{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,11]],"date-time":"2026-10-11T03:26:08Z","timestamp":1791689168495,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]],"date-time":"2026-08-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787356800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100014761","name":"Natural Science Foundation of Qingdao municipality","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["25-5-5-zrjj-150-jch"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["25-5-5-zrjj-150-jch"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100014761","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Qingdao Huanghai university doctoral research Foundation project","award":["2023boshi03"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2023boshi03"]}]},{"award":["2023boshi03"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2023boshi03"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05e1zbn94","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Marine algal oligosaccharide (MAO) molecular structural characteristics are closely related to their bioactivity. However, an understanding of the specific relationships between MAO molecular structure (including polymerization degree [DP] and sulfate groups) and bioactivity is lacking. Methods: In this work, laboratory-prepared DP4 and DP8 MAOs, including agar- (AOs) and \u03ba-, \u03b9-, and \u03bb-carrageenan-oligosaccharides (COs), were examined for their anti-inflammatory activity in RAW264.7 macrophages and therapeutic effect on colitis in mice; additionally, the potential mechanisms involved were explored. Results: The results showed that CO (\u03b9- and \u03bb-COs) anti-inflammatory activity was higher than that of AOs and was positively correlated with sulfate group content. MAOs with different structures all alleviated colitis symptoms; those with higher sulfate group content and DP showed excellent therapeutic efficacy. MAOs modulated gut microbiota and promoted the enrichment of microbiota-derived short-chain fatty acid production (butyrate), which potentially induced PPAR\u03b3 signaling and contributed to the impacts of MAOs on mucosal homeostasis restoration. Conclusions: Therefore, MAOs with higher sulfate content and DP showed improved therapeutic efficacy compared with those with lower contents, which involved higher SCFA production.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu18172750","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T09:20:02Z","timestamp":1787563202000},"page":"2750","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Gut Microbiota-Derived SCFAs Modulated by Different Structures of Marine Algal Oligosaccharides Alleviate Colitis Through PPAR\u03b3 Signaling Activation"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Jiang","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jiaojiao","family":"Tan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Qingdao Huanghai University, Qingdao 266427, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Junjie","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Qingdao Huanghai University, Qingdao 266427, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Minghui","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Qingdao Huanghai University, Qingdao 266427, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiaoqian","family":"Gu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhiyan","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jican","family":"Han","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Qingdao Huanghai University, Qingdao 266427, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chaofan","family":"Pan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Qingdao Huanghai University, Qingdao 266427, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ting","family":"Fu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Qingdao Huanghai University, Qingdao 266427, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shirong","family":"Xue","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Medicine, Qingdao Huanghai University, Qingdao 266427, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Long","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xinning","family":"Pan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Marine Bioresource and Environment Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1080\/10408398.2020.1716207","article-title":"Marine oligosaccharides originated from seaweeds: Source, preparation, structure, physiological activity and applications","volume":"61","author":"Zhu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7703","DOI":"10.1080\/10408398.2021.1916736","article-title":"Recent advances in marine algae oligosaccharides: Structure, analysis, and potential prebiotic activities","volume":"62","author":"Xie","year":"2022","journal-title":"Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"178","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2015.12.016","article-title":"Advances in preparation, analysis and biological activities of single chitooligosaccharides","volume":"139","author":"Li","year":"2016","journal-title":"Carbohydr. Polym."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1026","DOI":"10.1039\/C3NP70128J","article-title":"Bioactive oligosaccharide natural products","volume":"31","author":"McCranie","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nat. Product. Rep."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"333","DOI":"10.1007\/s11064-013-1228-4","article-title":"Immunomodulatory function of \u03ba-carrageenan oligosaccharides acting on LPS-activated microglial cells","volume":"39","author":"Yao","year":"2014","journal-title":"Neurochem. Res."},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"476","article-title":"Progress in the study of the origin, properties, structure and application of carrageenanase","volume":"20","author":"Guo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Chin. J. Bioprocess Eng."