Health Benefits of Dietary Polysaccharides on Metabolic Disorders via Regulating Gut Microbiota

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 October 2023) | Viewed by 19855

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industrialization, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
Interests: dietary fiber; structural characterization; chemical modification; quality evaluation; metabolic disorders; gut microbiota
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Key Laboratory of Coarse Cereal Processing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Sichuan Province Engineering Technology Research Center of Coarse Cereal Industrialization, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
Interests: proteins; polysaccharides; gut microbiota; metabolic syndrome; safety evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Dietary polysaccharides are well known to have a wide range of health benefits. Due to the complex pathological mechanisms of metabolic disorders, there has still been a lack of reliable clinical interventions to improve metabolic risk factors over a long period of time. Increasing studies have demonstrated that dietary polysaccharides can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and other metabolic disorders. However, the potential mechanisms responsible for the beneficial effects of dietary polysaccharides on metabolic disorders remain unclear. As is well known, most dietary polysaccharides cannot be entirely digested or directly absorbed in the human upper gastrointestinal tract, while can be fermented and utilized by human gut microbiota in the colon. Furthermore, with the increasing acknowledgment of the important role of gut microbiota in human health and disease, it has gained increasing attention about the impact of the interaction between dietary polysaccharides and gut microbiota on metabolic disorders. Nevertheless, there is still a big gap to confirm the health benefits of dietary polysaccharides on metabolic disorders mediated by gut microbiota. 

This Special Issue aims to focus on how gut microbiota metabolizes dietary polysaccharides and their structure-function relationships on the regulation of gut microbiota, as well as the beneficial effects and mechanisms of action of dietary polysaccharides on metabolic disorders via regulating gut microbiota. We welcome different types of manuscripts, including original research articles and up-to-date reviews.

Potential topics include but are not limited to:

  • Structural characterization and physicochemical modification of dietary polysaccharides derived from food materials and their potential to regulate gut microbiota
  • Digestive and metabolic behaviors of dietary polysaccharides, as well as the interaction with gut microbiota. 
  • Structure-function relationships of dietary polysaccharides on the regulation of gut microbiota.
  • Health benefits and mechanisms of action of dietary polysaccharides on metabolic disorders by regulating gut microbiota.

Dr. Dingtao Wu
Prof. Dr. Ren-You Gan
Dr. Yichen Hu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • polysaccharides
  • characterization and modification
  • digestive and metabolic properties
  • gut microbiota
  • metabolic disorders
  • dietary intervention

