Theabrownin enhances intestinal barrier integrity and microbiota balance through modulation of the ST6GalNAc6-STn-MUC2 axis in DSS-induced colitis mice, highlighting its potential as a functional food ingredient for gut health management.
Theabrownin (TB) administration markedly alleviated body weight loss and colon injury in DSS-induced colitis mice.
TB significantly enhanced goblet cell function and mucus layer integrity in DSS-induced colitis mice.
TB restored microbial balance by enriching Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 while suppressing Eubacterium and Parasutterella.
TB upregulated ST6GalNAc6, reduced sialyl-Tn (STn) expression, and normalized MUC2 sialylation as its mechanistic pathway.
Inhibition of ST6GalNAc6 with 3Fax-Neu5Ac abrogated the protective effects of TB, confirming the ST6GalNAc6-STn-MUC2 axis as the mechanistic pathway.
Theabrownin, a major bioactive compound from Pu-erh tea, demonstrated previously unclear mechanisms of intestinal barrier protection beyond known anti-inflammatory properties.
This research suggests that theabrownin (TB), a bioactive compound found in Pu-erh tea, can help protect the gut lining and restore a healthy balance of gut bacteria in mice with induced colitis (a model of inflammatory bowel disease). When mice with colitis were given TB at a dose of 1 gram per kilogram of body weight, they experienced less weight loss, less colon damage, and improved function of the mucus-producing goblet cells that line the intestine. The researchers also found that TB helped restore a healthier community of gut microbes, increasing beneficial bacteria like Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 while reducing potentially harmful ones. The study identified a specific molecular mechanism behind these benefits: TB activates an enzyme called ST6GalNAc6, which in turn controls how a key mucus protein (MUC2) is chemically modified. In colitis, this modification process goes awry, leading to abnormal mucus and a weakened gut barrier. TB corrected this process, and when the researchers blocked ST6GalNAc6 with a chemical inhibitor, TB's protective effects disappeared, confirming this pathway is essential to how TB works. This research suggests that theabrownin from Pu-erh tea could have potential as a functional food ingredient for supporting gut health, particularly by strengthening the intestinal mucus barrier and promoting a balanced microbiome. The findings provide a specific biological explanation for how a dietary compound found in fermented tea may help manage intestinal inflammation, which could be relevant to conditions like ulcerative colitis.
Xie K, Qin Y, Li L, Zhu Q, Ye T, Wang W, et al.. (2026). Theabrownin derived from Pu-erh tea enhances intestinal barrier integrity and microbiota balance via the ST6GalNAc6-STn-MUC2 axis in inflammation.. Food & function. https://doi.org/10.1039/d5fo05118e