Specific Formulation of Xylo-Oligosaccharides and Isomalto-Oligosaccharides Alleviates Metabolic Disturbance and Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction Induced by High-Fat Diet

This study investigated the effects of different xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) and isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMO) ratios on systemic lipid homeostasis, gut microbiota, bile acid metabolism, and intestinal barrier integrity in high-fat diet mice. The findings demonstrated that the XOS:IMO (1:3) formulation significantly ameliorated dyslipidemia, inhibited ectopic fat deposition, and enhanced insulin sensitivity. Additionally, the formulation enriched beneficial gut microbiota, such as <i>Coriobacteriaceae</i>_UCG-002, while suppressing inflammation-associated pathogenic genera, including <i>Enterorhabdus, Streptococcus</i>, and <i>Colidextribacter</i>. Furthermore, the XOS:IMO (1:3) intervention significantly remodeled the bile acid metabolic profile, increasing bile acid concentrations that were negatively correlated with intestinal inflammatory biomarkers. Further analysis confirmed the preventive potential of this formulation, which alleviated colitis symptoms by reducing fecal calprotectin and inflammatory markers, while also improving intestinal barrier function by upregulating mucin and tight junction proteins. Collectively, the XOS:IMO (1:3) formulation demonstrated therapeutic potential for metabolic regulation and dietary inflammation prevention through gut microbiota-bile acid crosstalk modulation.