Ganoderma lucidum reduces obesity in mice by modulating the composition of the gut microbiota

Chih-Jung Chang, Chuan-Sheng Lin, Chia-Chen Lu, Jan Martel, Yun-Fei Ko, David M. Ojcius, Shun-Fu Tseng, Tsung-Ru Wu, Yi-Yuan Margaret Chen, John D. Young () and Hsin-Chih Lai ()
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Chih-Jung Chang: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University
Chuan-Sheng Lin: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University
Chia-Chen Lu: Fu Jen Catholic University
Jan Martel: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University
Yun-Fei Ko: Chang Gung Biotechnology Corporation
David M. Ojcius: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University
Shun-Fu Tseng: Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University
Tsung-Ru Wu: College of Medicine, Chang Gung University
Yi-Yuan Margaret Chen: Chang Gung University
John D. Young: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University
Hsin-Chih Lai: Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: Abstract Obesity is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation and intestinal dysbiosis. Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom used in traditional Chinese medicine with putative anti-diabetic effects. Here, we show that a water extract of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium (WEGL) reduces body weight, inflammation and insulin resistance in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Our data indicate that WEGL not only reverses HFD-induced gut dysbiosis—as indicated by the decreased Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratios and endotoxin-bearing Proteobacteria levels—but also maintains intestinal barrier integrity and reduces metabolic endotoxemia. The anti-obesity and microbiota-modulating effects are transmissible via horizontal faeces transfer from WEGL-treated mice to HFD-fed mice. We further show that high molecular weight polysaccharides (>300 kDa) isolated from the WEGL extract produce similar anti-obesity and microbiota-modulating effects. Our results indicate that G. lucidum and its high molecular weight polysaccharides may be used as prebiotic agents to prevent gut dysbiosis and obesity-related metabolic disorders in obese individuals.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8489

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