Fig. 4: PDC subjects presented lower F. plautii and phytosphingosine levels, even those with normal metabolic indices, and fecal transplantation of these subjects accelerated the development of metabolic disorders in mice. | Cell Discovery

Fig. 4: PDC subjects presented lower F. plautii and phytosphingosine levels, even those with normal metabolic indices, and fecal transplantation of these subjects accelerated the development of metabolic disorders in mice.

From: A decrease in Flavonifractor plautii and its product, phytosphingosine, predisposes individuals with phlegm-dampness constitution to metabolic disorders

Fig. 4: PDC subjects presented lower F. plautii and phytosphingosine levels, even those with normal metabolic indices, and fecal transplantation of these subjects accelerated the development of metabolic disorders in mice.The alt text for this image may have been generated using AI.

a Subgrouping schematic representation of the BC group and PDC group. A total of 209 fecal samples, including 167 PDC samples and 42 BC samples, were collected. According to the presence of metabolic disorders (one or more of the following: obesity, dyslipidemia, prediabetes, hypertension, or hyperuricemia), the BC subjects were divided into a BCN (BC subjects with normal metabolic indices) group and a BCD (BC subjects with metabolic disorders) group, and PDC subjects were divided into a PDN (PDC subjects with normal metabolic indices) group and a PDD (PDC subjects with metabolic disorders) group. b PCoA of the gut microbiota calculated from the Bray‒Curtis distance in the BCN group and PDN group. p values were calculated with adonis via 6000 permutations. c OPLS–DA plot of the serum metabolites in the BCN group and PDN group. The p values of the model are calculated via 1000 permutations. d, e Gene copies of F. plautii (d) and the levels of phytosphingosine (e) in the BCN and PDN groups. Differences among groups (d, e) were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test. f ROC curve of the RF model using F. plautii to distinguish PDN subjects from BCN subjects. g ROC curve of the RF model using phytosphingosine to distinguish PDN subjects from BCN subjects. h Schematic representation of the fecal transplantation experiment. All the mice were treated with an antibiotic cocktail for two cycles. Following antibiotic treatment, the recipient mice received fecal slurry from the PDN group or BCN group daily for 14 consecutive days and were fed a HFD for 5 weeks. i, j Visible lethargy scores (i) and greasy fur scores (j) in the BCN-F group and PDN-F group. k Body weight (k) and adipose weight (l) during the fecal transplantation experimental period. m Representative images of adipocyte H&E staining and adipocyte sizes (%) in the BCN-F group and PDN-F group; images were taken at ×40 magnification. Scale bars, 100 μm. n = 8 for each group. n, o Fasting serum glucose (n) and serum uric acid (o) levels in the BCN-F group and PDN-F group. p Serum concentrations of TC, TG, LDLC, and HDLC in the BCN-F group and PDN-F group. q, r Liver TG (q) and liver TC (r) levels in the BCN-F group and PDN-F group. s Representative images of H&E-stained liver samples (scale bar, 100 μm). Liver lipids (%) in the BCN-F group and PDN-F group. t Gene copies of F. plautii in the BCN-F group and PDN-F group. u, v The levels of serum (u) and liver (v) phytosphingosine in the BCN-F group and PDN-F group. UA, uric acid; TG, triglyceride; TC, total cholesterol. In the BCN-F group, the antibiotic-treated mice received fecal slurry from the BCN group daily for 14 consecutive days and were fed a HFD for 5 weeks; in the PDN-F group, the antibiotic-treated mice received fecal slurry from the PDN group daily for 14 consecutive days and were fed a HFD for 5 weeks. The differences (i‒v) were determined via t-tests. The data in the bar plot are presented as the means ± SD. *, p < 0.05, **, p < 0.01, and ***, p < 0.001, respectively.

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