Effects of Tea against Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Modulating Gut Microbiota in Chronic Alcohol-Exposed Mice.

Bangyan Li,Hangyu Li,Renyou Gan,Huabin Li,Ao Shang,Dandan Zhou,Min Luo,Qianqian Mao,Siyu Huang,Adila Saimaiti

doi:10.3390/foods10061232

Abstract

Gut microbiota dysbiosis has been a crucial contributor to the pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD). Tea is a popular beverage worldwide and exerts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as hepatoprotective effects. However, the potential role of gut microbiota regulated by tea in the prevention and management of AFLD remains unclear. Here, the protective effects of oolong tea, black tea, and dark tea on AFLD and its regulation of gut microbiota in chronic alcohol-exposed mice were explored and investigated. The results revealed that tea supplementation significantly prevented liver steatosis, decreased oxidative stress and inflammation, and modulated gut microbiota in chronic alcohol-exposed mice, especially oolong tea and dark tea. However, black tea showed less effectiveness against liver injury caused by alcohol. Moreover, the diversity, structure and composition of chronic alcohol-disrupted gut microbiota were restored by the supplementation of oolong tea and dark tea based on the analysis of gut microbiota. Furthermore, the relationship between liver injury biochemical indicators and gut microbiota indicated that some specific bacteria, such as Bacteroides, Alloprevotella, and Parabacteroides were closely associated with AFLD. In addition, the phytochemical components in tea extracts were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, which could contribute to preventive effects on AFLD. In summary, oolong tea and dark tea could prevent chronic alcohol exposure-induced AFLD by modulating gut microbiota.

Highlights

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) induced by consistently excessive alcohol consumption exhibits extremely high morbidity and mortality as a worldwide epidemic [1]
The molecular mechanism involved in alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) has not yet been well studied, mounting evidence has documented that multiple factors participate in the pathogenesis of AFLD, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota dysbiosis [6,7,8,9]
The protective effects of black tea, oolong tea and dark tea on AFLD injury mice exposed to chronic alcohol consumption and its regulation of gut microbiota were intensively investigated in the current study

Summary

Introduction

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) induced by consistently excessive alcohol consumption exhibits extremely high morbidity and mortality as a worldwide epidemic [1]. More and more scientific studies are performed to support the role of modifiable factors in the initiation and development of ALD, especially the gut microbiota [10,11]. An animal study suggested that there is no obvious damage in liver among germ-free mice exposed to alcohol, which indicated that alcohol exposure alone is not enough to cause the development of liver disease [16]. The composition of disordered gut microbiota induced by alcohol exposure could be restored to close to that of alcohol-resistant mice through fecal microbiota transplantation experiment, which revealed that gut microbiota could play a crucial role in the occurrence and development of AFLD [17]. Targeting intestinal microbiota to prevent and manage the occurrence and progression of AFLD may be an effective therapeutic strategy, and relative studies are needed urgently

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