Nutriose, a prebiotic low-digestible carbohydrate, stimulates gut mucosal immunity and prevents TNBS-induced colitis in piglets.

Background: We investigated a prebiotic low-digestible carbohydrate (LDC) as a possible food ingredient to stimulate bowel functions in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. The study aimed to assess a fermentable dextrin fiber (Nutriose) and its relationship to the immune management of the disease and the microbiota profile in colitis-bearing piglets.
Methods: In a randomized placebo-controlled parallel blind preclinical study, 32 male piglets were fed LDC (4% Nutriose) or dextrose placebo for 44 days before being challenged with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) to induce colitis. We followed the microbiota profile using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeted to 9 bacterial genera. Secretory IgA was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Inflammatory protein profiles were monitored in blood and colonic tissues. Both histological scoring of biopsy samples and live endoscopic scoring were used to measure colitis development.
Results: Prior and continuing LDC supplementation alleviated the symptoms of colitis (body weight loss, bloody stools) induced by a TNBS challenge. This effect was associated with an improvement in endoscopic and histological scores. LDC was shown to selectively downregulate some of the proinflammatory factors and their concomitant pyretic events and to stimulate the Th2-related immune pathway (IL-10 and s-IgA).
Conclusions: At the dose tested, LDC is a well-tolerated prebiotic agent able to not only stimulate butyrogenic bacteria strains and reduce intestinal transit disorders and energy intake, but also to prevent chronic inflammatory intestinal injuries.