Healthy regulation of Tibetan Brassica rapa L. polysaccharides on alleviating hyperlipidemia: A rodent study

Hyperlipidemia is a common metabolic disorder, which can lead to obesity, hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis and other diseases. Studies have shown that polysaccharides absorbed by the intestinal tract can regulate blood lipids and facilitate the growth of intestinal flora. This article aims to investigate whether Tibetan turnip polysaccharide (TTP) plays a protective role in blood lipid and intestinal health via hepatic and intestinal axes. Here we show that TTP helps to reduce the size of adipocytes and the accumulation of liver fat, playing a dose-dependent effect on ADPN levels, suggesting an effect on lipid metabolism regulation. Meantime, TTP intervention results in the downregulation of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and serum inflammatory factors (interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)), implying that TTP suppresses the progression of inflammation in the body. The expression of key enzymes associated with cholesterol and triglyceride synthesis, such as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors γ (PPARγ), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthetase (FAS) and sterol-regulatory element binding proteins-1c (SREBP-1c), can be modulated by TTP. Furthermore, TTP also alleviates the damage to intestinal tissues caused by high-fat diet, restores the integrity of the intestinal barrier, improves the composition and abundance of the intestinal flora and increases the levels of SCFAs. This study provides a theoretical basis for the regulation of body rhythm by functional foods and potential intervention in patients with hyperlipidemia.