAT), as well as protein and mRNA levels of tight junction proteins (occludin, claudin-1, and ZO-1), were also significantly increased (P < 0.05) by ED addition in LPS-induced piglets. Meanwhile, ED supplementation significantly decreased the LPS-induced protein levels of cyclooxygenase-2 and phosphorylation levels of NF-κB p65 and IκBα in jejunal mucosa. Emodin had a significant effect on the composition of gut microbial flora at various taxonomic positions as indicated by 16S RNA sequencing. The acetic acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, and isovaleric acid concentrations in the cecum were also increased by ED addition in pigs (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the correlation analysis revealed that some intestinal microbiota had a potential relationship with jejunal VCR, plasma D-lactate and DAO, jejunal mucosa GSH-Px and CAT activity, and cecal short-chain fatty acid concentration. These data suggest that ED is effective in alleviating LPS-induced intestinal mucosal barrier injury by modulating gut microbiota in piglets.

Advances in Polysaccharide Production Based on the Co-Culture of Microbes

Microbial polysaccharides are natural carbohydrates that can confer adhesion capacity to cells and protect them from harsh environments. Due to their various physiological activities, these macromolecules are widely used in food, medicine, environmental, cosmetic, and textile applications. Microbial co-culture is an important strategy that is used to increase the production of microbial polysaccharides or produce new polysaccharides (structural alterations). This is achieved by exploiting the symbiotic/antagonistic/chemo-sensitive interactions between microbes and stimulating the expression of relevant silent genes. In this article, we review the performance of polysaccharides produced using microbial co-culture in terms of yield, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory properties, in addition to the advantages and application prospects of co-culture. Moreover, the potential for microbial polysaccharides to be used in various applications is discussed.

Effects of Schisandra chinensis Polysaccharide-Conjugated Selenium Nanoparticles on Intestinal Injury in Mice

Schisandra chinensis polysaccharide (SCP) is an experimental therapeutic for the treatment of intestinal injury. Selenium nanoparticle modification can improve the bioactivity of polysaccharides. In this study, SCP was firstly extracted and purified by a DEAE-52 column, then SCP-Selenium nanoparticles (SCP-Se NPs) were prepared, and the procedure was optimized. Thereafter, the obtained SCP-Se NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The influence of different storage environments on the stability of colloidal SCP-Se NPs was also investigated. Finally, the therapeutic effects of SCP-Se NPs on LPS-induced intestinal inflammatory injuries in mice were evaluated. Results showed that the optimized SCP-Se NPs were amorphous, uniform, spherical particles with a diameter of 121 nm, and the colloidal solution was stable at 4 °C for at least 14 d. Moreover, SCP-Se NPs could more effectively alleviate LPS-induced diarrhea, intestinal tissue injury, and tight junction destruction and decrease the elevated expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 compared with SCP. These results demonstrate that SCP-Se NPs may alleviate LPS-induced enteritis through their anti-inflammatory effects, indicating that SCP-Se NPs can serve as a good candidate for preventing and treating enteritis in the livestock and poultry industry.

Effect of Agaricus bisporus Polysaccharides on Human Gut Microbiota during In Vitro Fermentation: An Integrative Analysis of Microbiome and Metabolome

Agaricus bisporus polysaccharide (ABP) is an important active component in edible mushrooms, but its interaction with gut microbiota is unclear. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of ABP on the composition and metabolites of human gut microbiota by in vitro batch fermentation. The main degrading bacteria for ABP were Bacteroides, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Paraprevotella, Bifidobacterium, Lactococcus, Megamonas, and Eubacterium, whose relative abundances increased during 24 h of in vitro fermentation. The short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content also increased more than 15-fold, accordingly. Moreover, the effects of ABP on the relative abundance of Bacteroides (Ba.) and Bifidobacterium (Bi.) at the species level were further determined. ABP can enrich Ba. thetaiotaomicron, Ba. intestinalis, Ba. uniformis, and Bi. longum. PICRUSt analysis revealed that the catabolism of ABP was accompanied by changes in the metabolism of carbohydrates, nucleotides, lipids and amino acids, which were also supported by metabonomic results. It is worth mentioning that, after 24 h fermentation, the relative amounts of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), nicotinamide and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) had 14.43-, 11.34- and 15.36-fold increases, respectively, which were positively related to Bacteroides (Ba. thetaiotaomicron, Ba. intestinalis), Streptococcus, and Bi. longum (|r| > 0.98). These results laid the research foundation for exploring ABP as a potential prebiotic or dietary supplement for the targeted regulation of gut microbiota or metabolites.

Zinc Laurate Protects against Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction and Inflammation Induced by ETEC in a Mice Model

