The polysaccharides from Auricularia auricula alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via modulating gut microbiota and bile acids metabolism.

The polysaccharides from Auricularia auricula (AAPs), containing a large number of O-acetyl groups that are related to the physiological and biological properties, seem to be potential prebiotics like other edible fungus polysaccharides. In the present study, therefore, the alleviating effects of AAPs and deacetylated AAPs (DAAPs, prepared from AAPs by alkaline treatment) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by high-fat and high-cholesterol diet combined with carbon tetrachloride were investigated. The results revealed that both AAPs and DAAPs could effectively relieve liver injury, inflammation and fibrosis, and maintain intestinal barrier function. Both AAPs and DAAPs could modulate the disorder of gut microbiota and altered the composition of gut microbiota with enrichment of Odoribacter, Lactobacillus, Dorea and Bifidobacterium. Further, the alteration of gut microbiota, especially enhancement of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, was contributed to the changes of bile acids (BAs) profile with increased deoxycholic acid (DCA). Farnesoid X receptor could be activated by DCA and other unconjugated BAs, which participated the BAs metabolism and alleviated the cholestasis, then protected against hepatitis in NAFLD mice. Interestingly, it was found that the deacetylation of AAPs negatively affected the anti-inflammation, thereby reducing the health benefits of A. auricula-derived polysaccharides.