Beneficial effects of heat-treated Enterococcus faecalis FK-23 on high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis in mice

Br J Nutr. 2014 Sep 28;112(6):868-75. doi: 10.1017/S0007114514001792. Epub 2014 Aug 4.

Abstract

A high-fat diet (HFD) is one of the causes of hepatic steatosis. We previously demonstrated that Enterococcus faecalis FK-23 (FK-23), a type of lactic acid bacteria, exhibits an anti-obesity effect in mice fed a HFD. In the present study, we examined the effects of FK-23 on HFD-induced hepatic steatosis. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups and given one of four treatments: standard diet (SD); standard diet supplemented with FK-23 (SD+FK); HFD; or HFD supplemented with FK-23 (HFD+FK). For the administration of FK-23, the drinking water was supplemented with FK-23 at a concentration of 2% (w/w). After 11 weeks, histological findings revealed hepatic steatosis in the liver of HFD-fed mice; however, this effect was attenuated by the administration of FK-23. The expression levels of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation in the liver tissue were significantly reduced in the HFD group compared with the SD group, but FK-23 supplementation tended to up-regulate the expression levels of these genes. Our findings show that the inhibitory effect of FK-23 against hepatic steatosis in HFD-fed mice can be explained by the prevention of fat accumulation in the liver through the modulation of the activities of genes involved in hepatic fatty acid oxidation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Obesity Agents / therapeutic use
  • Diet, High-Fat / adverse effects
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Enterococcus faecalis / chemistry*
  • Fatty Acids / metabolism
  • Freeze Drying
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hot Temperature
  • Hyperglycemia / etiology
  • Hyperglycemia / metabolism
  • Hyperglycemia / pathology
  • Hyperglycemia / prevention & control*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Intestine, Small / metabolism
  • Lipolysis
  • Lipotropic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / etiology
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / metabolism
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / pathology
  • Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / prevention & control*
  • Organ Size

Substances

  • Anti-Obesity Agents
  • Fatty Acids
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Lipotropic Agents