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infection is one of the most common bacterial causes of diarrhea in children and young farm animals. Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) have been widely used for their antibacterial and immune functions. However, there is limited information regarding the role of MCFAs chelated with Zn in diarrhea induced by ETEC infection. Here, zinc laurate (ZnLa) was used to evaluate its protective effect in a mice diarrhea model induced by ETEC. A total of 45 ICR-weaned female mice were randomly assigned to marginal zinc deficiency (dZn), dZn, and ETEC infection groups (dZn+ETEC); ETEC infection was co-treated with a low, middle, or high dose of ZnLa (ZnLa LOW+ETEC, ZnLa MID+ETEC, and ZnLa HIGH+ETEC), respectively, to explore the effect and its mechanism of ZnLa on diarrhea and intestinal health of mice challenged with ETEC. To further compare the antibacterial efficiency of ZnLa and ZnSO₄ in mice with ETEC infection, a total of 36 ICR-weaned female mice were randomly divided into ZnLa, ZnLa+ETEC, ZnSO₄, and ZnSO₄ and ETEC infection groups (ZnSO₄+ETEC); moreover, the growth curve of ETEC also compared ZnLa and ZnSO₄ in vitro. Mice pretreated with ZnLa were effectively guarded against body weight losses and increases in diarrhea scores induced by ETEC. ZnLa pretreatment also prevented intestinal barrier damage and ion transport in mice challenged with ETEC, as evidenced by the fact that the intestinal villus height and the ratio of villus height and crypt depth, tight junction protein, and Na⁺ absorption were higher, whereas intestinal permeability and anion secretion were lower in mice pretreated with ZnLa. In addition, ZnLa conferred effective protection against ETEC-induced intestinal inflammatory responses, as the increases in protein and mRNAs of proinflammatory cytokines were prevented in serum and jejunum, which was likely associated with the TLR4/MYD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. The increase in ETEC shedding and virulence-related gene expression was prevented in mice with ZnLa pretreatment. Finally, the growth of ETEC and virulence-related gene expression were lower in the ZnLa group than in ZnSO₄ with an equal concentration of zinc. These findings suggest that ZnLa is a promising prevention strategy to remedy ETEC infection.

Quercetin alleviates intestinal inflammation and improves intestinal functions via modulating gut microbiota composition in LPS-challenged laying hens

Quercetin, a well-known flavonoid, has been demonstrated to exert beneficial effects on intestinal functions and gut microbiota in birds. In this study, we investigated the effects of quercetin supplementation on inflammatory responses, intestinal barrier functions and gut microbial community in LPS-challenged laying hens. A total of two hundred eighty-eight 32-wk-old Jingfen No.6 laying hens were randomly assigned to 3 groups, the CON group, the LC group and the LQ group. LQ group was fed with 0.4 mg/kg quercetin and at the end of 12 wk, LC and LQ groups were challenged intraperitoneally with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After LPS challenge, 8 birds of each group were randomly selected and sampled. LPS challenge induced an obvious intestinal mucosal injury, necrosis and shedding, while quercetin intervention maintained its structure. Quercetin significantly decreased the elevated malondialdehyde contents (P < 0.05), and increased the activity of total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase (P < 0.05) in intestinal mucosa of LPS-challenged laying hens. Quercetin rescued the LPS-induced decreases in goblet cell density and mucin2 expression levels (P < 0.05). There was a significant decline (P < 0.05) in the mRNA expression of Claudin1 and Occludin in intestinal mucosa of LPS-challenged layers, which could be alleviated (P < 0.05) by dietary quercetin. LPS challenge induced the increased expression levels (P < 0.05) of IL-1β and TLR-4 in intestinal mucosa, while these rises could be reversed (P < 0.05) following dietary quercetin supplementation. LPS challenge induced a shift in gut microenvironment, and quercetin addition could elevate the relative abundance of some short chain fatty acids (SCFA)-producing or health-promoting bacteria such as Phascolarctobacterium, Negativicutes, Selenomonadales, Megamonas, Prevotellaceae, and Bacteroides_salanitronis. In conclusion, dietary quercetin addition ameliorated the LPS challenge-induced intestinal inflammation and improved intestinal functions, possibly associated with its modulation on gut microbiota, particularly the increased population of SCFA-producing bacteria.

Epigenetics in depression and gut-brain axis: A molecular crosstalk

Gut-brain axis is a dynamic, complex, and bidirectional communication network between the gut and brain. Changes in the microbiota-gut-brain axis are responsible for developing various metabolic, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric disorders. According to clinical and preclinical findings, the gut microbiota is a significant regulator of the gut-brain axis. In addition to interacting with intestinal cells and the enteric nervous system, it has been discovered that microbes in the gut can modify the central nervous system through metabolic and neuroendocrine pathways. The metabolites of the gut microbiome can modulate a number of diseases by inducing epigenetic alteration through DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA-associated gene silencing. Short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate, are well-known histone deacetylases inhibitors. Similarly, other microbial metabolites such as folate, choline, and trimethylamine-N-oxide also regulate epigenetics mechanisms. Furthermore, various studies have revealed the potential role of microbiome dysbiosis and epigenetics in the pathophysiology of depression. Hence, in this review, we have highlighted the role of gut dysbiosis in epigenetic regulation, causal interaction between host epigenetic modification and the gut microbiome in depression and suggest microbiome and epigenome as a possible target for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of depression.

Pectin supplement alleviates gut injury potentially through improving gut microbiota community in piglets

As pectin is widely used as a food and feed additive due to its tremendous prebiotic potentials for gut health. Yet, the underlying mechanisms associated with its protective effect remain unclear. Twenty-four piglets (Yorkshire × Landrace, 6.77 ± 0.92 kg) were randomly divided into three groups with eight replicates per treatment: (1) Control group (CON), (2) Lipopolysaccharide-challenged group (LPS), (3) Pectin-LPS group (PECL). Piglets were administrated with LPS or saline on d14 and 21 of the experiment. Piglets in each group were fed with corn-soybean meal diets containing 5% citrus pectin or 5% microcrystalline cellulose. Our result showed that pectin alleviated the morphological damage features by restoring the goblet numbers which the pig induced by LPS in the cecum. Besides, compared with the LPS group, pectin supplementation elevated the mRNA expression of tight junction protein [Claudin-1, Claudin-4, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1)], mucin (Muc-2), and anti-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin 10 (IL-10), and IL-22]. Whereas pectin downregulated the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18), tumor necrosis factor-&alpha (TNF-α), and NF-κB. What is more, pectin supplementation also significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Blautia, and Subdoligranulum), and significantly reduced the abundance of harmful bacteria, such as Streptococcus. Additionally, pectin restored the amount of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) after being decreased by LPS (mainly Acetic acid, Propionic acid, and Butyric acid) to alleviate gut injury and improve gut immunity via activating relative receptors (GPR43, GPR109, AhR). Mantel test and correlation analysis also revealed associations between intestinal microbiota and intestinal morphology, and intestinal inflammation in piglets. Taken together, dietary pectin supplementation enhances the gut barrier and improves immunity to ameliorate LPS-induced injury by optimizing gut microbiota and their metabolites.

