Fig. 6: NUC increases SCFA production and intestinal tight junction expression and decreases serum LPS levels and proinflammatory cytokine expression and production in HFD-fed rats.

Acetic acid (a), butyric acid (b), pentanoic acid (both n-pentanoic and isopentanoic acids) (c) and SCFA (d) levels in feces were determined by GC. The effects of NUC treatment on the mRNA expression levels of occludin and ZO-1 (e) as well as on the amount of the corresponding proteins (f) in the colon were determined. Relative mRNA expression in (e) was monitored using qRT-PCR in comparison with the ND group. Expression was normalized against GAPDH. Representative immunoblots for ZO-1, occludin and β-actin (f) in each group are shown. β-Actin levels were used as a loading control. Bar graphs show densitometry analysis of specific bands relative to the ND group (n = 3 per group). Serum LPS levels (g) were determined. Relative expression levels of TNF-α (a), IL-1β (b), IL-6 (c), and IL-10 (d) in hepatic tissue were assessed using qRT-PCR. TNF-α (e), IL-1β (f) and IL-6 (g) protein levels in the serum of ND-fed and HFD-fed rats were determined using ELISA. Values are presented as the mean ± SD (n = 5 per group). ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01, ^###P < 0.001 vs ND, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 vs HFD.