Figure 4

Inulin in combination with 0.1% dietary cholesterol increased SCFAs in cecum content, but did not affect hyperlipidemia or hepatic inflammation. Mice were fed a WTD containing 0.1% cholesterol ± inulin for 11 weeks (n = 17 mice per group). (A) Plasma TC levels for control and inulin fed mice on both 0.5% dietary cholesterol (n = 10 mice per group) and 0.1% dietary cholesterol for 0, 4, 8, and 10 weeks of dietary intervention. (B) The cecal SCFAs acetate, propionate, and butyrate, (C) plasma TG levels, (D) plasma TC levels, (E) liver TG content, (F) liver weight, (G) liver morphology, (H) hepatocyte size, (I) microvesicular and macrovesicular steatosis, (J) qRT-PCR analysis of F4/80, Mcp-1, Tnf-α, IL-6, and IL-10, (K) body weight, and (L) food intake were determined. Values are presented as means ± SEM. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ***P < 0.0001 vs. control. ND = non-detectable.