Abstract:
This study explored the lipid-lowering efficacy of thermally inactivated
Bacillus sp. DU-106 (TIDU-106) on
Caenorhabditis elegans. A high-fat model of
C. elegans was developed using a high-glucose induction method with a concentration of 10 mmol/L. To evaluate the effects of TIDU-106 on high-fat
Caenorhabditis elegans, concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10 mg/mL were applied, assessing their impact on lifespan, locomotion, egg-laying capability, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resistance to stress, activity of antioxidant enzymes, expression of genes related to lipid metabolism, and fat accumulation. Initial investigations in wild-type worms led to the selection of 5.0 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL concentrations of TIDU-106 for further examination of its lipid-lowering properties in gene-deficient worms. The results demonstrated that TIDU-106 treatment significantly increased the maximum lifespan of high-fat worms by 35.11%, 43.84%, and 45.63% with varying doses (2.5, 5.0, 10 mg/mL) (
P<0.05). These enhancements were accompanied by improved locomotion, a higher egg-laying capacity, and a decreased both in ROS levels and mitochondrial membrane potential. Additionally, treatment with TIDU-106 resulted in increased levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, coupled with a decrease in malondialdehyde levels. Notably, TIDU-106 was found to modulate key signaling pathways related to lipid-lowering, including the SREBP signaling pathway, the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway, the nuclear receptor signaling pathway, and the AMPK signaling pathway, as well as key genes such as
mdt-15,
sbp-1,
fat-5,
fat-7,
daf-2,
daf-16,
skn-1,
sod-3,
sir-2.1,
aak-2,
nhr-49,
acs-2, and
kat-1. Specifically, after the administration of TIDU-106, there was a significant reduction in triglyceride levels in
fat-5,
fat-5/fat-6,
fat-7, and
daf-16 mutant worms (
P<0.05), with
daf-2,
sir-2.1, and
aak-2 mutants exhibiting no significant alterations (
P>0.05). Above findings revealed the potential of TIDU-106 to mitigate fat deposition, boost resistance to oxidative stress, and increase antioxidant enzyme activity, thereby emphasizing its promising lipid-lowering effects in high-fat
C. elegans models.