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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #365221
Research Project: Molecular Approaches to Control Intestinal Parasites that Affect the Microbiome in Swine and Small Ruminants

Location: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory

Title: Astaxanthin n-octanoic acid diester ameliorated insulin resistance in high-fat and high-sucrose diet-fed mice by modulating the gut microbiome

Author
item GAO, YUAN - Ocean University Of China
item YANG, LU - Ocean University Of China
item CHIN, YAOXIAN - Ocean University Of China
item LIU, FANG - Ocean University Of China
item Li, Robert
item CAO, WANXIU - Ocean University Of China
item YUAN, SHIHAN - Ocean University Of China
item XUE, CHANGHU - Ocean University Of China
item XU, JIE - Ocean University Of China
item TANG, QINGJUAN - Ocean University Of China

Submitted to: Scientific Reports
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/18/2020
Publication Date: 3/20/2020
Citation: Gao, Y., Yang, L., Chin, Y., Liu, F., Li, R.W., Cao, W., Yuan, S., Xue, C., Xu, J., Tang, Q. 2020. Astaxanthin n-octanoic acid diester ameliorated insulin resistance in high-fat and high-sucrose diet-fed mice by modulating the gut microbiome. Scientific Reports. 21:2149. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21062149.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21062149

Interpretive Summary: Astaxanthin (AST) is a naturally occurring xanthophyll carotenoid with potent antioxidant properties. However, free AST is unstable and can be easily oxidized. Synthetic astaxanthins, especially those modified with medium-chain fatty acid esters (AOD), have better bioavailability. In this study, we compared the efficacy of AOD with that of AST in attenuated glucose intolerance and insulin resistance using a high-fat and high-sucrose diet induced obesity model in mice. Our results show that AOD supplementation resulted in a significant improvement in the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) value than AST. Our findings underscore the importance of AOD as a potential bioactive compound to restore the structure and function of the gut microbiota altered by high-fat and high-sucrose based diets.

Technical Abstract: Astaxanthin n-octanoic acid diester (AOD) is one of astaxanthins structurally modified using medium-chain fatty acids for better absorption performance. In this study, we examined the role of AOD in ameliorating insulin resistance induced by a high-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFD) as well as its effect on modulating the gut microbiota in mice, with free astaxanthin (AST) as a comparison. AOD treatment was found to significantly improve glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and systematic inflammation. Further, AOD increased fecal short-chain fatty acids. Both AOD and AST modulated the HFD altered gut microbiome in mice. However, a significantly higher abundance of Bacteroides and Coprococcus was found in AOD-treated mice than in AST-fed mice. Moreover, the pathway related to carbohydrate metabolism was predicted to be significantly impacted by AOD. Overall, AOD alleviated insulin resistance by regulating carbohydrate metabolism through modulating gut microbiota altered by HFD. Our findings may facilitate the development of AOD as a bioactive nutraceutical.