Effect of Lactic Acid Bacteria on Lipid Metabolism and Fat Synthesis in Mice Fed a High-fat Diet

Visceral fat accumulation is a major risk factor for the development of obesity-related diseases, including diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and arteriosclerosis. Stimulation of lipolytic activity in adipose tissue or inhibition of fat synthesis is one way to prevent these serious diseases. Lactic acid bacteria have an anti-obesity effect, but the mechanisms are unclear. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of the administration of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus gasseri NT) on lipid metabolism and fat synthesis in a mouse high-fat-diet model, focusing on visceral fat. Balb/c mice were fed a 45 kcal% fat diet for 13 weeks with and without a freeze-dried preparation of L. gasseri NT (10(9) CFU/g). An ex vivo glycerol assay with periovarian fat revealed that L. gasseri NT did not stimulate lipolytic activity. However, L. gasseri NT decreased the mRNA expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) and its target gene fatty acid synthase (FAS) in the liver and decreased free fatty acid (FFA) in the blood. In conclusion, these findings indicated that administration of L. gasseri NT did not enhance lipid mobilization but can reduce fat synthesis, suggesting its potential for improving obesity-related diseases.