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Published on: December 16, 2015
Effects of Human Milk Fat Substitutes on Lipid Metabolism in First-Weaned Rats
Yangzheng He1, Yong Sun1,2, Jing Li1
1State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, Jiangxi, China.
Insights
Human milk fat substitutes (HMFS) significantly reduced body fat in weaned rats by altering gut bacteria and promoting liver lipid metabolism. This suggests HMFS offer nutritional benefits for infant health.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Metabolomics
- Microbiome Research
Background:
- Formula-fed infants show higher obesity risk than breastfed infants, with unclear mechanisms.
- Human milk fat substitutes (HMFS) are being explored as alternatives to traditional infant formulas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of HMFS on lipid metabolism and body composition in weaned Sprague Dawley rats.
- To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, including gut microbiota and liver lipid pathways, influenced by HMFS.
Main Methods:
- Administered HMFS to first-weaned Sprague Dawley rats and compared them to control and OPO (1,3-dioleic acid-2-palmitoyl triglyceride) groups.
- Conducted body weight and body fat content analysis.
- Performed lipidome analysis on liver tissues and gut microbiota analysis.
- Utilized multi-omics correlation to identify metabolic pathways.
Main Results:
- HMFS did not alter body weight but significantly decreased body fat content in rats.
- Glycerophospholipid emerged as a key differentiating lipid in the liver of HMFS-fed rats.
- HMFS administration increased *Bacteroides* abundance and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content in the gut.
- A
- Bacteroidetes-SCFAs-Glycerophospholipid pathway
- was identified as a potential mechanism for reduced body fat.
- HMFS promoted lipid metabolism in the rat liver at both gene and protein levels.
Conclusions:
- HMFS administration effectively reduces body fat accumulation in weaned rats.
- The gut microbiota and liver lipid metabolism are significantly influenced by HMFS.
- HMFS demonstrate potential nutritional benefits for infant health, contributing to healthier body composition.
Abstract:
Although numerous studies indicate that formula-fed infants are more prone to obesity than breastfed ones, the underlying reasons have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to determine the impact of human milk fat substitutes (HMFS) on the lipid metabolism of first-weaned Sprague Dawley rats. The findings revealed that administering HMFS did not affect the body weight of the rats (control: 298.38 ± 26.73 g, OPO (1,3-dioleic acid-2-palmitoyl triglyceride): 287.82 ± 19.85 g and HMFS: 302.31 ± 19.21 g), but it significantly decreased their body fat content (control: 28.70 ± 1.17 cm3, OPO: 22.51 ± 1.10 cm3 and HMFS: 14.90 ± 0.95 cm3) (p < 0.05). Lipidome analysis revealed that glycerophospholipid was the primary differentiating lipid present in the liver of HMFS-fed rats. The abundance of Bacteroides significantly increased in the intestine of HMFS-fed rats (p < 0.05), and their short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content significantly increased (p < 0.05). The multi-omics correlation analysis established the "Bacteroidetes-SCFAs-Glycerophospholipid pathway" as a potential mechanism by which administering HMFS affects body fat buildup in first-weaned rats. Additionally, it was found that HMFS administration significantly promoted lipid metabolism in the rat liver at both the gene and protein levels (p < 0.05). These findings serve to underscore the nutritional benefits of HMFS for infants.
