Transcriptomics reveals the anti-obesity mechanism of Lactobacillus plantarum fermented barley extract.

Fermentation by lactic acid bacteria can improve the nutritional value and biological function of cereal. Our previous studies have confirmed that Lactobacillus plantarum fermented barley extract (LFBE) can alleviate obesity caused by high-fat diet (HFD) in rats, while the precise mechanism remains unclear. Herein, we explored the effect of LFBE on the adipose tissue in obese rats and its mechanism via transcriptomics technology. Results showed that administration of LFBE in obese rats for 8 weeks significantly alleviated weight gain, reduced fasting blood glucose, and inhibited lipid accumulation. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation of adipose tissue found that LFBE held the ability to maintain mitochondria integrity and functionality. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that LFBE increased the expressions of mitochondrial ß-oxidized-related genes, while inhibiting the expressions of fatty acid synthesis-related genes. Furthermore, KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) enrichment analysis and western blotting studies confirmed that LFBE mainly enhanced the energy consumption of adipocytes through the phosphorylation of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) and the mitochondrial proliferation pathway regulated by peroxisome proliferative activated receptor, gamma, coactivator 1 alpha (PGC1α). Taken together, these findings indicated that LFBE could ameliorate HFD-induced obesity by activating AMPK/PGC1α axis regulated signaling pathways.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum fermented barley extracts ameliorate high-fat-diet-induced muscle dysfunction via mitophagy.

BACKGROUND: A reduced level of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) by skeletal muscle leads to the accumulation of intermuscular fat (IMF), which is linked to impaired exercise capacity. Previously, we have reported that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum fermented barley extract (LFBE) has effective anti-obesity properties. In this study, the effects of LFBE on muscle were investigated. RESULTS: LFBE improved running endurance and muscle strength, which was caused by the elevation of FAO in muscle. In addition, LFBE renovated muscle regeneration through the upregulation of paired box 7 and myogenic differentiation 1 expression avoiding the injury of skeletal muscle fibers. Furthermore, total polyphenol isolated from LFBE (FTP) reinforced mobility and showed a significant protective effect on maintaining muscle fiber morphogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Transmission electron microscope observation suggested FTP induced mitophagy in C. elegans body wall muscle, which was strongly connected with enhanced FAO in mitochondria. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlighted the beneficial bioactivities of FTP and its potential application for stimulating mitophagy and muscle function in obese individuals. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

In vitro starch digestibility of buckwheat cultivars in comparison to wheat: The key role of starch molecular structure.

The objective of this study was to compare the in vitro digestibility of different buckwheat and wheat starch cultivars and establish the relationship between digestibility and structure of buckwheat starch. Structure of starches were analyzed with size exclusion chromatography and fluorophore-assisted capillary electrophoresis. Results showed that the amylose content of Tartary buckwheat starch (TBS) and common buckwheat starch (CBS) was 3-4% lower than that of wheat starch. However, no significant difference in the digestibility was found between them. The fast digestion rate coefficient of TBS was negatively correlated with the amount of long amylopectin chains (24 < DP ≤ 36), and the total digested starch percentage of CBS was negatively correlated with the amount of medium-long amylopectin chains (13 < DP ≤ 24). This suggests that the digestibility of fully gelatinized starch had no association with the botanical sources but may be more influenced by starch structure.

Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1 fermented barley extraction activates white adipocyte browning in high-fat diet-induced obese rats.

High-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity is caused by the imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Here, we studied the inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts of fermented barley with Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1 (LFBE) and beta-glucan (BGL) on the obesity induced by HFD. Both LFBE and BGL significantly decreased body weight, suppressed visceral lipid accumulation, improved blood lipid profile, and glucose tolerance in HFD rats. BGL showed no thermogenic capacity, while LFBE enhanced the expression of Uncoupling Protein 1 (UCP1), and brown-specific mRNA (PRDM16, PGC1-α, and CIDEA) levels in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissues (WAT) of HFD rats. In addition, LFBE increased the expression of key genes involved in mitochondria biosynthesis and the mitochondrial respiration function. Further, we demonstrated that proteins extracted from LFBE (LFBE-P) were responsible for triggering brown markers to some extent. In conclusion, LFBE alleviates HFD-induced obesity by activating thermogenic fat bioenergetics and mitochondria biosynthesis. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Barley is one of the most productive crops with pretty low utilization. Our group committed to exploring the application and nutritional value of barley. This work aimed to explore improvements in nutritional function of barley after fermentation by Lactobacillus plantarum dy-1. Our study found that oral administration of LFBE help turning white adipose tissue into a thermogenesis state and activate heat generation function of brown adipose tissue. Its characteristics mentioned above significantly inhibited the body weight and blood lipid of high-fat diet rats. Further, we evidenced that LFBE-P were responsible for triggering brown markers in 3T3-L1 cells. We believe our research plays a great part to relieving high-fat diet-induced obesity and type 2 diabetes with functional diet supplementation.

A combination of omega-3 and plant sterols regulate glucose and lipid metabolism in individuals with impaired glucose regulation: a randomized and controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Lipid metabolism imbalance has been recognized as one of the major drivers of impaired glucose metabolism in the context of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the rates of which are steadily increasing worldwide. Impaired glucose regulation (IGR) plays a vital role in the prevention and treatment of T2DM. The goal of this study was to further clarify whether the combination of plant sterols (PS) and omega-3 fatty acids yields any synergistic effect that enhances the prevention and treatment of IGR. METHODS: A total of 200 participants were randomized to receive PS and omega-3 fatty acids (n = 50), PS alone (n = 50), omega-3 fatty acids alone (n = 50), or placebo soy bean powder plus placebo capsules (n = 50) for 12 weeks. Patient characteristics including body composition, blood pressure, glucose metabolism (Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (FINS), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR)), lipid metabolism (TG, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C) and inflammatory factors (Hs-CRP, IL-6) were all monitored in these IGR individuals. RESULTS: Compared to the placebo group, the group receiving the combined intervention exhibited significantly decreased TG, HDL-C, FBG, HOMA-IR and HbA1c. Omega-3 fatty acids alone were associated with significant reductions in waistline, TG, FBG, HOMA-IR and Hs-CRP. PS alone was only associated with decreased TG and Hs-CRP. No interventions produced significant changes in body weight, BMI, blood pressure, FINS, body fat percentage, visceral fat rating, TC, LDL-C or IL-6. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, this study has demonstrated for the first time that PS, omega-3 fatty acids or the combination thereof significantly improved inflammation, insulin resistance, as well as glucose and lipid metabolism in IGR individuals. These findings may provide a scientific basis for the development of nutritional products incorporating PS and omega-3 fatty acids, and also for the development of nutritional supplement strategies aimed at preventing the development of disease in the IGR population.