Fucoxanthin modulates cecal and fecal microbiota differently based on diet

Area of Science:

• Marine natural products
• Gut microbiome research
• Nutraceuticals and obesity

Background:

• Obesity is a global health issue linked to gut microbiota dysbiosis.
• Microbiota-directed foods and nutraceuticals are potential anti-obesity strategies.
• Fucoxanthin, a marine carotenoid, shows anti-obesity effects but its mechanism on gut microbiota is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of fucoxanthin on gut microbiota composition in mice.
• To explore fucoxanthin's role in modulating microbiota under normal and high-fat diet conditions.
• To elucidate the microbiota-related mechanisms of fucoxanthin's anti-obesity bioactivity.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of cecal and fecal microbiota profiles in BALB/c mice.
• Comparison of treatments: normal chow diet (NCD), NCD + fucoxanthin (NCDF), high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD + fucoxanthin (HFDF).
• Duration of fucoxanthin supplementation was 4 weeks.

Main Results:

• Fucoxanthin supplementation significantly altered cecal and fecal microbiota composition.
• Differential effects of fucoxanthin were observed on NCD and HFD groups.
• Key changes included the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and abundance of genera S24-7 and Akkermansia.

Conclusions:

• Fucoxanthin modulates gut microbiota composition, influencing key bacterial groups.
• These microbiota-modulating effects are associated with fucoxanthin's anti-obesity bioactivity.
• Fucoxanthin is a potential microbiota-targeted functional-food ingredient for obesity management.