Wheat Gluten Regulates Cholesterol Metabolism by Modulating Gut Microbiota in Hamsters with Hyperlipidemia

Oat protein modulates cholesterol metabolism and improves cardiac systolic function in high fat, high sucrose fed rats

Oats are recognized to provide many health benefits that are mainly associated with its dietary fibre, β-glucan. However, the protein derived from oats is largely understudied with respect to its ability to maintain health and attenuate risk factors of chronic diseases. The goal of the current study was to investigate the metabolic effects of oat protein consumption in lieu of casein as the protein source in high fat, high sucrose (HF/HS) fed Wistar rats. Four-week-old rats were divided into three groups and were fed three different experimental diets: a control diet with casein as the protein source, an HF/HS diet with casein, or an HF/HS diet with oat protein for 16 weeks. Heart structure and function were determined by echocardiography. Blood pressure measurements, an oral glucose tolerance test, and markers of cholesterol metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, and liver and kidney damage were also performed. Our study results show that incorporation of oat protein in the diet was effective in preserving systolic heart function in HF/HS fed rats. Oat protein significantly reduced serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Furthermore, oat protein normalized liver HMG-CoAR activity, which, to our knowledge, is the first time this has been reported in the literature. Therefore, our research suggests that oat protein can provide hypocholesterolemic and cardioprotective benefits in a diet-induced model of metabolic syndrome.

Effect of macadamia oil cake on blood lipid characteristics and intestinal microbiota in hyperlipidemic rat

Macadamia oil cake (MOC) is a type of macadamia nut by-product, that is extremely rich in amino acids and has beneficial health effects. It lowers blood lipid levels and regulates the intestinal microbiota. MOC effectively attenuated total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in model rats. Depending on the morphology of the colon, MOC can effectively attenuate damage to the tissue structure. The 16S rDNA gene of the rat intestinal microbiota was sequenced using Illumina PE250 high-throughput sequencing technology, and the changes in the intestinal microbiota in each group are discussed. Supplementing MOC at different doses significantly increased the microbiota of Dorea, Erysipelotrichaceae, Stercoris, etc. in the intestinal tracts of rats fed a high-fat diet. Therefore, MOC can be included in lipid healthy dietary patterns to lower lipid characteristics and restructure the intestinal microbiota. Future clinical trials are required to determine the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of hypolipidemia.

The toxicity of nano polyethylene terephthalate to mice: Intestinal obstruction, growth retardant, gut microbiota dysbiosis and lipid metabolism disorders

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are widely used in our daily life while they may be broken to smaller fractions as nano-sized PET (nPET) in the environment. The toxicity of nPET is still less studied. This work first evaluated the LD50 of different size of nPET (200 nm, S-nPET; 700 nm, B-nPET) in mice, then studied the health effects of single exposure to S/B-nPET at 200 mg/kg bw for 30 days. It was found that the LD50 was 266 mg/kg bw for S-nPET and 523 mg/kg bw for B-nPET, respectively, showing a size-dependent effect. S-nPET caused weight loss, cyst, intestinal obstruction, organ damage and mortality (40%), and perturbed gut microbiome and metabolome especially lipid metabolism, such as upregulated cholesterol, glycocholic, propionic acid, niacinamide, ectoine and xanthine, and downregulated arachidonic acid, anserine, histamine, while B-nPET did not. Serological analysis found S-nPET brought more lipid metabolic immune and neurological damage than B-nPET, confirming the size-dependent effect. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the systematic toxicity of nPET to mice. Further studies are warranted for life-long effects of nPET. The protocol applied in this work may also be used for the study of the health effects of other plastics.

Ganoderma spp. polysaccharides are potential prebiotics: a review

The gut microbiota (GM) is a complex ecosystem that is closely linked to host health. Ganoderma spp. polysaccharides (GPs), a major bioactive component of the fungal genus Ganoderma, can modulate the GM, exhibiting various health effects and prebiotic potential. This review comprehensively concluded the structural features and extraction method of GPs. The mechanism of GPs for anti-obesity, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer were further evaluated. The simulated gastrointestinal digestion of GPs and the utilization mechanism of host microorganisms were discussed. It was found that the physicochemical properties and biological activities of GPs depend on their structural characteristics (molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, glycosidic bonds, etc.). Their extraction method also affects the structure and bioactivities of polysaccharides. GPs supplementation could increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria (e.g. Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, Akkermansia, and Bifidobacterium), while reducing that of pathogenic bacteria (e.g. Aerococcus, Ruminococcus), thus promoting health. Moreover, GPs are resistant to digestion in the stomach and small intestine but are digested in the large intestine. Therefore, GPs can be considered as potential prebiotics. However, further studies should investigate how GPs as prebiotics regulate GM and improve host health.

Gut microbiota, bile acids, and nature compounds

Natural compounds (NPs) have historically made a major contribution to pharmacotherapy in various diseases and drug discovery. In the past decades, studies on gut microbiota have shown that the efficacy of NPs can be affected by the interactions between gut microbiota and NPs. On one hand, gut microbiota can metabolize NPs. On the other hand, NPs can influence the metabolism and composition of gut microbiota. Among gut microbiota metabolites, bile acids (BAs) have attracted widespread attention due to their effects on the body homeostasis and the development of diseases. Studies have also confirmed that NPs can regulate the metabolism of BAs and ultimately regulate the physiological function of the body and disease progresses. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the interactions among NPs, gut microbiota, and BAs. In addition, we also discuss the role of microbial BAs metabolism in understanding the toxicity and efficacy of NPs. Furthermore, we present personal insights into the future research directions of NPs and BAs.

