Bifidobacterium longum counters the effects of obesity: Partial successful translation from rodent to human
Harriët Schellekens,
Cristina Torres-Fuentes,
Marcel van de Wouw,
Caitriona M. Long-Smith,
Avery Mitchell,
Conall Strain,
Kirsten Berding,
Thomaz F.S. Bastiaanssen,
Kieran Rea,
Anna V. Golubeva,
Silvia Arboleya,
Mathieu Verpaalen,
Matteo M. Pusceddu,
Amy Murphy,
Fiona Fouhy,
Kiera Murphy,
Paul Ross,
Bernard L. Roy,
Catherine Stanton,
Timothy G. Dinan,
John F. Cryan
Affiliations
Harriët Schellekens
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Corresponding author.
Cristina Torres-Fuentes
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Marcel van de Wouw
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Caitriona M. Long-Smith
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Avery Mitchell
Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, Ireland
Conall Strain
Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, Ireland
Kirsten Berding
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Thomaz F.S. Bastiaanssen
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Kieran Rea
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Anna V. Golubeva
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Silvia Arboleya
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, Ireland
Mathieu Verpaalen
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Matteo M. Pusceddu
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Amy Murphy
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, Ireland
Fiona Fouhy
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, Ireland
Kiera Murphy
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, Ireland
Paul Ross
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; College of Science Engineering & Food Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Bernard L. Roy
Cremo SA, Villars-sur-Glâne, Fribourg, Switzerland
Catherine Stanton
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, Ireland
Timothy G. Dinan
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Dept of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
John F. Cryan
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Background: The human gut microbiota has emerged as a key factor in the development of obesity. Certain probiotic strains have shown anti-obesity effects. The objective of this study was to investigate whether Bifidobacterium longum APC1472 has anti-obesity effects in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice and whether B. longum APC1472 supplementation reduces body-mass index (BMI) in healthy overweight/obese individuals as the primary outcome. B. longum APC1472 effects on waist-to-hip ratio (W/H ratio) and on obesity-associated plasma biomarkers were analysed as secondary outcomes. Methods: B. longum APC1472 was administered to HFD-fed C57BL/6 mice in drinking water for 16 weeks. In the human intervention trial, participants received B. longum APC1472 or placebo supplementation for 12 weeks, during which primary and secondary outcomes were measured at the beginning and end of the intervention. Findings: B. longum APC1472 supplementation was associated with decreased bodyweight, fat depots accumulation and increased glucose tolerance in HFD-fed mice. While, in healthy overweight/obese adults, the supplementation of B. longum APC1472 strain did not change primary outcomes of BMI (0.03, 95% CI [-0.4, 0.3]) or W/H ratio (0.003, 95% CI [-0.01, 0.01]), a positive effect on the secondary outcome of fasting blood glucose levels was found (-0.299, 95% CI [-0.44, -0.09]). Interpretation: This study shows a positive translational effect of B. longum APC1472 on fasting blood glucose from a preclinical mouse model of obesity to a human intervention study in otherwise healthy overweight and obese individuals. This highlights the promising potential of B. longum APC1472 to be developed as a valuable supplement in reducing specific markers of obesity. Funding: This research was funded in part by Science Foundation Ireland in the form of a Research Centre grant (SFI/12/RC/2273) to APC Microbiome Ireland and by a research grant from Cremo S.A.
