Abstract
Obesity is linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and risk factors associated to metabolic syndrome. Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) that contains easily fermentable fiber may strengthen the intestinal barrier function, attenuate inflammation and modulate gut microbiota composition, thereby prevent obesity development. In the current study, liver lipid metabolism, fat depot, cecal and serum short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and gut microbiome were evaluated in rats fed bilberries in a high-fat (HFD + BB) or low-fat (LFD + BB) setting for 8 weeks and compared with diets containing equal amount of fiber resistant to fermentation (cellulose, HFD and LFD). HFD fed rats did not obtain an obese phenotype but underwent pre-obesity events including increased liver index, lipid accumulation and increased serum cholesterol levels. This was linked to shifts of cecal bacterial community and reduction of major SCFAs. Bilberry inclusion improved liver metabolism and serum lipid levels. Bilberry inclusion under either LFD or HFD, maintained microbiota homeostasis, stimulated interscapular-brown adipose tissue depot associated with increased mRNA expression of uncoupling protein-1; enhanced SCFAs in the cecum and circulation; and promoted butyric acid and butyrate-producing bacteria. These findings suggest that bilberry may serve as a preventative dietary measure to optimize microbiome and associated lipid metabolism during or prior to HFD.
Highlights
Obesity and diseases related to the metabolic syndrome, such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are ever-growing and have become epidemic worldwide [1]
Bifidobacterium reduction by high-fat feeding or obesity [17,57,58], rats fed high-fat diets (HFD and HFD + BB) in our study showed a higher relative abundance of Bifidobacterium compared to the low-fat diets, in parallel with an ‘obesity-resistant’ phenotype
The different signatures of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in response to diet changes in the current study revealed that dietary bilberry first exhibit a robust effect by enhancing total SCFAs, acetate and butyrate in both cecum and circulation, under both low-fat diet (LFD) and HFD conditions
Summary
Obesity and diseases related to the metabolic syndrome, such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are ever-growing and have become epidemic worldwide [1]. Several studies have demonstrated that diets high in fat may induce gut microbiota dysbiosis, which is believed to be an important contributor to the onset of obesity and related. The host energy balance is disrupted, as high-fat associated gut microbiome has an increased capacity to harvest energy from the diet, leading to obesity [2,3,6]. A high-fat diet induces changes of the intestinal bacterial community with outburst of some potential pathogens, resulting in impaired gut barrier function, systemic low-grade inflammation and endotoxin in blood [7]. The microbiota may affect a range of functions in the host, including alterations of the immune system and the metabolism [3,7,8,9]
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