In Vitro Evaluation of the Effects of Commercial Prebiotic GOS and FOS Products on Human Colonic Caco–2 Cells

Geraldine M Flaujac Lafontaine,Neville M Fish,Ian F Connerton

doi:10.3390/nu12051281

Geraldine M Flaujac Lafontaine, Neville M Fish + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12051281

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Journal: Nutrients	Publication Date: Apr 30, 2020
Citations: 14	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Nottingham, Harper Adams University

Abstract

Prebiotic oligosaccharides are widely used as human and animal feed additives for their beneficial effects on the gut microbiota. However, there are limited data to assess the direct effect of such functional foods on the transcriptome of intestinal epithelial cells. The purpose of this study is to describe the differential transcriptomes and cellular pathways of colonic cells directly exposed to galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). We have examined the differential gene expression of polarized Caco–2 cells treated with GOS or FOS products and their respective mock-treated cells using mRNA sequencing (RNA-seq). A total of 89 significant differentially expressed genes were identified between GOS and mock-treated groups. For FOS treatment, a reduced number of 12 significant genes were observed to be differentially expressed relative to the control group. KEGG and gene ontology functional analysis revealed that genes up-regulated in the presence of GOS were involved in digestion and absorption processes, fatty acids and steroids metabolism, potential antimicrobial proteins, energy-dependent and -independent transmembrane trafficking of solutes and amino acids. Using our data, we have established complementary non-prebiotic modes of action for these frequently used dietary fibers.

Highlights

Prebiotics are generally defined as substances that are selectively utilized by host microorganisms to produce a health benefit [1]
The presence of mono- and di-saccharides contained in GOS and FOS syrups used for treatment was accounted for in the control mock media for Nutrabiotic® GOS 64% by incorporating galactose, glucose and lactose and by inclusion of fructose, glucose and sucrose for Orafti® L95 FOS
The treatment of Caco–2 cell monolayers with GOS generated a significant increase in the TEER values (Figure 1, TEER +33.62%, p = 0.00037) when compared to the mock-exposed cells

Summary

Introduction

Prebiotics are generally defined as substances that are selectively utilized by host microorganisms to produce a health benefit [1]. Prebiotic oligosaccharides conform to the definition as non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by stimulating the growth and/or activity of beneficial bacteria in the colon [2]. Such oligosaccharides are widely used as human and animal nutritional additives for their beneficial effects on the composition of the probiotic microbiota and gut health [3,4]. Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS or β-GOS) are produced through the β-galactosidase catalyzed transgalactosylation of lactose creating oligosaccharides with degrees of polymerization (DP) ranging from 2 to 8 monomeric units with β(1→3), β(1→4) and β(1→6) linkages between galactose units and are usually coupled to a terminal glucose [5]. Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are commonly produced by acid- or enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of inulin [6], which results in fructan oligomers of 1 to 7 units

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