Lentinan improves intestinal inflammation and gut dysbiosis in antibiotics-induced mice

Gut microbiota dysbiosis is already a global problem after antibiotic overuse. This study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of lentinan and the mechanism of recovery of intestinal inflammation on broad-spectrum antibiotic-driven gut microbial dysbiosis in mice. Gut microbiota was elucidated by the Illumina MiSeq platform. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to investigate short-chain fatty acid content. Colon histology, expression of tight-junction associated proteins and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels were evaluated. The results showed that the gut microbiota of diversity and richness were reduced and various taxonomic levels of the gut microbiota were perturbed after antibiotics gavage. The abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes shifted to Proteobacteria and increased the relative abundance of harmful microbiota (Parabacteroides and Klebsiella) post-antibiotics, whereas lentinan administration reversed the dysbiosis and increased beneficial microbiota, including S24-7, Lactobacillus, Oscillospira, Ruminococcus and Allobaculum. The concentrations of propionic acid and butyric acid were significantly increased by treatment with lentinan. And lentinan improved colon tissue morphology and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines via altering NF-κB signaling pathway in antibiotic-driven gut microbial dysbiosis mice. Taken together, the results proved that lentinan can be used as a prebiotic and the result provided a theoretical basis for improving the clinical treatment of broad-spectrum antibiotics side effects.

Dietary organic acids ameliorate high stocking density stress-induced intestinal inflammation through the restoration of intestinal microbiota in broilers

Background

High stocking density (HSD) stress has detrimental effects on growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and intestinal microbiota in intensive animal production. Organic acids (OA) are widely used as feed additives for their ability to improve growth performance and intestinal health in poultry. However, whether dietary OA can ameliorate HSD stress-induced impaired intestinal barrier in broilers remains elusive. In this study, a total of 528 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allocated into 3 treatments with 12 replicates per treatment including 10 birds for normal stocking density and 17 birds for HSD. The dietary treatments were as follows: 1) Normal stocking density + basal diet; 2) HSD + basal diets; 3) HSD + OA.

Results

HSD stress can induce increased levels of serum corticosterone, lipopolysaccharides, interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and down-regulated mRNA expression of ZO-1, resulting in compromised growth performance of broilers (P < 0.05). Dietary OA could significantly reduce levels of serum corticosterone, lipopolysaccharides, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α, which were accompanied by up-regulated interleukin-10, mRNA expression of ZO-1, and growth performance (P < 0.05). Moreover, OA could down-regulate the mRNA expression of TLR4 and MyD88 to inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway (P < 0.05). Additionally, HSD stress significantly decreased the abundance of Bacteroidetes and disturbed the balance of microbial ecosystems, whereas OA significantly increased the abundance of Bacteroidetes and restored the disordered gut microbiota by reducing competitive and exploitative interactions in microbial communities (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, OA significantly increased the content of acetic and butyric acids, which showed significant correlations with intestinal inflammation indicators (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Dietary OA ameliorated intestinal inflammation and growth performance of broilers through restoring the disordered gut microbial compositions and interactions induced by HSD and elevating short-chain fatty acid production to inhibit the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings demonstrated the critical role of intestinal microbiota in mediating the HSD-induced inflammatory responses, contributing to exploring nutritional strategies to alleviate HSD-induced stress in animals.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40104-022-00776-2.

Dietary Garlic Powder Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Response and Oxidative Stress through Regulating the Immunity and Intestinal Barrier Function in Broilers

Simple Summary

This research was performed to determine the positive effects of GP on growth and intestinal function in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenged broilers. Results show that LPS challenge enhanced the weight loss rate, decreased the immunity and antioxidant capability, increased the intestinal permeability in broilers. When compared with LPS group, broilers fed with GP exhibited improved weight loss rate and jejunum villus height, enhanced ileum antioxidant function, and ameliorated intestinal barrier function. The LPS-challenged broilers in GP group had higher immunity than that of broilers in antibiotics group. In conclusion, GP supplementation could act as a natural alternative to antibiotic additive to alleviate the LPS-induced weight loss rate, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress in broilers by improving the immunity and intestinal function.

Abstract

Garlic powder (GP) has the outstanding antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-parasitic and antioxidant characteristics because of its various contained bioactive components, such as alliin, allicin, and polysaccharide, etc. It has been widely used as a native medicine and shown to prevent a variety of diseases. This research was performed to determine the positive effects of GP on growth and intestinal function in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenged broilers. A total of 480 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers of similar initial body weight were randomly divided into four groups with 8 replicates per treatment and 15 chicks each replicate. LPS challenge enhanced the weight loss rate, decreased the immunity and antioxidant capability, increased the intestinal permeability in broilers. When compared with LPS group, broilers fed with GP exhibited improved weight loss rate and jejunum villus height, enhanced ileum antioxidant function, and ameliorated intestinal barrier function. The LPS-challenged broilers in GP group had higher immunity than that of broilers in antibiotics group. GP supplementation could act as a natural alternative to antibiotic additive to alleviate the LPS-induced weight loss rate, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress in broilers by improving the immunity and intestinal function.

