biostudies-literatureShen WNational Natural Science Foundation of China272https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5322252biostudies-literatureUnknown8Capsaicin (CAP) reduces body weight mainly through activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) cation channel. However, recent evidence indicates that the gut microbiota influences many physiological processes in host and might provoke obesity. This study determined whether the anti-obesity effect of CAP is related to the changes in gut microbiota. C57BL/6 mice were fed either with high-fat diet (HFD) or HFD with CAP (HFD-CAP) for 9 weeks. We observed a significantly reduced weight gain and improved glucose tolerance in HFD-CAP-fed mice compared with HFD-fed mice. 16S rRNA gene sequencing results showed a decrease of phylum <i>Proteobacteria</i> in HFD-CAP-fed mice. In addition, HFD-CAP-fed mice showed a higher abundance of <i>Akkermansia muciniphila</i>, a mucin-degrading bacterium with beneficial effects on host metabolism. Further studies found that CAP directly up-regulates the expression of Mucin 2 gene <i>Muc2</i> and antimicrobial protein gene <i>Reg3g</i> in the intestine. These data suggest that the anti-obesity effect of CAP is associated with a modest modulation of the gut microbiota.Frontiers in microbiologyAnti-obesity Effect of Capsaicin in Mice Fed with High-Fat Diet Is Associated with an Increase in Population of the Gut Bacterium <i>Akkermansia muciniphila</i>.PMC532225231570173Shen MLi GHu FYang YTan YLu SLe SZhu HWang JShen WLi MZhao XfalseAnti-obesity Effect of Capsaicin in Mice Fed with High-Fat Diet Is Associated with an Increase in Population of the Gut Bacterium <i>Akkermansia muciniphila</i>.Capsaicin (CAP) reduces body weight mainly through activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) cation channel. However, recent evidence indicates that the gut microbiota influences many physiological processes in host and might provoke obesity. This study determined whether the anti-obesity effect of CAP is related to the changes in gut microbiota. C57BL/6 mice were fed either with high-fat diet (HFD) or HFD with CAP (HFD-CAP) for 9 weeks. We observed a significantly reduced weight gain and improved glucose tolerance in HFD-CAP-fed mice compared with HFD-fed mice. 16S rRNA gene sequencing results showed a decrease of phylum <i>Proteobacteria</i> in HFD-CAP-fed mice. In addition, HFD-CAP-fed mice showed a higher abundance of <i>Akkermansia muciniphila</i>, a mucin-degrading bacterium with beneficial effects on host metabolism. Further studies found that CAP directly up-regulates the expression of Mucin 2 gene <i>Muc2</i> and antimicrobial protein gene <i>Reg3g</i> in the intestine. These data suggest that the anti-obesity effect of CAP is associated with a modest modulation of the gut microbiota.2017-01-01T00:00:00Z20172024-12-03T18:32:36.198Z2019-03-27T02:37:09ZS-EPMC53222522828049010.3389/fmicb.2017.00272