Oligofructose restores postprandial short-chain fatty acid levels during high-fat feeding

Obesity is associated with consumption of a Western diet low in dietary fiber, while prebiotics reduce body weight. Fiber induces short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, and SCFA administration is beneficial to host metabolic homeostasis. However, the role of endogenous SCFA signaling in the development of obesity is contentious. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to evaluate the postprandial time course of SCFA production and uptake in healthy (chow-fed), Western diet-fed (high-fat diet [HFD]) obese, and oligofructose-treated HFD-fed (HFD + OFS) rats.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained on chow or HFD for 5 weeks, with or without supplementation of 10% OFS for 3 weeks. SCFAs were measured in the ileum, cecum, colon, portal vein, and vena cava at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours postprandially.

Postprandial cecal and portal vein SCFAs were decreased in obese rats compared with lean chow controls, whereas no differences were observed in fasting SCFA concentrations. OFS supplementation increased SCFA levels in the cecum and portal vein during obesity. Butyrate levels were positively associated with portal glucagon-like peptide 1 and adiposity and with Roseburia relative abundance.

The current study demonstrates that obesity is associated with reduced SCFA production, and that OFS supplementation increases SCFA levels. Additionally, postprandial butyrate production appears to be beneficial to host energy homeostasis.