Lentinan -triggered butyrate-producing bacteria drive the expulsion of the intestinal helminth Trichinella spiralis in mice

Trichinellosis caused by Trichinella spiralis is a serious zoonosis with a worldwide distribution. Lentinan (LNT) is known to modulate the intestinal environment with noted health benefits, yet the effect of LNT against intestinal helminth is unknown. In our study, we first observed that LNT could trigger worm expulsion by promoting mucus layer functions through alteration of gut microbiota. LNT restored the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria altered by T. spiralis infection to the control group level. Interestingly, LNT triggered the production of butyrate. Then, we determined the deworming capacity of probiotics (butyrate-producing bacteria) in mice. Collectively, these findings indicated that LNT could modulate intestinal dysbiosis by T. spiralis, drive the expulsion of intestinal helminth and provided an easily implementable strategy to improve the host defence against T. spiralis infection.

Pectin supplementation ameliorates intestinal epithelial barrier function damage by modulating intestinal microbiota in lipopolysaccharide-challenged piglets

During weaning, infants and young animals are susceptible to severe enteric infections, thus inducing intestinal microbiota dysbiosis, intestinal inflammation, and impaired intestinal barrier function. Pectin (PEC), a prebiotic polysaccharide, enhances intestinal health with the potential for therapeutic effect on intestinal diseases. One 21-days study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of pectin against intestinal injury induced by intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a piglet model. A total of 24 piglets (6.77±0.92 kg BW; Duroc × Landrace × Large White; barrows; 21 d of age) were randomly assigned into three groups: control group, LPS-challenged group, and PEC + LPS group. Piglets were administrated with LPS or saline on d14 and d21 of the experiment. All piglets were slaughtered and intestinal samples were collected after 3 h administration on d21. Pectin supplementation ameliorated the LPS-induced inflammation response and damage to the ileal morphology. Meanwhile, pectin also improved intestinal mucin barrier function, increased the mRNA expression of MUC2, and improved intestinal mucus glycosylation. LPS challenge reduced the diversity of intestinal microbiota and enriched the relative abundance of Helicobacter. Pectin restored alpha diversity improved the structure of the gut microbiota by enriching anti-inflammatory bacteria and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, and increased the concentrations of acetate. In addition, Spearman rank correlation analysis also revealed the potential relationship between intestinal microbiota and intestinal morphology, intestinal inflammation, and intestinal glycosylation in piglets. Taken together, these results indicate that pectin enhances intestinal integrity and barrier function by altering intestinal microbiota composition and their metabolites, which subsequently alleviates intestinal injury and finally improves the growth performance of piglets.

Bioactive polysaccharides and oligosaccharides from garlic (Allium sativum L.): Production, physicochemical and biological properties, and structure-function relationships

Garlic is a common food, and many of its biological functions are attributed to its components including functional carbohydrates. Garlic polysaccharides and oligosaccharides as main components are understudied but have future value due to the growing demand for bioactive polysaccharides/oligosaccharides from natural sources. Garlic polysaccharides have molecular weights of 1 × 10³ to 2 × 10⁶  Da, containing small amounts of pectins and fructooligosaccharides and large amounts of inulin-type fructans ((2→1)-linked β-d-Fruf backbones alone or with attached (2→6)-linked β-d-Fruf branched chains). This article provides a detailed review of research progress and identifies knowledge gaps in extraction, production, composition, molecular characteristics, structural features, physicochemical properties, bioactivities, and structure-function relationships of garlic polysaccharides/oligosaccharides. Whether the extraction processes, synthesis approaches, and modification methods established for other non-garlic polysaccharides are also effective for garlic polysaccharides/oligosaccharides (to preserve their desired molecular structures and bioactivities) requires verification. The metabolic processes of ingested garlic polysaccharides/oligosaccharides (as food ingredients/dietary supplements), their modes of action in healthy humans or populations with chronic conditions, and molecular/chain organization-bioactivity relationships remain unclear. Future research directions related to garlic polysaccharides/oligosaccharides are discussed.

Effect of Immune Stress on Growth Performance and Immune Functions of Livestock: Mechanisms and Prevention

Simple Summary

Immune stress is an important stressor in domestic animals that leads to decreased feed intake, slow growth, and reduced disease resistance of pigs and poultry. Especially in high-density animal feeding conditions, the risk factor of immune stress is extremely high, as they are easily harmed by pathogens, and frequent vaccinations are required to enhance the immunity function of the animals. This review mainly describes the causes, mechanisms of immune stress and its prevention and treatment measures. This provides a theoretical basis for further research and development of safe and efficient prevention and control measures for immune stress in animals.

Abstract

Immune stress markedly affects the immune function and growth performance of livestock, including poultry, resulting in financial loss to farmers. It can lead to decreased feed intake, reduced growth, and intestinal disorders. Studies have shown that pathogen-induced immune stress is mostly related to TLR4-related inflammatory signal pathway activation, excessive inflammatory cytokine release, oxidative stress, hormonal disorders, cell apoptosis, and intestinal microbial disorders. This paper reviews the occurrence of immune stress in livestock, its impact on immune function and growth performance, and strategies for immune stress prevention.

