Cited by 103Gut microbiota and healthFatty Acid Research and HealthSeaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 37 of the 37 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 11 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Regulatory Efficacy of the Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Microalgae Spirulina platensis on Lipid Metabolism and Gut Microbiota in High-Fat Diet Rats

Open access
Li, Tian-Tian, Liu, Yuan-Yuan, Wan, Xu-Zhi, Huang, Zi-Rui, Liu, Bin, Zhao, Chao·2018·International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Abstract

Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with photo-diode array detector and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry was employed to analyze the major fatty acids in Spirulina platensis 95% ethanol extract (SPL95). The effects of SPL95 on hepatoprotection were evaluated, including liver tissue histopathology, liver, and serum biochemical analysis. The active principle of SPL95 revealed a hypolipidemic effect, as indicated by down-regulating the mRNA and protein levels of sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor-1c, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase, acetyl CoA carboxylase pathway, and upregulating adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase-α in liver. SPL95 enriched the beneficial bacteria, including Prevotella, Alloprevotella, Porphyromonadaceae, Barnesiella, and Paraprevotella. Treatment with SPL95 led to a decrease in microbes, such as Turicibacter, Romboutsia, Phascolarctobacterium, Olsenella, and Clostridium XVIII, which were positively correlated with serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels, but negatively correlated with the serum high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels. These results provide evidence that the fatty acid from SPL95 may be used as a novel adjuvant therapy and functional food to regulate gut microbiota in obese and diabetic individuals.

Overview

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Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

SPL95, a 95% ethanol extract of *Spirulina platensis* rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, improved lipid profiles and liver steatosis in high-fat-diet rats while remodeling gut microbiota. The effects were associated with upregulation of AMPK-α and downregulation of SREBP-1c, HMG-CoA, and ACC pathways.

Key findings

  • SPL95 contained ten major components, eight of which were polyunsaturated fatty acids, identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS.
  • In high-fat-diet (HFD) rats, SPL95 reduced serum TG and TC by 49.41% and 35.68%, respectively, after 8 weeks; increased HDL-c by 47.22% at 4 weeks and 50.00% at 8 weeks; and lowered LDL-c at 4 and 8 weeks (p < 0.01).
  • SPL95 reduced liver TC, TG, LDL-c, ALT, AST, and FFA (p < 0.01), alleviated HFD-induced hepatic steatosis, upregulated AMPK-α, and downregulated SREBP-1c, HMG-CoA, and ACC at mRNA and protein levels.
  • SPL95 increased Prevotella, Alloprevotella, Porphyromonadaceae, Barnesiella, and Paraprevotella, and decreased Turicibacter, Romboutsia, Phascolarctobacterium, Olsenella, and Clostridium XVIII; Firmicutes fell from 81.51% to 57.09% and Bacteroidetes rose from 9.76% to 33.75% with SPL95 treatment.

Methods

  • SPL95 was prepared by 95% ethanol extraction of *S. platensis* and characterized using UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS.
  • Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into three groups (n = 8 each): normal-fat diet (NFD), high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD plus SPL95 (150 mg/kg/day by gavage) for 8 weeks. The HFD contained 67% normal diet, 20% sugar, 10% lard, and 3% cholesterol.
  • Outcomes included serum and liver biochemical assays, liver H&E histopathology, RT-qPCR and western blot for AMPK-α, SREBP-1c, HMG-CoA, and ACC, 16S rRNA V3–V4 sequencing of caecal contents, one-way ANOVA, and Spearman correlation analysis.

Limitations

  • Not stated in the paper. Evident from the text: the study used a small sample (n = 8 per group), only male Wistar rats, a single 8-week duration, and one SPL95 dose (150 mg/kg/day), with no dose-response or human validation.
  • Evident from the text: microbiota findings are correlational (Spearman analysis) and based on 16S genus-level profiling; no causal experiments (e.g., germ-free, antibiotic, or fecal transplant) were performed.
  • Evident from the text: SPL95 is a complex extract, and although the paper attributes effects to polyunsaturated fatty acids, individual compounds were not isolated and tested in vivo; no explicit safety or toxicity data are reported.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3390/ijms19103075

