Fig. 5: F. plautii and phytosphingosine ameliorate metabolic disorders induced by HFD and fecal transplantation in PDC subjects with normal metabolic indices.

a Schematic representation of the F. plautii supplementation experiment. PDN-F mice were treated with PBS (the PBS1 group) as a control, and PDN-F mice were treated with F. plautii as the F. plautii group for 5 weeks. b Gene copy numbers of F. plautii in the PBS1 group and F. plautii group. c, d The levels of serum (c) and liver (d) phytosphingosine in the PBS1 group and F. plautii group. e, f Visible lethargy scores (e) and greasy fur scores (f) in the PBS1 group and F. plautii group. g Body weight during the F. plautii supplementation experimental periods. h Representative images of adipocyte H&E staining and adipocyte sizes (%) in the PBS1 group and F. plautii group; images were taken at ×40 magnification. Scale bars: 100 μm. n = 8 for each group. i Serum glucose levels in the PBS1 group and F. plautii group. j Serum concentrations of TC, TG, LDLC, and HDLC in the PBS1 group and F. plautii group. k Representative images of H&E-stained liver samples (scale bar, 100 μm). Liver lipids (%) in the PBS1 group and F. plautii group. The differences (b–k) were determined via a t-test. l Schematic representation of the phytosphingosine supplementation experiment. PDN-F mice were treated with PBS (PBS1 group) as a control, and PDN-F mice were treated with high or low doses of phytosphingosine (PhyH group or PhyL group, respectively) for 5 weeks. m, n Visible lethargy scores (m) and greasy fur scores (n) in the PBS2, PhyH, and PhyL groups. o Body weight during the phytosphingosine supplementation experimental periods. p Representative images of adipocyte H&E staining and adipocyte sizes (%) in the PBS2, PhyH, and PhyL groups; images were taken at ×40 magnification. Scale bars: 100 μm. n = 8 for each group. q Serum glucose levels in the PBS2, PhyH, and PhyL groups. r Fasting serum insulin in the PBS2, PhyH, and PhyL groups. s Serum concentrations of TC, TG, LDLC, and HDLC in the PBS2, PhyH, and PhyL groups. t Representative images of H&E-stained liver samples (scale bar, 100 μm) and liver lipids (%) in the PBS2, PhyH, and PhyL groups. Differences among groups (m‒t) were analyzed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test. PDN-F mice received fecal slurry from the PDN group daily for 14 consecutive days and were fed a HFD for 5 weeks. In the PBS1 group, the PDN-F mice were gavaged with PBS every day in animal experiment 2. In the F. plautii group, PDN-F mice were gavaged with 5 × 10⁸ cfu F. plautii every day in the animal experiment. 2. In the PBS2 group, the PDN-F mice were gavaged with PBS every day in animal experiment 3. In the PhyH group, PDN-F mice were gavaged with 50 mg/kg phytosphingosine every day in animal experiment 3. In the PhyL group, PDN-F mice were gavaged with 25 mg/kg phytosphingosine every day in animal experiment 3. *, p < 0.05, **, p < 0.01, and ***, p < 0.001, respectively. The data in the bar plot are presented as the means ± SD.