Effect of chondroitin sulfate on intestinal microbiota in mice.

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) are side chains of proteoglycans and play important roles through interactions between their glycan chains and growth factors, chemokines and adhesion molecules. We have previously reported that CS intake inhibits the IgE-mediated allergic response by down-regulating Th2 responses in mice. However, it remains unclear how CS regulate cytokine productions in detail. It has been reported that alteration of intestinal microbiota in mice orally administered with proteoglycan derived from salmon cartilage. For this reason, effect of CS on intestinal microbiota was examined. As a result, it seems that no effect of CS to the intestinal microbiota was observed in mice.