Recently, a research report about how Galactooligosaccharides (QHT-GOS-90S) manufactured by QHT can effectively ameliorate high-fat diet-induced dyslipidemia in rats was published in Nutrition Volume 65, September 2019, Pages 50-59. The study was supported by This work was supported by Liaoning Science and Technology project 2015020271(LHJ), Liaoning Service local project LF2017001 (LHJ), Dalian municipal science and technology plan project 2015E12SF171(LHJ).

Dyslipidemia is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. It refers to abnormal liped levels in the blood, including low-density lipoprotein  cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triacylglycerides (TGs), and total cholesterol (TC). A health research shown, cardiovascular diseases in China will increase annually 23% from 2010 to 2030 because of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and smoking. 

Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) as an important prebiotics that will benefit to the intestinal microbiota, adjusts the balance of body’s microorganisms to build up preponderance of beneficial microorganisms in the intestinal environment, as well as Inhibits the immunity system.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of FUC and GOS on dyslipidemia in rats by modulating the gut microbiota and bile acid metabolism

Research Highlight:

GOS impact to TC, LDL-C and TBA. (Figure 1)

High-fat diet (HFD) increased the level of TC(Total cholesterin)，LDL-C(low density lipoprotein cholesterin) and TBA(Total Bile Acid). The three indicators in Rats that intake GOS were significantly lower than their HFD group counterparts (p＜0.05). 

GOS play an important role on alpha and beta diversity of cecal microbiota (Figure 2)

The Venn diagram shows that 3277 OTUs were common to all four groups: 1487 were exclusive to the NFD group, 1384 were exclusive to the HFD group, 1811 were exclusive to the FUC group, and 1462 were exclusive to the GOS group. No significant differences were found in the observed species between groups.

Effects of GOS on cecal microbiota by LDA analysis (Figure 4)

The GOS group demonstrated a significant improvement relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia, Akkermansia, Ruminococcus and Blautia (all p＜0.05).

Effects of GOS on the taxonomic levels of the cecal microbiota (Figure 4,5,6)

The OTU classification and status identification conclusion represented each group’s specific composition at the different classification levels.

In the GOS and FUC groups, the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria decreased, whereas those of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria increased compared with the HFD group.

Effects of GOS on liver and aortic arch histology (Figure 7)

In the HFD group, smooth muscle fascicle arrangement in the aortic arch was disordered and showed foam cell infiltration. FUC- and GOS-supplemented rats showed improved aortic arches with less disorder in the smooth muscle cells and less foam cell infiltration than the HFD group. The GOS group showed improved hepatic tissue with less steatosis than in the HFD group.

Effects of GOS on BA metabolism-related pathways (Figure 8)

The HFD group yielded significantly decreased mRNA and protein expressions of CYP7A1 in the liver ( p＜0.05) compared with the NFD group; GOS supplementation increased these expressions in the liver (p＜0.05).

Reference:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2019.03.001