A polysaccharide from Sargassum pallidum reduces obesity in high-fat diet-induced obese mice by modulating glycolipid metabolism

Sargassum pallidum polysaccharide (SPP) has been shown to have antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic effects. However, the anti-obesity mechanism of SPP in obese mice remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the anti-obesity effect and mechanism of SPP in obese mice induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). The model and experimental groups were fed with a HFD, and the experimental groups were simultaneously orally treated with degraded SPP (D-SPP) with dosages of 50, 100, and 200 mg kg(-1) for 8 weeks, respectively. The results showed that oral administration of D-SPP not only dramatically suppressed body weight gain and reduced the fasting blood glucose level, but also lowered the levels of serum and hepatic lipids in HFD-induced obese mice. Histopathological analysis showed that D-SPP significantly prevented liver fat accumulation and reduced white adipose hypertrophy and adipocyte size. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis indicated that D-SPP intervention significantly down-regulated the relative expressions of adipogenesis genes. Specifically, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors-gamma (PPAR-gamma), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (Srebp-1c), acetyl-CoA carboxylase-1(ACC1) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) in the liver of obese mice were decreased by 68, 53, 73, and 78%, respectively. These findings suggest that D-SPP might potentially be used as a promising dietary supplement for ameliorating obesity.

Automated summary

Sargassum pallidum polysaccharide (SPP) has been shown to have anti-obesity effects in obese mice by suppressing weight gain, reducing blood glucose and lipid levels, and preventing fat accumulation in the liver and hypertrophy of adipocytes. The mechanism involves the down-regulation of adipogenesis genes.