Saccharomyces boulardii Administration Changes Gut Microbiota and Reduces Hepatic Steatosis, Low - Grade Inflammation, and Fat Mass in Obese and Type 2 Diabetic db / db Mice

Abstract

Growing evidence shows that gut microbes are key factors involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis, metabolic inflammation, lipid metabolism, and glucose metabolism. Therefore, gut microbiota modulations caused by selectively fermented oligosaccharides or probiotic bacteria constitute an interesting target in the physiopathology of obesity. However, to date, no probiotic yeast has been investigated in this context. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the impact of the most-studied probiotic yeast (i.e., Saccharomyces boulardii Biocodex) on obesity and associated metabolic features, such as fat mass development, hepatic steatosis, and low-grade inflammation, in obese mice. S. boulardii was administered daily by oral gavage to leptin-resistant obese and type 2 diabetic mice (db/db) for 4 weeks. We found that S. boulardii-treated mice exhibited reduced body weight, fat mass, hepatic steatosis, and inflammatory tone. Interestingly, these effects of S. boulardii on host metabolism were associated with local effects in the intestine. S. boulardii increased cecum weight and cecum tissue weight but also induced dramatic changes in the gut microbial composition at the phylum, family, and genus levels. These gut microbiota changes in response to S. boulardii may also be correlated with the host metabolism response. In conclusion, this study demonstrates for the first time that S. boulardii may act as a beneficial probiotic treatment in the context of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Gut microbial markers are associated with diabetes onset, regulatory imbalance, and IFN-γ level in NOD Mice

“…In contrast, Oscillospira was negatively associated with diabetes development and low level of Treg cells. This is in accordance with a recent study by Everard et al showing that treatment with probiotic yeast resulted in (inter alia) reduction of Oscillospira abundance, what was further linked with reduced 31 All taxa in the early fecal gut microbiota that correlated to diabetes onset age and FoxP3 C Treg also correlated significantly to CD11b C DCs in the spleen and there was a tendency (p D 0.07-0.08) for the major bacterial markers S24-7, Lachnospiraceae, and Bacteriodales to also correlate to splenic IFN-g producing T cells. This suggests a combined protective role of these immune cell subsets.…”

Gut microorganisms as promising targets for the management of type 2 diabetes

“…The yeast Saccharomyces boulardii changed the gut microbiota and reduced certain features of the metabolic syndrome in genetically obese and diabetic mice. However, this yeast did not change fasting glycaemia in these mice [66]. Improving our understanding of the mycobiota and its relationship with the host might lead in the future to the development of new therapies for the metabolic syndrome.…”

Gleaning Insights from Fecal Microbiota Transplantation and Probiotic Studies for the Rational Design of Combination Microbial Therapies

“…Similarly, S. boulardii treatment in a diabetic mouse model led to increased prevalences of Bacteroidetes and decreased prevalences of Firmicutes closer to levels observed in normal mice (294). Administration of S. boulardii to antibiotictreated mice also resulted in a faster return to preantibiotic levels of specific bacterial strains, such as increased levels of Clostridium coccoides-Eubacterium rectale group members, including butyrate producers, and decreased levels of Enterobacteriaceae and Bacteroides species (291).…”