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Updated: Sep 26, 2026

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota
Published on: July 31, 2019
Gut microbiota modulation, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, and immune responses associated with
Meng Liu1, Xuan Liu2, Christophe Blecker3
1Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing, PR China; Laboratory of Food Science and Formulation, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Avenue de la Faculté d'Agronomie 2B, Gembloux, B-5030, Belgium.
Abstract:
Peach pectin is a promising functional polysaccharide, yet the structure-activity associations among its fractions remain poorly defined. Here, four structurally distinct peach pectin fractions, water-soluble (WSP), chelator-soluble (CSP), sodium carbonate-soluble (SSP), and an enzymatically modified fraction (ES) with targeted homogalacturonan fragmentation, were evaluated in cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed female mice. Among them, SSP exerted the most comprehensive benefits. Specifically, SSP treatment restored cytokine balance; increased red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels by 24.56% and 34.39%, respectively, relative to the model group; enhanced microbial diversity (Shannon and Sobs indices increased by 21.17% and 12.05%, respectively); and optimized short-chain fatty acid profiles. These effects were strongly associated with SSP's structural traits, particularly moderate branching, higher rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) content, and characteristic monosaccharide composition. Correlation analysis identified taxon-specific responses, where norank_f_UCG-010 (unclassified genus) was correlated with the RG-I index (r = 0.99) and arabinose (r = 0.99), and Blautia, Enterorhabdus, and Eubacterium_brachy_group (unclassified genus) with rhamnose, fucose, and galactose, respectively. Higher branching was negatively correlated with Bacillus (r = -0.95) and norank_f_Desulfovibrionaceae (unclassified genus) (r = -0.99) and positively correlated with valeric acid levels (r = 0.96). Overall, structural differences of the peach pectin fractions were related to the differences in the modulation of the microbiota and the immune response in this model, highlighting SSP as a promising functional ingredient.
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