{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T20:19:05Z","timestamp":1787861945550,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,24]],"date-time":"2025-12-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1766534400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012453","name":"China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["CARS-26-07B"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CARS-26-07B"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012453","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100012226","name":"Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2662020SPPY011"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2662020SPPY011"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100012226","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Major Special Projects and Key R&D Projects in Yunnan Province","award":["202102AE090054"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["202102AE090054"]}]},{"name":"Hubei Province Technology Innovation Special Major Project","award":["2022BBA0030"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2022BBA0030"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Foods"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Mastication trait is an important indicator for evaluating citrus fruit texture and may modulate the biological activity of citrus polysaccharides. This study compared the protective effects of pulp polysaccharides from citrus fruit with different mastication traits, namely Hongmeiren (HMR, superior), Satsuma (WM, moderate), and Nanfeng tangerine (NF, inferior mastication trait) on ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. All polysaccharides alleviated UC symptoms, with HMR showing the most pronounced effects by more markedly reducing TNF-\u03b1 levels, while enhancing IL-10, ZO-1, Occludin, and MUC2 expression. NF exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect on IL-6. Microbiota analysis revealed that citrus polysaccharides suppressed Escherichia\u2013Shigella and Helicobacter, enriched Akkermansia and norank_f_Muribaculaceae, and promoted short-chain fatty acid production, particularly of propionate and butyrate. LEfSe analysis further indicated that HMR selectively enriched Dubosiella and norank_o_Clostridia_UCG-014, WM increased the abundance of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, and NF promoted the growth of Parabacteroides. Overall, HMR with superior mastication trait exhibited the greatest efficacy in attenuating inflammation and maintaining intestinal homeostasis. These findings reveal an intrinsic link between citrus mastication traits and their colitis-alleviating activity, offering a mechanistic basis for dietary intervention in inflammatory bowel disease as well as for functional citrus breeding.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/foods15010052","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,24]],"date-time":"2025-12-24T11:22:14Z","timestamp":1766575334000},"page":"52","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Polysaccharides from Citrus Fruit with Different Mastication Traits Ameliorate DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis by Restoring Intestinal Barrier Function and Microbiota Balance"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Jieqiong","family":"Yao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"},{"name":"Hubei Key Laboratory of Fruit & Vegetable Processing & Quality Control, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5017-5536","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Siyi","family":"Pan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"},{"name":"Hubei Key Laboratory of Fruit & Vegetable Processing & Quality Control, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"86","DOI":"10.1038\/s41575-023-00854-4","article-title":"Deciphering the Different Phases of Preclinical Inflammatory Bowel Disease","volume":"21","author":"Rudbaek","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nat. 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