Effects of laminarin zwitterionic carboxylate and sulfonate on the intestinal barrier function and gut microbiota

Ulcerative colitis (UC) has become a global chronic disease that keeps increasing. This study was to explore the treatment effectiveness of two functional zwitterionic laminarins, zwitterionic sulfonate (LZS) and zwitterionic carboxylate (LZC), in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced mouse model. FT-IR and NMR techniques were used to characterize the aforementioned functional zwitterion. Compared to UC mice, the composition and diversity of gut microbiota were significantly increased in the treated mice. Specifically, the composition of Bacteroidetes increased and the level of Firmicutes decreased. Moreover, we demonstrated the alleviation of colitis by LZS and LZC reflected by the improved integrity of intestinal mucosa, which includes increased number of goblet cells, mucin protein production, maintenance of collagens, as well as the lower extent of intestinal fibrosis. These findings indicated the potentials of LZC and LZS as promising agents to prevent colitis via adjusting gut microbiota and maintaining intestinal barrier integrity.