{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T05:09:45Z","timestamp":1788930585643,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]],"date-time":"2026-09-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788220800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Foods"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Both 2\u2032-fucosyllactose (2\u2032-FL) and Bifidobacterium can modulate gut health; however, whether their combination provides strain-dependent protection against colitis remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the protective effects of 2\u2032-FL alone and in combination with Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis M63 or Bifidobacterium breve M16V in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Forty-eight male C57BL\/6J mice were randomly assigned to six groups: negative control, DSS model control, 5-aminosalicylic acid positive control, 2\u2032-FL, 2\u2032-FL + M63, and 2\u2032-FL + M16V. The interventions were administered for two weeks, with 2.5% DSS supplied in the drinking water during the second week. Colitis-related indices, colonic histopathology, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative-stress markers, intestinal barrier-associated gene expression, gut microbiota composition, lactate, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were evaluated. Compared with the model control, 2\u2032-FL and both synbiotic combinations ameliorated colonic tissue injury and goblet-cell loss. Both combinations significantly reduced IL-1\u03b2, whereas 2\u2032-FL and both combinations reduced IL-6 and TNF-\u03b1. The combinations also increased catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities and decreased malondialdehyde levels. 2\u2032-FL alone increased Occludin and RELM\u03b2 expression, whereas 2\u2032-FL + M63 showed the strongest effects on tight-junction and mucus-barrier restoration, including increased Claudin-1, Claudin-2, ZO-1, TFF3, and MUC2 expression. All 2\u2032-FL-containing interventions increased microbial diversity, while 2\u2032-FL + M63 increased Bacteroidota, reduced Proteobacteria, and enriched Muribaculaceae and Ruminococcaceae. Both synbiotic combinations increased lactate and all measured SCFAs; 2\u2032-FL + M63 produced the highest acetate level, whereas 2\u2032-FL + M16V produced the highest propionate level, and both combinations markedly increased butyrate. These findings demonstrate strain-dependent protective effects, with 2\u2032-FL + M63 showing the greatest overall efficacy in restoring intestinal barrier function and microbial metabolism, supporting its development as a candidate functional synbiotic food formulation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/foods15173113","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]],"date-time":"2026-09-01T16:28:22Z","timestamp":1788280102000},"page":"3113","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Bifidobacterium longum Subspecies infantis M63 Enhances the Colitis-Alleviating Effect of 2\u2032-Fucosyllactose by Restoring Intestinal Barrier Function and Microbial Metabolism"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5928-320X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hongwei","family":"Zhang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Feihe Research Institute, Heilongjiang Feihe Dairy Co., Ltd., Beijing 100015, China"},{"name":"College of Food and Health, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China"},{"name":"College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xin","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Muqiu","family":"Tan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Feihe Research Institute, Heilongjiang Feihe Dairy Co., Ltd., Beijing 100015, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7398-7959","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yihong","family":"Bao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Food and Health, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6975-0844","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shilong","family":"Jiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Feihe Research Institute, Heilongjiang Feihe Dairy Co., Ltd., Beijing 100015, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2769","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(17)32448-0","article-title":"Worldwide incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in the 21st century: A systematic review of population-based studies","volume":"390","author":"Ng","year":"2017","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"329","DOI":"10.1038\/nri3661","article-title":"Cytokines in inflammatory bowel disease","volume":"14","author":"Neurath","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nat. 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