Effects of Ejiao peptide-iron chelates on intestinal inflammation and gut microbiota in iron deficiency anemic mice

• Published in: Food & function 2021-11, Vol.12 (21), p.1887-192
• Main Authors: Cheng, Xiang-Rong, Guan, Ling-Juan, Muskat, Mitchell N, Cao, Cong-Cong, Guan, Bin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anemia; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - drug therapy; Animals; Bacteria; Bacteria - genetics; Biomarkers; Chelates; Colon; Community structure; Dysbacteriosis; Flora; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - drug effects; Gelatin - therapeutic use; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; Gene sequencing; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Homeostasis; Immune system; Inflammation; Inflammation - drug therapy; Intestinal Diseases - drug therapy; Intestinal microflora; Intestine; Iron; Iron Chelating Agents - administration & dosage; Iron Chelating Agents - therapeutic use; Iron deficiency; Iron sulfates; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Mucosa; Nutrient deficiency; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Peptides; Permeability; Probiotics; RNA - genetics; RNA - metabolism; RNA, Bacterial; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; rRNA 16S; Ulcers
• ISSN: 2042-6496; 2042-650X
• DOI: 10.1039/d1fo01802g

Iron deficiency is a global nutritional problem that adversely affects the functional regulation of the immune system. In the process of treatment through iron supplementation, the problem of excessive iron intake often occurs, which increases the level of inflammation in the body. Excessive iron can also lead to an increase in intestinal iron-requiring pathogenic bacteria and an imbalance of intestinal flora. In this study, we aim to explore the effect of Ejiao peptide-iron (EPI) chelates on the intestinal flora and inflammation of ICR mice having iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). The mice were given low, medium, and high doses of EPI and FeSO 4 (1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 mg Fe per kg weight, respectively) daily for 4 weeks by intragastric administration. IDA mice showed increased inflammation levels and decreased sIgA secretion, which were restored after intervention with EPI at different doses. Intestinal mucosal ulcers, inflammatory cell infiltration, and oxidative stress in the colon tissue were reduced, and intestinal permeability was improved. Furthermore, 16S rDNA gene sequencing revealed that EPI increased microbial diversity and richness, changing the community structure, therefore, alleviating microbiota dysbiosis caused by IDA ( e.g. the proportion of Firmicutes / Bacteroides ). Different from the traditional iron supplement FeSO 4 , when the pathogenic bacteria ( e.g. Helicobacter and Erysipelatoclostridium ) increase and the beneficial bacteria ( e.g. Bifidobacterium and Blautia ) decrease at high doses, EPI shows higher safety at a high dose, thereby maintaining a healthier intestinal homeostasis. Ejiao peptide-iron chelates not only improved blood hemogram, but also alleviated intestinal inflammation and microbiota dysbiosis caused by iron-deficiency anemia in mice.