Milk fat globule membranes ameliorate diet-induced obesity in mice by modulating glucolipid metabolism, body inflammation, and oxidative stress

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the lipid-lowering effect and the mechanism of action of the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) in obese mice. All findings indicated that MFGM supplementation impeded weight gain in mice with obesity. qPCR and western blot analysis further revealed that MFGM could reduce lipid deposition and improve lipid metabolism by downregulating the expression levels of Fas, Scd1, PPARγ, and Srebp-1c and increasing the expression levels of Mcad, Cpt-1c, and PPAR-α. MFGM also reduced glucose metabolism disorders by downregulating the expression levels of Pepck and G6pase and upregulating the expression levels of PK and GK. MFGM can reduce the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, thus reducing inflammation in the body. In addition, MFGM also increased the expression of the Nrf2 gene, strengthening the antioxidant enzymes’ (GSH, CAT, and SOD) vitality, which strengthened the body's defenses against oxidative stress. In summary, our experiment demonstrated that the MFGM has the potential to treat obesity by controlling the metabolism of fat and glucose, thereby reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, which provides a theoretical foundation for the development of products related to the treatment of obesity.