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Age-Dependent Prebiotic Effects of Soluble Corn Fiber in M-SHIME® Gut Microbial Ecosystems

Marta Calatayud Arroyo1,2, Ieva Laurie3, Chloë Rotsaert1

  • 1ProDigest, Technologiepark 82, 9052, Zwijnaarde, Belgium.

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
|January 24, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Soluble corn fiber (SCF) acts as a prebiotic, promoting beneficial gut bacteria and producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) across all age groups. SCF also protected intestinal barrier integrity in infant and adult models.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Nutrition Science
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Soluble corn fiber (SCF) is recognized for its prebiotic properties.
  • Understanding SCF's impact on gut microbiota and host interactions is crucial for various age groups.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the prebiotic effects of SCF on colonic microbiota composition and metabolic activity.
  • To investigate SCF's influence on host-microbiome interactions using an in vitro model.
  • To assess SCF's impact across different age demographics: babies, adults, and the elderly.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the in vitro mucosal simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem (M-SHIME®) model.
  • Fecal samples from healthy donors of different ages were used to inoculate M-SHIME® systems.
  • Systems were treated with varying daily doses of SCF for three weeks, followed by analysis of supernatants, microbial composition, and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production.

Main Results:

  • SCF treatment led to an expansion of key bacterial phyla (Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes) and genera (Bifidobacterium) across all age groups.
  • Increased SCFA production, particularly propionate, was observed in SCF-treated M-SHIME® models.
  • Supernatants from SCF-treated models demonstrated protective effects on intestinal epithelial cell barrier integrity against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced damage in baby and adult models.

Conclusions:

  • Soluble corn fiber exhibits significant prebiotic potential in infants, adults, and the elderly.
  • SCF positively modulates gut microbiota composition and enhances SCFA production.
  • SCF contributes to maintaining intestinal barrier function, highlighting its role in gut health across the lifespan.
Keywords:
ElderlyInfantMicrobiotaPrebioticShort-chain fatty acidSoluble corn fiber

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