Pu-erh tea partly improved liver cholesterol metabolism disorders in colitis mice via the gut-liver axis

Abstract

Pu-erh tea has been shown to reduce gut inflammation in DSS-induced mice. Also, we found abnormal liver cholesterol metabolism in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mice. However, it's not clear how Pu-erh tea improves DSS-induced impaired liver cholesterol metabolism. Here, we established the DSS-induced model and clarified that DSS exacerbated gut inflammation accompanied by disorders of liver cholesterol metabolism. Pu-erh tea reshaped gut microbes, limited gut oxidative stress and inflammation (NOX2/ROS/MyD88/NF-κB, 24.97%−52.89%), reduced gut bile acid reabsorption (up-regulation of FXR/FGF15, 24.53%−55.91%), and promoted liver bile acid synthesis (up-regulation of PPARα/CYP7A1, 34.65%−79.14%), thereby partly restoring liver cholesterol metabolism (regulated FXR/SHP/SREBPs, 53.19%−95.40%). Altered bile acid metabolic profiles (increased chenodeoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid, lithocholic acid, etc.) may also improve liver cholesterol metabolism by altering gut and liver inflammation. Thus, gut microbial reshaping and altered bile acid metabolism may be key targets of Pu-erh tea for improving DSS-induced liver cholesterol metabolism disorders via the gut-gut microbe-bile acid-liver axis.