PR001702 (Project)

Description:Human milk-derived 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) consumption is associated with health benefits in infancy that extend into adulthood. However, the exact biological functions of 2’-FL and corresponding mechanisms of action remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the impact of 2’-FL on gut microbial metabolism for the prevention of colitis in adulthood. The gut microbiota from adult mice treated with 2’-FL showed an increase in abundance of several health-associated genera, including Bifidobacterium, and exhibited preventive effects on colitis. Microbial metabolic analysis demonstrated that 26 pathways that are significantly different between non-inflammatory bowel disease individuals and patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are significantly regulated by 2’-FL in mice, indicating that 2’-FL has the potential to directly regulate dysregulated microbial metabolism in UC. Exploratory metabolomics of Bifidobacterium infantis identified novel secreted metabolites significantly enriched by 2’-FL consumption, including pantothenol. Remarkably, pantothenate significantly protects mucosal barrier and mitigates colitis in adult mice. Thus 2’-FL-modulated gut microbial metabolism may contribute to the prevention of intestinal inflammation in adulthood.