Physicochemical characterization, adsorption function and prebiotic effect of chitin-glucan complex from mushroom Coprinus comatus

Chitin-glucan complex (CGC) is a novel insoluble dietary fiber with multiple physiological activities. In this work, CGC was extracted from the fruiting body of Coprinus comatus and its physicochemical properties and prebiotic effects were investigated. The results indicated that CGC consisted of glucosamine and glucose in a molar ratio of 67: 33 with degree of acetylation of 61.91% and crystallinity index of 25.40%. The maximum degradation temperature was determined to be 307.52 °C, and a woven fibrous structure was observed by scanning electron microscopy. CGC exhibited higher oil-holding capacity, water-holding capacity and nitrite ion adsorption capacity than commercial chitin, and showed potential prebiotic effects. Compared with control and commercial chitin, CGC significantly (P < 0.05) increased the concentration of propionic and butyric acids. These results suggested that CGC from C. comatus was promising to be an alternative source of CGC products and used as a bioactive ingredient in functional foods.

Multi-Omics Revealed the Protective Effects of Rhamnolipids in Lipopolysaccharide Challenged Broilers

Rhamnolipid (RL) is a glycolipid biosurfactant and exhibits the following outstanding characteristics: strong antibacterial properties, low toxicity, and high biodegradability. The present research was conducted to explore the protective effects and mechanisms of rhamnolipids as an alternative to antibiotics in LPS (lipopolysaccharide)-challenged broilers. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolomics were used for analyzing the cecal microbial composition and serum metabolites. Dietary antibiotics and RLS supplementation decreased the weight loss rate, enhanced serum immunoglobulin levels, reduced serum diamine oxidase and D-lactate acid concentration, and improved the symptoms of intestinal bleeding and villus height, when broilers were challenged with LPS. The addition of RLS in the diet enhanced serum interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 contents and reduced serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in LPS-challenged broilers compared with the antibiotics group. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed that RLS may alleviate LPS-induced inflammatory responses through altering the 6-methoxymellein level in broilers. The genus Bacteroides may contribute to the decreased weight loss rate via regulating the serum lysoPC [20:5(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)] secretion. RLS alleviates LPS-induced intestinal injury, enhances the growth and immunity, ameliorates intestinal microflora, and improves serum metabolites in LPS-challenged broilers. RLS exhibited better protective effect than antibiotic supplementation in the diet of LPS-challenged broilers. These findings provide potential regulation strategies and novel insights for RLS enhancing its protective effect in LPS-challenged broilers.

Polysaccharides from Spores of Cordyceps cicadae Protect against Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppression and Oxidative Stress in Mice

This study investigated the purification, preliminary structure and in vivo immunomodulatory activities of polysaccharides from the spores of Cordyceps cicadae (CCSP). The crude CCSP was purified by diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose and Sephadex G-100 chromatography, affording CCSP-1, CCSP-2 and CCSP-3 with molecular weights of 1.79 × 10⁶, 5.74 × 10⁴ and 7.93 × 10³ Da, respectively. CCSP-2 consisted of mannose and glucose, while CCSP-1 and CCSP-3 are composed of three and four monosaccharides with different molar ratios, respectively. CCSP-2 exhibited its ameliorative effects in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice through significantly increasing spleen and thymus indices, enhancing macrophage phagocytic activity, stimulating splenocyte proliferation, improving natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity, improving bone marrow suppression, regulating the secretion of cytokines and immunoglobulins, and modulating antioxidant enzyme system. These results indicate that CCSP-2 might be exploited as a promising natural immunomodulator.

Lentinan Supplementation Protects the Gut–Liver Axis and Prevents Steatohepatitis: The Role of Gut Microbiota Involved

The microbiota–gut–liver axis has emerged as an important player in developing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a type of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Higher mushroom intake is negatively associated with the prevalence of NAFLD. This study examined whether lentinan, an active ingredient in mushrooms, could improve NAFLD and gut microbiota dysbiosis in NAFLD mice induced by a high-fat (HF) diet. Dietary lentinan supplementation for 15 weeks significantly improved gut microbiota dysbiosis in HF mice, evidenced by increased the abundance of phylum Actinobacteria and decreased phylum Proteobacteria and Epsilonbacteraeota. Moreover, lentinan improved intestinal barrier integrity and characterized by enhancing intestinal tight junction proteins, restoring intestinal redox balance, and reducing serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In the liver, lentinan attenuated HF diet-induced steatohepatitis, alteration of inflammation–insulin (NFκB-PTP1B-Akt-GSK3β) signaling molecules, and dysregulation of metabolism and immune response genes. Importantly, the antihepatic inflammation effects of lentinan were associated with improved gut microbiota dysbiosis in the treated animals, since the Spearman's correlation analysis showed that hepatic LPS-binding protein and receptor (Lbp and Tlr4) and pro- and antiinflammatory cytokine expression were significantly correlated with the abundance of gut microbiota of phylum Proteobacteria, Epsilonbacteraeota and Actinobacteria. Therefore, lentinan supplementation may be used to mitigate NAFLD by modulating the microbiota–gut–liver axis.

Glycine alleviated diquat-induced hepatic injury via inhibiting ferroptosis in weaned piglets

Objective

The beneficial effects of glycine were tested in piglets with diquat-induced hepatic injury.

Methods

Thirty-two piglets were assigned by a 2 × 2 factorial experimental design including glycine supplementation and diquat challenge. After 3 weeks of feeding with a basic diet or a 1% glycine supplemented diet, piglets were challenged with diquat or saline. After 1 week later, the piglets were slaughtered and samples were collected.

