gut microbiome and carotenoid metabolism

Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome leads to local intestinal disease and metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes. Astaxanthin is a red, fat-soluble xanthophyll pigment and possesses potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) is the only enzyme catabolizing astaxanthin by asymmetrical cleavage at the 9,10 and/or 9’,10’ double bond sites in mammals. However, there is a knowledge gap in how intact astaxanthin and its cleavage metabolites exert the roles in regulation of the gut microbiome and host metabolism homeostasis. That slows down the development of therapeutic nutrition strategies for disease prevention.