Objectives: Lactobacillus reuteri Fn041 (Fn041) is a probiotic isolated from immunoglobulin A coated microbiota in the human breast milk of Gannan in China with a low incidence of hypercholesterolemia. This study aims to explore the role and mechanism of Fn041 in preventing hypercholesterolemia caused by a high-fat diet in mice.
Methods: C57BL/6N mice were fed a low-fat diet or a high-fat diet and gavage with Fn041 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) for 8 weeks.
Results: Both Fn041 and LGG prevented the occurrence of hypercholesterolemia, liver and testicular fat accumulation. In addition, a high-fat diet causes intestinal dysbiosis and mucosal barrier damage, which is associated with hypercholesterolemia. Fn041 prevented the high-fat diet-induced reduction in alpha diversity of intestinal microbiota and intestinal mucosal barrier damage. Fn041 treatment significantly increased fecal total cholesterol and total bile acids.
Conclusions: Fn041 prevented hypercholesterolemia by enhancing cholesterol excretion and mucosal barrier function.
Keywords: Lactobacillus reuteri; bile acid; cholesterol; gut microbiota; high-fat diet.
Copyright © 2022 Lu, Sun, Zhao, Zhang, Li, Zhou, Dang, Zhang, Huang, Qi and Li.