Amelioration of obesity-related characteristics by a probiotic formulation in a high-fat diet-induced obese rat model

Purpose Obesity is a major public health concern. Despite its multi-factorial etiology, alterations in intestinal microbiota and the immune system are frequently observed. We investigated the effect of Duolac Gold (DG), a probiotic formulation containing 2 Lactobacillus strains ( L. acidophilus LA1 and L. rharmnosus LR5), 3 Bifidobacterium ( B. bifidum BF3, B. lactis BL3, and B. longum BG7), and Streptococcus thermophilus ST3, on morphometric and metabolic parameters, intestinal microbiota, and intestinal immune responses in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese rat model. Methods Rats received either a conventional balanced diet or HFD with or without water containing DG for 8 weeks. HFD-induced adiposity, intestinal microbiota, and changes in inflammatory cytokine, chemokine, and metabolite levels in serum were evaluated. Results DG administration effectively decreased HFD-induced body weight and modulated morphometric and metabolic parameters. Quantitative analysis of fecal microbiota showed that obese rats given DG exhibited significantly increased levels of Bacteroidetes, Lactobacillus , and Bifidobacterium , with significant decreases in the level of Firmicutes. Serum levels of the inflammatory cytokines and the chemokine were also altered. Serum metabolite analysis revealed that DG administration modulated HFD-induced changes in serum metabolites, including fatty acids (FA), lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine (PC), and triacylglycerol (TAG). Conclusions DG administration appears to have the potential to alleviate HDF-induced obesity through the modulation of intestinal microbiota, immune responses, and host metabolism, which supports the use of probiotics to treat obesity.