In Vitro Characterization of Polysaccharides from Fresh Tea Leaves in Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion and Gut Microbiome Fermentation
Qiaoyi Zhou,
Jinjing Gao,
Xueyan Sun,
Yicheng Liang,
Minqi Ye,
Dongxia Liang,
Caijin Ling,
Binghu Fang
Affiliations
Qiaoyi Zhou
National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
Jinjing Gao
National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
Xueyan Sun
National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
Yicheng Liang
National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
Minqi Ye
National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
Dongxia Liang
Tea Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Resources Innovation and Utilization, Guangzhou 510640, China
Caijin Ling
Tea Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Resources Innovation and Utilization, Guangzhou 510640, China
Binghu Fang
National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510640, China
Tea plants have a long cultivation history in the world, but there are few studies on polysaccharides from fresh tea leaves. In this study, tea polysaccharides (TPSs) were isolated from fresh tea leaves. Then, we investigated the characteristics of TPSs during in vitro simulated digestion and fermentation; moreover, the effects of TPSs on gut microbiota were explored. The results revealed that saliva did not significantly affect TPSs’ molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and reducing sugar content, indicating that TPSs cannot be digested in the oral cavity. However, TPSs were partially decomposed in the gastrointestinal tract after gastric and intestinal digestion, resulting in the release of a small amount of free glucose monosaccharides. Our in vitro fermentation experiments demonstrated that TPSs are degraded by gut microbiota, leading to short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production and pH reduction. Moreover, TPSs increased the abundance of Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium but reduced that of Escherichia, Shigella, and Enterococcus, demonstrating that TPSs can regulate the gut microbiome. In conclusion, TPSs are partially decomposed by gut microbiota, resulting in the production of SCFAs and the regulation of gut microbiota composition and function. Therefore, TPSs may be used to develop a prebiotic supplement to regulate the gut microbiome and improve host health.
