Treatment with saponins from Panax japonicus decreases jejunal inflammation in mice fed a high-fat diet.

BACKGROUND/

OBJECTIVES

Chronic high-fat diet (HFD) consumption induces low-grade intestinal inflammation. Although saponins from Panax japonicus (SPJs) have anti-inflammatory properties, the mechanisms by which they mitigate HFD-induced jejunal inflammation remain unclear. This study examined whether SPJs alleviate inflammation by modulating lipid metabolism and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in the jejunum.

MATERIALS/

METHODS

HFD-fed mice were administered high-dose SPJs extract. The jejunal triglyceride (TG) levels, gene expression related to TG synthesis (glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 3 [Gpat3] and diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 [Dgat2]) and lipolysis (adipose triglyceride lipase [Atgl]), cytosolic lipid droplets (CLDs) deposition, ERS markers, and inflammatory responses were assessed.

RESULTS

HFD feeding induced TG accumulation, upregulated Gpat3 and Dgat2, downregulated Atgl, and promoted CLDs deposition in jejunal epithelial cells. High-dose SPJs attenuated these changes. Furthermore, SPJs suppressed HFD-induced ERS and inflammation in the jejunum. In particular, short-term HFD exposure initially enhanced the antioxidant responses without significant ERS activation.

CONCLUSION

SPJs ameliorate HFD-induced jejunal inflammation by modulating lipid metabolic genes, reducing intracellular lipid accumulation, and alleviating ERS. These findings highlight the role of lipid-driven ERS in gut inflammation and the potential of SPJs as a therapeutic intervention.