Sucralose enhances the susceptibility to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced colitis in mice with changes in gut microbiota

Sucralose is one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners, free of nutrients and calories. Its approval and uses correlate with many of the worldwide epidemiological changes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Multiple animal studies by us and others showed that sucralose exacerbated ileitis in SAMP1/YitFc mice and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in rats. In this study, we further investigated the effect of sucralose on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice and the associated mechanisms. Male C57BL/6 mice received 1.5 mg ml-1 sucralose in drinking water for 6 weeks. Then, 2.5% DSS was added to drinking water for 7 days to induce ulcerative colitis (UC). The results showed that, compared with the DSS group, administration of sucralose exacerbated the severity of colitis as indicated by the further decrease in body weight, increase in disease activity index (DAI) and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as the activation of the TLR5-MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway, and the disturbances of intestinal barrier function, along with changes in the intestinal microbiota. Our findings indicate that sucralose may increase the susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis through causing dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota and damage to the intestinal barrier.