Structural characterization of Poria cocos oligosaccharides and their effects on the hepatic metabolome in high-fat diet-fed mice

In this study, novel Poria cocos oligosaccharides (PCO) were prepared by enzymatic degradation, and their polymerization degree was determined to be 2-6 by LC-MS analysis. By monosaccharide composition analysis, methylation assay, FT-IR, and NMR analysis, PCO were deduced to contain the sugar residues of (1 -> 2)-beta-d-Glcp, (1 -> 2)-alpha-d-Glcp, and (1 -> 4)-alpha-d-Glcp. Using an HFD-fed mouse model with dyslipidemia, PCO could significantly suppress lipid metabolism disorders, characterized by the reduction of lipid accumulation and inflammatory responses in the blood and liver tissues. Based on the non-targeted metabolomic analysis and Spearman's correlation analysis, we presume that the preventive effect of PCO on dyslipidemia might contribute to the reversal of changed metabolic pathways, which were related to the metabolisms of glycerophospholipids, unsaturated fatty acids, amino acids, choline, bile acids, tryptophan, sphingolipids, and glutathione. Our research shed light on the potential application of PCO for the treatment of dyslipidemia.

Automated summary

In this study, novel Poria cocos oligosaccharides (PCO) were prepared by enzymatic degradation and found to have a polymerization degree of 2-6. PCO showed significant suppression of lipid metabolism disorders in a mouse model with dyslipidemia. Metabolomic analysis indicated that PCO may reverse the altered metabolic pathways related to glycerophospholipids, unsaturated fatty acids, amino acids, choline, bile acids, tryptophan, sphingolipids, and glutathione. These findings highlight the potential use of PCO for treating dyslipidemia.