Phaseolus vulgaris extract ameliorates high-fat diet-induced colonic barrier dysfunction and inflammation in mice by regulating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor expression and butyrate levels

Abstract

Obesity is a health concern worldwide, and its onset is multifactorial. In addition to metabolic syndrome, a high-fat diet induces many deleterious downstream effects, such as chronic systemic inflammation, a loss of gut barrier integrity, and gut microbial dysbiosis, with a reduction of many butyrate-producing bacteria. These conditions can be ameliorated by increasing legumes in the daily diet. White and kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and their non-nutritive bioactive component phaseolamin were demonstrated to mitigate several pathological features related to a metabolic syndrome-like condition. The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular pathways involved in the protective effects on the intestinal and liver environment of a chronic oral treatment with P. vulgaris extract (PHAS) on a murine model of the high-fat diet. Results show that PHAS treatment has an anti-inflammatory effect on the liver, colon, and cecum. This protective effect was mediated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α and γ. Moreover, we also observed that repeated PHAS treatment was able to restore tight junctions’ expression and protective factors of colon and cecum integrity disrupted in HFD mice. This improvement was correlated with a significant increase of butyrate levels in serum and fecal samples compared to the HFD group. These data underline that prolonged treatment with PHAS significantly reduces some pathological features related to the metabolic syndrome-like condition, such as inflammation and intestinal barrier disruption; therefore, PHAS could be a valid tool to be associated with the therapeutic strategy.

A Newly Synbiotic Combination Alleviates Obesity by Modulating the Gut Microbiota–Fat Axis and Inhibiting the Hepatic TLR4/NF‐κB Signaling Pathway

“…It is worth noting that hepatic gene expression of CPT‐1, PPAR‐α, and PPAR‐γ were strengthened in HFD‐group compared with NCD‐group, which did not show exactly the same trend as in WAT, and these results are not consistent with several recent studies. [ 69,70 ] These findings may be subject to hepatic homeostasis of fatty acid catabolism. [ 71 ] In fact, liver PPAR‐α is essential for overall fatty acid homeostasis.…”

White kidney bean extract as a nutraceutical: effects on gut microbiota, alpha-amylase inhibition, and user experiences

“…As the effects of WKBE were attenuated after 4 months intervention compared with after 2 months, the authors concluded that this was likely due to gradual diminished improvements to the gut microbiota (Feng et al, 2022), suggesting that supplementation duration may be important. Most of the evidence in relation to the potential effects of WKBE on the gut microbiota comes from a small number of studies in animal models which suggest beneficial effects on gut microbiota composition and SCFA concentrations (Song et al, 2016; Neil et al, 2019; Shi et al, 2020; Wang et al, 2021; Avagliano et al, 2022). Most of these have explored the role of the gut microbiota as an underlying mechanism for the effects of WKBE in models of obesity or metabolic syndrome and are summarised in our previous review (Nolan et al, 2020).…”

“…of studies in animal models which suggest beneficial effects on gut microbiota composition and SCFA concentrations (Song et al, 2016;Neil et al, 2019;Shi et al, 2020;Wang et al, 2021;Avagliano et al, 2022). Most of these have explored the role of the gut microbiota as an underlying mechanism for the effects of WKBE in models of obesity or metabolic syndrome and are summarised in our previous review (Nolan et al, 2020).…”

“…By decreasing the digestion and absorption of starch, it is possible that WKBE could impact composition and metabolism of the gut microbiota and positively modulate gut health. Indeed, previous animal work has demonstrated WKBE supplementation can modulate the gut microbiota to increase markers of gut health, including higher short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations and gut barrier integrity, and reduce body weight and serum lipid levels (Monk et al, 2015; Shi et al, 2020; Avagliano et al, 2022). Only one study has explored the effects of WKBE on the gut microbiome in humans, and this randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in participants with type 2 diabetes (Feng et al, 2022).…”

Influence of gut microecology in the development of malignant tumors and its potential therapeutic application: A review

“…Studies on isolated rat enterocytes have shown that 70 to 80% of oxygen utilization is due to β- oxidation of butyric acid, while the utilization of butyric acid by cells is higher than that of other metabolic substrates. [40] The importance of butyrate metabolism for colon-forming cells has also been demonstrated that germ-free mice can exhibit a situation of impaired metabolism and increase autophagy rates in the absence of butyrate for prolonged periods, and can be rescued by the bacteria of increasing butyric acid or producing butyric acid. [41] Hence, it is particularly important to understand the metabolic process of SCFAs and their fermented products in human body to assess their impact on liver, colorectal-related tumors, and metabolic damage.…”