Lipid stress evolved, microbiome-based probiotics reduce lipid uptake in mice

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Metabolic Engineering
• Gut Microbiome

Background:

• Modulating host metabolism via gut nutrient transport is a key therapeutic strategy.
• The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host metabolism and nutrient processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a stress-based evolution method to enhance bacterial lipid metabolism.
• To generate a probiotic formulation with enhanced lipid metabolism capabilities.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these enhanced probiotics in modulating host metabolism and weight gain.

Main Methods:

• Sequential culture of oral microbiota in progressively higher lipid concentrations.
• Administration of lipid stress-evolved (LSE) probiotics to mice on a high-fat diet (HFD).
• Measurement of lipid excretion, triglyceride transport, weight changes, and metabolic parameters.

Main Results:

• LSE probiotics significantly increased fecal lipid excretion and reduced blood triglyceride transport.
• LSE probiotics prevented HFD-induced weight gain five-fold better than controls.
• LSE probiotics accelerated weight loss and improved coat appearance in mice.

Conclusions:

• The stress-based evolution technique is effective in enhancing bacterial lipid metabolism.
• LSE probiotics represent a promising strategy for managing metabolic disorders like obesity.
• This method offers a facile approach for industrial probiotic generation and disease outcome modulation.