Soybean Oligosaccharides Mitigate HFD-Induced Obesity in Mice with Changes in the Gut Mucus-Microbiota Axis

Background: Intestinal barrier problems cause obesity and related health issues. We focus on treatments that fix the gut lining and change gut bacteria. Soy oligosaccharides (SOSs) are prebiotics. They change gut bacteria and help lower fats. The mechanism by which SOS affects high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity remains to be fully elucidated. Objectives: We want to see if SOS improves the mucus barrier in the gut by investigating how mucus is produced, modified and released. We hypothesise that SOS can reduce obesity and associated health problems by regulating mucus and gut bacteria. Methods: Accordingly, HFD-fed mice were used in this study. Results: The results showed that SOS alleviated HFD-induced weight gain and glucose disorders. It also enhanced the gut mucus barrier by promoting goblet cell differentiation and regulating mucus-related genes. In addition, SOS intervention was associated with increased abundance of potentially beneficial gut taxa. These bacterial changes were linked to better health measures. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that SOS confer metabolic protection against HFD-induced obesity, at least partially, by coordinately modulating the mucus-microbiota axis. Conclusions: These data suggest that SOS may alleviate obesity and related disorders by improving the intestinal mucus layer and gut microbiota.