Phosphatidylserine from Portunus trituberculatus Eggs Alleviates Insulin Resistance and Alters the Gut Microbiota in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice

Shiwei Hu,Mengyu Du,Laijin Su,Huicheng Yang

doi:10.3390/md18090483

Abstract

Portunus trituberculatus eggs contain phospholipids, whose components and bioactivity are unclear. Here, we investigated the fatty acid composition of phosphatidylserine from P. trituberculatus eggs (Pt-PS). Moreover, its effects on insulin resistance and gut microbiota were also evaluated in high-fat-diet-fed mice. Our results showed that Pt-PS accounted for 26.51% of phospholipids and contained abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids (more than 50% of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)). Animal experiments indicated that Pt-PS significantly decreased body weight and adipose weight gain, improved hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, mitigated insulin resistance, and regulated circulatory cytokines. Pt-PS activated insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and increased the levels of IRS1-associated phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase (PI3K), phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) protein, and plasma membrane glucose transporter 4 protein. Furthermore, Pt-PS modified the gut microbiota, inducing, especially, a dramatic decrease in the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes at the phylum level, as well as a remarkable improvement in their subordinate categories. Pt-PS also reduced fecal lipopolysaccharide concentration and enhanced fecal acetate, propionate, and butyrate concentrations. Additionally, the effects of Pt-PS on alleviation of insulin resistance and regulation of intestinal bacteria were better than those of phosphatidylserine from soybean. These results suggest that Pt-PS mitigates insulin resistance by altering the gut microbiota. Therefore, Pt-PS may be developed as an effective food supplement for the inhibition of insulin resistance and the regulation of human gut health.

Highlights

Insulin resistance is a serious polygenic disease that concerns approximately 90% of diabetic patients and underlies the development of several other metabolic disorders, including cardiovascular disease and certain cancers [1,2]
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) accounted for 82.45% of UFA, whereas monounsaturated fatty acids only made up 17.55%
phosphatidylserine from P. trituberculatus eggs (Pt-PS) was isolated from P. trituberculatus eggs and resulted to contain abundant PUFA, in particular

Summary

Introduction

Insulin resistance is a serious polygenic disease that concerns approximately 90% of diabetic patients and underlies the development of several other metabolic disorders, including cardiovascular disease and certain cancers [1,2]. Once the circulating insulin fails to balance body glucose homeostasis, insulin resistance occurs. About 75% of insulin-disposed glucose is observed in skeletal muscle [3]. This procedure is mainly mediated through phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase. B (Akt) signal transduction [4]. Insulin receptor substrate (IRS) is activated by insulin stimulation through inhibition of phosphorylation at its serine site and elevation of phosphorylation at its tyrosine site [5]. Activated IRS polymerizes PI3K and triggers the phosphorylation of the p85 regulatory subunit [6]. The signal is subsequently transmitted downstream, leading to Akt phosphorylation and glucose transporter 4 (Glut4) translocation from the cytoplasm to the cytomembrane [6,7].

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Discussion

Conclusion