3.6 Fecal microbiome transplantation supplemented with GP suppressed intestinal inflammation and improved autophagy
To validate the potential impact of GP on alleviating intestinal inflammation and on microbe-autophagy interactions, we performed FMT experiments by using oral gavage in rats (Fig. 6A). 20 rats were randomly divided into four groups: DSS (FMT), DSS + GP (FMT), blank (FMT), and blank (normal rats). The body weight changes of rats in the DSS (FMT), DSS + GP (FMT), blank (FMT), and blank groups are shown in Fig. 6B. Blank (FMT) and blank groups showed similar body weight changes, which indicated that the FMT operation had little effect on the mice. The body weight of the rats transplanted with DSS-treated microbiota decreased significantly, while the rats transplanted with DSS+GP (FMT)-treated microbiota recovery the body weight. HE staining of pathological sections showed that the colon epitheliums of the blank (FMT) and blank group were intact without hyperemia, edema, hemorrhage, or inflammatory cell infiltration. In the DSS (FMT) group, the intestinal epithelial structure was incomplete, and crypt abscesses, a reduction in goblet cells, and large number of neutrophil infiltrations were observed. Compared with the DSS (FMT) group, the colon epithelial cells in the DSS + GP (FMT) group were less damaged, and the crypt abscesses and inflammatory infiltrations were relieved (Fig. 6C).