Abstract: Purpose: To investigate the regulatory effect of Lactobacillus plantarum on metabolic syndrome induced by high-fat-high-sucrose (HFHS) diet in rats and its possible mechanism of action. Methods: Serum metabolic parameters such as lipids and glucose and liver antioxidant status were determined; histopathological analysis was performed for liver, duodenum and pancreatic islet tissues and the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in rat faces were also examined. Results: HFHS-fed rat developed hallmark features of metabolic syndrome, and L. plantarum attenuated the development of metabolic syndrome but the effect varied among strains. Further analysis demonstrated that supplementation with L. plantarum CCFM591 significantly enhanced blood glucose-insulin homeostasis, attenuated the pathological changes in pancreatic islet and small intestinal tissues, and elevated the level of SCFAs in stool. Conclusion: L. plantarum CCFM591 may ameliorate the progression of HFHS diet-induced metabolic syndrome by modulating the levels of intestinal SCFAs.

Key words: Lactobacillus plantarum, metabolic syndrome, glucose-insulin homeostasis, short-chain fatty acids