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44252","DOI":"10.1038\/srep44252","article-title":"Neoagaro-oligosaccharide monomers inhibit inflammation in LPS-stimulated macrophages through suppression of MAPK and NF-\u03baB pathways","volume":"7","author":"Wang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"50","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cofs.2017.02.009","article-title":"Current state and latest advances in the concept, production and functionality of prebiotic oligosaccharides","volume":"13","author":"Moreno","year":"2017","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Food Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"156","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jff.2019.02.030","article-title":"In vitro fermentation of novel microwave-synthesized non-digestible oligosaccharides and their impact on the composition and metabolites of human gut microbiota","volume":"55","author":"Wang","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Funct. Foods"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"344","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijbiomac.2020.02.168","article-title":"Current trends in marine algae polysaccharides: The digestive tract, microbial catabolism, and prebiotic potential","volume":"151","author":"Zheng","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Biol. Macromol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"497","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jff.2017.09.038","article-title":"Dietary intervention with green dwarf banana flour (Musa sp. AAA) modulates oxidative stress and colonic SCFAs production in the TNBS model of intestinal inflammation","volume":"38","author":"Curimbaba","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Funct. Foods"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137745","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijbiomac.2024.137745","article-title":"Agarase cocktail from agarolytic Alteromonas sp. Aga1552 converts homogenized Gelidium amansii into monosaccharide","volume":"283","author":"Cao","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int. J. Biol. Macromol."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"Zhang, A. (2024). Study on the Expression and Properties of Carrageenases Produced by Surface-Attached Bacteria Polaribacter Sp. from Antarctic Macroalgae, Qingdao University of Science & Technology."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2398","DOI":"10.1021\/jf500429r","article-title":"Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometric Analysis of \u03ba-Carrageenan Oligosaccharides Obtained by Degradation with \u03ba-Carrageenase from Pedobacter hainanensis","volume":"62","author":"Sun","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Agric. Food Chem."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1336","DOI":"10.1038\/s41385-019-0201-1","article-title":"Loss of PTPN22 abrogates the beneficial effect of cohousing-mediated fecal microbiota transfer in murine colitis","volume":"12","author":"Spalinger","year":"2019","journal-title":"Mucosal Immunol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2910","DOI":"10.2337\/db07-0767","article-title":"Adipocyte death, adipose tissue remodeling, and obesity complications","volume":"56","author":"Strissel","year":"2007","journal-title":"Diabetes"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"269","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2019.05.036","article-title":"Chitosan oligosaccharide-mediated attenuation of LPS-induced inflammation in IPEC-J2 cells is related to the TLR4\/NF-\u03baB signaling pathway","volume":"219","author":"Shi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Carbohydr. Polym."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"120806","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2023.120806","article-title":"Alginate oligosaccharide structures differentially affect DSS-induced colitis in mice by modulating gut microbiota","volume":"312","author":"Lu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Carbohydr. Polym."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"335","DOI":"10.1038\/nmeth.f.303","article-title":"QIIME allows analysis of high-throughput community sequencing data","volume":"7","author":"Caporaso","year":"2010","journal-title":"Nat. Methods"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1186\/gb-2011-12-6-r60","article-title":"Metagenomic biomarker discovery and explanation","volume":"12","author":"Segata","year":"2011","journal-title":"Genome Biol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Han, Z.L., Yang, M., Fu, X.D., Chen, M., Li, Y., and Sun, Y. (2019). Evaluation of Prebiotic Potential of Three Marine Algae Oligosaccharides from Enzymatic Hydrolysis. Mar. Drugs, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/md17030173"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1074\/jbc.M111.294785","article-title":"Identification and mechanism of 10-carbon fatty acid as modulating ligand of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors","volume":"287","author":"Malapaka","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Biol. Chem."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.1016\/j.molimm.2018.10.015","article-title":"Palmatine attenuated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis via promoting mitophagy-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome inactivation","volume":"105","author":"Mai","year":"2019","journal-title":"Mol. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"359","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2013.09.055","article-title":"Enzymatic preparation of \u03ba-carrageenan oligosaccharides and their anti-angiogenic activity","volume":"101","author":"Yao","year":"2014","journal-title":"Carbohydr. Polym."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13780","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.0706625104","article-title":"Molecular-phylogenetic characterization of microbial community imbalances in human inflammatory bowel diseases","volume":"104","author":"Frank","year":"2007","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110927","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodres.2021.110927","article-title":"Alginate oligosaccharides protect against fumonisin B1-induced intestinal damage via promoting gut microbiota homeostasis","volume":"152","author":"Li","year":"2022","journal-title":"Food Res. Int."