Phospholipid-rich krill oil promotes intestinal health by strengthening beneficial gut microbial interactions in an infectious colitis model.

Krill oil (KO) is rich in bioactive ingredients including phospholipids, omega-3 fatty acids, and astaxanthin. While health benefits and roles of KO in modulating lipid metabolism are well documented, its ability to alleviate symptoms related to infectious colitis and modulate gut microbial interactions is still largely unknown. Here we used a multi-omics approach, including transcriptome, microbiome, and metabolome analyses, to understand how KO mediates gut microbial interactions and promotes epithelial healing in an infectious colitis model. KO reversed the infection-induced intestinal hyperplasia to baseline. KO dampened intestinal inflammation via multiple targets, mediating several proinflammatory pathways, including IL17 signaling, and reducing luminal histamine levels. KO supplementation enriched butyrate-producing bacteria, including Roseburia and Clostridium, and strengthened beneficial microbial interactions in the gut microbial community. Supplementation with phospholipid-rich KO also increased microbial phylogenetic diversity. KO enhanced mucosal barrier function by increasing the production of Muc6 and the antimicrobial peptide, Leap2. KO played an active role during epithelial healing by inhibiting the expression of granzyme K while increasing the expression of a colitis protective factor, Dclk1. Together, our findings demonstrate that KO rich in omega-3 phospholipids can play a protective role in infectious colitis and should be considered a dietary option for promoting gut health.

Red Cabbage Modulates Composition and Co-Occurrence Networks of Gut Microbiota in a Rodent Diet-Induced Obesity Model.

Red cabbage (RC), a cruciferous vegetable rich in various bioactive substances, can significantly reduce the risk factors of several non-communicable diseases, but the mechanism underlying the biological effects of RC remains unclear. Furthermore, mechanisms that operate through the regulation of gut microbiota also are not known. Given the relationships between diet, gut microbiota, and health, a diet-induced mice obesity model was used to elucidate the influence of RC on gut microbial composition and bacteria-bacteria interactions in mice. After 24 h of dietary intervention, a high-fat (HF) diet with the intake of RC led to increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratios in the feces of mice. RC also reduced the relative abundance of Bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus, and Akkermansia muciniphila in mice fed a low-fat (LF) diet. After 8-weeks of dietary intervention, RC significantly changed the structure and the ecological network of the gut microbial community. Particularly, RC inhibited an HF-diet-induced increase in AF12 in mice, and this genus was positively correlated with body weight, low-density lipoprotein level, and fecal bile acid of mice. Unclassified Clostridiales, specifically increased via RC consumption, were also found to negatively correlate with hepatic free cholesterol levels in mice. Overall, our results demonstrated that RC modulating gut microbial composition and interactions are associated with the attenuation of HF-diet-induced body weight gain and altered cholesterol metabolism in mice.