Abstract
Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) is a perennial plant that has been used as a traditional remedy to control immune-related diseases. PG was steamed and dried to improve its taste (PGS). The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of PG and PGS (PG-diets) on the gut microbiome and immune system. We treated PG-diets to immunosuppressed mice via cyclophosphamide (CPA) injection. After two weeks of the supplement, we evaluated specific genera related to body weight and serum immunoglobulin levels and analyzed 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenomics statistical analysis. PG-diets groups showed an increased abundance of microorganisms in immunodeficient mice compared to the control group (NC). Moreover, Akkermansia significantly decreased in response to the CPA in the NC group at the genus level, whereas its abundance increased in the PG-diets groups. We also found that the modulation of the gut microbiome by PG-diets was correlated with body weight, IgA, and IgM levels. The results demonstrate that PG-diets may improve the health benefits of immunosuppressed mice by altering the gut microbiome, though not much difference was found between PG and PGS treatments. Finally, this is the first study showing the effects of PGS-diets on the gut microbiome and immune system as a potential nourishing immunity supplement.
Highlights
The gut microbial community is associated with host digestion, nutrition, and regulation of the host immune system [1]
The principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) with weighted Unifrac distance was performed in two comparisons: (1) between normal control (Nor) group and CPA-treated negative control (NC) group, and (2) between the NC and the groups supplemented by β-glucan (PC), PGS, and Platycodon grandiflorum (PG)
When we compared NC to other groups that are immunosuppressed with CPA, the positive control with β-glucan (PC) and PG2 groups had no segregation with the NC group (Figure 1B)
Summary
The gut microbial community is associated with host digestion, nutrition, and regulation of the host immune system [1]. The microbiome influences the development and function of the immune cells at both mucosal and non-mucosal sites. This affects the immune system through the whole body as well as the gut immune system [2]. Given the association between the gut microbiome and the immune system, the use of prebiotics is suggested as one of the solutions to improve the immune system. Prebiotics are mostly fibers that are non-digestible food ingredients that can beneficially affect the host’s health by selectively stimulating the activity of some microorganisms [3]. Prebiotics stimulate beneficial bacteria including lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, which may involve modifying gut pH, increasing the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, stimulating immunomodulatory cells, and enhance the immune system [4]
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