Cites

37 of 37 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Figures

Figure 1 Effect of SPL95 on body weights (A), body weight gain (B), and serum lipid parameters (C) of high-fat-diet rats during the experimental period. NFD: Normal fat diet; HFD: High-fat diet; SPL95: 150 mg/(kg·day) S. platensis 95% ethanol extract; WK: Week. NFD group, rats fed NFD and gavaged with 150 mg/(kg·day) normal saline. HFD group, rats fed HFD and gavaged with 150 mg/(kg·day) normal saline. SPL95 group, rats fed HFD and gavaged with 150 mg/(kg·day) SPL95. Data are expressed as mean ± SD (n = 8). # p < 0.05 and ## p < 0.01, compared with NFD group; * p <0.05 and ** p < 0.01, compared with HFD group. TG, triglyceride; TC, total cholesterol; HDL-c, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-c, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol.
Figure 1 Effect of SPL95 on body weights (A), body weight gain (B), and serum lipid parameters (C) of high-fat-diet rats during the experimental period. NFD: Normal fat diet; HFD: High-fat diet; SPL95: 150 mg/(kg·day) S. platensis 95% ethanol extract; WK: Week. NFD group, rats fed NFD and gavaged with 150 mg/(kg·day) normal saline. HFD group, rats fed HFD and gavaged with 150 mg/(kg·day) normal saline. SPL95 group, rats fed HFD and gavaged with 150 mg/(kg·day) SPL95. Data are expressed as mean ± SD (n = 8). # p < 0.05 and ## p < 0.01, compared with NFD group; * p <0.05 and ** p < 0.01, compared with HFD group. TG, triglyceride; TC, total cholesterol; HDL-c, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-c, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 2 Histopathological analysis of rat hepatic tissues in the different groups at 40× magnification. (A) NFD group; (B) HFD group; (C) SPL95 group.
Figure 2 Histopathological analysis of rat hepatic tissues in the different groups at 40× magnification. (A) NFD group; (B) HFD group; (C) SPL95 group.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 3 The mRNA and protein expressions levels involved in lipid and glucose metabolism as determined using real-time PCR (A) and western blotting (B,C). The differences were assessed by ANOVA and denoted as follows: # p < 0.05 and ## p < 0.01 compared with the NFD group; * p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.01 compared with the HFD group.
Figure 3 The mRNA and protein expressions levels involved in lipid and glucose metabolism as determined using real-time PCR (A) and western blotting (B,C). The differences were assessed by ANOVA and denoted as follows: # p < 0.05 and ## p < 0.01 compared with the NFD group; * p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.01 compared with the HFD group.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 4 Changes in the bacterial composition of rat intestinal contents according to different genera, five rats were randomly selected from each experimental group for analysis of caecal microbiota. (A) Composition of gut microbiota at the phylum level. (B) Composition of gut microbiota at the genus level.
Figure 4 Changes in the bacterial composition of rat intestinal contents according to different genera, five rats were randomly selected from each experimental group for analysis of caecal microbiota. (A) Composition of gut microbiota at the phylum level. (B) Composition of gut microbiota at the genus level.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 5 Statistical Spearman’s correlations between the caecal microbiota of significant differences and lipid metabolic parameters in SPL95, HFD, and NFD groups. The intensity of the color represents the degree of association between caecal microbiota of significant differences and MetS-associated parameters.
Figure 5 Statistical Spearman’s correlations between the caecal microbiota of significant differences and lipid metabolic parameters in SPL95, HFD, and NFD groups. The intensity of the color represents the degree of association between caecal microbiota of significant differences and MetS-associated parameters.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 6 Visualization of the correlation network according to the partial correlation between the caecal microbiota of significant differences and the parameters associated with lipid metabolism disorder. Each node represents the gut microbiota genera and parameters associated with lipid metabolism disorder. The solid red line and dotted blue line represent positive and negative correlation, respectively. In addition, the line width indicates the strength of correlation. Only the significant edges are drawn in the network using the Spearman correlation test (|r| > 0.7, FDR adjusted p < 0.01).
Figure 6 Visualization of the correlation network according to the partial correlation between the caecal microbiota of significant differences and the parameters associated with lipid metabolism disorder. Each node represents the gut microbiota genera and parameters associated with lipid metabolism disorder. The solid red line and dotted blue line represent positive and negative correlation, respectively. In addition, the line width indicates the strength of correlation. Only the significant edges are drawn in the network using the Spearman correlation test (|r| > 0.7, FDR adjusted p < 0.01).CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 7 Summary of the mechanism of SPL95 to prevent LMD. Note: Stimulatory modification (green arrow), inhibitory modification (red arrow), and indirect modification (dotted arrow).
Figure 7 Summary of the mechanism of SPL95 to prevent LMD. Note: Stimulatory modification (green arrow), inhibitory modification (red arrow), and indirect modification (dotted arrow).CC BY · PubMed Central

Verification

Claims the paper makes

19 Own result · 12 Own interpretation · 10 Not checked yet

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Show all 21 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 17
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 8
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
20 of 20
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The observed effects of SPL95 are attributable to its polyunsaturated fatty acids rather than other components.

    “Regulatory Efficacy of the Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Microalgae Spirulina platensis on Lipid Metabolism and Gut Microbiota in High-Fat Diet Rats”
    “Taken together, the polyunsaturated fatty acids from S. platensis were able to influence the lipid metabolism of Wistar rats fed with a high-fat diet.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Findings in HFD Wistar rats can be extrapolated to obese and diabetic humans.

    “These results provide evidence that the fatty acid from SPL95 may be used as a novel adjuvant therapy and functional food to regulate gut microbiota in obese and diabetic individuals.”
2 of 2

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Metadata

Authors
Li, T.-T., Liu, Y.-Y., Wan, X.-Z., Huang, Z.-R., Liu, B., & Zhao, C.
Affiliations
  • College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
  • Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (CN)
  • Quanzhou Normal University (CN)
Corresponding author
  • Liu, Bin
  • Zhao, Chao
Venue
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2018-10-09
Volume
19
Issue
10
Pages
3075
ISSN
1422-0067 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2897091331
Cited by
103
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 1
FWCI
3.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal of Molecular Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Natural Science Foundation of China (2016J06009, 81741163)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Fatty Acid Research and Health
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds
Keywords
Spirulina platensis, polyunsaturated fatty acids, high-fat diet, lipid metabolism, gut microbiota, hepatoprotection, hypolipidemic effect, SREBP-1c, HMG-CoA reductase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, AMPK, serum lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, functional foods, obesity, diabetes mellitus
MeSH terms
Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Animals, Biopsy, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, Fatty Acids, Unsaturated, Fatty Liver, Feces, Glucose, Lipids, Liver Function Tests, Biomarkers, Gene Expression, Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization, MAP Kinase Signaling System, Lipid Metabolism, Rats, Spirulina, Diet, High-Fat

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