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6875","DOI":"10.1039\/D2FO00546H","article-title":"The role of functional oligosaccharides as prebiotics in ulcerative colitis","volume":"13","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Food Funct."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jff.2019.05.036","article-title":"In vitro fermentation of \u03ba-carrageenan oligosaccharides by human gut microbiota and its inflammatory effect on HT29 cells","volume":"59","author":"Sun","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Funct. Foods"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"O\u2019Callaghan, A., and van Sinderen, D. (2016). Bifidobacteria and Their Role as Members of the Human Gut Microbiota. Front. Microbiol., 7.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2016.00925"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"355","DOI":"10.1007\/s13205-020-02317-y","article-title":"Bacteriocin PJ4 from probiotic lactobacillus reduced adipokine and inflammasome in high fat diet induced obesity","volume":"10","author":"Bai","year":"2020","journal-title":"3 Biotech"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li, Y., Wang, W., Liu, Y., Zhang, X., Li, T., and Sun, Y. (2025). Diminished Immune Response and Elevated Abundance in Gut Microbe Dubosiella in Mouse Models of Chronic Colitis with GBP5 Deficiency. Biomolecules, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/biom14070873"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"559","DOI":"10.1038\/nature12820","article-title":"Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut microbiome","volume":"505","author":"David","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"82","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bcp.2017.04.033","article-title":"The gut microbiota: A key factor in the therapeutic effects of (poly)phenols","volume":"139","year":"2017","journal-title":"Biochem. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"511","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jff.2016.06.032","article-title":"Colon microbiota fermentation of dietary prebiotics towards short-chain fatty acids and their roles as anti-inflammatory and antitumour agents: A review","volume":"25","author":"Moreno","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Funct. Foods"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1303","DOI":"10.1128\/MCB.00858-12","article-title":"Short-chain fatty acids stimulate angiopoietin-like 4 synthesis in human colon adenocarcinoma cells by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor \u03b3","volume":"33","author":"Alex","year":"2013","journal-title":"Mol. Cell. Biol."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1265","DOI":"10.1016\/S0016-5085(03)00271-3","article-title":"Impaired expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma in ulcerative colitis","volume":"124","author":"Dubuquoy","year":"2003","journal-title":"Gastroenterology"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"570","DOI":"10.1126\/science.aam9949","article-title":"Microbiota-activated PPAR-\u03b3 signaling inhibits dysbiotic Enterobacteriaceae expansion","volume":"357","author":"Byndloss","year":"2017","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"379","DOI":"10.1097\/MOG.0b013e32816aa392","article-title":"Altered permeability in inflammatory bowel disease: Pathophysiology and clinical implications","volume":"23","author":"Mankertz","year":"2007","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Gastroenterol."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"551","DOI":"10.1053\/j.gastro.2008.10.081","article-title":"Targeted epithelial tight junction dysfunction causes immune activation and contributes to development of experimental colitis","volume":"136","author":"Su","year":"2009","journal-title":"Gastroenterology"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"116261","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2020.116261","article-title":"Odd-numbered agaro-oligosaccharides alleviate type 2 diabetes mellitus and related colonic microbiota dysbiosis in mice","volume":"240","author":"Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Carbohydr. Polym."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1104","DOI":"10.1136\/gut.2005.081745","article-title":"Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma in colonic epithelial cells protects against experimental inflammatory bowel disease","volume":"55","author":"Adachi","year":"2006","journal-title":"Gut"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104","DOI":"10.1038\/ni1018","article-title":"Commensal anaerobic gut bacteria attenuate inflammation by regulating nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling of PPARgamma and RelA","volume":"5","author":"Kelly","year":"2004","journal-title":"Nat. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"383","DOI":"10.1172\/JCI7145","article-title":"A novel therapy for colitis utilizing PPAR-gamma ligands to inhibit the epithelial inflammatory response","volume":"104","author":"Su","year":"1999","journal-title":"J. Clin. Investig."}],"container-title":["Nutrients"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/18\/17\/2750\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]],"date-time":"2026-08-25T04:18:03Z","timestamp":1787631483000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/18\/17\/2750"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]]},"references-count":43,"journal-issue":{"issue":"17","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]}},"alternative-id":["nu18172750"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/nu18172750","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-6643"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-6643","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]]}}}