Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharide-Fe (III) complex promotes intestinal development as a new iron supplement

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Biochemistry
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Iron deficiency poses significant health risks for infants.
• Dietary polysaccharide-iron (III) complexes (PICs) offer a promising solution due to high absorption and low adverse effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharide-Fe (III) complex (EP-Fe) as an iron supplement in newborns.
• To investigate the impact of EP-Fe on intestinal development, cellular responses to hypoxia, mucosal barrier function, and gut microbiota.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a 3-day weaned piglet model to simulate iron deficiency in newborns.
• Employed transcriptome sequencing to analyze gene expression changes in response to EP-Fe.
• Conducted 16S rRNA gene sequencing to assess the effects of EP-Fe on gut microbiota composition.

Main Results:

• EP-Fe supplementation significantly improved iron levels and promoted intestinal development in piglets.
• EP-Fe upregulated genes supporting vascular system development, enhancing intestinal epithelial cell survival under hypoxia.
• EP-Fe strengthened the mucosal barrier by inhibiting the MLCK/p-MLC pathway, increasing tight junction protein expression.
• EP-Fe promoted the abundance of beneficial gut microbes like Bacteroides_fragilis, known for carbohydrate metabolism.

Conclusions:

• EP-Fe serves as an effective iron supplement for newborns, demonstrating multifaceted benefits for intestinal health.
• EP-Fe has potential for development into a comprehensive nutritional supplement for infant health and development.