Abstract:

Purpose: To determine the effect of PUFA diet on gut microbiota and obesity-related cell factors in rats. Methods:
A total of 30 five-week-old healthy female rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group, n-6 PUFAcontaining
diet group and n-3 PUFA-containing diet group. The rats had free access to the feeds and water for eight weeks.
Body weight was recorded once a week during the trail period and the levels of Bifidobacterium (Bif), Lactobacillus (Lac),
Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk) and obesity-related cell factors, fatty acid synthetase (FAS) and fasting-induced adipose
factor (FIAF) were evaluated by qRT-PCR at the end of the trial. Results: The adiposity and FAS level in the n-3 PUFAcontaining
diet group were significantly lower than that in the control group (P ＜ 0.05), and the levels of Bif, Lac, Akk and
FIAF, and the thickness of the intestinal mucosa in the n-3 PUFA-containing diet model group were significantly higher than
those in the control group (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusion: An obvious change in gut microbiota was observed in rats fed n-3 PUFAcontaining
diet; meanwhile the occurrence and development of adiposity were inhibited.

Key words: n-3 PUFA, obesity, Akkermansia muciniphila, intestinal mucosa