Inulin Supplementation Disturbs Hepatic Cholesterol and Bile Acid Metabolism Independent from Housing Temperature
2020
Mira J. Pauly | Julia K. Rohde | Clara John | Ioannis Evangelakos | Anja Christina Koop | Paul Pertzborn | Klaus Tödter | Ludger Scheja | Joerg Heeren | Anna Worthmann
Dietary fibers are fermented by gut bacteria into the major short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Generally, fiber-rich diets are believed to improve metabolic health. However, recent studies suggest that long-term supplementation with fibers causes changes in hepatic bile acid metabolism, hepatocyte damage, and hepatocellular cancer in dysbiotic mice. Alterations in hepatic bile acid metabolism have also been reported after cold-induced activation of brown adipose tissue. Here, we aim to investigate the effects of short-term dietary inulin supplementation on liver cholesterol and bile acid metabolism in control and cold housed specific pathogen free wild type (WT) mice. We found that short-term inulin feeding lowered plasma cholesterol levels and provoked cholestasis and mild liver damage in WT mice. Of note, inulin feeding caused marked perturbations in bile acid metabolism, which were aggravated by cold treatment. Our studies indicate that even relatively short periods of inulin consumption in mice with an intact gut microbiome have detrimental effects on liver metabolism and function.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute