An ex vivo model for evaluation of prebiotic activity of xylan and xylooligosaccharides

Ex vivo techniques can provide more physiologically significant insights into prebiotic activity and overcome some limitations of in vitro tests. In this study, an ex vivo model, formed of a large intestine of mice, was tested to assess the effects of the hydrocolloidal natural polymer, xylan (XY), and its hydrolysis product, xylooligosaccharides (XOS). XY and XOS were loaded separately into the cecum, proximal colon, and distal colon. Their utilization and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) formation by the colonized microflora and levels of dominant phyla and key genera such as Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, and Lactobacillus were followed. XY and XOS were metabolized in all sections, and SCFAs were released. The results suggest that the slower utilization of XY compared to XOS in the cecum can enable this polysaccharide to move towards distal parts of the large intestine and extend the sites of prebiotic activity. Unlike widely used in vitro models, the ex vivo model allowed testing the utilization pattern and effects of the prebiotics in the natural environment of the microflora and examining the intestinal sections separately.