(P27-001-24) Distinct Anthocyanin Profiles of Functional Foods Induce Short-Lived Changes in Fecal Microbiome Composition in Mice

Objectives: This study investigated the impact of anthocyanin (ACN)-rich functional foods on the mouse gut microbiome's response over time and examined how ACN structural diversity influenced microbiome composition. We hypothesized that the microbiome would respond rapidly to ACN-rich food intake, with ongoing consumption essential for lasting changes in composition, and that distinct ACN profiles of food powders would influence microbiome diversity and specific taxa.

Methods: We conducted a multifactorial experiment with C57BL/6J male mice, testing eight diets across exposure durations of 1, 3, or 7 days and measuring responses at baseline, 0, 1, 3, or 7 days post diet exposure. Mice were housed individually and fed a Western diet supplemented with 2 g/kg of anthocyanins (ACN) from freeze-dried powders or extracts of bilberry (BB), tart cherry (TC), chokeberry (CB), elderberry (EB), black currant (BC), and black raspberry (BRB), 2 g/kg of cocoa polyphenols (CP) or no supplement (CON). Fecal microbiome samples were collected at baseline and after diet cessation at specified response intervals for 16S rRNA sequencing analysis

Results: Alpha diversity significantly changed in mice fed the BB diet (evenness) and EB, BC, BB, or CP diets (richness), regardless of exposure duration or response time. Interestingly, for BRB, TC, and EB diets, day 0 alpha diversity spiked above baseline, but this response was not maintained through days 1-7. Similarly, unweighted unifrac beta diversity showed significant, yet transient, shifts in the fecal microbiome for BRB, BC, EB, or TC diets, with changes fading by day 1 (BC) or day 3 (EB, BRB, TC). This observation suggests a possible structure-activity relationship, where foods rich in cyanidin-3-O-glucoside or cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside altered the microbiome profile, unlike those high in cyanidin-3-galactoside (CB and BB).

Conclusions: This study confirmed that ACN-induced microbiome changes do not persist after consumption of the ACN-rich food ceases. Furthermore, despite equal anthocyanin concentrations in the ACN-supplemented diets, the varied ACN profiles prompted distinct microbiome responses, suggesting a potential structure-activity relationship.

Funding Sources: USDA NIFA 2021-67018-33938