Mouse Abdominal Fat Depots Reduced by Butyric Acid-Producing Leuconostoc mesenteroides

The activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated rece ptor gamma (PPAR-gamma) is known to induce the differentiation of adipocytes. This study aimed to investigate the probiotic effect ofLeuconostoc mesenteroides(L. mesenteroides) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced PPAR-gamma activation and abdominal fat depots. Incubation of differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes with media ofL. mesenteroidesEH-1, a butyric acid-producing strain, significantly reduced the amounts of lipid droplets. The oral administration ofL. mesenteroidesEH-1 produced large amounts (>1 mM) of butyric acid in cecum and attenuated the HFD-induced upregulation of PPAR-gamma and accumulation of abdominal fats in mice. The combination of 2% glucose withL. mesenteroidesEH-1 increased the production of butyric acid and potentiated the probiotic activity ofL. mesenteroidesEH-1 against the formation of lipid droplets in 3T3-L1 adipocytes as well as abdominal fats in HFD-fed mice. The inhibition of free fatty acid receptor 2 (Ffar2) by its antagonist, GLPG-0974, markedly diminished the probiotic effects ofL. mesenteroidesEH-1 plus glucose on the suppression of HFD-induced PPAR-gamma and abdominal fats. Besides demonstrating the probiotic value ofL. mesenteroidesEH-1, our results highlight the possible therapy targeting the butyric acid-activated Ffar2 pathway to reduce abdominal fats.