AUTHOR=Hao Ping , Yang Xiaonan , Yin Wen , Wang Xinyi , Ling Yun , Zhu Mengyao , Yu Yue , Chen Shouhai , Yuan Yuan , Quan Xiaoyu , Xu Zhiheng , Zhang Jiahui , Zhao Wenjia , Zhang Ying , Song Chunlian , Xu Qing , Qin Shuangshuang , Wu Yi , Shu Xianghua , Wei Kunhua TITLE=A study on the treatment effects of Crataegus pinnatifida polysaccharide on non-alcoholic fatty liver in mice by modulating gut microbiota JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science VOLUME=11 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1383801 DOI=10.3389/fvets.2024.1383801 ISSN=2297-1769 ABSTRACT=

The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Crataegus pinnatifida polysaccharide (CPP) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. The findings demonstrated that CPP improved free fatty acid (FFA)-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells and effectively reduced liver steatosis and epididymal fat weight in NAFLD mice, as well as decreased serum levels of TG, TC, AST, ALT, and LDL-C. Furthermore, CPP exhibited inhibitory effects on the expression of fatty acid synthesis genes FASN and ACC while activating the expression of fatty acid oxidation genes CPT1A and PPARĪ±. Additionally, CPP reversed disturbances in intestinal microbiota composition caused by HFD consumption. CPP decreased the firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, increased Akkermansia abundance, and elevated levels of total short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content specifically butyric acid and acetic acid. Our results concluded that CPP may intervene in the development of NAFLD by regulating of intes-tinal microbiota imbalance and SCFAs production. Our study highlights that CPP has a potential to modulate lipid-related pathways via alterations to gut microbiome composition thereby ex-erting inhibitory effects on obesity and NAFLD development.