Modulatory Effect of Polysaccharide from Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. (Jackfruit) Pulp on Gut Microbiota in Mice

The present study aimed to investigate the modulatory effect of polysaccharide from Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. pulp (JFP-Ps) on the diversity and structure of gut microbiota in mice. 24 male Kunming mice were randomly divided into four groups: Control group, JFP-Ps (50 mg/kg BW) group, JFP-Ps (100 mg/kg BW) group and JFP-Ps (200 mg/kg BW) group. The colonic feces of mice were collected after treating with JFP-Ps in different doses for 2 weeks. Then the DNA was extracted and the V3~V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene of the intestinal flora was amplified. The regulatory effect of JFP-Ps on the gut microbiota of mice was studied using Illumina Miseq high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant intestinal flora, and JFP-Ps modulated the composition of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in comparison with the control group. At the genus level, the abundance of SCFAs-producing bacteria, including Bacteroides, Allobaculum, Lactobacillus and Parabacteroides were significantly increased in response to JFP-Ps treatment, but a significant decrease in Prevotella. These results indicated that JFP-Ps could improve the diversity of gut microbiota by regulating the composition and structure of dominant bacteria such as Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. This study would provide a theoretical basis for JFP-Ps in intestinal prebiotics.