Effects of soluble glucomannan and insoluble cellulose treatment on mucin secretion and mucin glycosylation‐related gene expression in the colons of mice

Abstract Background Fiber added to the diet can promote intestinal mucin secretion, relieve intestinal inflammation, and enhance the intestinal barrier function. Glycosylation is the key to mucin function. However, there are few studies on the correlation between dietary fiber and mucin glycosylation, especially two kinds of dietary fiber with different solubility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of soluble glucomannan (GM) and insoluble cellulose (CL) treatment on mucin secretion and mucin glycosylation‐related gene expression in the colons of mice. Results The GM group significantly increased the goblet cell number, crypt depth, and the expression of mucin 2 ( Muc2 ) and mucin 3a ( Muc3a ) genes in the colon. At the same time, the analysis of the colon transcriptome showed that the GM group changed the expression of genes related to the mucin glycosylation process, and the GM group up‐regulated the expression of Gcnt3, Gcnt4, St3gal1, Galnt13, and B3gnt6 genes involved in the O ‐glycosylation process. Similarly, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that differentially glycosylated genes in the GM group were mainly related to the biosynthesis of mucin type O ‐glycans, while the genes in the CL group were related to the biosynthesis of various types of N ‐glycans. The correlation analysis between colonic microbes and differentially glycosylated genes also showed that the abundance of Alistipes in the GM group was significantly associated with the expression of Gcnt3, a key glycosylation gene. Conclusion Glucomannan treatment was more favorable for colonic Muc2 and Muc3a secretion and mucin O ‐glycosylation gene expression. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.