Objective: The consumption of fruits is strongly associated with better health and higher bacterial diversity in the gut microbiota (GM). Camu camu ( Myrciaria dubia ) is an Amazonian fruit with a unique phytochemical profile, strong antioxidant potential and purported anti-inflammatory potential. Design: By using metabolic tests coupled with 16S rRNA gene-based taxonomic profiling and faecal microbial transplantation (FMT), we have assessed the effect of a crude extract of camu camu (CC) on obesity and associated immunometabolic disorders in high fat/high sucrose (HFHS)-fed mice. Results: Treatment of HFHS-fed mice with CC prevented weight gain, lowered fat accumulation and blunted metabolic inflammation and endotoxaemia. CC-treated mice displayed improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and were also fully protected against hepatic steatosis. These effects were linked to increased energy expenditure and upregulation of uncoupling protein 1 mRNA expression in the brown adipose tissue (BAT) of CC-treated mice, which strongly correlated with the mRNA expression of the membrane bile acid (BA) receptor TGR5. Moreover, CC-treated mice showed altered plasma BA pool size and composition and drastic changes in the GM (eg, bloom of Akkermansia muciniphila and a strong reduction of Lactobacillus ). Germ-free (GF) mice reconstituted with the GM of CC-treated mice gained less weight and displayed higher energy expenditure than GF-mice colonised with the FM of HFHS controls. Conclusion: Our results show that CC prevents visceral and liver fat deposition through BAT activation and increased energy expenditure, a mechanism that is dependent on the GM and linked to major changes in the BA pool size and composition.

Le Barz M, et al. Diabetes Metab J. 2015 Aug;39(4):291-303. http://dx.doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2015.39.4.291

Objective To investigate whether milk polar lipids (PL) impact human intestinal lipid absorption, metabolism, microbiota and associated markers of cardiometabolic health. Design A double-blind, randomised controlled 4-week study involving 58 postmenopausal women was used to assess the chronic effects of milk PL consumption (0, 3 or 5 g-PL/day) on lipid metabolism and gut microbiota. The acute effects of milk PL on intestinal absorption and metabolism of cholesterol were assessed in a randomised controlled crossover study using tracers in ileostomy patients. Results Over 4 weeks, milk PL significantly reduced fasting and postprandial plasma concentrations of cholesterol and surrogate lipid markers of cardiovascular disease risk, including total/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and apolipoprotein (Apo)B/ApoA1 ratios. The highest PL dose preferentially induced a decreased number of intestine-derived chylomicron particles. Also, milk PL increased faecal loss of coprostanol, a gut-derived metabolite of cholesterol, but major bacterial populations and faecal short-chain fatty acids were not affected by milk PL, regardless of the dose. Acute ingestion of milk PL by ileostomy patients shows that milk PL decreased cholesterol absorption and increased cholesterol-ileal efflux, which can be explained by the observed co-excretion with milk sphingomyelin in the gut. Conclusion The present data demonstrate for the first time in humans that milk PL can improve the cardiometabolic health by decreasing several lipid cardiovascular markers, notably through a reduced intestinal cholesterol absorption involving specific interactions in the gut, without disturbing the major bacterial phyla of gut microbiota. Trial registration number NCT02099032 and NCT02146339; Results.

Given the growing evidence that gut dysfunction, including changes in gut microbiota composition, plays a critical role in the development of inflammation and metabolic diseases, the identification of novel probiotic bacteria with immunometabolic properties has recently attracted more attention. Herein, bacterial strains were first isolated from dairy products and human feces and then screened in vitro for their immunomodulatory activity. Five selected strains were further analyzed in vivo , using a mouse model of diet‐induced obesity. C57BL/6 mice were fed a high‐fat high‐sucrose diet, in combination with 1 of 3 Lactobacillus strains (Lb38, L. plantarum; L79, L. paracaseil casei; Lbl02, L. rhamnosus ) or Bifidobacterium strains (Bf26, Bfl41, 2 different strains of B. animalis ssp. lactis species) administered for 8 wk at 10 ⁹ colony‐forming units/d. Whereas 3 strains showed only modest (Lb38, Bf26) or no (L79) effects, Lbl02 and Bfl41 reduced diet‐induced obesity, visceral fat accretion, and inflammation, concomitant with improvement of glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Further analysis revealed that Lbl02 and Bf141 enhanced intestinal integrity markers in association with selective changes in gut microbiota composition. We have thus identified 2 new potential probiotic bacterial strains with immunometabolic properties to alleviate obesity development and associated metabolic disturbances.—Le Barz, M., Daniel, N., Varin, T. V., Naimi, S., Demers‐Mathieu, V., Pilon, G., Audy, J., Laurin, E., Roy, D., Urdaci, M. C., St‐Gelais, D., Fliss, I, Marette, A. In vivo screening of multiple bacterial strains identifies Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lbl02 and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis Bf 141 as probiotics that improve metabolic disorders in a mouse model of obesity. FASEB J. 33, 4921—4935 (2019). www.fasebj.org