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Comparative transcriptome and microbiota analyses provide new insights into the adverse effects of industrial trans fatty acids on the small intestine of C57BL/6 mice

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Abstract

Purpose

To reveal the mechanism that links industrial trans fatty acids (iTFAs) to various chronic diseases, we examined the impact of iTFAs on the local microenvironment of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum and ileum).

Methods

Forty male 8-week-old mice were fed diets containing one of the following: (1) low soybean oil (LS); (2) high soybean oil (HS); (3) low partially hydrogenated oil (LH), and (4) high partially hydrogenated oil (HH). The analysis of microbiota from small intestinal content was performed by real-time qPCR. The fatty acid composition of small intestine mucosa was measured by GC/MS, and comparative transcriptome of the small intestinal mucosa was analyzed by RNA-sequencing.

Results

The intake of iTFAs changed the fatty acid spectrum of the small intestine mucosa, especially the excessive accumulation of iTFA (mainly elaidic acid). For microbiota, the relative abundance of δ- and γ-proteobacteria, Lactobacillus, Desulfovibrio, Peptostreptococcus and Turicibacter were significantly different in the iTFA diet groups compared to the control group. Based on the identification of differently expressed genes(DEGs) and pathway annotation, comparative transcriptome analysis of the small intestine mucosa revealed obvious overexpression of genes involved in the extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway, which suggests that ECM remodeling and abnormal lipid metabolism may have occurred with iTFA ingestion.

Conclusion

Our research demonstrated multiple adverse effects of iTFA that may have originated from the small intestine. This finding could be to facilitate the development of new strategies to suppress iTFA-related diseases by reversing the adverse effects of iTFA on intestinal health.

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Acknowledgements

This research is supported by Key Research and Development Plan of Shandong Province, Grant number: 2018YYSP010; and Special foundation for Taishan Scholars tsqn20161067.

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Author notes

  1. Can Li and Yuhan Zhang contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, 250353, China

    Can Li & Haiteng Tao

  2. Institute of Agro-Food Science and Technology, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, 250100, China

    Yuhan Zhang, Yueting Ge, Bin Qiu, Xianshu Wang & Wei Liu

  3. College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, China

    Yuhan Zhang

  4. Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, China

    Di Zhang

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  1. Can Li
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Correspondence to Wei Liu or Haiteng Tao.

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Li, C., Zhang, Y., Ge, Y. et al. Comparative transcriptome and microbiota analyses provide new insights into the adverse effects of industrial trans fatty acids on the small intestine of C57BL/6 mice. Eur J Nutr 60, 975–987 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-020-02297-y

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