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 4833 KiB  
Article
Catabolism of Dictyophora indusiata Polysaccharide and Its Impacts on Gut Microbial Composition during In Vitro Digestion and Microbial Fermentation
by Yun-Xuan Zhao, Ling Huang, Ding-Tao Wu, Jie Li, Jing Lei, Meng-Xi Fu, Qing Zhang and Wen Qin
Foods 2023, 12(9), 1909; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12091909 - 6 May 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2320
Abstract
Dictyophora indusiata is one of the most famous edible mushrooms in China. D. indusiata polysaccharide (DP) has attracted increasing attention because of its multiple beneficial effects. In this study, the in vitro simulated digestion and microbial fermentation were designed to reveal the potential [...] Read more.
Dictyophora indusiata is one of the most famous edible mushrooms in China. D. indusiata polysaccharide (DP) has attracted increasing attention because of its multiple beneficial effects. In this study, the in vitro simulated digestion and microbial fermentation were designed to reveal the potential catabolic property of DP and its impacts on the modulation of gut microbial composition. The results showed that the reducing sugar content, total polysaccharides content, molecular weight, and rheological property of DP were not significantly altered under in vitro simulated digestive conditions. However, the molecular weight, apparent viscosity, and total polysaccharides content of indigestible DP (DPI) significantly decreased during in vitro fecal fermentation, and the reducing sugar content and the release of free monosaccharides notably increased, suggesting that DP could be degraded and used by gut microbiota. Additionally, the relative abundances of several beneficial bacteria, such as Bacteroides, Catenibacterium, Parabacteroides, and Megamonas, increased significantly, indicating that DP can regulate the composition and abundance of gut microbiota. Moreover, DP could also promote the production of SCFAs, thus changing the acid–base environment of the large intestine. The results of this study are beneficial for deeply clarifying the catabolic behavior of DP in the gastrointestinal tract, which can provide a theoretical basis for developing microbiota-directed products based on DP. Full article
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14 pages, 1928 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Fecal Fermentation of Euphorbia humifusa-Derived Polysaccharides and Their Protective Effect against Ulcerative Colitis in Mice
by Ning Xiang, Jianbo Zhao, Siqiao Chang, Shasha Li, Shuwen Liu and Chan Wang
Foods 2023, 12(4), 751; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040751 - 8 Feb 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2213
Abstract
Euphorbia humifusa is a plant species with medicinal and food characteristics used to treat diarrhea and other intestinal diseases. This study investigated the prebiotic effects of E. humifusa-derived polysaccharides (EHPs) on human colonic microbiota and their regulatory effects on ulcerative colitis (UC). [...] Read more.
Euphorbia humifusa is a plant species with medicinal and food characteristics used to treat diarrhea and other intestinal diseases. This study investigated the prebiotic effects of E. humifusa-derived polysaccharides (EHPs) on human colonic microbiota and their regulatory effects on ulcerative colitis (UC). Structural characterization showed that EHPs mainly consisted of galactose, glucose, and glucuronic acid and were heteropolysaccharides having molecular weights of 7.70 × 103 and 1.76 × 102 kDa, respectively. EHPs were identified as poorly absorbed macromolecules, verified by the apparent permeability coefficient values (Papp < 1.0 × 10−6 cm/s) and cellular uptake by Caco-2 cell monolayers. During in vitro fermentation studies, the contents of acetic, propionic, and valeric acids increased significantly in EHP-supplemented samples after 24 h compared to that in the control sample. Moreover, EHPs could alter the intestinal microbiota composition by increasing the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium and Holdemanella and reducing that of Escherichia-Shigella, Tyzzerella, and Parasutterella at the genus level. In a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mouse model, EHPs alleviated UC symptoms by increasing the colon length, reversing the colon tissue damage and inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines. Overall, these results suggest that EHPs could be utilized as a potential prebiotic or a promising nutritional strategy for UC management. Full article
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14 pages, 2269 KiB  
Article
Metagenomic Insights into the Anti-Obesity Effect of a Polysaccharide from Saccharina japonica
by Ying Song, Dongze Lu, Honggang Wang, Zhenyi Zhou, Xian Luo, Manjing Ma, Songze Ke, Hong Wang, Yanlei Yu and Bin Wei
Foods 2023, 12(3), 665; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12030665 - 3 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2892
Abstract
Saccharina japonica polysaccharides exhibit great potential to be developed as anti-obesity and prebiotic health products, but the underlying mechanism has not been adequately addressed. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanism of a S. japonica polysaccharide fraction (SjC) in preventing high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced [...] Read more.
Saccharina japonica polysaccharides exhibit great potential to be developed as anti-obesity and prebiotic health products, but the underlying mechanism has not been adequately addressed. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanism of a S. japonica polysaccharide fraction (SjC) in preventing high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice using 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing analysis. SjC was characterized as a 756 kDa sulfated polysaccharide and 16 weeks of SjC supplementation significantly alleviated HFD-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and glucose metabolism disorders. The 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing analysis demonstrated that SjC supplementation prevented gut microbiota dysbiosis mainly by regulating the relative abundance of Desulfovibrio and Akkermansia. Metagenomic functional profiling demonstrated that SjC treatment predominantly suppressed the amino acid metabolism of gut microbiota. Linking of 16S rRNA genes with metagenome-assembled genomes indicated that SjC enriched at least 22 gut bacterial species with fucoidan-degrading potential including Desulfovibrio and Akkermansia, which showed significant correlations with bodyweight. In conclusion, our results suggest that SjC exhibits a promising potential as an anti-obesity health product and the interaction between SjC and fucoidan-degrading bacteria may be associated with its anti-obesity effect. Full article
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14 pages, 3388 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Digestion and Fecal Fermentation of Peach Gum Polysaccharides with Different Molecular Weights and Their Impacts on Gut Microbiota
by Chaoyang Wei, Li Yao, Lin Zhang, Yu Zhang, Qian Luo, Shuyi Qiu, Xiangyong Zeng, Shiguo Chen and Xingqian Ye
Foods 2022, 11(24), 3970; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11243970 - 8 Dec 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2509
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the in vitro digestion and fermentation characteristics of three peach gum polysaccharides (PGPs) of different molecular weights; i.e., AEPG2 (1.64 × 107 g/mol), DPG2 (5.21 × 105 g/mol), and LP100R (8.50 × 104 g/mol). [...] Read more.
In the present study, we investigated the in vitro digestion and fermentation characteristics of three peach gum polysaccharides (PGPs) of different molecular weights; i.e., AEPG2 (1.64 × 107 g/mol), DPG2 (5.21 × 105 g/mol), and LP100R (8.50 × 104 g/mol). We observed that PGPs were indigestible during the oral, gastrointestinal, and intestinal stages. However, they were utilized by the gut microbiota with utilization rates in the order of DPG2 > AEPG2 > LP100R. Furthermore, arabinose in PGPs was preferentially utilized by the gut microbiota followed by galactose and xylose. Fermentation of peach gum polysaccharides could significantly increase the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially n-butyric acid. In addition, PGPs with different molecular weights values were predominantly fermented by different bacterial species. AEPG2 and DPG2 were fermented by the Bacteroidetes bacteria Bacteroides, while the dominant n-butyrate-producing bacteria was Faecalibacterium. While the LP100R was fermented by Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, Phascolarctobacterium, Dialister, Lachnospiraceae, and Blautia, the dominant n-butyrate-producing bacteria was Megamonas. These results indicated that PGPs are potential prebiotics for the food industry. Full article
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16 pages, 2174 KiB  
Article
Chlorella pyrenoidosa Polysaccharides as a Prebiotic to Modulate Gut Microbiota: Physicochemical Properties and Fermentation Characteristics In Vitro
by Kunling Lv, Qingxia Yuan, Hong Li, Tingting Li, Haiqiong Ma, Chenghai Gao, Siyuan Zhang, Yonghong Liu and Longyan Zhao
Foods 2022, 11(5), 725; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11050725 - 1 Mar 2022
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3844
Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the prebiotic potential of Chlorella pyrenoidosa polysaccharides to provide useful information for developing C. pyrenoidosa as a green healthy food. C. pyrenoidosa polysaccharides were prepared and their physicochemical characteristics were determined. The digestibility and fermentation characteristics of [...] Read more.
This study was conducted to investigate the prebiotic potential of Chlorella pyrenoidosa polysaccharides to provide useful information for developing C. pyrenoidosa as a green healthy food. C. pyrenoidosa polysaccharides were prepared and their physicochemical characteristics were determined. The digestibility and fermentation characteristics of C. pyrenoidosa polysaccharides were evaluated using in vitro models. The results revealed that C. pyrenoidosa polysaccharides were composed of five non-starch polysaccharide fractions with monosaccharide compositions of Man, Rib, Rha, GlcA, Glc, Gal, Xyl and Ara. C. pyrenoidosa polysaccharides could not be degraded under saliva and the gastrointestinal conditions. However, the molecular weight and contents of residual carbohydrates and reducing sugars of C. pyrenoidosa polysaccharides were significantly reduced after fecal fermentation at a moderate speed. Notably, C. pyrenoidosa polysaccharides could remarkably modulate gut microbiota, including the promotion of beneficial bacteria, inhibition of growth of harmful bacteria, and reduction of the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. Intriguingly, C. pyrenoidosa polysaccharides can promote growth of Parabacteroides distasonis and increase short-chain fatty acid contents, thereby probably contributing to the promotion of intestinal health and prevention of diseases. Thus, these results suggested that C. pyrenoidosa polysaccharides had prebiotic functions with different fermentation characteristics compared with conventional prebiotics such as fructooligosaccharide, and they may be a new prebiotic for improving human health. Full article
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Review

