Gut bacteria are required for the benefits of black raspberries in Apc Min/+ mice. J Berry Res 2018;8(4):239-249
Date
01/15/2019Pubmed ID
30636993Pubmed Central ID
PMC6326590DOI
10.3233/JBR-180337Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85059084147 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 12 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the development of inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the gut microbiota is required for the chemoprotective effects of black raspberries (BRBs) in Apc Min/+ mice.
METHODS: Apc Min/+ mice were given (a) a control diet for 8 weeks, or (b) the control diet for 4 weeks and then a 5% BRB diet for additional 4 weeks, or (c) the control diet and antibiotics for 4 weeks followed by the 5% BRB diet and antibiotics for the next 4 weeks. At the end of the study, all the mice were euthanized, and colonic and intestinal polyps were counted. mRNA expression levels of TLR4, NF-κB1, and COX2 were determined in colon and small intestine of these Apc Min/+ mice by quantitative real-time PCR.
RESULTS: 5% BRBs significantly suppressed intestinal and colonic polyp development in the Apc Min/+ mice, whereas antibiotics significantly abolished BRBs' chemoprotective effects. BRBs decreased mRNA levels of TLR4, NF-κB1, and COX2 in colon, whereas significantly enhanced mRNA levels of TLR4 and NF-κB1 were observed in small intestine of BRB-treated Apc Min/+ mice fed antibiotics.
CONCLUSIONS: The gut microbiota is required for BRBs' chemoprotection against polyp development in Apc Min/+ mice.