» Articles » PMID: 37658064

The Interplay Between Dietary Fatty Acids and Gut Microbiota Influences Host Metabolism and Hepatic Steatosis

Abstract

Dietary lipids can affect metabolic health through gut microbiota-mediated mechanisms, but the influence of lipid-microbiota interaction on liver steatosis is largely unknown. We investigate the impact of dietary lipids on human gut microbiota composition and the effects of microbiota-lipid interactions on steatosis in male mice. In humans, low intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA) is associated with increased microbial diversity independent of fiber intake. In mice, poorly absorbed dietary long-chain SFA, particularly stearic acid, induce a shift in bile acid profile and improved metabolism and steatosis. These benefits are dependent on the gut microbiota, as they are transmitted by microbial transfer. Diets enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids are protective against steatosis but have minor influence on the microbiota. In summary, we find that diets enriched in poorly absorbed long-chain SFA modulate gut microbiota profiles independent of fiber intake, and this interaction is relevant to improve metabolism and decrease liver steatosis.

Citing Articles

Profiling the response of individual gut microbes to free fatty acids (FFAs) found in human milk.

Waller M, Gutierrez A, Ticer T, Glover J, Baatz J, Wagner C J Funct Foods. 2025; 125.

PMID: 40051690 PMC: 11884519. DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2025.106664.


Dietary Lipids, Gut Microbiota, and Their Metabolites: Insights from Recent Studies.

Mohammadi F, Rudkowska I Nutrients. 2025; 17(4).

PMID: 40004966 PMC: 11858126. DOI: 10.3390/nu17040639.


Microbial effects of cold-pressed Sacha inchi oil supplementation in rats.

Samrit T, Osotprasit S, Chaiwichien A, Suksomboon P, Chansap S, Suthisintong T PLoS One. 2025; 20(2):e0319066.

PMID: 39977445 PMC: 11841868. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319066.


Gut microbiota phospholipids regulate intestinal gene expression and can counteract the effects of antibiotic treatment.

Zhang X, Wang Y, Sun H, Zerbe C, Falcone E, Bhattacharya S bioRxiv. 2025; .

PMID: 39975029 PMC: 11838270. DOI: 10.1101/2025.01.28.633906.


A charge reversal nano-assembly prevents hepatic steatosis by resolving inflammation and improving lipid metabolism.

Wang H, Su S, An X, Xu Y, Sun J, Zhen M Bioact Mater. 2024; 45:496-508.

PMID: 39717365 PMC: 11664292. DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2024.11.023.


References
1.
Molinaro A, Caesar R, Holm L, Tremaroli V, Cani P, Backhed F . Host-microbiota interaction induces bi-phasic inflammation and glucose intolerance in mice. Mol Metab. 2017; 6(11):1371-1380. PMC: 5681278. DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2017.08.016. View

2.
Katoh K, Standley D . MAFFT multiple sequence alignment software version 7: improvements in performance and usability. Mol Biol Evol. 2013; 30(4):772-80. PMC: 3603318. DOI: 10.1093/molbev/mst010. View

3.
Ritchie M, Phipson B, Wu D, Hu Y, Law C, Shi W . limma powers differential expression analyses for RNA-sequencing and microarray studies. Nucleic Acids Res. 2015; 43(7):e47. PMC: 4402510. DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv007. View

4.
Erickson B, COOTS R, MATTSON F, Kligman A . THE EFFECT OF PARTIAL HYDROGENATION OF DIETARY FATS, OF THE RATIO OF POLYUNSATURATED TO SATURATED FATTY ACIDS, AND OF DIETARY CHOLESTEROL UPON PLASMA LIPIDS IN MAN. J Clin Invest. 1964; 43:2017-25. PMC: 441990. DOI: 10.1172/JCI105076. View

5.
Karupaiah T, Sundram K . Effects of stereospecific positioning of fatty acids in triacylglycerol structures in native and randomized fats: a review of their nutritional implications. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2007; 4:16. PMC: 1947992. DOI: 10.1186/1743-7075-4-16. View