title: Ganoderma lucidum reduces obesity in mice by modulating the composition of the gut microbiota.
abstract: Obesity is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation and intestinal dysbiosis. Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom used in traditional Chinese medicine with putative anti-diabetic effects. Here, we show that a water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium (WEGL) reduces body weight, inflammation and insulin resistance in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Our data indicate that WEGL not only reverses HFD-induced gut dysbiosis-as indicated by the decreased Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratios and endotoxin-bearing Proteobacteria levels-but also maintains intestinal barrier integrity and reduces metabolic endotoxemia. The anti-obesity and microbiota-modulating effects are transmissible via horizontal faeces transfer from WEGL-treated mice to HFD-fed mice. We further show that high molecular weight polysaccharides (>300 kDa) isolated from the WEGL extract produce similar anti-obesity and microbiota-modulating effects. Our results indicate that G. lucidum and its high molecular weight polysaccharides may be used as prebiotic agents to prevent gut dysbiosis and obesity-related metabolic disorders in obese individuals.
authors.affiliation: 1] Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC [2] Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC [3] Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, ROC [4] Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC [5] Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chih-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: 1] Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC [2] Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC [3] Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, ROC [4] Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chuan-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Therapy, Fu Jen Catholic University, Xinzhuang, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chia-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.affiliation: 1] Chang Gung Biotechnology Corporation, Taipei 10508, Taiwan, ROC [2] Biochemical Engineering Research Center, Ming Chi University of Technology, Taishan, New Taipei City 24301, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yun-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: 1] Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC [2] Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, California 94103, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ojcius
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shun-Fu
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC [2] Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Tsung-Ru
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yi-Yuan Margaret
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 1] Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC [2] Chang Gung Biotechnology Corporation, Taipei 10508, Taiwan, ROC [3] Biochemical Engineering Research Center, Ming Chi University of Technology, Taishan, New Taipei City 24301, Taiwan, ROC [4] Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology, Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: 1] Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC [2] Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC [3] Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan, ROC [4] Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Hsin-Chih
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D064806:Dysbiosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D019446:Endotoxemia; D000069467:Fecal Microbiota Transplantation; D000068536:Bacillota / Q000187:drug effects; D062610:Fungal Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000187:drug effects*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D020560:Proteobacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D020940:Reishi
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D062610:Fungal Polysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts