Bovine milk oligosaccharides decrease gut permeability and improve inflammation and microbial dysbiosis in...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Nutrition Science
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Obesity is linked to gut dysbiosis and increased intestinal permeability, contributing to metabolic disorders.
• Prebiotics, like milk oligosaccharides, selectively promote beneficial gut bacteria.
• Bovine milk oligosaccharides (BMO) are complex carbohydrates with potential prebiotic effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of BMO and Bifidobacterium longum ssp. infantis (B. infantis) on gut microbiota and intestinal barrier function in diet-induced obesity in mice.
• To assess BMO's ability to restore gut homeostasis disrupted by a Western diet.

Main Methods:

• Male C57/BL6 mice were fed a Western diet (WD) or normal chow (C) for 7 weeks.
• A subgroup of WD-fed mice received BMO supplementation during the final 2 weeks.
• B. infantis was administered via gavage, but its presence was not confirmed at study end.

Main Results:

• BMO supplementation normalized cecal and colonic microbiota in WD-fed mice, increasing Lactobacillus abundance and restoring Allobaculum and Ruminococcus levels.
• BMO reduced increased paracellular and transcellular flux in the large intestine.
• BMO supplementation decreased mRNA levels of the inflammatory marker tumor necrosis factor α.

Conclusions:

• Bovine milk oligosaccharides show promise as prebiotics for modulating gut microbiota composition.
• BMO effectively restored intestinal barrier function and reduced inflammation in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity.
• BMO supplementation represents a potential strategy for improving gut health and mitigating metabolic disorders.