Abstract
Plant proteins exert effects of reducing cardio-cerebrovascular disease related mortality partly via lowering cholesterol. However, it remains unclear whether gut microbiota play decisive roles in modulating host cholesterol by different proteins. Here, we verify that there are significant differences in cholesterol levels among hamsters consuming different proteins from plants (rice, oat, soybean, pea) or meats (chicken, pork, beef). The decisive roles of gut microbiota in regulating host cholesterol are illustrated by that the difference in serum cholesterol levels between hamsters feeding with pea protein and pork protein disappeared in the hamsters treated with antibiotics. The experimental results of cross-over intervention of pea and pork protein show that serum cholesterol levels are reversed with dietary exchange. The corresponded changes in microbiota suggest that the “beneficial” microbe Muribaculaceae are responsible for the inhibitory effect of pea protein on serum cholesterol level, while the opposite effect of pork protein is due to the “harmful” microbe Erysipelotrichaceae. Moreover, pea protein supplement alters cecal metabolites including arginine/histidine pathway, primary bile acid biosynthesis, short chain fatty acids and other lipid-like molecules involving in cholesterol metabolism.
Highlights
Epidemiological and experimental studies have indicated that an increase of plant proteins in diets, as well as a substitution of red meat proteins or processed meat proteins with plant proteins, was closely associated with the reduction of cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality
It is the first time to identify the different cholesterol-regulating effects of proteins from diverse sources and correlate these differences with changes in gut mictobita so as to clarify the effective mechanism on cholesterol metabolism. Plant proteins such as pea protein showed significantly lower serum or liver cholesterol levels than meat proteins such as pork protein, which corresponded to the changes in gut microbiota including the increased abundances of Muribaculaceae by pea protein and Erysipelotrichaceae by pork protein
The decisive roles of gut microbiota were confirmed by the findings that no more difference in serum or liver cholesterol was observed in the presence of Abx with the elimination of gut microbiota
Summary
Epidemiological and experimental studies have indicated that an increase of plant proteins in diets, as well as a substitution of red meat proteins or processed meat proteins with plant proteins, was closely associated with the reduction of cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality. Mounting evidences have attributed this effect of plant proteins to their regulation of gut microbiota It remains to be elucidated whether gut microbiota play decisive roles in modulating host cholesterol by dietary protein from diverse sources of plant or meat. The latest epidemiological studies indicate that an increase of plant proteins in diets and a substitution of red meat proteins or processed meat proteins with plant proteins are closely associated with the reduction of cardio-cerebrovascula (CVD)-related mortality [4,5,6]. The underlying mechanisms of cholesterol regulation in response to protein from diverse sources like plant and animal remain inconclusive
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