Maize near-isogenic lines with enhanced flavonoids alleviated dextran sodium sulfate-induced murine colitis via modulation of the gut microbiota.

The rising incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has necessitated the search for safe and effective novel therapeutic strategies. Dietary flavonoids exhibited antioxidant, antiproliferative, and anticarcinogenic activities in several model systems with proven abilities to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, thus they could be promising therapeutic agents for IBD prevention/treatment. However, understanding the role of a specific class of compounds in foods that promote health is difficult because of the chemically complex food matrices. This study aimed to utilize four maize near-isogenic lines to determine the anti-colitis effects of specific classes of flavonoids, anthocyanins and/or phlobaphenes, in a whole-food matrix. Results showed that the intake of anthocyanin and phlobaphene-enriched maize diets effectively alleviated dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice via reducing the intestinal permeability and restoring the barrier function. Anthocyanin diets were more effective in maintaining the crypt structure and muc2 protein levels and reducing inflammation. Bacterial communities of mice consuming diets enriched with anthocyanins and phlobaphenes were more similar to the healthy control compared to the DSS control group, suggesting the role of flavonoids in modulating the gut microbiota to retrieve intestinal homeostasis. Microbiota depletion rendered these compounds ineffective against colitis. Lower serum concentrations of several phenolic acids were detected in the microbiota-depleted mice, indicating that gut microbiota plays a role in flavonoid metabolism and bioavailability.