The Combination of Bacillus natto JLCC513 and Ginseng Soluble Dietary Fiber Attenuates Ulcerative Colitis by Modulating the LPS/ TLR4/NF-κB Pathway and Gut Microbiota

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that is currently difficult to treat effectively. Both (BN) and ginseng-soluble dietary fiber (GSDF) are anti-inflammatory and helps sustain the intestinal barrier. In this study, the protective effects and mechanism of the combination of JLCC513 and ginseng-soluble dietary fiber (BG) in DSS-induced UC mice were investigated. Intervention with BG worked better than taking BN or GSDF separately, as evidenced by improved disease activity index, colon length, and colon injury and significantly reduced the levels of oxidative and inflammatory factors (LPS, ILs, and TNF-α) in UC mice. Further mechanistic study revealed that BG protected the intestinal barrier integrity by maintaining the tight junction proteins (Occludin and Claudin1) and inhibited the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB pathway in UC mice. In addition, BG increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as and and reduced the abundance of harmful bacteria such as in the gut microbiota of UC mice. BG also significantly upregulated genes related to linoleic acid metabolism in the gut microbiota. These BGinduced changes in the gut microbiota of mice with UC were significantly correlated with changes in pathological indices. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that BG exerts protective effect against UC by regulating the LPS/TLR4/NF-κB pathway and the structure and metabolic function of gut microbiota. Thus, BG can be potentially used in intestinal health foods to treat UC.