Supplementation with 2'-fucosyllactose, a prebiotic human milk oligosaccharide (HMO), in a magnesium-containing medical food reduces chemotherapy-induced mucositis in Wistar rats.

Mucositis is a common debilitating complication of chemotherapy in cancer patients that limits enteral nutrition, causes diarrhea, dehydration and electrolyte wasting. 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL), a non-digestible oligosaccharide initially isolated from human milk, is critical in the development of gastrointestinal function and microbiome maturation in the newborn. Here, we demonstrate, that supplementation of 2'-FL in a medical food with magnesium (Humolyte®), protects Wistar rats from gastrointestinal mucosal injury from chemotherapeutic drugs doxorubicin, irinotecan, 5-flurouracil, and cisplatin. Supplementation with Humolyte® reduced weight loss and the severity of diarrhea from chemotherapy. Histopathology of ileal and colonic tissue showed preservation of overall mucosal anatomy including goblet cells and a markedly lesser inflammation. Humolyte® reduced hypertrophy and edema of oral mucosa caused by chemotherapy. In vitro, Humolyte® improved goblet cell survival and mucin secretion while reducing monolayer permeability. Thus, Humolyte® can be a useful adjunctive therapy for patients with cancer suffering from chemotherapy-induced mucositis.