Immunoendocrinology, Division of Medical Biology, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9700 RB, The Netherlands.
Host-microbe metabolic interactions, Groningen Biomolecular and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, Groningen, 9747 AG, The Netherlands.
Mol Nutr Food Res. 2021 Feb;65(4):e2000390. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.202000390. Epub 2021 Jan 25.
During ageing, dysbiosis in the intestinal microbiota may occur and impact health. There is a paucity of studies on the effect of fiber on the elderly microbiota and the flexibility of the aged microbiota upon prebiotic intake. It is hypothesized that chicory long-chain inulin consumption can change microbiota composition, microbial fermentation products, and immunity in the elderly.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is performed in healthy individuals (55-80 years), in which microbiota composition is studied before, during, and after two months of chicory long-chain inulin consumption. Fecal short chain fatty acid concentrations, T cell subsets, and antibody responses against a Hepatitis B (HB) vaccine are measured as well. Inulin consumption modified the microbiota composition, as measured by 16S rRNA sequencing. Participants consuming inulin have higher microbial diversity and a relatively higher abundance of the Bifidobacterium genus, as well as Alistipes shahii, Anaerostipes hadrus, and Parabacteroides distasonis. While the immune responses remain unchanged, the isobutyric acid levels, an undesired fermentation product, tend to be lower in the inulin group.
Overall, it is shown that the gut microbiota composition is still sensitive to chicory long-chain inulin induced changes in an ageing population, although this did not translate into an improved immune response to an HB vaccine.
随着年龄的增长，肠道微生物群可能会出现失调，并影响健康。关于纤维对老年人微生物群的影响以及老年人微生物群对益生元摄入的灵活性的研究较少。据推测，菊苣长链菊粉的摄入可以改变老年人的微生物群组成、微生物发酵产物和免疫。
在健康个体（55-80 岁）中进行了一项双盲、安慰剂对照试验，在两个月的菊苣长链菊粉摄入前后研究了微生物群组成。还测量了粪便短链脂肪酸浓度、T 细胞亚群和乙型肝炎（HB）疫苗的抗体反应。菊粉的消耗改变了微生物群的组成，如 16S rRNA 测序所示。摄入菊粉的参与者具有更高的微生物多样性和双歧杆菌属的相对较高丰度，以及拟杆菌属、厌氧真杆菌和副拟杆菌属。虽然免疫反应保持不变，但在菊粉组中，不希望的发酵产物异丁酸水平趋于降低。
总的来说，尽管这并没有转化为对乙型肝炎疫苗的免疫反应的改善，但结果表明，在老龄化人群中，肠道微生物群组成仍然对菊苣长链菊粉诱导的变化敏感。
