HMB Improves Lipid Metabolism of Bama Xiang Mini-Pigs via Modulating the Bacteroidetes-Acetic Acid-AMPKα Axis

• Main Authors: Jie Zheng, Changbing Zheng, Bo Song, Qiuping Guo, Yinzhao Zhong, Shiyu Zhang, Lingyu Zhang, Geyan Duan, Fengna Li, Yehui Duan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-08-01
• Series: Frontiers in Microbiology
• Subjects: β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate; lipid metabolism; gut microbiota; acetic acid; AMPKα; Bama Xiang mini-pigs
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.736997/full

Here, we used Bama Xiang mini-pigs to explore the effects of different dietary β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) levels (0, 0.13, 0.64 or 1.28%) on lipid metabolism of adipose tissue. Results showed that HMB decreased the fat percentage of pigs (linearly, P < 0.05), and the lowest value was observed in the 0.13% HMB group. Moreover, the colonic acetic acid concentration and the relative Bacteroidetes abundance were increased in response to HMB supplementation (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis identified a positive correlation between the relative Bacteroidetes abundance and acetic acid production, and a negative correlation between fat percentage and the relative Bacteroidetes abundance or acetic acid production. HMB also upregulated the phosphorylation (p) of AMPKα, Sirt1, and FoxO1, and downregulated the p-mTOR expression. Collectively, these findings indicate that reduced fat percentage in Bama Xiang mini-pigs could be induced by HMB supplementation and the mechanism might be associated with the Bacteroidetes-acetic acid-AMPKα axis.