Effects of Oat β-Glucan and Inulin on Alleviation of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Aggravated by Circadian Disruption in C57BL/6J Mice

This was the first study that examined the effects of oat beta-glucan and inulin on diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in circadian-disrupted (CD)-male C57BL/6J mice. CD intensified NASH, significantly increasing alanine aminotransferase and upregulating hepatic tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1). However, these observations were significantly alleviated by oat beta-glucan and inulin treatments. Compared to CD NASH mice, oat beta-glucan significantly decreased the liver index, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and insulin. In prebiotic-treated and CD NASH mice, significant negative correlations were found between enrichment of Muribaculaceae bacterium Isolate-036 (Harlan), Muribaculaceae bacterium Isolate-001 (NCI), and Bacteroides ovatus after oat beta-glucan supplementation with TNF alpha and TGF beta 1 levels; and enrichment of Muribaculaceae bacterium Isolate-110 (HZI) after inulin supplementation with AST level. In conclusion, oat beta-glucan and inulin exhibited similar antiliver injury, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic activities but had no effect on cecal short-chain fatty acids and gut microbiota diversity in CD NASH mice.