Essential amino acids preserve intestinal barrier integrity <i>via</i> mitochondrial protection in obesity and gut inflammation.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Obesity disrupts intestinal homeostasis, leading to increased permeability ("leaky gut"), mucosal inflammation, and systemic metabolic dysfunction. Mitochondrial impairment in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) is a central driver of this process. Essential amino acids (EAAs) improve mitochondrial function in metabolic tissues, but their impact on intestinal health remains underexplored. Here, we investigated whether dietary EAAs preserve gut barrier integrity through mitochondrial protection in obesity and inflammation.

Methods

Male C57BL/6N mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or an isocaloric, isonitrogenous EAA-substituted HFD (HFD-EAA) for 33 weeks to assess metabolic outcomes, intestinal barrier function, inflammation, and mitochondrial biogenesis. Parallel, <

SUBMITTER: Spataro L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12708562 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature