Original Article
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 21, 2010; 16(27): 3394-3401
Published online Jul 21, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i27.3394
Effects of four Bifidobacteria on obesity in high-fat diet induced rats
Ya-Ni Yin, Qiong-Fen Yu, Nian Fu, Xiao-Wei Liu, Fang-Gen Lu
Ya-Ni Yin, Qiong-Fen Yu, Xiao-Wei Liu, Fang-Gen Lu, Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangya Second Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China
Qiong-Fen Yu, Department of Nephrology, Men Tougou District Hospital, Beijing 102300, China
Nian Fu, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanhua Hospital, Nanhua University, Hengyang 421002, Hunan Province, China
Author contributions: Yin YN and Lu FG designed the study; Yin YN, Yu QF and Fu N were involved in the experiment and analysis; Yin YN, Liu XW and Lu FG performed data interpretation, presentation and wrote the manuscript; Lu FG provided significant academic advice and consultation.
Correspondence to: Fang-Gen Lu, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangya Second Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China. lufanggenyao@163.com
Telephone: +86-731-5295888 Fax: +86-731-4807725
Received: March 8, 2010
Revised: April 30, 2010
Accepted: May 7, 2010
Published online: July 21, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To compare the effects of four Bifidobacteria strains (Bifidobacteria L66-5, L75-4, M13-4 and FS31-12, originated from normal human intestines) on weight gain, lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism in an obese murine model induced by high-fat diet.

METHODS: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups. Control group received standard chow, model group received high-fat diet, and intervention groups received high-fat diet added with different Bifidobacteria strains isolated from healthy volunteers’ fresh feces. All rats were executed at the 6th weekend. Body weight (BW), obese indexes, oral glucose tolerance test, serum and liver lipid and serum insulin (INS) were tested. Liver lipid deposition was classified pathologically.

RESULTS: Compared with the model group, B. M13-4 improved BW gains (264.27 ± 26.91 vs 212.55 ± 18.54, P = 0.001) while B. L66-5 induced a decrease in BW (188.47 ± 11.96 vs 212.55 ± 18.54, P = 0.043). The rest two strains had no significant change in BW. All the four strains can reduce serum and liver triglyceride and significantly alleviate the lipid deposition in liver. All strains showed a trend of lowing serum and liver total cholesterol while B. L66-5 and B. FS31-12 did so more significantly. In addition, all the four strains showed no significant differences in serum INS and glucose level.

CONCLUSION: The response of energy metabolism to administration of Bifidobacteria is strain dependent. Different strains of Bifidobacteria might drive different directions of fat distribution.

Keywords: Bifidobacterium, Obesity, Serum lipid, Body weight