Abstract
Selected oligosaccharides appear to be a class of potential agents against digestive diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of diet supplementation with oligofructose (OF) in the prevention of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)-like lesions induced by clostridial species using gnotobiotic quails. Germ-free quails were inoculated with three pre-term fecal specimens involving C. perfringens and differing in bacterial levels and associations. They were fed for 3 weeks either a control diet (inducing NEC-like lesions) or an OF-containing diet, where 3% of OF replaced 3% of the 6% of lactose in the control diet. When fed the control diet, NEC-like lesions varied from 17% in group 1 (C. perfringens < 106 CFU/g, Klebsiella ) to 67% in group 2 (C. perfringens ca. 107 CFU/g, C. difficile) and group 3 (C. perfringens ca. 108 CFU/g, C. difficile, C. paraputrificum). Supplementation with OF led to the inhibition of the disease in group 1 and to less extensive tissue necrosis and a sharp decrease in haemorrhages in groups 2 and 3. Only in group 3 was the OF beneficial effect associated with a decrease in C. perfringens (ca. 106/g, p < 0.05) and C. paraputrificum. Whatever the group, OF did not alter caecal pH or short-chain fatty acid concentrations. Health promoting effects of OF against NEC-like lesions caused by a polymicrobial infection were demonstrated. The possible mechanisms involved are discussed. Oligosaccharides in human milk have major physiological functions. Therefore, a supplementation with a synthetic analogue could offer a new approach to improve pre-term formula milk.