Impact of cranberry on gut microbiota in a colon carcinogenesis mouse model

Abstract

Accumulating evidence showed that microbiota play important roles in colonic inflammation and inflammation‐associated colon carcinogenesis. Fruits and vegetable are know to have protective effects against colon carcinogenesis. In this study, we studied the protective effects of whole cranberry powder against inflammation‐associated colon carcinogenesis in mice treated with azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), and its impact on gut microbiota. Whole cranberry powder was administered to mice through diet at 1.5% w/w for 20 week. Our results demonstrated that treatment with cranberry powder significantly reduced the incidence and multiplicity of colon tumors. These protective effects were associated with decreased inflammation and increased apoptosis in the colonic tumors. Using Miseq sequencing and qPCR, we analyzed the composition of fecal microbiota of the mice. Compared to that of the negative control group, fecal microbiota of AOM/DSS‐treated mice showed relative abundance shifts, alterations in the abundance of Clostridiales and Bacteroidales, and an increase of the low abundant Enterobacteriales and Deferribacterales. Dietary treatment with whole cranberry powder reversed aforementioned alterations in the fecal microbiota of AOM/DSS‐treated mice. Moreover, whole cranberry powder also increased the number of Bifidobacteriales and Lactobacillus in the fecal microbiota. These composition alterations induced by whole cranberry powder were associated with suppressed colonic inflammation and carcinogenesis. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that whole cranberry powder modulated the composition of gut microbiota in AOM/DSS‐treated mice, which may contribute to its anti‐inflammatory and anti‐carcinogenic effects in the colon.Support or Funding InformationThis study was partially supported by fund from USDA