C57BL/6J mice Transcriptome or Gene expression
Okara, a byproduct of soybean processing, possesses valuable nutritional andphysiological properties. Steam explosion, an efficient physical modification technique,can increase the soluble dietary fiber (SDF) content in okara and potentially amplify itshealth benefits, such as anti-obesity effects and intestinal regulation. This studyemployed steam explosion to modify okara and investigated the ameliorative effect ofmodified okara (MO) on hepatic lipid metabolism in high-fat diet (HFD) -induced obesemice and its potential mechanisms. The modified okara exhibited significantlyincreased SDF content along with improved hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties.Histopathological analysis revealed that MO intervention significantly suppressed bodyweight gain by 54%, markedly reduced fat accumulation in hepatic and adipose tissue,and significantly suppressed inflammatory cytokine production in HFD mice.Furthermore, microbiome, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses wereconducted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that MOmodulated the gut microbiota composition by increasing the abundance of Dubosiella,Akkermansia, and CAG-485 while decreasing Faecalibaculum and Malihella. Hepatictranscriptomics revealed that MO modulated the expression of key genes involved inlipid metabolism (e.g., Cyp4a14 and Ehhadh) and activated relevant metabolicpathways such as the PPAR signaling pathway. Metabolomics analysis identifiedsignificant alterations in phospholipids, fatty acids, and bile acid metabolism. Thesefindings provided mechanistic insights into MO's anti-obesity properties and supportedits potential application as a functional food ingredient for metabolic disordermanagement.