An Intestinal FXR Agonist Mitigates Dysbiosis, Intestinal Tight Junctions, and Inflammation in High‐Fat Diet‐Fed Mice

Abstract

ScopeTo analyze the effects of fexaramine (FEX), as an intestinal FXR agonist, on the modulation of the intestinal microbiota and ileum of mice fed a high‐fat (HF) diet.Methods and resultsThree‐month‐old C57Bl/6 male mice are divided into two groups and received a control (C, 10% of energy from lipids) or HF (50% of energy from lipids) diet for 12 weeks. They are subdivided into the C, C + FEX, HF, and HF + FEX groups. FEX is administered (FEX‐5 mg kg−1) via orogastric gavage for three weeks. Body mass (BM), glucose metabolism, qPCR 16S rRNA gene expression, and ileum gene expression, bile acids (BAs), tight junctions (TJs), and incretin are analyzed. FEX reduces BM and glucose intolerance, reduces plasma lipid concentrations and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, increases the Lactobacillus sp. and Prevotella sp. abundance, and reduces the Escherichia coli abundance. Consequently, the ileal gene expression of Fxr‐Fgf15, Tgr5‐Glp1, and Cldn‐Ocldn‐Zo1 is increased, and Tlr4‐Il6‐Il1beta is decreased.ConclusionFEX stimulates intestinal FXR and improves dysbiosis, intestinal TJs, and the release of incretins, mitigating glucose intolerance and BM increases induced by an HF diet. However, FEX results in glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and reduces intestinal TJs in a control group, thus demonstrating limitations to this dietary model.