Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide alleviating colorectal cancer by alteration of special gut bacteria and regulation of gene expression of colonic epithelial cells

It is still uncertain whether the consumption of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLPs) alleviates the colorectal cancer (CRC) through gut microbiota. In this study, we investigated the mortality, colon length and permeability, cecal microbiota and the gene expression profile of colonic epithelial cells of healthy and CRC mice consuming GLPs. The results showed GLPs consumption prevented CRC mice’s colon shortening and reduced 30% of their mortality. GLPs consumption significantly reduced the relative abundance (RA) of cecal Oscillospira, which was first observed in CRC mice in a high RA, along with an unknown genus of Desulfovibrionaceae, and down-regulated 7 genes mainly related to the reduction of lipolysis in adipocytes. Four of 7 genes, including Acaa1b, Fabp4, Mgll and Scd1, are reportedly relative to cancer. The results indicated both specific bacteria reduction and cancer-related genes regulation by GLPs were responsible for the CRC alleviation, and their relationship is deserved to be further explored.