Remodeling Intestinal Microbiota Alleviates Severe Combined Hyperlipidemia-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Atherosclerosis in LDLR-/- Hamsters

Guolin Miao; Jiabao Guo; Wenxi Zhang; Pingping Lai; Yitong Xu; Jingxuan Chen; Lianxin Zhang; Zihao Zhou; Yufei Han; Gonglie Chen; Jinxuan Chen; Yijun Tao; Lemin Zheng; Ling Zhang; Wei Huang; Yuhui Wang; Xunde Xian

doi:10.34133/research.0363

Research (Jan 2024)

Remodeling Intestinal Microbiota Alleviates Severe Combined Hyperlipidemia-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Atherosclerosis in LDLR-/- Hamsters

Guolin Miao,
Jiabao Guo,
Wenxi Zhang,
Pingping Lai,
Yitong Xu,
Jingxuan Chen,
Lianxin Zhang,
Zihao Zhou,
Yufei Han,
Gonglie Chen,
Jinxuan Chen,
Yijun Tao,
Lemin Zheng,
Ling Zhang,
Wei Huang,
Yuhui Wang,
Xunde Xian

Affiliations

Guolin Miao: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Jiabao Guo: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Wenxi Zhang: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Pingping Lai: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Yitong Xu: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Jingxuan Chen: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Lianxin Zhang: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Zihao Zhou: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Yufei Han: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Gonglie Chen: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Jinxuan Chen: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Yijun Tao: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Lemin Zheng: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Ling Zhang: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Wei Huang: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Yuhui Wang: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Xunde Xian: Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34133/research.0363
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7

Abstract

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Combined hyperlipidemia (CHL) manifests as elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, associated with fatty liver and cardiovascular diseases. Emerging evidence underscores the crucial role of the intestinal microbiota in metabolic disorders. However, the potential therapeutic viability of remodeling the intestinal microbiota in CHL remains uncertain. In this study, CHL was induced in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (LDLR-/-) hamsters through an 8-week high-fat and high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet or a 4-month high-cholesterol (HC) diet. Placebo or antibiotics were administered through separate or cohousing approaches. Analysis through 16S rDNA sequencing revealed that intermittent antibiotic treatment and the cohousing approach effectively modulated the gut microbiota community without impacting its overall abundance in LDLR-/- hamsters exhibiting severe CHL. Antibiotic treatment mitigated HFHC diet-induced obesity, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia, enhancing thermogenesis and alleviating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), concurrently reducing atherosclerotic lesions in LDLR-/- hamsters. Metabolomic analysis revealed a favorable liver lipid metabolism profile. Increased levels of microbiota-derived metabolites, notably butyrate and glycylglycine, also ameliorated NASH and atherosclerosis in HFHC diet-fed LDLR-/- hamsters. Notably, antibiotics, butyrate, and glycylglycine treatment exhibited protective effects in LDLR-/- hamsters on an HC diet, aligning with outcomes observed in the HFHC diet scenario. Our findings highlight the efficacy of remodeling gut microbiota through antibiotic treatment and cohousing in improving obesity, NASH, and atherosclerosis associated with refractory CHL. Increased levels of beneficial microbiota-derived metabolites suggest a potential avenue for microbiome-mediated therapies in addressing CHL-associated diseases.

Published in Research

ISSN: 2096-5168 (Print); 2639-5274 (Online)
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://spj.science.org/journal/research

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