Fig. 2: Supplementation of HFD-induced  adiposity model mice with P. copri alleviates  adiposity and promotes iWAT browning.

8-week-old C57BL/6 J mice under chow diet was given normal saline (Control), and those under HFD conditions were given normal saline (HFD Control), 10⁸ CFU/kg BW P. copri (HFD P. copri), or 10⁸ CFU/kg BW pasteurized P. copri (HFD P. copri-pasteurized) for 8 weeks. a Experimental scheme for (b–u). b, c Relative abundance of fecal (b) (n = 6 biological replicates) and cecal (c) (n = 9 biological replicates) P. copri assessed by qPCR. d Body weight of 16-week-old C57BL/6 J mice following 8 weeks’ treatments (n = 9 mice). e Representative pictures of body composition scanning (n = 6 mice). f Fat index (%) (n = 6 mice). g Lean mass (n = 6 mice). h Representative images of iWAT from each group. i iWAT weight (n = 9 mice). j Ratio of iWAT weight to body weight (%) (n = 9 mice). k H&E-stained pictures of the iWAT section (Scale bars, 50 μm), (n = 3 biological replicates). l The size of adipocytes in iWAT (n = 3 biological replicates). m Rectal body temperature (n = 9 mice). n-q CO₂ production (n), O₂ consumption (o) respiratory exchange rate (RER) (p) and heat production (q) curves between HFD Control, HFD P. copri-pasteurized and HFD P. copri groups (n = 4 mice), the data were analyzed by covariance (ANCOVA). r Relative mRNA levels of genes related to thermogenesis, lipogenesis and lipolysis in iWAT (n = 7 biological replicates). s, t Western blot analysis (s) and quantification (t) of the protein contents of thermogenic and lipogenic markers in iWAT, with β-actin serving as a loading control (n = 8 biological replicates for UCP1 and TBX1, n = 6 biological replicates for PPARγ and AP2). u Representative immunofluorescence images of UCP1 (Red) from the iWAT section (Scale bars, 20 μm), (n = 3 independent experiments). Values are mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis was performed using One-way ANOVA with LSD post hoc test for m, One-way ANOVA with Dunnett’s T3 post hoc test for (b–d) and (i, j) Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn’s post hoc test for (f, g, l, r, t). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.