Systemic Metabolomic Changes in Mice Fed a High Fat Diet and Supplemented with Lactobacillus plantarum

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in developed nations and is characterized by a group of factors that raise the risk for developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It has previously been shown that ingestion of certain strains of Lactobacillus are associated with improvement in MetS risk factors, however the mechanisms of these beneficial effects are largely unknown. In this study, C57BL/6J male mice were fed a lard‐based high fat diet (45% of calories from fat) for nine weeks followed by supplementation with Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 (Lp) for six weeks (n=10 per group). NMR metabolomics, gene expression, and microbiota composition were analyzed to assess the systemic effects of probiotic supplementation. Significant differences in metabolite concentrations (including amino acids in serum and colon contents) and gene expression (including tight junctions in intestine and inflammation in adipose) were observed between groups. No significant differences were found in body or organ weight with Lp supplementation and no global microbiota structure changes were observed in the cecum; however, a significantly greater abundance of OTUs aligning to Lactobacillus plantarum were observed in the treatment group. These results indicate Lp supplementation impacts systemic phenotype without broad changes to the microbiome. Furthermore, this study supports the notion that consumption of Lp may be beneficial in the context of a high fat diet.Support or Funding InformationFunding was provided by the American Diabetes Association.