Comparison of the effects and mechanisms of astaxanthin, astaxanthin esters and astacene on high-fat diet-induced NAFLD

IF 4 2区农林科学 Q2 FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Journal of Functional Foods Pub Date : 2025-08-18 DOI:10.1016/j.jff.2025.106985

Chunhao Gao , Fangtian Chen , Nengyun Gong , Shiran Hu , Mengjia Zhu , Qingxin Zhou , Xiang Gao

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Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a global health challenge with limited therapeutic options. This study compared the efficacy and mechanisms of astaxanthin (AX), astaxanthin esters (AXE), and astacene (AC) in ameliorating high-fat diet-induced NAFLD in mice. The three supplements improved liver function, and reduced hepatic lipid accumulation, liver injury, serum lipid levels, HOMA-IR index in NAFLD mice. Notably, AXE exhibited slightly better trends. Mechanistically, they activated the hepatic Nrf2/Keap1 antioxidant pathway. Gut microbiota analysis suggested that improvements in gut microbiota dysbiosis might partly elucidate their protective mechanisms on NAFLD, with AC exhibiting superior efficacy. Moreover, transcriptome sequencing analysis indicated that AX primarily regulates gene transcription in adipose tissue and AC exhibited the most potent regulatory impact on gene transcription in liver. While AXE displayed notable efficacy in modulating transcriptional profiles across both tissues. This study provides novel insights into the effects of astaxanthin derivatives in ameliorating NAFLD

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虾青素、虾青素酯和虾青素对高脂肪饮食诱导的NAFLD的作用及机制比较

非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）是一项全球健康挑战，治疗选择有限。本研究比较了虾青素（AX）、虾青素酯（AXE）和虾青素（AC）改善小鼠高脂肪饮食诱导的NAFLD的疗效和机制。三种补充剂均可改善NAFLD小鼠的肝功能，降低肝脂积累、肝损伤、血清脂质水平和HOMA-IR指数。值得注意的是，AXE的趋势略好一些。在机制上，它们激活了肝脏Nrf2/Keap1抗氧化途径。肠道菌群分析表明，肠道菌群失调的改善可能在一定程度上阐明了其对NAFLD的保护机制，其中AC表现出更强的疗效。此外，转录组测序分析表明，AX主要调控脂肪组织的基因转录，而AC对肝脏基因转录的调控作用最强。而AXE在调节两种组织的转录谱方面表现出显著的功效。这项研究为虾青素衍生物在改善NAFLD中的作用提供了新的见解

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来源期刊

Journal of Functional Foods FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY-

CiteScore

9.60

自引率

1.80%

发文量

428

审稿时长

76 days

期刊介绍： Journal of Functional Foods continues with the same aims and scope, editorial team, submission system and rigorous peer review. We give authors the possibility to publish their top-quality papers in a well-established leading journal in the food and nutrition fields. The Journal will keep its rigorous criteria to screen high impact research addressing relevant scientific topics and performed by sound methodologies. The Journal of Functional Foods aims to bring together the results of fundamental and applied research into healthy foods and biologically active food ingredients. The Journal is centered in the specific area at the boundaries among food technology, nutrition and health welcoming papers having a good interdisciplinary approach. The Journal will cover the fields of plant bioactives; dietary fibre, probiotics; functional lipids; bioactive peptides; vitamins, minerals and botanicals and other dietary supplements. Nutritional and technological aspects related to the development of functional foods and beverages are of core interest to the journal. Experimental works dealing with food digestion, bioavailability of food bioactives and on the mechanisms by which foods and their components are able to modulate physiological parameters connected with disease prevention are of particular interest as well as those dealing with personalized nutrition and nutritional needs in pathological subjects.