Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum FH185 on the Reduction of Adipocyte Size and Gut Microbial Changes in Mice with Diet-induced Obesity.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum FH185 on the reduction of adipocyte size and gut microbial changes in mice with diet-induced obesity. The strain was found to have a lipase inhibitory activity of 70.09±2.04% and inhibited adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells (18.63±0.98%) at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. To examine the effect of the strain supplementation on gut microbial changes in mice with diet-induced obesity, male C57BL/6J mice were fed on four different diets (i.e., A, normal diet (ND); B, high-fat diet (HFD); C, HFD with ABT-3 (10(9) CFU/day); and D, HFD with L. plantarum FH185 (10(9) CFU/day)) for 6 wk. According to the results of fecal pyrosequencing, the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes in groups C and D was lower than in the control groups at the phylum level. At the family level, Lactobacillaceae in groups C and D was observed to dominate, while Lachnospiraceae in groups A and B was observed to dominate. At the genus level, Lactobacillus in groups C and D was comparatively higher than in groups A and B. To examine the effects of strain supplementation on the reduction of adipocyte size, the left and right epididymal fat pads were quickly isolated after the animals were sacrificed, and the adipocyte sizes were measured. In groups A, C and D, the percentage of 2,000 m(2) of adipocyte was higher than in the other size of adipocyte, while the percentage of over 5,000 m(2) of adipocyte was highest in group B. The mean adipocyte size of group D was significantly larger than that of group A, but smaller than that of group B.

Physiological Characteristics and Anti-obesity Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum Q180 Isolated from Feces.

Obesity is strongly associated with several metabolic and chronic diseases and has become a major public health problem of worldwide concern. This study aimed to investigate the physiological characteristics and anti-obesity effects of Lactobacillus plantarum Q180. Lactobacillus plantarum Q180 was isolated from the faces of healthy adults and found to have a lipase inhibitory activity of 83.61±2.32% and inhibited adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells (14.63±1.37%) at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. The strain was investigated for its physiological characteristics. The optimum growth temperature of L. plantarum Q180 was 37℃. Lactobacillus plantarum Q180 showed higher sensitivity to novobiocin in a comparison of fifteen different antibiotics and showed the highest resistance to rifampicin, polymyxin B and vancomycin. The strain showed higher ß-galactosidase and N-acetyl-ß-glucosaminidase activities. It also did not produce carcinogenic enzymes such as ß-glucuronidase. The survival rate of L. plantarum Q180 in MRS broth containing 0.3% bile was 97.8%. Moreover, the strain showed a 97.2% survival rate after incubation for 3 h in pH 2.0. Lactobacillus plantarum Q180 was displayed resistance to Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus with rates of 55.6%, 38.0% and 47.6%, respectively. These results demonstrate that L. plantarum Q180 has potential as a probiotic with anti-obesity effects.

Application of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for Optimization of Anti-Obesity Effect in Fermented Milk by Lactobacillus plantarum Q180.

Obesity, a condition in which an abnormally large amount of fat is stored in adipose tissue, causing an increase in body weight, has become a major public health concern worldwide. The purpose of this study was to optimize the process for fermented milk for the production of a functional product with an anti-obesity effect by using Lactobacillus plantarum Q180 isolated from human feces. We used a 3-factor, 3-level central composite design (CCD) combined with the response surface methodology (RSM). Concentration of skim milk powder (%, X1), incubation temperature (℃, X2), and incubation time (h, X3) were used as the independent factors, whereas pH (pH, Y1), anti-lipase activity (%, Y2) and anti-adipogenetic activity (%, Y3) were used as the dependent factors. The optimal conditions of fermented milk for the highest anti-lipase and antiadipogenetic activity with pH 4.4 were the 9.5% of skim milk powder, 37℃ of incubation temperature, 28 h of incubation time. In the fermentation condition, the predicted values of pH, anti-lipase activity and anti-adipogenetic activity were 4.47, 55.55, and 20.48%, respectively. However, the actual values of pH, anti-lipase activity and anti-adipogenetic activity were 4.50, 52.86, and 19.25%, respectively. These results demonstrate that 9.5% of skim milk powder and incubation at 37℃ for 28 h were the optimum conditions for producing functional fermented milk with an anti-obesity effect.