Effect of Irradiated Natto on Thrombus Mice Model and Intestinal Microbiota

Zhang Lei^{1, 2,} and Li Chuang³

¹Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng, 224051, China

²Taizhou Youlikang Biotechnology Ltd Co., Taizhou, 225300, China

³Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China

Cite this paper:
Zhang Lei and Li Chuang. Effect of Irradiated Natto on Thrombus Mice Model and Intestinal Microbiota. Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. 2026; 14(1):1-6. doi: 10.12691/jfnr-14-1-1

Abstract

Natto is a traditional fermented functional food to adjust intestinal function and exert fibrinolytic effect. Additionally, natto is one of the few fermented foods that can be eaten directly. Microbial contamination is the biggest challenge for both the fermentation process and the end products. So that the microbial safety of natto is particularly crucial. Radiation is a sterilization technique, widely used in food processing. Irradiation is a viable safety measure. However, the question of whether irradiation preserves natto’s intrinsic functionality in animal experiments still lies in a research vacuum. We compare the effects of feeding irradiated and non-irradiated natto on blood parameters and coagulation in mice using a thrombosis model. Thrombus dissolution was observed through carotid artery sections. We found that, whether feeding irradiated or non-irradiated natto, for 20 days the thrombosis was resolved , with blood parameters and coagulation indices returning to normal. But the recovery was more pronounced in the irradiated group. Specifically, the irradiated group achieved normalization of Gran# and Lymph% at 10 days, while the control group required 20 days. Gut microbiota analysis revealed that, after 10-20 days, the irradiated group saw Bacteroidota increase from 36% to 46% and Bacillota decrease from 42% to 35%. In the control group, Bacteroidota decreased from 30% to 23%, Bacillota increased from 15% to 52%, and Chlamydiota decreased from 23% to 0.4%. The irradiated group's gut microbiota showed greater stability than the control group with significantly lower abundances of TMAO-related genera such as Lachnospirales, Erysipelotrichia, and Odoribacter, which may contribute to enhanced thrombus resolution.

Keywords:
irradiation thrombus mice model blood parameters coagulation indicators intestinal microbiota

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	Putri, N. Safety Assessment of Bacillus subtilis G8 Isolated from Natto for Food Application. Journal of Tropical Biodiversity and Biotechnology, 2024, 09.
[2]	Lee, BH. Antioxidation, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitionactivity, nattokinase, and antihypertension of Bacillus subtilis (natto)-fermented pigeon pea. Journal of Food and Drug analysis, 2015, 23, 750-757.
[3]	Yamashita, T. The Effect of Dietary Bacillus Natto Productive Protein on in vivo Endogenous Thrombolysis. Pathophysiology of Haemostasis and Thrombosis, 2003, 33, 138-143.
[4]	Zheng, ZL. Construction of a 3D model of nattokinase, a novel fibrinolytic enzyme from Bacillus natto: A novel nucleophilic catalytic mechanism for nattokinase. Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling, 2005, 23, 373-380.
[5]	Lee, SY. Contamination characteristics and risk assessment of aflatoxins in homemade soybean paste, a traditional fermented soybean food, in South Korea. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2022, 424, 127576.
[6]	Byun, MW. Irradiation Detection in Korean Traditional Soybean - Based Fermented Powdered Sauces: Data for Establishing a Database for Regulation of Irradiated Foods. Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, 2005, 10, 29-33.
[7]	Hamza, RG. The Possible Improving Effects of γ-Irradiated and/or Extruded Soy Flour on Hypercholesterolemic Rats. Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici, 2013, 5(4), 420-425.
[8]	Yun, J. Effect of gamma irradiation on microbial load, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of soybeans (Glycine max L. Merrill). Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 2012, 8(81), 1198-1202.
[9]	Yang, HY. Combination of Aronia, Red Ginseng, Shiitake Mushroom and Nattokinase Potentiated Insulin Secretion and Reduced Insulin Resistance with Improving Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Insulin Deficient Type 2 Diabetic Rats. Nutrients, 2018, 10(7), 948.
[10]	Kamiya, S. The Effect of Lactic Acid Bacteria-fermented Soybean Milk Products on Carrageenan-induced Tail Thrombosis in Rats. Bioscience of Microbiota, Food and Health, 2013, 32(3).
[11]	Kim, KJ. Antithrombotic Effect of Artemisia princeps Pampanini Extracts in Vitroin Vitro and in FeCl3 ‐Induced Thrombosis Rats. Journal of Food Science, 2019, 84.
[12]	Slem, B. Screening and characterization of thermostabl fibrinolytic enzyme from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens EGE-B-2d.1/Bacillus amyloliquefaciens EGE-B-2d.1. Turkish Journal of Biochemistry, 2016, 41(3), 167-176.
[13]	Wang, ZR.. Survival of community-acquired Bacillus cereus sepsis with venous sinus thrombosis in an immunocompetent adult man - a case report and literature review. BMC Infectious Diseases, 2023, 23(1), 213.
[14]	Hale, A. What is the most reliable marker in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and community-acquired pneumonia? Blood Coagulation & Fibrinolysis, 2016, 27, 3.
[15]	Bianca, H. Progression of the Prothrombotic State in Aging Bmal1 Deficient Mice. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, 2011, 31(11), 2552-9.
[16]	Lee, HS. The effect of fibrinolytic enzyme produced from Bacillus subtilis K-54 on the thrombosis and stress in vivo. Korean Journal of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2000, 28(1), 52-58.
[17]	Zhu, YQ. Exploration of the Muribaculaceae Family in the Gut Microbiota: Diversity, Metabolism, and Function. Nutrients, 2024, 16(16), 2660.
[18]	Yang, XB., Wang, JH., and Zhang, XX. Relationship between sheep feces scores and gastrointestinal microorganisms and their effects on growth traits and blood indicators. Frontiers inMicrobiology, 2024, 15.
[19]	Huang, HH. Effects of Danggui Wuji granules on 16S rDNA, metagenome, and metabolome in BDS mice. Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2024, 2(1), 29-36.
[20]	Wang, S. Distribution characteristics of trimethylamine N-oxide and its association with gut microbiota. Journal of Southern Medical University, 2016, 36(4), 455.
[21]	Liang, Q. Lactobacillus plantarum ZDY04 exhibits strain-specific property of lowering-TMAO via modulation of gut microbiota in mice. Food & Function, 2018, 9(8).
[22]	Denise, CZB. Retinal artery occlusion is associated with compositional and functional shifts in the gut microbiome and altered trimethylamine N-oxide levels. Scientific reports, 2019, 9, 15303.
[23]	Gong, DX. Gut Microbial Metabolite Trimethylamine N-Oxide Is Related to Thrombus Formation in Atrial Fibrillation Patients. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, 2019, 358(6), 422-428.