Apple Polyphenols Extracts Ameliorate High Carbohydrate Diet-Induced Body Weight Gain by Regulating the Gut Microbiota and Appetite

Abstract

To investigate the potential contribution of appetite regulation and modulation of gut microbiota to the ameliorated effects of apple polyphenols extracts (APE) on high carbohydrate diet (HCD)-induced body weight (BW) gain, we conducted this study. One hundred C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into seven groups and fed with the following diets for 12 weeks: chow diet (CON), HCD (HCD), high fructose and sucrose diet (HSCD), and HCD and HSCD with 125 or 500 mg/kg·day APE gavage. Compared to the CON group, the BW of mice in the HCD and HSCD groups increased significantly. HSCD induced a more significant weight gain in the white adipose tissue (WAT) and liver than HCD, accompanied by severe impairment of glucose tolerance and a larger diameter of adipocytes. On the other hand, by decreasing food intake, APE significantly reduced BW <i>via</i> mechanisms, including decreased weights of the WAT and liver, amelioration of glucose tolerance, and amplification of WAT browning by upregulating the mRNA levels of <i>Ucp-1</i> and <i>Cidea</i>. Moreover, APE promoted transcription and secretion of GLP-1, with the increased expression of gut anorexigenic hormone peptides <i>Ffar</i> 2/3 in the colon and anorectic neuropeptide gene expression of <i>Pomc</i>, <i>Cart</i>, and <i>Mc4r</i> in the hypothalamus, causing increased satiety. Additionally, APE significantly increased Verrucomicrobia colonization and the relative abundance of <i>Akkermansia</i>. APE potentially ameliorates high simple carbohydrate diet-induced body weight gain by mechanisms related to gut microbiota regulation and appetite inhibition.