Bifidobacterium longum counters the effects of obesity: Partial successful translation from rodent to human
- 2021-01
- EBioMedicine 63
- H. Schellekens
- C. Torres-Fuentes
- M. van de Wouw
- C. Long-Smith
- A. Mitchell
- C. Strain
- K. Berding
- T. Bastiaanssen
- K. Rea
- A. Golubeva
- S. Arboleya
- Mathieu Verpaalen
- M. Pusceddu
- A. Murphy
- F. Fouhy
- K. Murphy
- P. Ross
- Bernard L. Roy
- C. Stanton
- T. Dinan
- J. Cryan
- PubMed: 33349590
- DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103176
Abstract
Background: The human gut microbiota has emerged as a key factor in the development of obesity. Certain probiotic strains have shown anti-obesity effects. The objective of this study was to investigate whether Bifidobacterium longum APC1472 has anti-obesity effects in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice and whether B. longum APC1472 supplementation reduces body-mass index (BMI) in healthy overweight/obese individuals as the primary outcome. B. longum APC1472 effects on waist-to-hip ratio (W/H ratio) and on obesity-associated plasma biomarkers were analysed as secondary outcomes.
Methods: B. longum APC1472 was administered to HFD-fed C57BL/6 mice in drinking water for 16 weeks. In the human intervention trial, participants received B. longum APC1472 or placebo supplementation for 12 weeks, during which primary and secondary outcomes were measured at the beginning and end of the intervention.
Findings: B. longum APC1472 supplementation was associated with decreased bodyweight, fat depots accumulation and increased glucose tolerance in HFD-fed mice. While, in healthy overweight/obese adults, the supplementation of B. longum APC1472 strain did not change primary outcomes of BMI (0.03, 95% CI [-0.4, 0.3]) or W/H ratio (0.003, 95% CI [-0.01, 0.01]), a positive effect on the secondary outcome of fasting blood glucose levels was found (-0.299, 95% CI [-0.44, -0.09]).
Interpretation: This study shows a positive translational effect of B. longum APC1472 on fasting blood glucose from a preclinical mouse model of obesity to a human intervention study in otherwise healthy overweight and obese individuals. This highlights the promising potential of B. longum APC1472 to be developed as a valuable supplement in reducing specific markers of obesity.
Funding: This research was funded in part by Science Foundation Ireland in the form of a Research Centre grant (SFI/12/RC/2273) to APC Microbiome Ireland and by a research grant from Cremo S.A.
Keywords: Bifidobacterium longum; Cortisol; Fasting blood glucose; Ghrelin; Gut microbiota; Obesity; Probiotic; Translational.
Research Insights
| Supplement | Health Outcome | Effect Type | Effect Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bifidobacterium lactis/longum | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium lactis/longum | Reduced Fasting Blood Sugar Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium lactis/longum | Stable Body-Mass Index (BMI) | Neutral | Small |
| Bifidobacterium lactis/longum | Unchanged Waist-to-Hip Ratio | Neutral | Small |
| Bifidobacterium longum | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum | Reduced Body Weight | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum | Reduced Fasting Blood Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum | Stable Body-Mass Index (BMI) | Neutral | Small |
| Bifidobacterium longum | Unchanged Waist-to-Hip Ratio | Neutral | Small |
| Bifidobacterium longum B1-05 | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum B1-05 | Reduced Body Weight | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum B1-05 | Reduced Serum Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum BI-05 | Improved Blood Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum BI-05 | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum BI-05 | Reduced Body Weight | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum BI-05 | Reduced Hepatic Fat Accumulation | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum BL03 | Reduced Serum Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum HA-135 | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum HA-135 | Reduced Body Weight | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum HA-135 | Reduced Serum Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum iVE-15 | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum KABP-042 | Reduced Fasting Blood Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum MAK34B12L | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum MAK34B12L | Reduced Body Weight | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum MAK34B12L | Reduced Fasting Blood Sugar Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum MM-2 | Reduced Fasting Blood Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175 | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175 | Reduced Body Weight | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175 | Reduced Hepatic Fat Accumulation | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175 | Reduced Serum Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum Rosell-175 ME | Reduced Serum Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum SD-5588 | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum SD-5588 | Reduced Body Weight | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum SD-5588 | Reduced Serum Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum SP54 | Change in Waist-to-Hip Ratio | Neutral | Small |
| Bifidobacterium longum SP54 | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum SP54 | Reduced Body Mass Index | Neutral | Small |
| Bifidobacterium longum SP54 | Reduced Serum Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum | Improved Waist-to-Hip Ratio | Neutral | Small |
| Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum | Reduced Body Mass Index | Neutral | Small |
| Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum | Reduced Body Weight | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum | Reduced Fat Depots Accumulation | Beneficial | Large |
| Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum | Reduced Serum Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum 35624 | Reduced Serum Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum UABI-14 | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum UABI-14 | Reduced Fasting Blood Sugar Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum UABI-14 | Improved Glucose Tolerance | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum UABI-14 | Reduced Body Weight | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum UABI-14 | Reduced Serum Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |
| Bifidobacterium longum UABl-14 | Reduced Fasting Blood Glucose Levels | Beneficial | Moderate |