A novel soluble β-1,3-D-glucan salecan reduces adiposity and improves glucose tolerance in high-fat diet-fed mice

Br J Nutr. 2013 Jan 28;109(2):254-62. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512000980. Epub 2012 Apr 13.

Abstract

Salecan is a recently identified water-soluble viscous extracellular β-1,3-D-glucan polysaccharide from an Agrobacterium species. It is a high-molecular-mass polymer (about 2 × 10⁶ Da) and composed of a linear chain of glucosyl residues linked through a repeat unit of seven β-(1,3) and two α-(1,3) glucosidic bonds. In the present study, we examined the effects of dietary Salecan fed at 2 and 5 % in a high-fat diet (64 % energy) in C57BL/6J mice. After 6 weeks, mice fed 2 and 5 % Salecan had significantly lower body weight, fat mass and percentage of body fat mass compared with those fed a high-fat cellulose (control) diet. Both the Salecan groups significantly and dose-dependently improved glucose tolerance, with a 9 and 26 % reduction of glucose AUC, respectively. Liver and adipose tissue weights were also significantly decreased by the Salecan treatment. Supplementation with 5 % Salecan led to lower serum TAG, total cholesterol (TC) and HDL-cholesterol (52, 18 and 19 %, respectively) and lower hepatic TAG by 56 % and TC by 22 % compared with the high-fat cellulose control group. Dietary Salecan intake caused an obvious elevation of fat in the faeces. Supplementation with Salecan disturbed bile acid-promoted emulsification and reduced the size of emulsion droplets in vitro. These results indicate that Salecan decreases fat absorption, improves glucose tolerance and has biologically important, dose-related effects on reducing high-fat diet-induced obesity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adiposity*
  • Animals
  • Anti-Obesity Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Obesity Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Obesity Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Cell Size
  • Diet, High-Fat / adverse effects*
  • Dietary Fats / analysis
  • Dietary Fats / metabolism
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Emulsifying Agents / administration & dosage
  • Emulsifying Agents / chemistry
  • Emulsifying Agents / therapeutic use
  • Feces / chemistry
  • Female
  • Glucose Intolerance / etiology
  • Glucose Intolerance / prevention & control*
  • Intestinal Absorption
  • Intra-Abdominal Fat / pathology
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Obesity / etiology
  • Obesity / metabolism
  • Obesity / pathology
  • Obesity / prevention & control*
  • Organ Size
  • Solubility
  • Weight Gain
  • beta-Glucans / administration & dosage
  • beta-Glucans / chemistry
  • beta-Glucans / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Anti-Obesity Agents
  • Dietary Fats
  • Emulsifying Agents
  • beta-Glucans
  • salecan