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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #397818
Research Project: Molecular, Immune and Microbiome Approaches for Mitigating GI Nematode Infections of Livestock

Location: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory

Title: Biological pathways via which the anthocyanin malvidin alleviated the murine colitis induced by Citrobacter rodentium

Author
item LIU, F - Zhengzhou University
item Smith, Allen
item Wang, Thomas - Tom
item Pham, Quynhchi
item Cheung, Lumei
item YANG, H - Zhengzhou University
item Li, Robert

Submitted to: Food & Function
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/18/2022
Publication Date: 12/27/2022
Citation: Liu, F., Smith, A.D., Wang, T.T., Pham, Q., Cheung, L., Yang, H., Li, R.W. 2022. Biological pathways via which the anthocyanin malvidin alleviated the murine colitis induced by Citrobacter rodentium. Food & Function. 14(2):1048-1061. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2FO02873E.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D2FO02873E

Interpretive Summary: Diarrheal diseases that contribute to morbidity and mortality in children under the age of five years are caused by enteropathogenic E. coli. As a dominant polyphenol in blueberries, malvidin is known to possess antimicrobial properties and may be used as an alternative to antibiotics. In this study, we evaluated the potential of malvidin as a complementary therapy for an effective control of pathogenic E. coli. Our findings demonstrated multiple health benefits of this important polyphenol and should facilitate the development of malvidin-rich fruits as functional foods.

Technical Abstract: Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) is a causal agent for diarrheal diseases and contributes to morbidity and mortality in children under the age of five years. The emergence and rapid spread of antibiotic resistant EPEC strains necessitate the search for novel alternatives to antibiotics. In this study, we used Citrobacter rodentium, a natural mouse pathogen that mimics many aspects of human EPEC infections, to investigate the antimicrobial properties of the anthocyanin malvidin 3-glucoside (MG) using a multi-omics approach. MG supplementation reversed the bodyweight loss induced by C. rodentium infection and reduced colonic hyperplasia and histopathological scores. In the colon tissue, MG supplementation significantly increased the expression of Hace1, a key regulator of TNFa-driven signaling, and impacted multiple pathways, such as TGFß signaling. MG partially restored C. rodentium-induced microbial dysbiosis and significantly enhanced the abundance of the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis. Moreover, MG disrupted the interactions of E. coli with other gut microbes. MG significantly mediated several host- and microbiota-derived metabolites, such as cytosine, ureidopropionic acid, and glutaric acid. MG normalized the bioactive lipid oleoylethanolamine, a member of the endocannabinoid system, from the dysregulated level in infected mice, directly contributing to its overall beneficial effects. Our findings provided novel insights into molecular processes via which malvidin exerts its biological effects in the gastrointestinal tract.