Scope: Heat-treated adzuki bean protein hydrolysates (APH) reduce cholesterol in vitro. However, it is unclear if APH have anti-obesity effects in vivo and, if so, the relationship between the effects and the improvement of gut microbiota composition and metabolic function.
Methods and results: Four groups of mice are fed either a normal control diet (NCD) or a high-fat diet (HFD) with or without APH for 12 weeks. In HFD-fed mice, APH supplementation significantly alleviate fat accumulation, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation. In addition, APH supplementation regulate gut microbiota composition, reduce the abundance of harmful bacteria (Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Romboutsia, Blautia, Mucispirillum, Bilophila, and Peptococcus), enrich Lactobacillus and SCFA-producing bacteria (Lactobacillaceae, Eisenbergiella, Alistipes, Parabacteroides, Tannerellaceae, Eubacterium_nodatum_group, Acetatifactor, Rikenellaceae, and Odoribacter), and increase fecal SCFAs concentration. Importantly, APH supplementation significantly regulate the levels of serum metabolites, especially Lactobacillus-derived metabolites and tryptophan derivatives, which help to alleviate obesity and its complications.
Conclusion: APH improve gut microbiota composition and metabolic function in mice and may help to prevent and treat obesity and related complications.
Keywords: adzuki bean protein hydrolysates; gut microbiota; obesity; serum metabolites; short-chain fatty acids.
© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.