Table 2.
Concentration of metabolites (mM) during the incubation of GOS and 2′-FL by faecal inocula from elderly and adults.
| Incubation time (h) | Elderly (n = 6) | Adults (n = 6) | Age group × incubation time (P value) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 4 | 10 | 24 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 24 | |||
| GOS | Acetate | 1.36 [0.42,1.79] | 7.44 [6.10,10.82] | 45.48 [36.70,61.66] | 43.83 [37.61,69.16] | 1.34 [1.21,1.47] | 13.83 [7.19,25.19] | 55.26 [52.84,60.22] | 53.45 [40.78,60.54] | 0.519 |
| Propionate | 2.52 [0.00,2.77] | 4.03 [2.87,5.16] | 9.48 [6.05,11.71] | 16.84 [15.37,20.41]* | 2.24 [2.20,2.50] | 3.99 [2.60,5.41] | 7.13 [5.14,10.18] | 10.74 [9.55,13.11] | 0 | |
| Butyrate | 0.00 [0.00,0.11] | 1.62 [0.45,2.97] | 17.28 [7.53,24.25] | 47.77 [43.31,52.53]* | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 2.01 [0.75,3.68] | 8.11 [4.67,18.10] | 28.45 [13.94,47.14] | 0.048 | |
| Lactate | 0.63 [0.43,0.75] | 2.81 [2.48,3.23] | 14.19 [4.74,25.73] | 0.43 [0.00,7.12] | 0.62 [0.43,0.74] | 5.80 [3.47,11.11] | 23.21 [19.00,26.22] | 9.56 [0.80,20.16] | 0.519 | |
| Succinate | 0.56 [0.46,0.66] | 1.67 [1.39,2.02] | 5.77 [3.90,8.40] | 0.00 [0.00,1.75] | 0.55 [0.00,1.19] | 1.83 [0.77,3.09] | 1.51 [0.46,6.98] | 0.51 [0.00,7.80] | 0.173 | |
| Isobutyrate | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.259 | |
| CH4 | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.20 [0.00,0.47] | 0.58 [0.00,1.52] | 1.02 [0.00,4.01] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.32] | 0.00 [0.00,0.91] | 0.00 [0.00,2.66] | 0.63 | |
| H2 | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 1.07 [0.95,1.23] | 9.45 [8.63,12.26] | 8.99 [0.02,12.58] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 2.06 [0.72,2.73] | 8.67 [3.84,12.87] | 6.75 [0.04,9.90] | 0.63 | |
| 2′-FL | Acetate | 1.54 [0.87,1.73] | 7.24 [5.66,14.87]* | 40.28 [31.99,47.24]* | 62.57 [43.58,68.36] | 1.61 [1.12,1.77] | 14.28 [7.82,22.97] | 55.46 [46.64,59.74] | 57.14 [52.16,60.48] | 0.148 |
| Propionate | 2.80 [0.00,2.99] | 4.19 [2.09,5.78] | 11.89 [10.58,12.83] | 25.08 [18.72,30.00] | 2.15 [0.80,2.51] | 4.76 [3.46,5.43] | 11.71 [10.29,15.15] | 23.84 [19.68,26.57] | 0.519 | |
| Butyrate | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 1.66 [0.52,3.84] | 12.02 [9.32,16.52] | 44.58 [41.30,51.62]* | 0.00 [0.00,0.07] | 2.19 [0.85,4.36] | 12.63 [7.93,21.33] | 31.10 [27.12,48.71] | 0.048 | |
| Lactate | 0.67 [0.59,0.75] | 3.05 [2.08,3.86] | 2.97 [0.71,7.31] | 0.00 [0.00,0.75] | 0.35 [0.23,0.67] | 4.45 [3.37,7.14] | 3.00 [0.75,7.25] | 0.00 [0.00,0.74] | 0.519 | |
| Succinate | 0.29 [0.00,0.73] | 1.69 [1.53,2.71] | 2.52 [1.08,4.33] | 0.50 [0.00,1.70] | 0.65 [0.50,0.98] | 2.69 [0.77,3.00] | 1.33 [0.00,6.47] | 0.00 [0.00,5.31] | 0.884 | |
| Isobutyrate | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.277 | |
| CH4 | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.18 [0.00,0.53] | 0.65 [0.00,1.92] | 0.81 [0.00,2.80] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.00 [0.00,0.43] | 0.00 [0.00,0.93] | 0.00 [0.00,3.22] | 0.63 | |
| H2 | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 0.88 [0.68,1.40] | 6.16 [3.54,8.71] | 5.59 [0.05,8.39] | 0.00 [0.00,0.00] | 1.90 [0.72,2.73] | 8.07 [5.33,9.70] | 9.10 [4.95,15.67] | 0.519 | |
Data are expressed as median [Q1, Q3] (IQR). Changes in the concentration of each metabolite over time were analyzed using two-way mixed ANOVA, with one between-subject factor (age group) and one within-subject factor (incubation time), to uncover the effect of age group (adult vs elderly) over the incubation time period. P values were corrected for multiple testing by FDR according to Benjamini–Hochberg procedure.
Significant differences between age groups at each time point were highlighted as bold text.
IQR interquartile range.
*Significant between age groups at corresponding time point.