Bifidobacterium CECT 7765 Improves Metabolic and Immunological Alterations Associated with Obesity in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of administration of Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum CECT 7765 on metabolic and immune alterations in obese mice. Design and Methods: Adult male wild-type C57BL-6 mice were fed a standard diet or high-fat diet (HFD), supplemented or not with B. pseudocatenulatum CECT 7765 for 7 weeks. The assessments included biochemical and immunological parameters, insulin resistance, glucose tolerance, histology of liver, white-adipose and intestinal tissues, immunocompetent cell functions, and microbiota-related features. Results: B. pseudocatenulatum CECT 7765 reduced serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels and decreased insulin resistance and improved glucose tolerance in obese mice. This strain reduced serum levels of leptin, interleukin (IL)-6 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1, while increased those of IL-4 in HFD-fed mice. B. pseudocatenulatum CECT7765 reduced liver steatosis and the number of larger adipocytes and number of fat micelles in enterocytes of obese mice. The strain also improved the function of macrophages and dendritic cells in relation to phagocytosis, cytokine production, and induction of T-lymphocyte proliferation. The strain administration increased bifidobacteria and reduced enterobacteria and the inflammatory properties of the gut content in HFD-fed mice. Conclusion: B. pseudocatenulatum CECT 7765 was shown to ameliorate both metabolic and immunological dysfunctions related to obesity in HFD-fed mice.