α-Glucan-type exopolysaccharides with varied linkage patterns: Mitigating post-prandial glucose spike and prolonging the glycemic response
- Authors
- Lim, Hae-eun; Song, Young -Bo; Choi, Hyun-wook; Lee, Byung-Hoo
- Issue Date
- May-2024
- Publisher
- ELSEVIER SCI LTD
- Keywords
- Exopolysaccharides; alpha-Glucans; Slowly digestible carbohydrates; Glycemic response; Small intestinal alpha-glucosidases
- Citation
- CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS, v.331
- Journal Title
- CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
- Volume
- 331
- URI
- https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/gachon/handle/2020.sw.gachon/90967
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.121898
- ISSN
- 0144-8617
1879-1344
- Abstract
- Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are traditionally known as prebiotics that foster colon health by serving as microbiota nutrients, while remaining undigested in the small intestine. However, recent findings suggest that alpha-glucan structures in EPS, with their varied alpha-linkage types, can be hydrolyzed by mammalian alpha-glucosidases at differing rates. This study explores alpha-glucan-type EPSs, including dextran, alternan, and reuteran, assessing their digestive properties both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, while fungal amyloglucosidase - a common in vitro tool for carbohydrate digestibility analysis - shows limited efficacy in breaking down these structures, mammalian intestinal alpha-glucosidases can partially degrade them into glucose, albeit slowly. In vivo experiments with mice revealed that various EPSs elicited a significantly lower glycemic response (p < 0.05) than glucose, indicating their nature as carbohydrates that are digested slowly. This leads to the conclusion that different alpha-glucan-type EPSs may serve as ingredients that attenuate post -prandial glycemic responses. Furthermore, rather than serving as mere dietary fibers, they hold the potential for blood glucose regulation, offering new avenues for managing obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and other related -chronic diseases.
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