The ameliorative effect ofLactobacillus plantarumY44 oral administration on inflammation and lipid metabolism in obese mice fed with a high fat diet

In our previous studies,Lactobacillus plantarumY44 showed antioxidant activity and favorable gastric and intestinal transit tolerance. The purpose of this study is to determine whetherL. plantarumY44 could ameliorate intestinal inflammation and lipid metabolism disorder in obese mice fed with a high-fat diet.L. plantarumY44 was administered by gavage to the mice fed with a high-fat diet for 12 weeks. The mice fed with a high fat diet only showed sustainably elevated body weight, liver lipid metabolism disorder, intestinal inflammation and a lower short chain fatty acid content in feces. Oral administration ofL. plantarumY44 regulated lipid metabolism disorder by inhibiting the expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in the liver of obese mice, reducing the contents of total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerols (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) and increasing the content of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) in the serum of obese mice. Oral administration ofL. plantarumY44 up-regulated the expression of colon tight junction protein such as claudin-1 and occludin, down-regulated p38 and phospho-p38 levels and reduced serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Oral administration ofL. plantarumY44 increasedMuribaculaceae,Rikenellaceae, andLactobacillaceaelevels, reduced theFirmicutes/Bacteroidetesratio, andDesulfovibrionaceaeandProteobacterialevels in obese mice. Oral administration ofL. plantarumY44 also enhanced the contents of propionic acid, butyric acid, butanoicacid-3-methyl, pentanoic acid and acetic acid in the feces of the obese mice. Correlation analysis of Spearman revealed a significant correlation between changes in intestinal microflora and obesity-related symptoms.L. plantarumY44 ameliorated intestinal inflammation and lipid metabolism disorders by modulating gut microbiota.