Hexanoic Acid Improves Metabolic Health in Mice Fed High-Fat Diet

Background: Overweight and obesity are currently a worldwide problem, with undesirable health consequences, such as type 2 diabetes. Therefore, much attention has been paid to preventing obesity through diet. Free fatty acids (FFAs) serve as signaling molecules in many biological processes, leading to increased energy expenditure and insulin secretion. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetic, propionic and butyric acid are bioactive metabolites produced by gut microbes, and their beneficial effects on host metabolism are well studied. However, the effects of hexanoic acid on metabolism are poorly understood. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a normal chow diet, a high-fat diet (HFD), an HFD containing 5% butyric acid or an HFD containing 5% hexanoic acid for 4 weeks, and the effects of hexanoic acid on their lipid and glucose metabolisms were examined. Results: Dietary supplementation of hexanoic acid or butyric acid for 4 weeks prevented HFD-induced obesity and fat accumulation in the white adipose tissues. Both FFAs also suppressed the elevated plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels and hepatic triglyceride content in the mice fed an HFD. In addition, butyric acid and hexanoic acid decreased the elevated expression of genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis in the white adipose tissues under HFD conditions. Hyperinsulinemia induced by HFD feeding was attenuated by oral intake of butyric acid or hexanoic acid, whereas hyperglycemia under HFD feeding was improved only through oral administration of hexanoic acid. Hexanoic acid increased plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels and the expression of genes associated with gluconeogenesis. The intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) and the insulin tolerance test (ITT) revealed that the oral administration of hexanoic acid significantly enhanced glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of hexanoic acid in improving lipid and glucose metabolisms. Hexanoic acid, as well as butyric acid, is a remarkable FFA with anti-obesity properties. Furthermore, hexanoic acid is more potent in maintaining glucose homeostasis than butyric acid. Thus, our findings provide insight into the development of functional foods which could prevent obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes.