Distinct Effects of Milk-Derived and Fermented Dairy Protein on Gut Microbiota and Cardiometabolic Markers in Diet-Induced Obese Mice

Citation

Perazza, L.R., Daniel, N., Dubois, M.-J., Pilon, G., Varin, T.V., Blais, M., Martinez Gonzales, J.L., Bouchard, M., Asselin, C., Lessard, M., Pouliot, Y., Roy, D., Marette, A. (2020). Distinct Effects of Milk-Derived and Fermented Dairy Protein on Gut Microbiota and Cardiometabolic Markers in Diet-Induced Obese Mice, 150(10), 2673-2686. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxaa217

Plain language summary

This project investigated the beneficial role of fermented dairy products on cardiometabolic markers associated with obesity using 2 models of obese mice. Briefly, mice were with a high-fat/high-sucrose diet containing either 100% nondairy protein (NDP), or 50% of the NDP energy replaced by milk (MP), milk fermented by Lactobacillus helveticus (FMP), or Greek-style yogurt (YP) protein. Results showed that the consumption of FMP and YP modulated the gut microbiota composition, YP modulated immune and integrity genes in intestinal tissues and improved insulin sensitivity by 65%, while FMP attenuated hepatic inflammation. Also, both FMP and YP decreased circulating adhesion molecules. Therefore, this shows that fermented dairy protein products reduce cardiometabolic risk factors in diet-induced obese mice, possibly by modulating the gut microbiota.

Abstract

Copyright © The Author(s) on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition 2020.BACKGROUND: Recent meta-analyses suggest that the consumption of fermented dairy products reduces type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated whether dairy protein products modulated gut microbiota and cardiometabolic features in mouse models of diet-induced obesity and CVD. METHODS: Eight-week-old C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) and LDLr-/-ApoB100/100 (LRKO) male mice were fed for 12 and 24 wk, respectively, with a high-fat/high-sucrose diet [66% kcal lipids, 22% kcal carbohydrates (100% sucrose), 12% kcal proteins]. The protein sources of the 4 diets were 100% nondairy protein (NDP), or 50% of the NDP energy replaced by milk (MP), milk fermented by Lactobacillus helveticus (FMP), or Greek-style yogurt (YP) protein. Fecal 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing, intestinal gene expression, and glucose tolerance test were conducted. Hepatic inflammation and circulating adhesion molecules were measured by multiplex assays. RESULTS: Feeding WT mice for 12 wk led to a 74% increase in body weight, whereas after 24 wk the LRKO mice had a 101.5% increase compared with initial body weight. Compared with NDP and MP, the consumption of FMP and YP modulated the gut microbiota composition in a similar clustering pattern, upregulating the Streptococcus genus in both genotypes. In WT mice, feeding YP compared with NDP increased the expression of genes involved in jejunal (Reg3b, 7.3-fold, P = 0.049) and ileal (Ocln, 1.7-fold, P = 0.047; Il1-β,1.7-fold, P = 0.038; Nos2, 3.8-fold, P = 0.018) immunity and integrity. In LRKO mice, feeding YP compared with MP improved insulin sensitivity by 65% (P = 0.039). In LRKO mice, feeding with FMP versus NDP attenuated hepatic inflammation (monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, 2.1-fold, P ˂ 0.0001; IL1-β, 5.7-fold, P = 0.0003; INF-γ, 1.7-fold, P = 0.002) whereas both FMP [vascular adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1), 1.3-fold, P = 0.0003] and YP (VCAM1, 1.04-fold, P = 0.013; intracellular adhesion molecule 1, 1.4-fold, P = 0.028) decreased circulating adhesion molecules. CONCLUSION: Both fermented dairy protein products reduce cardiometabolic risk factors in diet-induced obese mice, possibly by modulating the gut microbiota.

Publication date

2020-10-12