Abstract
Objectives
The aim of this research was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of an oven-baked nixtamalized corn (Zea mays L.)/cooked common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) chip in a model of chronic colitis in vivo. The hypothesis was that the chip consumption would prevent colon barrier disruption and improve enzymatic biomarkers by the modulation of infiltration and adhesion of inflammatory cells.
Methods
A 70% corn and 30% bean chip (7030C) was evaluated, using dextran sodium sulfate (DSS, 2% v/v) as chemical inductor of colitis. After 1-week of acclimatization, 36 CD-1 male mice (6–8 weeks age) were randomly divided into 5 groups: G1 (negative control, fed with basal diet, BD, and water); G2 (positive control, BD + DSS), G3 (100 g 7030C/kg body weight, BW/day + BD), G4 (200 g 7030C/kg BW + BD) and G5 (300 g 7030C/kg BW + BS). The G2-G5 groups were administered DSS every other week, during 5-weeks.After the mice were euthanized, BW and disease activity index (DAI) were recorded. Liver, colon, and spleen were collected, weighed and analyzed for histology. Colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO)/fecal b-glucuronidase (GLUC) activities were also quantified, as well as fecal/cecal metabolites. The colonic mRNA expression of inflammation-associated genes was conducted using a gene inflammation profiler array.
Results
DSS increased DAI up to 2 units, BW loss was 10–17%, and induced colon shortening 10–15%. Compared to G2, G4 exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) lower DAI (0.75 ± 0.01), spleen relative weight (0.003 ± 0.0001) and colon weight/length ratio (0.045 ± 0.008). The histological analysis showed that the chip consumption prevented colonic barrier damage. G4 displayed the lowest MPO and GLUC among all DSS-induced groups (0.004 ± 0.0004 mU/mg colon; 0.44 ± 0.01 mmol/min/g feces, respectively), and the lowest seric content of MCP-1 protein. Amid all the quantified metabolites, the chip consumption significantly reduced the fecal/cecal content of acetic acid, while butyric and propionic increased at the end of the study. Inflammation gene expression was modulated by the chip consumption.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that the consumption of this chip might alleviate chronic colitis symptoms because of a protective effect in the gut barrier function and the modulation of infiltration of inflammatory cells.
Funding Sources
The funding received by CONACyT, CONCyTEQ-Mexico and NIFA-USDA-HATCH are appreciated.
Performance variation among improved common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes under sole and intercropping with maize (Zea mays L.)