Laminaria japonica fucoidan alleviates DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and regulates the composition and metabolic function of gut microbiota
Algal Research, cilt.98, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 98
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.algal.2026.104865
- Dergi Adı: Algal Research
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, INSPEC
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Fucoidan, Gut microbiota, Intestinal barrier, Laminaria japonica, Ulcerative colitis
- Çukurova Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by recurrent inflammation of the colonic mucosa. In this study, a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse model of UC was employed to investigate the protective effects of Laminaria japonica fucoidan (LJF) against UC, with a focus on elucidating its role in intestinal barrier repair and its modulatory effects on the gut microbiota. The results demonstrated that LJF treatment significantly reduced the disease activity index and spleen index in model mice, alleviated fecal bleeding, and ameliorated colon shortening. Histological analysis confirmed that LJF attenuated colonic tissue injury, upregulated the expression of the tight junction protein Occludin, reduced intestinal inflammation, and consequently enhanced intestinal barrier function. Gut microbiota analysis revealed that LJF enriched beneficial bacterial genera such as Duncaniella and Alistipes_A, while inhibiting the proliferation of the pathogenic Escherichia. In the high-dose LJF (H-LJF) group, short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, including Alistipes and UBA7173, were identified as key biomarkers. Functional predictions using PICRUSt2 and FAPROTAX indicated that H-LJF downregulated disease-associated pathways and enriched pathways related to antibiotic biosynthesis, amino acid metabolism, and glycan metabolism. This study reveals that LJF effectively ameliorates UC symptoms in mice, an effect closely associated with intestinal barrier repair and the modulation of the gut microbiota and its metabolic pathways. These findings provide experimental evidence supporting LJF as a potential candidate for UC intervention.