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Okra flowers are a good source of polysaccharides and flavonoids, with biological activities of anti-inflammatory action and modulation of the gut microbiota. Previously, we reported that flavonoid-rich extracts from okra flowers (AFE) presented effective anti-colorectal cancer (CRC) activity in CRC cells as well as xenograft models, but their role in colitis-associated cancer (CAC) is unidentified. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of AFE and APE (polysaccharides extracted from okra flowers) on the CAC symptoms of azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-intervened mice. The results showed that APE and AFE exert potent efficacy in inhibiting colitis and colorectal tumorigenesis stimulated by AOM/DSS, characterized by decreased colonic shortening, DAI score, and tumor numbers. Compared with the control group, APE/AFE alleviated the microbiota dysbiosis driven by AOM/DSS. In addition, AFE elicited its anticancer activity through regulation of NFκB/IL-6/Stat3, JAK2/Stat3, MAPKs, PI3K/AKT, and Wnt/β-catenin signal transductions in AOM/DSS mice, which was consistent with a vitro model of CT26 cells, while APE treatment exhibited anticancer activity through regulation of Nrf2/IL-6, MAPKs, PI3K/AKT, and Wnt/β-catenin signal transductions in the AOM/DSS mouse model. Collectively, our studies revealed, for the first time, that flavonoids and polysaccharides from okra flowers possess the ability to attenuate colitis and colorectal tumorigenesis, with them having great potential to become promising candidates against CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a non-specific inflammatory bowel illness characterized by intestinal mucosal barrier degradation, inflammation, oxidative damage, and gut microbiota imbalances. Rosa roxburghii Tratt Fruit extract (RRTE) was extracted from Rosa roxburghii Tratt fruit, exhibiting an excellent prevention effect against UC; RRTE could prevent the damage of DSS-induced human normal colonic epithelial (NCM 460) cells, especially in cell viability and morphology, and oxidative damage. Additionally, in UC mice, RRTE could limit the intestinal mucosal barrier by increasing the expression of intestinal tight junction proteins and mucin, reducing inflammation and oxidative damage in colon tissue. More importantly, RRTE can increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria to regulate gut microbiota such as Ruminococcus, Turicibacter, and Parabacteroides, and reduce the abundance of harmful bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Shigella. Furthermore, transcriptomics of colonic mucosal findings point out that the beneficial effect of RRTE on UC could be attributed to the modulation of inflammatory responses such as the IL-17 and TNF signaling pathways. The qPCR results confirm that RRTE did involve the regulation of several genes in the IL-17 signaling pathway. In conclusion, RRTE could prevent DSS-induced damage both in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 90-day study was performed under three different stocking densities, including high density (10,000 fishes/cage), medium density (8000 fishes/cage), and low density (6000 fishes/cage), in a deep-sea net cage for yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi). The physiological characteristics and growth performance were tested, and structural characteristics of the gastrointestinal microbiota were systematically analyzed. The results show that fishes with high density had a lower weight gain rate and a specific growth rate, as well as higher serum cortisol content. The diversity, types and numbers of dominant microbiota with significant differences, and the numbers of shared genera among the different groups all changed. Core genera in the gastrointestinal tract were obtained according to the principles of dominance, commonality, and difference. The changes in the relative abundance of the core genera might be related to the growth and physiological characteristics of the host. The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes in the stomach and pyloric caecum, which favors the accumulation of energy by the host from the diet, was higher in the medium-density group than in the other groups. This indicates that the higher density could cause physiological stress and affect growth performance. In order to reduce the resulting growth differences, gastrointestinal microbiota might assist the host in accumulating energy, participating in the energy distribution by adjusting its structure. Based on the growth, physiology, and production practices, the medium density was the appropriate density in this study. This study provides a reference for the improvement of deep-sea culture technology and the promotion of healthy growth through the gastrointestinal microecological regulation of yellowtail kingfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]