Malvidin 3-Glucoside Modulated Gut Microbial Dysbiosis and Global Metabolome Disrupted in a Murine Colitis Model Induced by Dextran Sulfate Sodium

Abstract

Scope: This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms of the anthocyanin malvidin 3-glucoside (MV) in alleviating gut dysbiosis using a murine colitis model induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS).

Methods and results: The effect of MV on the structure and function of the colon microbiome and microbial metabolism is evaluated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, global metabolomics, and a network algorithm based on the random-matrix theory. MV ingestion improved histopathological scores and increased IL10 expression in the colon mucosa of colitis mice. While DSS has a profound effect on the gut microbiome and significantly decreases both microbial richness and evenness, MV further reduces evenness but promotes microbial interactions and restores the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio repressed by DSS. Moreover, MV reduces the abundance of pathogenic bacteria, such as Ruminococcus gnavus, in colitis mice and has a strong modulatory effect on microbial co-occurrence patterns and gut metabolites. In addition, MV reverses several key inflammatory mediators, including sphingolipid metabolites, from elevated levels in DSS colitis mice. As a bioactive ingredient, MV exerts its effect on the gut microbiome in a mechanism that differs from the whole blueberry.

Conclusion: MV ingestion ameliorates intestinal inflammation by modulating colon epithelium integrity, gut microbiome, and key inflammatory mediators.

Keywords: 16S rRNA gene sequencing; anthocyanin; colitis; gut microbiome; malvidin; metabolomics.