The modulatory effect of nanocomplexes loaded with EGCG3ʺMe on intestinal microbiota of high fat diet-induced obesity mice model

Abstract

In this study, (-)-epigallocatechin 3-O-(3-O-methyl) gallate (EGCG3ʺMe) was embedded in nanoparticles assembled from chitosan (CS) and caseinophosphopeptide (CPP), and the anti-obesity effect of EGCG3ʺMe-loaded chitosan-caseinophosphopeptide (CS-CPP) nanoparticles was investigated. The encapsulation efficiency of EGCG3ʺMe ranged from 72.61 to 83.25% with EGCG3ʺMe concentration changing from 1.0 to 2.5 mg/mL, and the in vitro release of EGCG3ʺMe was controllable. The administration of EGCG3ʺMe-loaded CS-CPP alleviated the changes in the serum and liver levels of high fat diet-induced obesity human flora-associated mice model dramatically. For the population of the intestinal microbiota, both EGCG3ʺMe and EGCG3ʺMe-loaded CS-CPP promoted the growth of certain beneficial bacteria and exhibited inhibitory effects on the proliferation of Bacteroides–Prevotella and Clostridium histolyticum. Furthermore, EGCG3ʺMe-loaded CS-CPP showed the best proliferative effect on Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus–Enterococcus spp. Together, it confirmed that the encapsulation of EGCG3ʺMe by nanoparticles can effectively improve the bioactivity of EGCG3ʺMe and prevent obesity-related metabolic disorders. Practical applications The findings suggest the potential of CS-CPP nanoparticles to promote the bioavailability of EGCG3ʺMe. The administration of EGCG3ʺMe-loaded CS-CPP nanoparticles showed significant anti-obesity effects on high fat diet-induced obesity mice model as well as the modulatory effect on the intestinal microbiota. In addition, they showed the best proliferative effect for Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus–Enterococcus spp. Due to the improved bioavailability, EGCG3ʺMe-loaded CS-CPP nanoparticles could be developed as a potential functional food to prevent obesity-related metabolic disorders in obese individuals.