Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Genetics and Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Int J Obes (Lond). 2019 Aug;43(8):1631-1643. doi: 10.1038/s41366-018-0187-x. Epub 2018 Sep 21.
Changes in the intestinal flora composition is referred to as dysbiosis, which is related to obesity development, thus supporting the potential roles of nutrients acting on intestinal flora to exert salutary effects on energetic metabolism of host. Dietary fiber has been known to affect the composition of intestinal flora. The aim of the present study was to investigate the functional effects of konjac flour (KF) on obesity control in respect to improving inflammation, metabolism, and intestinal barrier function, and the possible association of the effects with intestinal flora composition changes.
Mice (n = 30) were randomly divided into control group (n = 10), high-fat-diet (HFD) group (n = 10), and KF intervention group (n = 10), followed by feeding for 12 weeks and with adding a KF daily supplementation for the treatment group. Body weight, fat accumulation, inflammation, and energetic metabolism markers in multiple tissues and the gut microbiota of the mice were examined at the end of the experiment.
The KF supplementation significantly reduced the gains in weight, fat mass, as well as adipocyte size of HFD mice and lowered the serum TC, leptin (LEP), thiobarbituric acid-reacting substance (TBARS), IL-6, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels in HFD mice. KF also upregulated the expression of intestinal mucosa protein gene Intection and tight junction ZO-1 in HFD mice, as well as upregulate the expression of energy metabolism genes PPARα and CPT-1 as well as the fat metabolism gene HLS in livers and fat tissues, and downregulate that of fat synthesis gene PPARγ (p < 0.05). The KF treatment increases the α-diversity and change the β-diversity of the intestinal microflora in HFD mice and boosted the abundances of some obesity-related beneficial microorganisms (such as Megasphaera elsdenii) in the intestinal microflora of HFD mice, while reduced those of harmful microorganisms (such as Alistipes, Alloprevotella, Bacteroides acidifaciens, and Parabacteroides goldsteinii). The abundance of Alistipes was positively correlated with weight, fat mass, serum TC, TG, LEP, IL-6, and LPS contents as well as PPARγ gene expression; while notably and negatively related to the expression of CPT-1 and HLS genes (p < 0.01). KF remarkably increased the abundance of Aerococcaceae, while reduced that of Alistipes finegoldii (p < 0.01).
Supplementation with KF achieves favorable effects on treating obesity, improving inflammatory response, metabolism, and intestinal barrier function, by regulating intestinal microfloral structure in HFD-fed mice.
肠道菌群组成的变化被称为菌群失调，它与肥胖的发展有关，这支持了营养物质作用于肠道菌群从而对宿主能量代谢产生有益影响的潜在作用。膳食纤维已被证明能影响肠道菌群的组成。本研究旨在探讨魔芋粉（KF）对肥胖控制的功能作用，特别是改善炎症、代谢和肠道屏障功能，并探讨这些作用与肠道菌群组成变化的可能关联。
将 30 只小鼠随机分为对照组（n=10）、高脂肪饮食组（HFD 组，n=10）和 KF 干预组（n=10），随后喂养 12 周，并对治疗组进行每日 KF 补充。实验结束时，检测各组小鼠的体重、脂肪积累、炎症和能量代谢标志物以及肠道微生物群。
KF 补充显著降低了 HFD 小鼠的体重、脂肪量和脂肪细胞大小的增加，并降低了 HFD 小鼠的血清 TC、瘦素（LEP）、硫代巴比妥酸反应物质（TBARS）、IL-6 和脂多糖（LPS）水平。KF 还上调了 HFD 小鼠肠道黏膜蛋白基因 Intection 和紧密连接 ZO-1 的表达，上调了肝脏和脂肪组织中能量代谢基因 PPARα 和 CPT-1 以及脂肪代谢基因 HLS 的表达，下调了脂肪合成基因 PPARγ 的表达（p<0.05）。KF 处理增加了 HFD 小鼠肠道微生物菌群的 α 多样性并改变了 β 多样性，并促进了 HFD 小鼠肠道微生物菌群中一些与肥胖相关的有益微生物（如 Megasphaera elsdenii）的丰度，同时降低了有害微生物（如 Alistipes、Alloprevotella、Bacteroides acidifaciens 和 Parabacteroides goldsteinii）的丰度。Alistipes 的丰度与体重、脂肪量、血清 TC、TG、LEP、IL-6 和 LPS 含量以及 PPARγ 基因表达呈正相关，而与 CPT-1 和 HLS 基因的表达呈显著负相关（p<0.01）。KF 显著增加了 Aerococcaceae 的丰度，而降低了 Alistipes finegoldii 的丰度（p<0.01）。
KF 补充剂通过调节 HFD 喂养小鼠的肠道微生物菌群结构，对肥胖症、改善炎症反应、代谢和肠道屏障功能具有有利作用。
