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Published on: July 25, 2017
Effects of Lactic Acid Bacteria-Fermented Soymilk on Isoflavone Metabolites and Short-Chain Fatty Acids Excretion and
Shuhong Dai1,2, Mingfang Pan2, Hani S El-Nezami2
1Dept. of Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Control, Shenzhen Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen, Guangdong, P. R. China, 518054.
Abstract:
Lactobacillus rhamnosus strain ASCC 1520 with high soy isoflavone transformation ability was used to ferment soymilk and added to the diet of mice. The impact of L. rhamnosus fermentation on soy isoflavone metabolites and intestinal bacterial community, in conjunction with fecal enzyme activity and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) excretion was evaluated. Antibiotics intervention resulted in a decrease in fecal enzyme activities and SCFA. Although long-term intake of soymilk or L. rhamnosus-fermented soymilk did not affect the fecal β-glucuronidase and β-galactosidase activities, it improved the β-glucosidase activity when antibiotics were concomitantly administered. Soymilk or fermented soymilk administration increased the isoflavone metabolites (O-DMA and equol) excreted in urine. Antibiotics decreased the daidzein excretion and its metabolites but showed little effect on glycitein and genistein excretion. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) of the 16s rRNA gene sequencing data found a remarkable shift in gut microbiota after soymilk administration and antibiotics treatment. Matastats test of the relative abundance of bacterial taxa revealed Odoribacter (Bacteroidales family), Lactobacillus (Lactobacillales order), and Alistipes (Rikenellaceae family) were enriched in soymilk while bacterial taxa from Bacteroides and Lactobacillus were enriched in L. rhamnosus-fermented soymilk. Furthermore, there was less decrease in bacterial taxa with fermented soymilk group even when antibiotics were concomitantly administered. Overall, this study revealed that the gut microbiota of a healthy host is enough for the whole isoflavone metabolism under normal conditions. Feeding mice with L. rhamnosus-fermented soymilk improved fecal enzyme activity and kept the balance of the gut mirobiota when antibiotics were used. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Feeding mice with L. rhamnosus-fermented soymilk improved fecal enzyme activity and kept the balance of the gut mirobiota when antibiotics were used.
Insights
Fermented soymilk with Lactobacillus rhamnosus improved gut microbiota balance and fecal enzyme activity, especially when antibiotics were administered. This highlights the benefits of probiotics for gut health and isoflavone metabolism.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Nutritional Science
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Soy isoflavones are plant compounds with potential health benefits.
- Gut microbiota plays a crucial role in metabolizing isoflavones.
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a probiotic known for its health-promoting properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of Lactobacillus rhamnosus-fermented soymilk on soy isoflavone metabolism.
- To evaluate changes in the intestinal bacterial community and fecal enzyme activity.
- To assess the protective effects of fermented soymilk against antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis.
Main Methods:
- Fermentation of soymilk using Lactobacillus rhamnosus ASCC 1520.
- Dietary administration of soymilk and fermented soymilk to mice, with and without antibiotic treatment.
- Analysis of urinary isoflavone metabolites (O-DMA, equol).
- Measurement of fecal enzyme activities (β-glucuronidase, β-galactosidase, β-glucosidase) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA).
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing for gut microbiota profiling.
Main Results:
- Fermented soymilk increased urinary excretion of isoflavone metabolites (O-DMA, equol).
- Antibiotics reduced fecal enzyme activities and SCFA, but fermented soymilk partially restored β-glucosidase activity.
- Gut microbiota composition shifted with soymilk and antibiotic treatments; fermented soymilk mitigated antibiotic-induced decreases in bacterial taxa.
- Specific bacterial taxa like Odoribacter, Lactobacillus, and Alistipes were enriched by soymilk or fermented soymilk.
Conclusions:
- The gut microbiota is essential for comprehensive isoflavone metabolism in healthy hosts.
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus-fermented soymilk enhances isoflavone metabolism and maintains gut microbiota balance, particularly under antibiotic stress.
- Probiotic-fermented soymilk offers a potential strategy to support gut health and metabolic functions disrupted by antibiotics.
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