Bacillus thuringiensis Exopolysaccharide BPS-2 Ameliorates Ulcerative Colitis in a Murine Model Through Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Suppression of the NF-κB Cascade
2025
Zexin Gao | Huan Li | Jungang Wen | Wenping Ding | Jie Yu | Yue Zhang | Xiaojuan Song | Jianrong Wu
This study investigated the therapeutic potential of Bacillus thuringiensis extracellular polysaccharide BPS-2 in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) murine models. BPS-2 demonstrated significant efficacy in ameliorating UC-associated pathologies through three principal mechanisms: (1) attenuating histopathological damage while preserving colon epithelial integrity, (2) modulating immune marker expression patterns in colon tissues, and (3) restoring gut microbiota homeostasis. BPS-2 exhibited multi-faceted protective effects on the gut by mitigating oxidative stress responses and enhancing short-chain fatty acid biosynthesis, leading to an improved gut microbial community structure. Molecular docking analysis displayed strong binding affinity (&Delta:G = &minus:7.8 kcal/mol) between the BPS-2U fragment and the Nuclear Factor &kappa:B (NF-&kappa:B) p50/p65 heterodimer, suggesting the potential disruption of NF-&kappa:B signaling pathways. Complementary molecular dynamics simulations revealed exceptional conformational stability in the p65-BPS-2U complex. These findings establish BPS-2 as a natural food additive that modulates the microbiota-barrier&ndash:inflammation axis through dietary intervention, offering a novel strategy to alleviate UC.
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