The polyphenol-rich extract from chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) modulates gut microbiota and improves lipid metabolism in diet-induced obese rats

Abstract

The gut microbiota plays a critical role in obesity and lipid metabolism disorder. Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) are rich in polyphenols with various physiological and pharmacological activities. We determined serum physiological parameters and fecal microbial components by using related kits, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing every 10 days. Real-time PCR analysis was used to measure gene expression of bile acids (BAs) and lipid metabolism in liver and adipose tissues. We analyzed the effects of different Chokeberry polyphenol (CBPs) treatment time on obesity and lipid metabolism in high fat diet (HFD)-fed rats. The results indicated that CBPs treatment prevents obesity, liver steatosis and improves dyslipidemia in HFDfed rats. CBPs modulated the composition of the gut microbiota with the extended treatment time, reducing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio) and increasing the relative abundance of Bacteroides, Prevotella, Akkermansia and other bacterial species associated with anti-obesity properties. We found that CBPs treatment gradually decreased the total BAs pool and particularly reduced the relative content of cholic acid (CA), deoxycholic acid (DCA) and enhanced the relative content of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA). These changes were positively correlated Bacteroides, Prevotella and negatively correlated with Clostridium, Eubacterium, Ruminococcaceae. In liver and white adipose tissues, the gene expression of lipogenesis, lipolysis and BAs metabolism were regulated after CBPs treatment in HFD-fed rats, which was most likely mediated through FXR and TGR-5 signaling pathway to improve lipid metabolism. In addition, the mRNA expression of PPARγ, UCP1 and PGC-1α were upregulated markedly in interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT) after CBPs treatment. We confirmed that CBPs could reduce the body weight of HFD-fed rats by accelerating energy homeostasis and thermogenesis in iBAT. Finally, the fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiment results demonstrated that FMT from CBPs-treated rats failed to reduce the weight of HFD-fed rats. However, FMT from CBPs-treated rats improved dyslipidemia and reshaped gut microbiota in HFD-fed rats. In conclusion, CBPs treatment improved obesity and complications by regulating gut microbiota in HFD-fed rats. The gut microbiota plays an important role in BAs metabolism after CBPs treatment, and BAs have therefore emerged as major effectors in microbe-host signaling events that influence host lipid metabolism, energy metabolism and thermogenesis.

Anti-Obesity Effects of Morus alba L. and Aronia melanocarpa in a High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese C57BL/6J Mouse Model

“…Bioactive compounds of AR include neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acid, anthocyanins, flavanols, flavonols [16]. Zhu et al [17] reported that polyphenol-rich AR extract modulated the gut microbiota and improved lipid metabolism in an obese rat model.…”

Efficacy and Safety of Aronia, Red Ginseng, Shiitake Mushroom, and Nattokinase Mixture on Insulin Resistance in Prediabetic Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial

“…β-glucan is one of the prebiotics that decreases serum glucose concentration with increasing propionate and butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut [ 41 ]. Anthocyanins like Aronia and black currant also promote glucose metabolism by increasing the relative abundance of Bacteroides , Prevotella , and Akkermansia to increase butyrate production [ 13 , 42 , 43 ]. Therefore, AGM intake might promote gut microbiota composition contributing to improving glucose metabolism.…”

Pharmacological Properties of Polyphenols: Bioavailability, Mechanisms of Action, and Biological Effects in In Vitro Studies, Animal Models, and Humans

“…The respiratory quotient was also found to be lowered due to fatty acid transport from white adipose tissue into the mitochondria and subsequent β-oxidation in muscles and liver, determined by increased expression and phosphorylation of the enzymes involved in lipid catabolism such as acyl-CoA synthetase, carnitine acylcarnitine translocase, and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 [71]. Similarly, another study reported that 1000 mg of chokeberry polyphenols extract/kg improved dyslipidemia and lipid metabolism and lipogenesis mediated through the FXR and TGR-5 signaling pathway on high fat diet-fed rats [72]. Furthermore, 100 mg/kg cinnamon polyphenol extracts have been found to decrease body weight and visceral fat as well as improve lipid profile and MDA concentrations via the PPAR-α and Nrf2 pathways in rats fed a high fat diet [73].…”