Dietary Supplementation with the Probiotic SF68 Reinforces Intestinal Epithelial Barrier in Obese Mice by Improving Butyrate Bioavailability.

Scope: Modifications in intestinal microbiota and its metabolites, the short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are main factors altering intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and eliciting the onset of a meta-inflammation observed in obesity. The present study is aimed at evaluating the efficacy of Enterococcus faecium (SF68) administration in counteracting the impairment of gut barrier and enteric inflammation in a model of diet-induced obesity, characterizing the molecular mechanisms underlying such beneficial effects.

Methods And Results: Male C57BL/6J mice, fed with standard diet (SD) or high-fat diet (HFD), are treated with SF68 (10  CFU day ).