Lactobacillus sakei MJM60958 as a Potential Probiotic Alleviated Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet by Modulating Lipid Metabolism, Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease with a rapidly increasing number of cases worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus sakei MJM60958 (MJM60958) on NAFLD in vitro and in vivo. In in vitro tests, MJM60958 significantly inhibited lipid accumulation by 46.79% in HepG2 cells stimulated with oleic acid and cholesterol (OA-C). Moreover, MJM60958 showed safe and probiotic characteristics in vitro. In the animal study, MJM60958 administration in a high-fat diet-induced NAFLD mouse model significantly reduced body weight and liver weight, and controlled aspartate aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), triglyceride (TG), urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA) levels in the blood, which are features of NAFLD. Further, treatment with MJM60958 also reduced steatosis scores in liver tissues, serum leptin and interleukin, and increased serum adiponectin content. Moreover, administration of MJM60958 resulted in a significantly decreased expression of some genes and proteins which are related to lipid accumulation, such as fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1), and also upregulated genes and protein expression of lipid oxidation such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a (CPT1A). Administration of MJM60958 increased the relative abundance of specific microbial taxa such as Verrucomicrobia, which are abundant in non-NAFLD mice, and reduced Firmicutes, which are a major group in NAFLD mice. MJM60958 affected the modulation of gut microbiota and altered the strain profile of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production in the cecum by reduced lactic acid and enhanced acetic acid production. Overall, MJM60958 showed potential as a probiotic that can prevent and treat NAFLD.

Assessing the in vivo ameliorative effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus KLDS1.0901 for induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease treatment

“…It has been posited previously that the progression of NAFLD could be driven by lipid metabolism disorders ( 2 ). Accumulating evidence suggests that some lactic acid bacteria have the potential to relieve NAFLD ( 13 , 15 ). Our previous studies showed L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 with antioxidative activity had good tolerance to acid and bile salt and strong adhesion ability ( 11 ).…”

“…Following the method of Nguyen et al ( 13 ), 6-week-old male C57BL/6J mice ( n = 24) were obtained from the Vital River Laboratory Animal Technology Company (Beijing, China). Study animals were housed in a sterile animal room at 22 ±0.5°C, 55±5% humidity with 12 h light/12 h dark cycles.…”

“…Furthermore, L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 could alleviate type 2 diabetes by regulating hepatic glucose, lipid metabolism, and gut microbiota in mice ( 12 ). L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 also could prevent chronic alcoholic liver injury in mice by protecting the intestinal barrier and regulating gut microbiota and liver-related pathways ( 13 ). Thus, we hypothesized that L. acidophilus KLDS1.0901 would possess the ability to alleviate NAFLD.…”

Gut microbiota and metabolite interface-mediated hepatic inflammation

“…Nguyen et al [29] Acetaminophen overdose and acute alcohol consumption-induced liver oxidative injury…”

Metabolic-Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease and Gut Microbiota: From Fatty Liver to Dysmetabolic Syndrome

“…Subsequently, the same International Scientific Association defined postbiotics as “a preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host” [ 90 ]. While the preventive and therapeutic role of probiotics in NAFLD is quite clear in clinical [ 91 , 92 ] and pre-clinical models [ 93 , 94 ], further investigations are needed in patients with MAFLD. A recent meta-analysis showed that the use of probiotics holds promise for reducing liver enzyme levels in patients with MAFLD.…”