Researchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical garden (XTBG) have previously shown that the insoluble dietary fiber isolated from bamboo shoot Dendrocalamus hamiltonii was the most effective among several commonly consumed dietary fibers in China in suppressing high-fat diet-induced body fat mass accumulation in mice.
Since obesity is linked to insulin resistance and loss of body weight always improves insulin sensitivity, XTBG researchers hypothesized that bamboo shoot fiber is effective in improving insulin sensitivity in high-fat diet-fed mice through activating PGC-1α regardless of bamboo species.
The researchers prepared isoenergenic high-fat diets containing either cellulose, or bamboo shoot fiber from either D. hamiltonii or D. latiforus with the aim to investigate the effect of Bbamboo shoot fiber on insulin sensitivity in high-fat diet-fed mice and to explore underlying molecular mechanisms.
They found that the two representative bamboo shoot fibers from D. hamiltonii and D. latiforus equally suppressed high-fat-diet-induced body weight gain in mice. Bamboo shoot fiber improved glycemic control and insulin sensitivity. At the molecular level, BSF enhanced insulin signaling measured by phosphorylated Akt. Moreover, BSF also induced elevated expression of PGC-1αand more phosphorylation of AMP K and p38.
“This is the first time demonstration of the sensitizing effect of bamboo shoot fiber on insulin signaling and activation of PGC-1 activation by bamboo shoot fiber”, said Dr. LI Xiufen, the first author of the study.
“Bamboo shoot fiber is a novel dietary fiber. We suggest it be used as an ingredient of functional foods for controlling insulin resistance and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes”, said Prof. ZHANG Ping, correspondence author of the study.
The research entitled “Bamboo shoot fiber improves insulin sensitivity in high-fat diet-fed mice” has been published in Journal of Functional Foods.
Contact
ZHANG Ping Ph.D Principal Investigator
Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun 666303, Yunnan, China
E-mail: zhangping@xtbg.org.cn
Bamboo shoot fiber improves insulin sensitivity in high-fat diet-fed mice.
(Images by LI Xiufen)
