University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Investigating the impact of colonic bacteroides intestinalis-mediated wheat arabinoxylan degradation on lipid metabolism and inflammation modulation

Zhou, Ziyu

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130116

Description

Title
Investigating the impact of colonic bacteroides intestinalis-mediated wheat arabinoxylan degradation on lipid metabolism and inflammation modulation
Author(s)
Zhou, Ziyu
Issue Date
2025-07-18
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Mei, Wenyan
Department of Study
Comparative Biosciences
Discipline
VMS - Comparative Biosciences
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.A.
Degree Level
Thesis
Keyword(s)
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  • dietary fiber
  • wheat arabinoxylan
  • Bacteroides intestinalis
  • ferulic acid
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic gastrointestinal inflammation driven by genetic factors, immune dysregulation, environmental influences, and gut microbiota. Arabinoxylan, which is one type of dietary fiber commonly present in cereals, consists primarily of xylose chains substituted with arabinofuranose and ferulic acid residues. Bacteroides intestinalis (BI) is a strain of colonic bacteria plays a crucial role in metabolizing arabinoxylan through specialized gene clusters termed polysaccharide utilization loci (PULs). These PULs enable BI to efficiently degrade arabinoxylan, releasing bioactive metabolites including ferulic acid, which is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This research investigated the combined effects of dietary insoluble wheat arabinoxylan (INWAX) supplementation and Bacteroides intestinalis colonization in germ-free mouse models of colitis. Results indicate that this combination significantly increased systemic ferulic acid levels, enhanced bile acid production, and reduced oxidative stress levels. In a DSS-induced colitis model, mice receiving both INWAX and BI exhibited reduced inflammation, mitigated spleen enlargement and preserved intestinal morphologies. RNA sequencing analyses revealed INWAX diet induced upregulation in genes associated with circadian rhythm regulation, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and antioxidant responses. Additionally, RNA sequencing and immune cell fraction analysis of DSS-treated spleen indicated increased adaptive immune responses coupled with reduced spleen size with INWAX diet, suggesting more efficient inflammation control. Overall, these findings highlight the therapeutic potential of integrating dietary insoluble wheat arabinoxylan with Bacteroides intestinalis colonization to manage intestinal inflammation. Future research could explore deeper mechanisms, including examining microbial metabolites, their broader implications in gut health and inflammatory regulation, and their possible interactions with differential gene expressions.
Graduation Semester
2025-08
Type of Resource
Thesis
Handle URL
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130116
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2025 Ziyu Zhou

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