Ethanolamine enhances intestinal functions by altering gut microbiome and mucosal anti-stress capacity in weaned rats.

Ethanolamine (Etn) contained in milk is the base constituent of phosphatidylethanolamine and is required for the proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells and bacteria, which is important for maintenance of the gut microbiome and intestinal development. The present study investigated the effect of Etn on intestinal function and microbiome using 21-d-old Sprague-Dawley rats treated with 0, 250, 500 and 1000 µm Etn in drinking water for 2 weeks immediately after weaning. Growth performance, intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity and mucosal immunity, as well as gut microbiota community composition, were evaluated. Metagenomic prediction and metabolic phenotype analysis based on 16S RNA sequencing were also carried out to assess changes in metabolic functions. We found that weaned rats administered 500 µm Etn enhanced mucosal antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by higher superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase levels in the jejunum (P<0·05) compared with those in the control group. Predominant microbes including Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Elusimicrobia and Tenericutes were altered by different levels of Etn compared with the control group. An Etn concentration of 500 µm shifted colonic microbial metabolic functions that are in favour of lipid- and sugar-related metabolism and biosynthesis. Etn also altered the metabolic phenotypes such as anaerobic microbial counts, and oxidative stress tolerance at over 250 µm. This is the first report for a role of Etn in modifying gut microbiota and intestinal functions. Our findings highlighted the important role of Etn in shaping gut microbial community and promotes intestinal functions, which may provide a better insight of breast-feeding to infant's gut health.

Enhanced anti-inflammatory effects of DHA and quercetin in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 macrophages by inhibiting NF-κB and MAPK activation.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) + quercetin (QE) used in combination. DHA and QE are natural compounds derived from various foods and have been demonstrated to exert anti­inflammatory effects The protein mRNA expression involved in the nuclear factor (NF)-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway was analyzed by western blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction methods respectively, other cytokines were detected by an enzyme­linked immunosorbent assay kit. The results of the present study demonstrated that combined treatment of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)­stimulated RAW264.7 cells with DHA + QE decreased the levels of pro­inflammatory mediators to a greater extent than QE or DHA alone. Additionally, DHA + QE synergistically suppressed nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2 and cyclooxygenase-2 levels. Molecular­level studies indicated that the DHA + QE combination can significantly inhibit the mRNA expression of NF­κB subunits p50 and p65, extracellular signal­regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 and c­JUN N­terminal kinase (JNK) 1/2, which suggests that the NF­κB signalling pathway is involved in the synergistic effects observed. Furthermore, western blot analysis demonstrated that DHA + QE synergistically inhibit the phosphorylation of p50, p65, ERK1/2 and JNK1/2. This finding indicates that the enhanced anti­inflammatory effects of the combined compounds are achieved by suppressing NF­κB and MAPK signalling in LPS­stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The results of the present study suggest that DHA and QE in combination may be utilized as potent anti­inflammatory compounds, with potential preventative or palliative effects on obesity, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.