Unlike Glycerophosphocholine or Choline Chloride, Dietary Phosphatidylcholine Does Not Increase Plasma Trimethylamine-N-Oxide Levels in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Bungo Shirouchi,Ayano Fukuda,Taiki Akasaka

doi:10.3390/metabo12010064

Bungo Shirouchi, Ayano Fukuda + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo12010064

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Journal: Metabolites	Publication Date: Jan 11, 2022
Citations: 15	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Nagasaki, Kyushu University

Abstract

Choline, betaine, and L-carnitine are transformed into trimethylamine (TMA) by gut microbiota, absorbed into the liver, and oxidized into trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) by flavin-containing monooxygenases. Elevated TMAO levels may negatively affect human health. As phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the main source of dietary choline, its intake or PC-rich foods may be harmful to human health; however, quantitative comparative information among dietary choline compounds (PC, glycerophosphocholine [GPC], and choline chloride [CC]) regarding in vivo generation of TMAO is lacking. Here, we compared the effects of PC, GPC, and CC on plasma TMAO levels in rats. Furthermore, we investigated their effects on gut microbiota at the genus level. Dietary PC did not affect plasma TMAO levels, whereas dietary GPC and CC significantly increased them. At the genus level, plasma TMAO levels were significantly negatively correlated with relative abundances of Anaerotruncus, Actinomyces, Enterococcus, Dialister, Clostridium XIVa, and Granulicatella; they were significantly positively correlated with that of Coprobacter. Moreover, the relative abundances of Anaerotruncus and Coprobacter were found to predict plasma TMAO levels. Therefore, dietary PC, unlike GPC or CC, does not increase plasma TMAO levels in rats. Furthermore, several gut microbes are associated with changes in plasma TMAO levels in rats fed with choline compounds.

Highlights

Phospholipids (PLs) are constituents of cell membranes; they are present at various concentrations in lipid-containing foods
To explore the abilities of different types of choline compounds (PC, GPC, and Choline chloride (CC)) to be converted into TMAO, here we investigated whether plasma TMAO levels increased in rats that were fed these three types of choline compounds
To explore the abilities of different types of choline compounds (PC, GPC, and CC) to be converted into TMAO, we investigated whether plasma TMAO levels increased in rats that were fed three types of choline compounds

Summary

Introduction

Phospholipids (PLs) are constituents of cell membranes; they are present at various concentrations in lipid-containing foods. Growing evidence indicates that dietary PLs have beneficial effects, including the prevention of dyslipidemia, fatty livers, and cardiovascular disease, compared with dietary triglycerides (TGs) [2–4]. Glycerophospholipids (GPLs), which are classified together with sphingophospholipids as PLs, are composed of hydrophobic (e.g., fatty acids) and hydrophilic (e.g., choline, ethanolamine, inositol, or serine) components; this composition may be responsible for their physiological function. Numerous studies have suggested that dietary PC exerts a protective effect against cardiovascular disease (CVD) by improving the blood lipid profile [2–4]. In contrast with previous studies, independent of improving the blood lipid profile, a recent study has suggested that dietary PC may increase the risk of CVD through its metabolites, such as choline [6]. Betaine, and L-carnitine can all undergo catabolism by gut microbiota to form trimethylamine (TMA), which is absorbed and rapidly oxidized into trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) in the liver by flavin-containing monooxygenases

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