Abstract:

Objective: To investigate the effect of oat β-glucan on intestinal mucosal barrier in type 2 diabetic rats. Methods:
Totally 60 male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups including normal control group and four diabetic model
groups. Type 2 diabetic rat models were established by high-fat diet feeding and low-dose intraperitoneal injection of
streptozotocin (STZ, 0.01 mol/L, 25 mg/(kg·d)). The diabetic rats were randomly divided into model control group and
low, medium and high dose oat β-glucan treatment group. Oat β-glucan was administrated by lavage. Low (0.275%),
medium (0.550%) and high (1.100%) doses of oat β-glucan added to the basal diet were given to each intervention group,
respectively. The rats in the model control and normal control groups were fed on the basal diet. After 10 weeks, fasting
plasma glucose, intestinal flora and colon β-defensin-2, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and occludin level were
measured. Results: Fasting plasma glucose of the high dose oat β-glucan treatment group was lower than that of the model
control group (P < 0.05). Compared with model control group, the expression level of the colonic tight junction protein
occludin was higher (P < 0.05), and β-defense-2 levels were lower (P < 0.05); yet no difference was found in sIgA levels
(P > 0.05) in oat β-glucan treatment groups. The increase in Escherichia coli counts in the medium and high dose oat β-glucan
treatment groups were smaller than that in the model control group (P < 0.05). The increase in bifidobacteria and lactobacilli
counts of oat β-glucan treatment groups were larger than that in the model control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Oat β-glucan
has a positive effect on intestinal mucosal mechanical barrier and biological barrier injury in type 2 diabetic rats.

Key words: oat β-glucan, type 2 diabetes mellitus, intestinal mucosal barrier