Lactobacillus acidophilus CICC 6075 alleviates obesity in mice through modulation of gut microbiota dysbiosis

Abstract

Abstract Background Obesity associated with lipid metabolism dysbiosis and intestinal dysbiosis is considered as a major healthcare problem worldwide. In the meanwhile, different probiotics have demonstrated beneficial effects on this condition, thus increasing the interest in the development of probiotic treatments. In this context, the aim of this study is to investigate the anti-obesity effects of potential probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus CICC 6075. Methods C57BL/6J mice on normal chow diet or high-fat feed were treated Lactobacillus acidophilus CICC 6075 by daily oral gavage for 12 weeks. Body weight, adipose tissue weight and HE sections of liver tissue, adipose tissue, and intestine were examined for each group, along with fecal 16S rRNA gene sequences were analyzed. Results Overall, L. acidophilus reduced body weight and fat accumulation in obese mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Besides, Sequencing results showed that HFD diet reduced α-diversity and β-diversity, and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, norank_f_Muribaculaceae was reduced, and significantly increased the relative abundance of ilebacterium. L. acidophilus reversed HFD-induced gut dysbiosis, and decreased Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratios. In addition, the results of bacterial functional potential prediction using PICRUSt showed that L. acidophilus treatment improved the gut microbiota functions involving metabolism, immune response, and pathopoiesia. Conclusions Lactobacillus acidophilus CICC 6075 ameliorated obesity through its alleviation of lipid metabolism dysbiosis and gut dysbiosis. It could be a good candidate for probiotic of ameliorating obesity and associated diseases such as hyperlipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases, and insulin resistance.