Emodin Improves Intestinal Health and Immunity through Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Mice Infected by Pathogenic <i>Escherichia coli</i> O<sub>1</sub>
2021
Ruijuan Gao | Chunjie Wang | Aricha Han | Yanping Tian | Shunan Ren | Wenting Lv | Aorigele Chen | Jian Zhang
The effect of emodin on the intestinal mucosal barrier of a mouse <i>E. coli</i> O<sub>1</sub>-induced diarrhea model was observed. Following successful establishment of a diarrhea model, the mice were treated with drugs for seven days. Intestinal lesions and the shape and the number of goblet cells were assessed via hematoxylin-eosin and periodic-acid-Schiff staining, while changes in inflammatory factors, ultrastructure of the small intestine, expression of MUC-2, and changes in the intestinal microbiota were analyzed via RT-PCR, electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, and 16S rRNA sequencing. Examination showed that emodin ameliorated pathological damage to the intestines of diarrheic mice. RT-PCR indicated that emodin reduced TNF-α, IL-β, IL-6, MPO, and COX-2 mRNA levels in duodenal tissues and increased the levels of sIgA and MUC-2 and the number of goblet cells. Microbiome analysis revealed that <i>Escherichia coli</i> O<sub>1</sub> reduced bacterial richness and altered the distribution pattern of bacterial communities at the phylum and order levels in cecum contents. Notably, pathogenic <i>Clostridiales</i> and <i>Enterobacteriales</i> were significantly increased in diarrheic mice. However, emodin reversed the trend. Thus, emodin protected against intestinal damage induced by <i>E. coli</i> O<sub>1</sub> and improved intestinal mucosal barrier function in mice by increasing the abundance of beneficial intestinal microbiota and inhibiting the abundance of harmful bacteria, thereby alleviating diarrhea.
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