Abstract
Growing evidence has indicated that supplementation with probiotics improves lipid metabolism. We aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of a probiotics mixture (PM) of three strains belonging to the species Bifidobacterium (B. longum, B. lactis, and B. breve) and two strains belonging to the species Lactobacillus (L. reuteri and L. plantarum) on cholesterol-lowering efficacy in hypercholesterolemic rats. A hypercholesterolemic rat model was established by feeding a high-cholesterol diet for eight weeks. To test the effects of PM on hypercholesterolemia, hypercholesterolemic rats were assigned to four groups, which were treated daily with low (1.65 × 109 cfu/kg), medium (5.5 × 109 cfu/kg), or high (1.65 × 1010 cfu/kg) doses of probiotic mixture or simvastatin for eight weeks. Significant reductions of serum total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels, but increases of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol were observed after supplementation of PM in hypercholesterolemic rats. In PM-supplemented hypercholesterolemic rats, hepatic tissue contents of TC and TG also significantly decreased. Notably, the histological evaluation of liver tissues demonstrated that PM dramatically decreased lipid accumulation. For their underlying mechanisms, we demonstrated that PM reduced expressions of cholesterol synthesis-related proteins such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in the liver. Taken together, these findings suggest that PM has beneficial effects against hypercholesterolemia. Accordingly, our PM might be utilized as a novel therapeutic agent for the management of hypercholesterolemia.
Highlights
Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome [1]
No differences in food and water were in probiotics mixture (PM)-supplemented groups (low, medium, groups and simvastatin‐treated group compared with andcontrol high doses, respectively) and simvastatin-treated group compared with control group (Table group (Table 1)
The results showed that sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) and its target proteins, fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in the high cholesterol diet (HCD)‐fed group were significantly elevated compared with the control group (2.9‐fold, 2.1‐fold, the HCD-fed group were significantly elevated compared with the control group (2.9-fold, 2.1-fold, and 2.4‐fold increases for SREBP1, FAS, and ACC, respectively, vs. control group)
Summary
Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome [1]. A 1% increase in serum cholesterol concentration results in 2%–3% increase in the occurrence of CVD [3]. It is a major cause of atherosclerosis. Nutrients 2017, 9, 293 and atherosclerosis-associated diseases such as coronary disease and peripheral vascular disease [4] It is characterized by high levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and triacylglycerol (TG), but low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol in the blood vessels [5]. It can further progress to severe liver diseases such as liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and end stage liver failure, and rarely hepatocellular carcinoma [9,10,11]
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