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15 pages, 2273 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review of the Cardioprotective Effect of Marine Algae Polysaccharide on the Gut Microbiota
by Kit-Leong Cheong, Biao Yu, Jing Chen and Saiyi Zhong
Foods 2022, 11(22), 3550; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223550 - 8 Nov 2022
Cited by 57 | Viewed by 4538
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death worldwide. Recent evidence has demonstrated an association between the gut microbiota and CVD, including heart failure, cerebrovascular illness, hypertension, and stroke. Marine algal polysaccharides (MAPs) are valuable natural sources of diverse bioactive compounds. [...] Read more.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death worldwide. Recent evidence has demonstrated an association between the gut microbiota and CVD, including heart failure, cerebrovascular illness, hypertension, and stroke. Marine algal polysaccharides (MAPs) are valuable natural sources of diverse bioactive compounds. MAPs have many pharmaceutical activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antidiabetic effects. Most MAPs are not utilized in the upper gastrointestinal tract; however, they are fermented by intestinal flora. The relationship between MAPs and the intestinal microbiota has drawn attention in CVD research. Hence, this review highlights the main action by which MAPs are known to affect CVD by maintaining homeostasis in the gut microbiome and producing gut microbiota-generated functional metabolites and short chain fatty acids. In addition, the effects of trimethylamine N-oxide on the gut microbiota composition, bile acid signaling properties, and CVD prevention are also discussed. This review supports the idea that focusing on the interactions between the host and gut microbiota may be promising for the prevention or treatment of CVD. MAPs are a potential sustainable source for the production of functional foods or nutraceutical products for preventing or treating CVD. Full article
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