AUTHOR=Mao Kemin , Gao Jie , Wang Xianghong , Li Xiyu , Geng Shuo , Zhang Tuo , Sadiq Faizan Ahmed , Sang Yaxin 

TITLE=Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 Has Effect Against Obesity by Regulating Gut Microbiota in Two Phases in Human Microbiota-Associated Rats

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.811619

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2021.811619

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Bifidobacterium animalis</italic> subsp. <italic>lactis</italic> BB-12 (BB-12) is an extensively studied probiotics species, which has been reported to improve the human gut microbiota. This study aimed to confirm the effects of BB-12 on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced gut microbiota disorders. The probiotic BB-12 was consumed by human microbiota-associated rats and changes in gut microbiota were compared using next generation sequencing of the fecal samples collected from the normal chow group, the HFD group, and the BB-12-supplemented group. The enterotypes switched from <italic>Prevotella</italic> dominant to <italic>Akkermansia</italic> dominant as a result of switching diet from normal chow to HFD. BB-12 conferred protection on the gut microbiota composition of the rats by increasing the abundance of <italic>Prevotella</italic> and decreasing the abundance of <italic>Clostridium, Blautia</italic>, and <italic>Bacteroides</italic> in 0–3 weeks. In addition, <italic>Prevotella</italic>-dominant enterotype was maintained, which provides improve obesity effects. A decrease in body weight and the <italic>Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes</italic> ratio were also observed at week 3. While in 4–8 weeks, the enrichment of short-chain fatty acids-producing bacteria such as <italic>Eubacterium</italic> and <italic>Parabacteroides</italic> and probiotics such as <italic>Bifidobacterium</italic> was observed. The results revealed that BB-12 against obesity by regulating gut microbiota in two phases. After a short-term intervention, BB-12 supplementation suppressed the transition from the healthy to obesity state by protecting <italic>Prevotella</italic>-dominant enterotype, whereas after a long-term intervention, BB-12 ameliorates obesity by enriching beneficial bacteria in the gut.</p>