Sporoderm-broken spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum ameliorate obesity and inflammation process in high-fat diet-induced obese mice

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory effects of sporoderm-broken spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum (SSPL) against obese mice fed with a high-fat diet.

Methods: Four groups of C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to the following diets: control diet (CD); high-fat diet (HD); high-fat diet plus l-carnitine (HDL); and high-fat diet with sporoderm-broken spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum (HDG). They were subjected to 12 weeks of testing.

Results: Supplementation with SSPL lowered weight gain caused by a high-fat diet and improved serum and liver lipid levels, and histological investigation indicated that the HDG group had a significant reduction in liver lipid deposits and adipocyte size in epididymal fat. SSPL administration decreased the expression of genes associated with inflammation and fat anabolism, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγ (PPARγ), sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) carboxylase (ACC), and leptin. SSPL therapy raised the levels of PPARα, carnitine palmitoyl-transferase 1 (CPT-1), acyl-CoA oxidase1 (ACOX1), and adiponectin.

Conclusion: In summary, SSPL protected mice against developing obesity caused by increased fat intake by regulating inflammatory factors and lipid metabolism. Our findings indicate that SSPL is a potentially beneficial healthy meal for treating obesity.

Keywords: adipocyte; ameliorate; anti-inflammation; anti-obesity; high-fat diet; sporoderm-broken spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum.

Fig. 1

Effect of SSPL on body weight, tissue weight, and food intake in experimental mice. (a) Growth curve during the experimental period, (b) body weight gain, (c) food intake, (d) liver weight (g)/body weight (g) %, and (e) epididymal fat weight (g)/body weight (g) %. CD, control diet; HD, high-fat diet; HDL, high-fat diet plus l-carnitine; HDG, high-fat diet plus sporoderm-broken spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum. Data were assessed by ANOVA (Ducan’s test). Means with different superscript letters (a, b, c, and d) are significantly different from each other (P < 0.05). ‘a’ stands for the highest value, while ‘d’ stands for the lowest.

Fig. 2

Effect of SSPL on serum adipokines. (a) Leptin level of serum and (b) adiponectin level of serum. CD, control diet; HD, high-fat diet; HDL, high-fat diet plus l-carnitine; HDG, high-fat diet plus sporoderm-broken spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum. Data were assessed by ANOVA (Ducan’s test). Means with different superscript letters (a, b, and c) are significantly different from each other (P < 0.05). ‘a’ stands for the highest value, while ‘c’ stands for the lowest.

Fig. 3

Effect of SSPL on serum inflammatory cytokine. (a) TNF-α level of serum, (b) IL-6 level of serum, and (c) IL-1β level of serum. CD, control diet; HD, high-fat diet; HDL, high-fat diet plus l-carnitine; HDG, high-fat diet plus sporoderm-broken spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum. Data were assessed by ANOVA (Ducan’s test). Means with different superscript letters (a, b, c, and d) are significantly different from each other (P < 0.05). ‘a’ stands for the highest value, while ‘d’ stands for the lowest.

Fig. 4

Histopathological analysis of epididymal fat tissue and liver in mice. (a) Epididymal fat tissue section (20×) by H&E staining and (b) liver section (20×) by H&E staining. CD, control diet; HD, high-fat diet; HDL, high-fat diet plus l-carnitine; HDG, high-fat diet plus sporoderm-broken spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum.

Fig. 5

Effects of SSPL on adipose and liver tissue lipid metabolism-related genes of mice. (a) Relative mRNA levels of genes related to adipogenesis and lipid oxidation in epididymal fat tissue, (b) heat-maps for involved genes of epididymal fat tissue, (c) relative mRNA levels of genes related to adipogenesis and lipid oxidation in liver tissue, and (d) heat-maps for involved genes of liver fat tissue. CD, control diet; HD, high-fat diet; HDL, high-fat diet plus l-carnitine; HDG, high-fat diet plus sporoderm-broken spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum. Data were assessed by ANOVA (Ducan’s test). Means with different superscript letters (a, b, and c) are significantly different from each other (P < 0.05). ‘a’ stands for the highest value, while ‘c’ stands for the lowest.

Fig. 6

Effects of SSPL on adipose tissue pro-inflammatory-related genes of mice. (a) Relative mRNA levels of genes-related pro-inflammatory related in adipose tissue, (b) heat-maps for involved genes in adipose tissue, (c) relative mRNA levels of genes-related pro-inflammatory related in liver tissue, and (d) heat-maps for involved genes in liver tissue. CD, control diet; HD, high-fat diet; HDL, high-fat diet plus l-carnitine; HDG, high-fat diet plus sporoderm-broken spore powder of Ganoderma lucidum. Data were assessed by ANOVA (Ducan’s test). Means with different superscript letters (a, b, and c) are significantly different from each other (P < 0.05). ‘a’ stands for the highest value, while ‘c’ stands for the lowest.