Effects of fructans-type prebiotics on lipid metabolism

Abstract

Several nondigestible but fermentable dietary carbohydrates are able to regulate lipemia and triglyceridemia in both humans and animals. The mechanism of their serum lipid-lowering effect remains to be elucidated. Oligofructose, which is a mixture of nondigestible and fermentable fructans, can decrease triacylglycerol in VLDL when given to rats. The triacylglycerol-lowering action of oligofructose is due to a reduction of de novo fatty acid synthesis in the liver through inhibition of all lipogenic enzymes, namely acetyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.2), fatty acid synthase, malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40), ATP citrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.8), and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49). Our results suggest that oligofructose decreases lipogenic enzyme gene expression. Postprandial insulin and glucose concentrations are low in the serum of oligofructose-fed animals and this could explain, at least partially, the metabolic effect of oligofructose. Moreover, some events occurring in the gastrointestinal tract after oligofructose feeding could be involved in the antilipogenic effect of this fructan: the production of propionate through fermentation, a modulation of the intestinal production of incretins (namely glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide and glucagon-like peptide-1), or the modification of the availability of digestible carbohydrates. Recent studies showed that the hypotriglyceridemic effect of fructans also occurs in humans.

Fructooligosaccharide Intake Alters the Phospholipid and Fatty Acid Composition of Liver Plasma Membranes

“…the level of cholesterol was also decreased in the liver plasma membranes of FOS-fed rats. This finding is in consistence with the reported hypocholesterolic effect of prebiotics (7). the decreased level of cholesterol might be another reason for the fluidization of the plasma membrane bilayer (Fig.…”

“…the obtained data showed that the total phospholipids were reduced in liver plasma membranes from FoS-fed rats. it is possible that this observation is related to reduced liver lipogenesis, which was reported by Delzenne and Kok (7). Among the key enzymes that control lipogenesis, fatty acid synthase (FAS) was found to be most markedly affected (10).…”

An Overview of the Recent Developments on Fructooligosaccharide Production and Applications

“…First, a decrease in glycemia could be part of the process since glucose (together with insulin) is a driver of lipogenesis. Secondly, the SCFAs produced through the fermentation process could play a role in the regulation of lipid metabolism (Delzenne and Kok 2001;Delzenne et al 2002).…”

Dietary Fiber and Availability of Nutrients: A Case Study on Yoghurt as a Food Model

“…In a 10-week study comparing obese and lean rats, adding 5 g of P. ovata to rat chow increased the phosphorylation of AMPK, consequently inhibiting acetyl-CoA carboxylase [50]. Fructooligosaccharide (10g/100g) also has been shown to decrease the hepatic acetyl-CoA carboxylase expression in rats [51]. In view of new research [52,34] the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved health claims supporting the role of dietary fiber in the prevention of coronary heart disease [53].…”