Lactobacillus reuteri MJM60668 Prevent Progression of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease through Anti-Adipogenesis and Anti-Inflammatory Pathway

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NALFD) is a disease characterized by liver steatosis. The liver is a key organ involved in the metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrate, enzyme activation, and storage of glycogen, which is closely related to the intestine by the bidirectional relation of the gut-liver axis. Abnormal intestinal microbiota composition can affect energy metabolism and lipogenesis. In this experiment, we investigated the beneficial effect of Lactobacillus reuteri MJM60668 on lipid metabolism and lipogenesis. C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and orally administrated with MJM60668. Our results showed that mice treated with MJM60668 significantly decreased liver weight and liver/body weight ratio, without affecting food intake. Serum levels of ALT, AST, TG, TCHO, and IL-1β in mice fed with MJM60668 were decreased compared to the HFD group. Investigation of gene and protein expression on the lipogenesis and lipid metabolism showed that the expression of ACC, FAS, and SREBP was decreased, and PPARα and CPT was increased. Furthermore, an increase of adiponectin in serum was shown in our experiment. Moreover, serum IL-1β level was also significantly decreased in the treated mice. These results suggested that MJM60668 can strongly inhibit lipogenesis, enhance fatty acid oxidation, and suppress inflammation. Additionally, supplementation of MJM60668 increased the proportion of Akkermansiaceae and Lachnospiracea, confirming a potential improvement of gut microbiota, which is related to mucus barrier and decrease of triglycerides levels.