Abstract:Improving the effects of long-chain inulin on eczema in mice was investigated using a model of eczema induced with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene and feeding mice a diet containing 5% or 20% long-chain inulin for 3 weeks. The effects of long-chain inulin on eczema were evaluated based on pathological changes in skin and colon tissues, fecal microbiota, oxidative stress status, and inflammation-related factors of the thymus and spleen. The results revealed that the symptoms of skin keratosis and spinous layer thickening were significantly alleviated in both low- and high-dose longchain inulin intervention groups, along with significant reductions in intestinal mucosal injury and inflammatory responses. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing indicated reductions in the relative abundance of Staphylococcus and Ruminococcus in the low- and high-dose intervention groups, whereas there were increases in the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Akkermansia. Furthermore, compared with the model group, low- and high-dose inulin intervention contributed to significant increases in the activity of T-SOD and the levels of IL-10 in the thymus, along with significant reductions in the contents of MDA and levels of IL-6. Similarly, compared with the model group, the spleens of mice in the low-dose inulin intervention group showed significant increases in T-SOD activity and reductions in MDA levels, whereas high-dose inulin intervention promoted significant increases and reductions in IL-10 and IL-6 levels, respectively, in spleens. These results indicate that long-chain inulin has the potential to ameliorate 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced eczema by regulating the gut microbiota, reducing oxidative stress, and attenuating inflammatory reactions.
