title: Prawn Shell Chitosan Has Anti-Obesogenic Properties, Influencing Both Nutrient Digestibility and Microbial Populations in a Pig Model.
abstract: The potential of natural products to prevent obesity have been investigated, with evidence to suggest that chitosan has anti-obesity effects. The current experiment investigated the anti-obesity potential of prawn shell derived chitosan on a range of variables relevant to obesity in a pig model. The two dietary treatment groups included in this 63 day study were: T1) basal diet and T2) basal diet plus 1000 ppm chitosan (n = 20 gilts per group (70 ± 0.90 kg). The parameter categories which were assessed included: performance, nutrient digestibility, serum leptin concentrations, nutrient transporter and digestive enzyme gene expression and gut microbial populations. Pigs offered chitosan had reduced feed intake and final body weight (P< 0.001), lower ileal digestibility of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE) (P< 0.05) and reduced coefficient of apparent total tract digestibility (CATTD) of gross energy and nitrogen (P<0.05) when compared to the basal group. Fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2) gene expression was down-regulated in pigs offered chitosan (P = 0.05) relative to the basal diet. Serum leptin concentrations increased (P< 0.05) in animals offered the chitosan diet compared to pigs offered the basal diet. Fatness traits, back-fat depth (mm), fat content (kg), were significantly reduced while lean meat (%) was increased (P<0.05) in chitosan supplemented pigs. Pigs offered chitosan had decreased numbers of Firmicutes in the colon (P <0.05), and Lactobacillus spp. in both the caecum (P <0.05) and colon (P <0.001). Bifidobacteria populations were increased in the caecum of animals offered the chitosan diet (P <0.05). In conclusion, these findings suggest that prawn shell chitosan has potent anti-obesity/body weight control effects which are mediated through multiple biological systems in vivo.
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Áine M
authors.initials: ÁM
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Torres
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.affiliation: Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin, 15, Ireland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: John V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: O'Doherty
mesh_terms: D060105:Animal Shells / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D048271:Chitosan / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D064307:Microbiota / Q000187:drug effects*; D008121:Nephropidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry*; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D048271:Chitosan