Results

Our results indicated that glycine alleviated diquat induced morphological hepatic injury, decreased the activities of plasma alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and glutamyl transpeptidase in the piglets under diquat challenge, and increased total antioxidant capacity and antioxidative enzyme activity significantly. Adding glycine enhanced the concentrations of hepatic adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate. Transmission electron microscope observation showed that diquat induced clear hepatocytes ferroptosis and its effect could be alleviated by glycine to a certain degree. Moreover, glycine significantly affected mRNA and protein expression of ferroptosis-related signals in the liver.

Conclusion

These results demonstrated that glycine attenuated liver damage via inhibiting ferroptosis.

Edible fungal polysaccharides, the gut microbiota, and host health

The plasticity of the gut microbiota (GM) creates an opportunity to reshape the biological output of gut microbes by manipulating external factors. It is well known that edible fungal polysaccharides (EFPs) can reach the distal intestine and be assimilated to reshape the GM. The GM has unique devices that utilize various EFPs and produce oligosaccharides, which can selectively promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and are fermented into short-chain fatty acids that interact closely with intestinal cells. Here we review EFPs-based interventions for the GM, particularly the key microorganisms, functions, and metabolites. In addition, we discuss the bi-directional causality between GM imbalance and diseases, and the beneficial effects of EFPs on host health via GM. This review can offer a valuable reference for the design of edible fungal polysaccharide- or oligosaccharide-based nutrition interventions or drug development for maintaining human health by targeted regulation of the GM.

Sophora subprostrate polysaccharide regulates histone acetylation to inhibit inflammation in PCV2-infected murine splenic lymphocytes in vitro and in vivo

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) has caused large economic losses in the swine industry worldwide; therefore, research on relevant therapeutic medicines is still urgently needed. To define the relationship between histone acetylation and inflammation induced by PCV2, we investigated whether traditional Chinese medicinal polysaccharides could alleviate viral infection by regulating histone acetylation. In this study, Sophora subprostrate polysaccharide (SSP)-treated PCV2-infected murine splenic lymphocytes in vitro and murine spleen in vivo were used to explore the regulatory effects of SSP on inflammation and histone acetylation caused by PCV2. SSP at different concentrations significantly reduced the secretion levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, the activity of COX-2, the mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, iNOS and COX-2 and the protein expression levels of iNOS and COX-2 but promoted the secretion and mRNA expression levels of IL-10. Furthermore, the different concentrations of SSP significantly regulated the activity of histone acetylase (HAT) and the mRNA expression of HAT1, increased the activity of histone deacetylase (HDAC) and the mRNA expression of HDAC1 and reduced the protein expression levels of Ac-H3 and Ac-H4. Overall, SSP inhibited inflammation in PCV2-infected murine splenic lymphocytes by regulating histone acetylation in vitro and in vivo, thus playing an important role in PCV2 infection.

Lentinan Attenuates Damage of the Small Intestinal Mucosa, Liver, and Lung in Mice with Gut-Origin Sepsis

This study is aimed at exploring the effects of lentinan on small intestinal mucosa as well as lung and liver injury in mice with gut-origin sepsis. Cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) were used to construct a mouse model of gut-origin sepsis. The mice were randomly divided into six groups: sham operation group (sham), gut-origin sepsis model group (CLP), ulinastatin-positive drug control group (UTI), lentinan low concentration group (LTN-L, 5 mg/kg), lentinan medium concentration group (LTN-M, 10 mg/kg), and lentinan high concentration group (LTN-H, 20 mg/kg). H&E staining was used to detect the pathological damage of the small intestine, liver, and lung. The serum of mice in each group was collected to detect the expression changes of inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress biomarkers, and liver function indexes. In vitro assessment of bacterial translocation was achieved through inoculated culture media. Western blot and RT-qPCR were used to detect the expression of molecules related to the NF-κB signaling pathway in the small intestine tissues of mice. The results showed that compared with the CLP group, the injury degree of the small intestine, liver, and lung in mice with gut-origin sepsis was improved with the increase of lentinan concentration. In addition, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and HMGB1 were decreased with the increase of lentinan concentration, but the expression of IL-10 was increased. Lentinan could also reduce the expression of oxidative stress injury indexes and liver function indexes and inhibit bacterial translocation to liver and lung tissues. Further mechanism investigation revealed that lentinan downregulated the expression of the NF-κB signaling pathway molecules (NF-κB, TLR4, and Bax) and upregulated the expression of occludin and Bcl-2. In conclusion, lentinan inhibits the activity of the NF-κB signaling pathway, thus attenuating injuries of small intestinal mucosa and liver and lung in mice with gut-origin sepsis and reducing the inflammatory response in the process of sepsis.

Integrating Serum Metabolome and Gut Microbiome to Evaluate the Benefits of Lauric Acid on Lipopolysaccharide- Challenged Broilers

Lauric acid (LA) is a crucial medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) that has many beneficial effects on humans and animals. This study aimed to investigate the effects of LA on the intestinal barrier, immune functions, serum metabolism, and gut microbiota of broilers under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. A total of 384 one-day-old broilers were randomly divided into four groups, and fed with a basal diet, or a basal diet supplemented with 75 mg/kg antibiotic (ANT), or a basal diet supplemented with 1000 mg/kg LA. After 42 days of feeding, three groups were intraperitoneally injected with 0.5 mg/kg Escherichia coli- derived LPS (LPS, ANT+LPS and LA+LPS groups) for three consecutive days, and the control (CON) group was injected with the same volume of saline. Then, the birds were sacrificed. Results showed that LA pretreatment significantly alleviated the weight loss and intestinal mucosal injuries caused by LPS challenge. LA enhanced immune functions and inhibited inflammatory responses by upregulating the concentrations of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, and IgY), decreasing IL-6 and increasing IL-4 and IL-10. Metabolomics analysis revealed a significant difference of serum metabolites by LA pretreatment. Twenty-seven serum metabolic biomarkers were identified and mostly belong to lipids. LA also markedly modulated the pathway for sphingolipid metabolism, suggesting its ability to regulate lipid metabolism. Moreover,16S rRNA analysis showed that LA inhibited LPS-induced gut dysbiosis by altering cecal microbial composition (reducing Escherichia-Shigella, Barnesiella and Alistipes, and increasing Lactobacillus and Bacteroides), and modulating the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Pearson’s correlation assays showed that alterations in serum metabolism and gut microbiota were strongly correlated to the immune factors; there were also strong correlations between serum metabolites and microbiota composition. The results highlight the potential of LA as a dietary supplement to combat bacterial LPS challenge in animal production and to promote food safety.

