Phosphatidylserine from Portunus trituberculatus Eggs Alleviates Insulin Resistance and Alters the Gut Microbiota in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice

Abstract

<i>Portunus trituberculatus</i> eggs contain phospholipids, whose components and bioactivity are unclear. Here, we investigated the fatty acid composition of phosphatidylserine from <i>P. trituberculatus</i> eggs (<i>Pt</i>-PS). Moreover, its effects on insulin resistance and gut microbiota were also evaluated in high-fat-diet-fed mice. Our results showed that <i>Pt</i>-PS accounted for 26.51% of phospholipids and contained abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids (more than 50% of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)). Animal experiments indicated that <i>Pt</i>-PS significantly decreased body weight and adipose weight gain, improved hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, mitigated insulin resistance, and regulated circulatory cytokines. <i>Pt</i>-PS activated insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and increased the levels of IRS1-associated phosphatidylinositol 3-hydroxy kinase (PI3K), phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) protein, and plasma membrane glucose transporter 4 protein. Furthermore, <i>Pt</i>-PS modified the gut microbiota, inducing, especially, a dramatic decrease in the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes at the phylum level, as well as a remarkable improvement in their subordinate categories. <i>Pt</i>-PS also reduced fecal lipopolysaccharide concentration and enhanced fecal acetate, propionate, and butyrate concentrations. Additionally, the effects of <i>Pt</i>-PS on alleviation of insulin resistance and regulation of intestinal bacteria were better than those of phosphatidylserine from soybean. These results suggest that <i>Pt</i>-PS mitigates insulin resistance by altering the gut microbiota. Therefore, <i>Pt</i>-PS may be developed as an effective food supplement for the inhibition of insulin resistance and the regulation of human gut health.