Health Benefits of Cereal Grain- and Pulse-Derived Proteins

Pulses and whole grains are considered staple foods that provide a significant amount of calories, fibre and protein, making them key food sources in a nutritionally balanced diet. Additionally, pulses and whole grains contain many bioactive compounds such as dietary fibre, resistant starch, phenolic compounds and mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids that are known to combat chronic disease. Notably, recent research has demonstrated that protein derived from pulse and whole grain sources contains bioactive peptides that also possess disease-fighting properties. Mechanisms of action include inhibition or alteration of enzyme activities, vasodilatation, modulation of lipid metabolism and gut microbiome and oxidative stress reduction. Consumer demand for plant-based proteins has skyrocketed primarily based on the perceived health benefits and lower carbon footprint of consuming foods from plant sources versus animal. Therefore, more research should be invested in discovering the health-promoting effects that pulse and whole grain proteins have to offer.

Therapeutic Potential of Natural Plants Against Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Targeting the Interplay Between Gut Microbiota and Bile Acids

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains a common disease with a significant health and economic burden worldwide. The gut microbiota (GM) and bile acids (BAs), which play important roles in the gut-liver axis, have been confirmed to jointly participate in the development of NAFLD. GM not only regulate bile acids’ synthesis, transport, and reabsorption by regulating other metabolites (such as trimetlyl amine oxide, butyrate), but also regulate dehydrogenation, dehydroxylation and desulfurization of bile acids. Meanwhile, disordered bile acids influence the gut microbiota mainly through promoting the bacterial death and lowering the microbial diversity. Although weight loss and lifestyle changes are effective in the treatment of NAFLD, the acceptability and compliance of patients are poor. Recently, increasing natural plants and their active ingredients have been proved to alleviate NAFLD by modulating the joint action of gut microbiota and bile acids, and considered to be promising potential candidates. In this review, we discuss the efficacy of natural plants in treating NAFLD in the context of their regulation of the complex interplay between the gut microbiota and bile acids, the crosstalk of which has been shown to significantly promote the progression of NAFLD. Herein, we summarize the prior work on this topic and further suggest future research directions in the field.

Potential effects of mung bean protein and a mung bean protein-polyphenol complex on oxidative stress levels and intestinal microflora in aging mice

This study investigated the effects of mung bean protein (MPI) and a MPI-polyphenol complex on oxidative stress levels and intestinal microflora in a D-galactose-induced aging mouse model. MPI and MPI-polyphenol complex intervention significantly increased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase and other antioxidant enzymes, improved the abundance and diversity of intestinal flora, and decreased the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio. Among them, the complex was more conducive to the improvement of the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The addition of MPI and the MPI-polyphenol complex can help the proliferation of Bacteroidetes, Bifidobacterium and Roseburia in the intestinal tract of aging mice, and inhibit the growth of Firmicutes and Ruminococcus, and the proliferation effect of the complex on Bifidobacterium was better than that of MPI. MPI significantly upregulated five pathways related to lipid and energy metabolism. Roseburia and Muribaculaceae were negatively correlated with malondialdehyde levels and positively correlated with SOD and other antioxidant enzyme indices. Our findings showed that MPI and MPI-polyphenol complexes can delay aging in mice by reducing oxidative damage and regulating intestinal flora. We also found a strong relationship between the abundance of intestinal flora and the levels of oxidative stress-related enzymes. This study provides theoretical support for the health and anti-aging benefits of mung bean food products.

Probiotic Effects of Lactobacillus fermentum ZJUIDS06 and Lactobacillus plantarum ZY08 on Hypercholesteremic Golden Hamsters

Hypercholesteremia or high cholesterol is one of the important factors leading to atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. The application of probiotics with cholesterol-lowering characteristics has become increasingly popular over the past decade due to their contribution to human health. This study aimed to evaluate the probiotic effects of Lactobacillus fermentum ZJUIDS06 and Lactobacillus plantarum ZY08 on hyperlipidemic golden hamsters. A hyperlipidemic model was established through a high cholesterol diet in golden hamsters, after which lyophilized Lactobacillus fermentum ZJUIDS06 and Lactobacillus plantarum ZY08 were orally administered individually for 8 weeks. The physiological characteristics of golden hamsters and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) in the colon were assessed by automatic Biochemical Analyzer and gas choromatograph, respectively. A MiSeq sequencing-based analysis of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4 region) in the cecum content was performed to analyze the cecum microbiota. Correlations between sets of these variables were also investigated using the R package “corrplot.” Results showed that neither Lactobacillus fermentum ZJUIDS06 nor Lactobacillus plantarum ZY08 inhibited body weight increase. However, supplementation with Lactobacillus fermentum ZJUIDS06 for 8 weeks increased colon SCFA levels (P < 0.05), decreased serum low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and triglycerides levels, and also induced changes in the cecum microbiota of hyperlipidemic golden hamsters. Remarkably, oral administration of Lactobacillus fermentum ZJUIDS06 increased the relative abundance of Parabacteroides in the cecum, which served as a biomarker for colon SCFA production and improvement of serum cholesterol levels. In a word, Lactobacillus fermentum ZJUIDS06 improved hyperlipidemia in golden hamsters, which correlated with an increase in SCFA levels and relative abundance of Parabacteroides, indicating its potential importance in functional foods that can help lower cholesterol.