Protective Effects of Lentinan Against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Mastitis in Mice

Mastitis is a worldwide production disease in dairy cows, which mainly affects milk yield, causing huge economic losses to dairy farmers. Lentinan is a kind of polysaccharide extracted from Lentinus edodes, which has no toxicity and possesses various pharmacological activities including antibacterial and immunomodulatory effects. Therefore, the anti-inflammatory function of lentinan on LPS-stimulated mastitis was carried out, and the mechanism involved was explored. In vivo, lentinan greatly reduced LPS-stimulated pathological injury, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and the proinflammatory factor production (TNF-α and IL-1β) in mice. Further study was performed to determine the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway during LPS stimulation. These results suggested that LPS-induced activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was suppressed by lentinan administration. In vitro, we observed that the mouse mammary epithelial cell (mMEC) viability was not affected by lentinan treatment. As expected, LPS increased the TNF-α and IL-1β protein secretion and the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway that was inhibited by lentinan administration in a dose-dependent manner in mMECs. Conclusively, lentinan exerts the anti-inflammatory function in LPS-stimulated mastitis via inhibiting the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Thus, the results of our study also gave an insight that lentinan may serve as a potential treatment for mastitis.

Fermentation Supernatants of Pleurotus eryngii Mushroom Ameliorate Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Caco-2 Cells via Upregulation of Tight Junctions

In recent years, modulation of gut microbiota through prebiotics has garnered interest as a potential to ameliorate intestinal barrier dysfunction. The aim of the study was to examine the in vitro effect of fermentation supernatants (FSs) from rich in β-glucan Pleurotus eryngii mushrooms on the expression levels of tight junctions (TJs) genes in Caco-2 cells stimulated by bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Mushrooms were fermented using fecal inocula in an in vitro batch culture model. Caco-2 cells were subjected to LPS and FS treatment under three different conditions: pre-incubation with FS, co- and post-incubation. Reverse transcription PCR was applied to measure the expression levels of zonulin-1, occludin and claudin-1 genes. FSs from P. eryngii mushrooms led to a significant upregulation of the TJs gene expression in pre-incubation state, indicating potential preventive action. Down-regulation of all TJs gene expression levels was observed when the cells were challenged with LPS. The FS negative control (gut microbiota of each donor with no carbohydrate source) exhibited a significant upregulation of TJs expression levels compared to the cells that were challenged with LPS, for all three conditions. Overall, our data highlighted the positive and potential protective effects of P. eryngii mushrooms in upregulation of TJs’ genes.

Chitosan-chelated zinc modulates ileal microbiota, ileal microbial metabolites, and intestinal function in weaned piglets challenged with Escherichia coli K88

This study was to investigate the effects of chitosan-chelated zinc on ileal microbiota, inflammatory response, and barrier function in weaned piglets challenged with Escherichia coli K88. Piglets of the chitosan-chelated zinc treatment (Cs-Zn; 100 mg zinc + 766 mg chitosan/kg basal diet, from chitosan-chelated zinc) and the chitosan treatment (CS, 766 mg chitosan/kg basal diet) had significantly increased ileal villus height and the ratio of villi height to crypt depth. CS-Zn group piglets had a higher abundance of Lactobacillus in the ileal digesta, while the abundance of Streptococcus, Escherichia shigella, Actinobacillus, and Clostridium sensu stricto 6 was significantly decreased. The concentrations of propionate, butyrate, and lactate in the CS-Zn group piglets were significantly increased, while the pH value was significantly decreased. Furthermore, the concentrations of IL-1β, TNF-α, MPO, and INF-γ in the ileal mucosa of the CS-Zn and the H-ZnO group (pharmacological dose of 1600 mg Zn/kg basal diet, from ZnO) were significantly lower than those of the control group fed with basal diet, and the mRNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB of the CS-Zn group was also reduced. In addition, the mRNA expression of IGF-1 was increased, the protein expression of occludin and claudin-1 was enhanced, while the mRNA expression of caspase 3 and caspase 8 was decreased in the CS-Zn group. These results suggest CS-Zn treatment could help modulate the composition of ileal microbiota, attenuate inflammatory response, and maintain the intestinal function in weaned piglets challenged with Escherichia coli K88. KEY POINTS: • Chitosan-chelated zinc significantly modulated ileal microbiota. • Chitosan-chelated zinc can improve ileal health. • The ileal microbiota plays an important role in host health.

