The level and distribution of methyl-esters influence the impact of pectin on intestinal T cells, microbiota, and Ahr activation

M Beukema*, É Jermendi, M M P Oerlemans, M J Logtenberg, R Akkerman, R An, M A van den Berg, E G Zoetendal, T Koster, C Kong, M M Faas, H A Schols, P de Vos

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)
106 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Pectins are dietary fibres that modulate T cell immunity, microbiota composition, and fermentation profiles, but how this is influenced by the degree of methyl-esterification (DM) and degree-of-blockiness (DB) of pectin is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that supplementation of DM19(high-DB), DM49(low-DB) and DM43(high-DB) pectins at a low dose increased the frequencies of intestinal T-helper (Th)1 and Th2 cells after 1 week of pectin supplementation in mice, whereas DM18(low-DB) did not. After 4 weeks of supplementation with those pectins, Th1 and Th2 frequencies returned to control levels, whereas Rorγt+ regulatory T-cell frequencies increased. These structure-dependent effects could derive from induced shifts in microbiota composition that differed between DM18(low-DB) pectin and the other pectins. T-cell-modulating effects were not short-chain-fatty acid-dependent, but rather through an increase in Aryl-hydrocarbon-receptor-activating components. Thus, pectins with a specific combination of DM and DB have an impact on intestinal T cell-immunity in mice, when supplemented at a low dose.

Original languageEnglish
Article number119280
Number of pages12
JournalCarbohydrate Polymers
Volume286
Early online date23-Feb-2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15-Jun-2022

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