Oat bran fiber protects against radiation-induced disruption of gut barrier dynamics and mucosal damage
Abstract Dietary fibers are recognized for their health benefits, yet cancer patients undergoing pelvic radiotherapy are often advised to reduce fiber intake. This may negatively impact their bowel health. To evaluate the effects of dietary fibers on bowel health post-irradiation, male C57BL/6 mice...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | npj Biofilms and Microbiomes |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-025-00759-x |
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| author | Piyush Patel Chunsheng Jin Intawat Nookaew Michael Robeson Dilip K. Malipatlolla Sravani Devarakonda Ana Rascón Margareta Nyman Niclas G. Karlsson Agnes E. Wold Fei Sjöberg Cecilia Bull |
| author_facet | Piyush Patel Chunsheng Jin Intawat Nookaew Michael Robeson Dilip K. Malipatlolla Sravani Devarakonda Ana Rascón Margareta Nyman Niclas G. Karlsson Agnes E. Wold Fei Sjöberg Cecilia Bull |
| author_sort | Piyush Patel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Dietary fibers are recognized for their health benefits, yet cancer patients undergoing pelvic radiotherapy are often advised to reduce fiber intake. This may negatively impact their bowel health. To evaluate the effects of dietary fibers on bowel health post-irradiation, male C57BL/6 mice were fed diets containing either 0 or 15% fiber with varying proportions of readily fermentable bioprocessed oat bran fiber and/or poorly fermentable microcrystalline cellulose, and either irradiated or sham-irradiated. Irradiation triggered mucus degradation and depletion of short-chain fatty acids, and a fiber-free diet exacerbated radiation-induced mucosal damage. In contrast, mice fed oat bran fiber exhibited less mucosal damage, fewer dysbiotic and mucus-degrading bacteria, higher production of short-chain fatty acids, and improved bactericidal activity. These benefits were dose-dependent, with 15% oat bran fiber providing greater protection. Our findings suggest that fiber deprivation exacerbates radiation-induced intestinal damage, while supplementation with 15% highly fermentable oat bran fiber supports mucosal integrity and protects against radiation-induced injury. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dfebd94b47c944079d2be0a518ce904c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2055-5008 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Biofilms and Microbiomes |
| spelling | doaj-art-dfebd94b47c944079d2be0a518ce904c2025-08-20T03:37:20ZengNature Portfolionpj Biofilms and Microbiomes2055-50082025-07-0111111610.1038/s41522-025-00759-xOat bran fiber protects against radiation-induced disruption of gut barrier dynamics and mucosal damagePiyush Patel0Chunsheng Jin1Intawat Nookaew2Michael Robeson3Dilip K. Malipatlolla4Sravani Devarakonda5Ana Rascón6Margareta Nyman7Niclas G. Karlsson8Agnes E. Wold9Fei Sjöberg10Cecilia Bull11Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesDivision of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgDivision of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgDepartment of Process and Life Science Engineering, Division of Food and Pharma, Lund UniversityDepartment of Process and Life Science Engineering, Division of Food and Pharma, Lund UniversityDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgDivision of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgDivision of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of GothenburgAbstract Dietary fibers are recognized for their health benefits, yet cancer patients undergoing pelvic radiotherapy are often advised to reduce fiber intake. This may negatively impact their bowel health. To evaluate the effects of dietary fibers on bowel health post-irradiation, male C57BL/6 mice were fed diets containing either 0 or 15% fiber with varying proportions of readily fermentable bioprocessed oat bran fiber and/or poorly fermentable microcrystalline cellulose, and either irradiated or sham-irradiated. Irradiation triggered mucus degradation and depletion of short-chain fatty acids, and a fiber-free diet exacerbated radiation-induced mucosal damage. In contrast, mice fed oat bran fiber exhibited less mucosal damage, fewer dysbiotic and mucus-degrading bacteria, higher production of short-chain fatty acids, and improved bactericidal activity. These benefits were dose-dependent, with 15% oat bran fiber providing greater protection. Our findings suggest that fiber deprivation exacerbates radiation-induced intestinal damage, while supplementation with 15% highly fermentable oat bran fiber supports mucosal integrity and protects against radiation-induced injury.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-025-00759-x |
| spellingShingle | Piyush Patel Chunsheng Jin Intawat Nookaew Michael Robeson Dilip K. Malipatlolla Sravani Devarakonda Ana Rascón Margareta Nyman Niclas G. Karlsson Agnes E. Wold Fei Sjöberg Cecilia Bull Oat bran fiber protects against radiation-induced disruption of gut barrier dynamics and mucosal damage npj Biofilms and Microbiomes |
| title | Oat bran fiber protects against radiation-induced disruption of gut barrier dynamics and mucosal damage |
| title_full | Oat bran fiber protects against radiation-induced disruption of gut barrier dynamics and mucosal damage |
| title_fullStr | Oat bran fiber protects against radiation-induced disruption of gut barrier dynamics and mucosal damage |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oat bran fiber protects against radiation-induced disruption of gut barrier dynamics and mucosal damage |
| title_short | Oat bran fiber protects against radiation-induced disruption of gut barrier dynamics and mucosal damage |
| title_sort | oat bran fiber protects against radiation induced disruption of gut barrier dynamics and mucosal damage |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-025-00759-x |
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