Intraintestinal fermentation of fructo- and galacto-oligosaccharides and the fate of short-chain fatty acids in humans
Mara P.H. van Trijp,
Melany Rios-Morales,
Ben Witteman,
Fentaw Abegaz,
Albert Gerding,
Ran An,
Martijn Koehorst,
Bernard Evers,
Katja C.V. van Dongen,
Erwin G. Zoetendal,
Henk Schols,
Lydia A. Afman,
Dirk-Jan Reijngoud,
Barbara M. Bakker,
Guido J. Hooiveld
Affiliations
Mara P.H. van Trijp
Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 WE, the Netherlands
Melany Rios-Morales
Laboratory of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713 GZ, the Netherlands
Ben Witteman
Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 WE, the Netherlands; Hospital Gelderse Vallei, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ede 6716 RP, the Netherlands
Fentaw Abegaz
Laboratory of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713 GZ, the Netherlands; Statistics and Probability Unit, University of Groningen, Groningen 9747 AG, the Netherlands
Albert Gerding
Laboratory of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713 GZ, the Netherlands; Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713 GZ, the Netherlands
Ran An
Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 WE, the Netherlands
Martijn Koehorst
Laboratory of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713 GZ, the Netherlands; Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713 GZ, the Netherlands
Bernard Evers
Laboratory of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713 GZ, the Netherlands
Katja C.V. van Dongen
Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 WE, the Netherlands
Erwin G. Zoetendal
Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 WE, the Netherlands
Henk Schols
Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 WG, the Netherlands
Lydia A. Afman
Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 WE, the Netherlands
Dirk-Jan Reijngoud
Laboratory of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713 GZ, the Netherlands
Barbara M. Bakker
Laboratory of Pediatrics, Center for Liver, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen 9713 GZ, the Netherlands; Corresponding author
Guido J. Hooiveld
Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 WE, the Netherlands; Corresponding author
Summary: Consumption of fructo- (FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) has health benefits which have been linked in part to short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) production by the gut microbiota. However, detailed knowledge of this process in the human intestine is lacking. We aimed to determine the acute fermentation kinetics of a FOS:GOS mixture in healthy males using a naso-intestinal catheter for sampling directly in the ileum or colon. We studied the fate of SCFA as substrates for glucose and lipid metabolism by the host after infusion of 13C-SCFA. In the human distal ileum, no fermentation of FOS:GOS, nor SCFA production, or bacterial cross-feeding was observed. The relative composition of intestinal microbiota changed rapidly during the test day, which demonstrates the relevance of postprandial intestinal sampling to track acute responses of the microbial community toward interventions. SCFA were vividly taken up and metabolized by the host as shown by incorporation of 13C in various host metabolites.
