AUTHOR=Wang Kaijun , Zhou Miao , Gong Xinyu , Zhou Yuqiao , Chen Jiayi , Ma Jie , Zhang Peihua 

TITLE=Starch–protein interaction effects on lipid metabolism and gut microbes in host

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.1018026

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.1018026

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=<p>The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of different starch and protein levels on lipid metabolism and gut microbes in mice of different genders. A total of 160 male mice were randomly assigned to sixteen groups and fed a 4 × 4 Latin square design with dietary protein concentrations of 16, 18, 20, and 22%, and starch concentrations of 50, 52, 54, and 56%, respectively. The results of the study showed that different proportions of starch and protein had obvious effects on the liver index of mice, and there was a significant interaction between starch and protein on the liver index (<italic>p</italic> = 0.005). Compared with other protein ratio diets, 18% protein diet significantly increased the serum TBA concentration of mice (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), and different starch ratio diets had no effect on serum TBA concentration (<italic>p</italic> = 0.442). It was proved from the results of ileal tissue HE staining that the low protein diet and the low starch diet were more favorable. There was a significant interaction between diets with different starch and protein levels on <italic>Bacteroidetes</italic>, <italic>Firmicutes</italic> and <italic>Proteobacteria</italic> abundance in feces of mice (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). Compared with 16 and 18% protein ratio diets, both 20 and 22% protein diets significantly decreased the <italic>Parabacteroides</italic> and <italic>Alistipes</italic> abundance in feces of mice (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05), and 52% starch ratio diet significantly decreased the <italic>Parabacteroides</italic> and <italic>Alistipes</italic> abundance than 50% starch ratio diet of mice (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05). There was a significant interaction between diets with different starch and protein levels on <italic>Parabacteroides</italic> (<italic>p</italic> = 0.014) and <italic>Alistipes</italic> (<italic>p</italic> = 0.001) abundance in feces of mice. Taken together, our results suggest that a low protein and starch diet can alter lipid metabolism and gut microbes in mice.</p>