Pot-pollen supplementation reduces fasting glucose and modulates the gut microbiota in high-fat/high-sucrose fed C57BL/6 mice

Author(s)

Rebelo, Kemilla Sarmento ; Coimbra Nunez, Carla Evelyn ; Betim Cazarin, Cinthia Bau ; Marostica Junior, Mario Roberto ; Kristiansen, Karsten ; Danneskiold-Samsoe, Niels Banhos

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: FOOD & FUNCTION; v. 13, n. 7, p. 11-pg., 2022-03-15.

Abstract

Pot-pollen is a mixture of pollen and nectar from flowers combined with salivary substances of stingless bees, which together are fermented inside cerumen pots. As pot-pollen is rich in polyphenols, we hypothesized that dietary ingestion could modulate obesity, glucose metabolism, and the gut microbiota in an animal model of diet-induced obesity. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a low-fat/low-sucrose diet (LF/LS), a HF/HS diet or a HF/HS diet containing 0.1% pot-pollen (HF/HS-PP) for 12 weeks. In HF/HS-fed mice, pot-pollen supplementation decreased fasting blood glucose and increased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion without modifying weight gain, body composition, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity. Intake of pot-pollen resulted in changes of the gut microbiota, including a decrease in the abundance of the Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group and Lactobacillus, and an increase in the abundance of Romboutsia. Correlations between genus abundances and metabolic changes in response to supplementation indicated that the gut microbiota contributed to the positive effects of pot-pollen ingestion on fasting glucose. Pot-pollen supplementation-associated changes in the gut microbiota composition correlated with the lowering of fasting glucose levels without modulating weight gain. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/13320-9 - Effect of pulp oil and tea of leaves from avocado Hass variety associated with physical activity in the treatment of obesity induced by high-fat diet
• Grantee: Mário Roberto Maróstica Junior
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/50333-1 - COBRA: a novel compound discovery pipeline for rapid and cost-effective identification of bioactives with health beneficial effects in Brazilian crops
• Grantee: Glaucia Maria Pastore
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/13465-8 - Lund University and State University of Campinas partnership for studies on cardiometabolic disease-preventive functional foods and diets
• Grantee: Mário Roberto Maróstica Junior
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/11069-5 - Action of Brazilian berries on metabolic parameters and cognitive performance of obese animals
• Grantee: Mário Roberto Maróstica Junior
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants