title: Multi-Strain Probiotics Inhibit Cardiac Myopathies and Autophagy to Prevent Heart Injury in High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats.
abstract: High-fat diets induce obesity, leading to cardiomyocyte fibrosis and autophagy imbalance. In addition, no previous studies have indicated that probiotics have potential health effects associated with cardiac fibrosis and autophagy in obese rats. This study investigates the effects of probiotics on high-fat (HF) diet-induced obesity and cardiac fibrosis and autophagy in rat hearts. Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were separated randomly into five equally sized experimental groups: Normal diet (control) and high-fat (HF) diet groups and groups fed a high-fat diet supplemented with low (HL), medium (HM) or high (HH) doses of multi-strain probiotic powders. These experiments were designed for an 8-week trial period. The myocardial architecture of the left ventricle was evaluated using Masson's trichrome staining and immunohistochemistry staining. Key probiotics-related pathway molecules were analyzed using western blotting. Abnormal myocardial architecture and enlarged interstitial spaces were observed in HF hearts. These interstitial spaces were significantly decreased in groups provided with multi-strain probiotics compared with HF hearts. Western blot analysis demonstrated that key components of the TGF/MMP2/MMP9 fibrosis pathways and ERK5/uPA/ANP cardiac hypertrophy pathways were significantly suppressed in probiotic groups compared to the HF group. Autophagy balance is very important in cardiomyocytes. In this study, we observed that the beclin-1/LC3B/Atg7 autophagy pathway in HF was increased after probiotic supplementation was significantly decreased. Together, these results suggest that oral administration of probiotics may attenuate cardiomyocyte fibrosis and cardiac hypertrophy and the autophagy-signaling pathway in obese rats.
authors.affiliation: 1. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Armed Force Taichung General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Chao-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: 2. Department of Food Science and Technology, HungKuang University, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Cheng-Chih
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Biological Science and Technology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Wei-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: 4. Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan;; 5. Chinese Medicine Department, China Medical University Beijing Hospital, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Tsung-Jung
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: 6. Department of Nursing, Meiho University, Pingtung, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Cecilia-Hsuan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Day
authors.affiliation: 7. Division of Cardiology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Pei-ying
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.affiliation: 8. Department of Hospital and Health Care Administration, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy & Science, Tainan County, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Li-Chin
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: 9. New Bellus Enterprises Co., Ltd. No. 48, Industrial Rd., Erh Chen Vil., Kuan Tien Dist., Tainan City, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Chun-Chih
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: 10. Institute of Biomedical Nutrition, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Hsueh-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 11. Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan;
authors.forename: Po-Hsiang
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: 4. Graduate Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan;; 11. Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan;; 12. Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D032383:Myocytes, Cardiac / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
keywords: Autophagy.; High-fat diet; Obesity; probiotics