Researchers at the University of Maine and their colleagues are studying whether broccoli sprouts can help prevent and treat inflammatory bowel disease in humans.
Through multiple studies, Yanyang Li, assistant professor of human nutrition, said: Sue Ishak, assistant professor of animal and veterinary medicine; Researchers at other institutions will also study how human gut bacteria utilize compounds from broccoli sprouts to produce new compounds that prevent and reduce inflammation.
Previous research by Lee et al. showed that when mice eat steamed broccoli sprouts, microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, particularly the colon, use the sprouts to develop antibiotics that can prevent and treat colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease. It was found to produce inflammatory compounds. , and an injury similar to Crohn’s disease in humans.
In one study, Lee and Ishak found that when fed steamed broccoli sprouts, microbes in the colons of healthy humans produced more anti-inflammatory compounds that may help prevent inflammatory bowel disease. We plan to conduct an 18-month dietary trial to find out whether this is the case. The Allen Foundation provided him with a $114,359 grant to support this research.
Lee is also participating in a study led by Grace Chen, a researcher at the University of Michigan Medical School, investigating whether steamed broccoli sprouts can help people who already have ulcerative colitis. We are investigating what changes occur in the internal bacteria and inflammatory state, and how many servings are required to cure ulcerative colitis. produce positive results.
In the study, supported by an $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Chen, Li, and Duxin Sun, also a faculty member at the University of Michigan School of Medicine, studied participants’ healthy food intake. A clinical trial incorporating broccoli sprouts will be conducted. existing diet. Measures anti-inflammatory compounds and changes in gut bacteria. and assess the impact on people’s conditions.
“Broccoli sprouts contain a uniquely rich group of compounds that are activated by specific enzymes to produce anti-inflammatory compounds. Some recent studies have shown that mammalian gut bacteria contain these compounds. “It has been shown that it may be possible to generate and perform bioactivation of enzymes,” Lee said. “We wanted to know whether feeding humans broccoli sprouts would change their gut microbiome to produce more anti-inflammatory compounds. It will provide useful information to develop dietary approaches for prevention and management.”
In addition to conducting human trials, Ishaq and Li were funded by a $436,046 grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH/NIDDK). The researchers plan to conduct research to investigate how different preparations and concentrations of broccoli sprouts grow. Affects the ability of mouse gut microbes to prevent and reduce inflammatory bowel disease.
This study examines several research questions, including where these microorganisms reside in the gastrointestinal tract, whether that location is important for them, and whether people can benefit from the effects of the microorganisms present there. We plan to investigate the question in more detail. They also plan to examine whether the age of the mice matters. The results of this study could help them and other scientists devise more effective dietary and microbial-based preventive measures for humans and treatments for people infected with the disease.
Three graduate students in Ishaq and Li’s lab will assist with the NIH-supported research. They also plan to recruit more graduate and undergraduate students for research.
“My goal as a graduate student at the University of Maine is to gain a background in diverse skills to ensure the quality of my work as a researcher and to have as many opportunities as possible upon graduation,” said Johanna. Holman says. She is a PhD student in human nutrition. “This research will be a great opportunity to improve many skills both in the laboratory and with human subjects.”
These studies build on years of individual and collaborative research into the relationships between nutrition, the gut microbiome, and inflammation by Lee, Ishak, and colleagues at the University of Michigan, Husson University, the University of Vermont, and the State University of New York at Binghamton. I am.
The cause of inflammatory bowel disease remains unknown, but common theories include disruption of the relationship between gut bacteria and the immune system due to genetic and environmental factors. Lee and Ishak also said that a growing body of evidence from them and other scientists suggests that “the gut microbiome has a profound impact on human health, and therefore susceptibility to diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.” “This shows that it has an impact,” he said.
“There’s a lot researchers are still trying to understand about nutrition, gut bacteria, and health. Being able to run multiple projects together and collaborate with researchers from different disciplines is a great way to understand how these microbes… “This can be very helpful in unraveling the complex processes used to promote health,” Ishak said.
Contact: Marcus Wolff, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@main.edu