Abstract
Introduction Chronic consumption of a high-calorie diet compromises the
gut microbiota and the integrity of the intestinal wall, which causes
translocation of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) into the blood. This
elicits the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, resulting in inflammation.
However, how a high-fat high carbohydrate diet affects intestinal permeability
and its possible role in the development of prediabetes have not been
investigated. This study investigated the effects of HFHC diet-induced
prediabetes on gut microbiota and intestinal permeability in male Sprague Dawley
rats.
Methods The animals were randomly assigned into the non-prediabetic (NPD)
and diet-induced prediabetic (PD) groups (n=6) for 20 weeks. Then, the
fecal samples were analyzed to measure the gut microbiota level of
Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria in both animal
groups. Blood glucose, plasma insulin, serum zonulin, plasma LPS, soluble CD14,
tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive
protein (CRP), and intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (IFABP) concentrations
were measured.
Results The PD group had a reduction in the Firmicutes and an
increase in Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria levels compared to
those in the NPD group. Blood glucose, insulin concentration, serum zonulin, and
plasma sCD14 concentrations in the PD group increased significantly, while
plasma LPS concentrations were similar to the NPD group. Concentrations of
plasma TNF-α, IL-6, CRP, and IFABP, an intracellular protein expressed
in the intestine, increased in PD compared to the NPD group.
Conclusions the study results cumulatively suggest that chronic
consumption of the HFHC diet may be associated with the dysregulation of gut
microbiota, leading to increased intestinal permeability.
Key words
prediabetes - high-fat high carbohydrate - gut microbiota - zonulin - lipopolysaccharides
- intestinal permeability