Maternal supplementation with a combination of wheat bran and sugar beet pulp during late gestation and lactation improves growth and intestinal functions in piglets

Maternal diet has a profound impact on growth and immune development of offspring. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal supplementation with a combination of wheat bran (WB, a source of insoluble dietary fiber) and sugar beet pulp (SBP, a source of soluble dietary fiber) on growth and intestinal morphology, immunity, barrier function and microbiota in piglets. Thirty sows (Landrace × Yorkshire; 3-6 parity) were randomly allocated to 2 dietary treatments from d 85 of gestation to weaning (d 21 of lactation). The 2 dietary treatments were: a control diet (CON, a corn-soybean meal diet) and a dietary fiber diet (DF, 15% WB and 10% SBP during gestation and 7.5% WB and 5% SBP during lactation). Maternal DF supplementation improved growth, serum growth hormones and ileal morphology in piglets. Piglets fed DF showed enhanced intestinal barrier function as indicated by reduced serum concentrations of diamine oxidase and endotoxin, and increased ileal mRNA level of occludin. Maternal DF supplementation reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines in the colostrum, milk and serum of piglets. Furthermore, maternal DF supplementation decreased the colonic abundance of Subdoligranulum and Mogibacterium, and increased the colonic abundance of Lactobacillus and norank_f__Bacteroidales_S24-7_group and the colonic concentration of acetate and butyrate in piglets. In summary, maternal supplementation with a combination of SBP and WB during late gestation and lactation improved cytokines in colostrum and milk, growth, immune responses, intestinal morphology, barrier function and microbiota in piglets, which may be a potential strategy to improve offspring growth and intestinal functions.

Galacto-oligosaccharides improve barrier function and relieve colonic inflammation via modulating mucosa-associated microbiota composition in lipopolysaccharides-challenged piglets

BACKGROUND

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) have been shown to modulate the intestinal microbiota of suckling piglets to exert beneficial effects on intestinal function. However, the modulation of intestinal microbiota and intestinal function by GOS in intestinal inflammation injury models has rarely been reported. In this study, we investigated the effects of GOS on the colonic mucosal microbiota composition, barrier function and inflammatory response of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-challenged suckling piglets.

METHODS

A total of 18 newborn suckling piglets were divided into three groups, the CON group, the LPS-CON group and the LPS-GOS group. Piglets in the LPS-GOS group were orally fed with 1 g/kg body weight of GOS solution every day. On the d 14, piglets in the LPS-CON and LPS-GOS group were challenged intraperitoneally with LPS solution. All piglets were slaughtered 2 h after intraperitoneal injection and sampled.

RESULTS

We found that the colonic mucosa of LPS-challenged piglets was significantly injured and shedding, while the colonic mucosa of the LPS-GOS group piglets maintained its structure. Moreover, GOS significantly reduced the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the LPS-challenged suckling piglets, and significantly increased the activity of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). GOS significantly increased the relative abundance of norank_f__Muribaculaceae and Romboutsia, and significantly decreased the relative abundance of Alloprevotella, Campylobacter and Helicobacter in the colonic mucosa of LPS-challenged suckling piglets. In addition, GOS increased the concentrations of acetate, butyrate and total short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the colonic digesta of LPS-challenged suckling piglets. GOS significantly reduced the concentrations of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14), and the relative mRNA expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) in the LPS-challenged suckling piglets. In addition, GOS significantly reduced the relative mRNA expression of mucin2 (MUC2), and significantly increased the protein expression of Claudin-1 and zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) in LPS-challenged suckling piglets.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested that GOS can modulate the colonic mucosa-associated microbiota composition and improve the intestinal function of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.

Delivery of Phenolic Compounds, Peptides and β-Glucan to the Gastrointestinal Tract by Incorporating Dietary Fibre-Rich Mushrooms into Sorghum Biscuits

Sorghum biscuits were enriched with mushroom powders (Lentinula edodes, Auricularia auricula and Tremella fuciformis) at 5%, 10% and 15% substitution levels. An in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was used to evaluate the effect of this enrichment on the phenolic content and soluble peptide content as well as antioxidant activities of the gastric or intestinal supernatants (bio-accessible fractions), and the remaining portions of phenolic compounds, antioxidants and β-glucan in the undigested residue (non-digestible fraction). The phenolic content of the gastric and intestinal supernatants obtained from digested mushroom-enriched biscuits was found to be higher than that of control biscuit, and the phenolic content was positively correlated to the antioxidant activities in each fraction (p < 0.001). L. edodes and T. fuciformis enrichment increased the soluble protein content (small peptide) of sorghum biscuits after in vitro digestion. All mushroom enrichment increased the total phenolic content and β-glucan content of the undigested residue and they were positively correlated (p < 0.001). The insoluble dietary fibre of biscuits was positively correlated with β-glucan content (p < 0.001) of undigested residue. These findings suggested that enriching food with mushroom derived dietary fibre increases the bioavailability of the non-digestible β-glucan and phenolic compounds.

Dietary polysaccharides exert biological functions via epigenetic regulations: Advance and prospectives

Bioactive substances derived from natural products are valued for effective health-related activities. As extremely important component of plants, animal cell membrane and microbes cytoderm, polysaccharides have been applied as medications, foods and cosmetics stemming from their prominent biological functions and minor side-effects. Recent studies indicate that polysaccharides exert biological effects also through epigenetic mechanism. Through the intervention of DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA, polysaccharides participatate in regulation of immunity/inflammation, glucose and lipid metabolism, antioxidant damage and anti-tumor, which presents novel mechanism of polysaccharide exerting various functions. In this review, the latest advances in the biological functions of dietary polysaccharides via epigenetic regulations were comprehensively summarized and discussed. From the view point of epigenetic regulation, investigating the relationship between polysaccharides and biological effects will enhance our understandings of polysaccharides and also means huge breakthrough of molecular mechanism in the polysaccharide research fields. The paper will provide important reference to these investigators of polysaccharide research and expand the applications of dietary polysaccharides in the functional food developments.