Improvement of the Deterioration of the Gut Microbiota Due to High-fat, High-sucrose Diet Acylated Steryl-β-glycosides Intake

Abstract

Daily high-fat diet (HFD) intake is generally associated with an increased risk of metabolic diseases, cancer, and neurological disorders, which represent a major global health burden with significant social and economic consequences. In the present study, mice were treated with HFD containing 40% lipids. Furthermore, HFD was supplemented with 0.5% or 1.0% acylated sterol-β-glucoside (ASG). After 55 days of rearing, body weight, epididymal fat weight, weight, and pH of cecum contents and intestinal microflora were compared with mice fed HFD or a low-fat diet (LFD) containing lipid at 7%. The results showed that body weight and epididymis fat weight on the last day of feeding were significantly higher in HFD, 0.5% ASG, and 1.0% ASG compared to LFD, but significantly lower in 0.5% ASG and 1.0% ASG compared to HFD. Cecum content weight was lower with HFD compared to LFD but increased to LFD levels with the addition of ASG. Cecum pH was significantly lower on the 1.0% ASG compared to the other groups. The gut microbiota was significantly elevated in the HFD compared to the LFD, with Bacilliota specific to obese mice. However, the addition of ASG to the HFD decreased the Bacilliota and increased the Bacteroidota. Clostridium cluster XI and Clostridium subcluster XIVa, intestinal bacteria involved in the production of carcinogenic secondary bile acids, were markedly increased by consumption of the HFD but were markedly decreased by ASG. Daily intake of ASG may inhibit the deterioration of gut bacteria caused by HFD and reduce the disease risk posed by HFD.