Dose-dependent effects of capsaicin on intestinal morphology and microbiota composition in mice: Structural, immunohistochemical, and microbial insights.

IF 2 Q2 AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE
Veterinary World Pub Date : 2025-06-01 Epub Date: 2025-06-26 DOI:10.14202/vetworld.2025.1703-1714
Kai Li, Jianghai Xu, Siying Chen, Aifei Du, Shaohua Feng, Shibin Yuan, Bangyuan Wu
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background and aim: Capsaicin (CAP), the pungent component of chili peppers, possesses diverse bioactive properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. However, its impact on gastrointestinal integrity and microbial ecology remains dose-dependent and incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate the effects of varying CAP doses on intestinal morphology, tight junction protein expression, goblet cell density, mucosal injury markers, and gut microbiota composition in mice.

Materials and methods: Seventy-five male Kunming mice were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 15/group): Normal control, vehicle control (dimethyl sulfoxide), low-dose CAP (5 mg/kg), medium-dose (15 mg/kg), and high-dose (20 mg/kg). Mice received oral gavage every other day for 14 days. Histological assessments (H&E and Alcian Blue-Periodic Acid-Schiff staining), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for diamine oxidase, fatty acid-binding protein 2, and plasma endotoxin as well as immunohistochemistry for ZO-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin, and 16S rRNA sequencing were employed to evaluate structural and microbial changes.

Results: Low-dose CAP significantly enhanced villus height, reduced crypt depth, and elevated the villus-to-crypt ratio across all intestinal segments (p < 0.05). Tight junction protein expression and goblet cell counts were highest in the low-dose group, suggesting mucosal protection. In contrast, medium and high-dose CAP induced epithelial damage, villus atrophy, and downregulation of junctional proteins. Microbiota analysis revealed the suppression of Proteobacteria and the expansion of Firmicutes in the medium- and high-dose groups. All CAP doses stimulated microbial biosynthesis of cofactors, vitamins, and electron carriers, with enhanced alpha diversity at higher doses.

Conclusion: CAP exhibits a biphasic effect on intestinal physiology. While low-dose administration supports mucosal integrity and promotes beneficial microbial functions, higher doses disrupt epithelial architecture and induce dysbiosis. These findings underscore the importance of dose consideration in CAP's dietary and therapeutic applications, providing mechanistic insights into its gut-mediated effects.

辣椒素对小鼠肠道形态和微生物群组成的剂量依赖性影响:结构、免疫组织化学和微生物见解。
背景与目的:辣椒素(Capsaicin, CAP)是辣椒中的刺激性成分,具有抗氧化、抗炎和抗菌等多种生物活性。然而,其对胃肠道完整性和微生物生态的影响仍然是剂量依赖性的,并且尚未完全了解。本研究旨在探讨不同剂量的CAP对小鼠肠道形态、紧密连接蛋白表达、杯状细胞密度、粘膜损伤标志物和肠道微生物群组成的影响。材料与方法:雄性昆明小鼠75只,随机分为5组(n = 15/组):正常对照组、载药对照组(二甲亚砜)、低剂量(5 mg/kg)、中剂量(15 mg/kg)、高剂量(20 mg/kg)。小鼠每隔一天灌胃一次,连续灌胃14天。采用组织学评估(H&E和Alcian Blue-Periodic Acid-Schiff染色),酶联免疫吸附法检测二胺氧化酶、脂肪酸结合蛋白2和血浆内毒素,免疫组织化学检测ZO-1、Claudin-1和Occludin, 16S rRNA测序来评估结构和微生物变化。结果:低剂量CAP显著提高肠绒毛高度,降低隐窝深度,提高肠绒毛/隐窝比(p < 0.05)。低剂量组紧密连接蛋白表达和杯状细胞计数最高,提示具有粘膜保护作用。相反,中、高剂量CAP诱导上皮损伤、绒毛萎缩和连接蛋白下调。微生物群分析显示,在中、高剂量组中,变形菌门受到抑制,厚壁菌门扩大。所有的CAP剂量都刺激了微生物的辅助因子、维生素和电子载体的生物合成,并在高剂量下增强了α多样性。结论:CAP对肠道生理具有双相作用。虽然低剂量给药支持粘膜完整性并促进有益微生物功能,但高剂量会破坏上皮结构并诱导生态失调。这些发现强调了在CAP的饮食和治疗应用中剂量考虑的重要性,为其肠道介导作用提供了机制见解。
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来源期刊
Veterinary World
Veterinary World Multiple-
CiteScore
3.60
自引率
12.50%
发文量
317
审稿时长
16 weeks
期刊介绍: Veterinary World publishes high quality papers focusing on Veterinary and Animal Science. The fields of study are bacteriology, parasitology, pathology, virology, immunology, mycology, public health, biotechnology, meat science, fish diseases, nutrition, gynecology, genetics, wildlife, laboratory animals, animal models of human infections, prion diseases and epidemiology. Studies on zoonotic and emerging infections are highly appreciated. Review articles are highly appreciated. All articles published by Veterinary World are made freely and permanently accessible online. All articles to Veterinary World are posted online immediately as they are ready for publication.
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