2'-Fucosyllactose and its metabolites propionate/butyrate suppress inflammation through a shared TLR4/p38 MAPK-dependent pathway <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i>.

ABSTRACT: 2'-Fucosyllactose (2'-FL), the most abundant human milk oligosaccharide (HMO), exhibits potent anti-inflammatory properties, yet the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study employed an integrated approach combining in vitro fermentation systems, Caco-2 cell assays, in vivo murine colitis models, and molecular docking simulations to elucidate the dual mechanisms of 2'-FL action. In vitro fermentation revealed that 2'-FL selectively enhanced propionate and butyrate production while enriching Bacteroides acidifaciens and Allobaculum stercoricanis, key short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing taxa. In enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)-infected Caco-2 cells, 2'-FL suppressed TLR4/p38 MAPK signaling and inflammation, an ef

SUBMITTER: Na K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12934225 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature