Impact of microbiota-dependent mechanisms for telmisartan-related weight regulation in mice

Treatment of rodents with the AT1 blocker telmisartan (TEL) has an anti-adipose effect. Among other mechanisms, we attributed the anti-obesity action to diet-independent alterations in gut microbiota. The aim of this study was to confirm the importance of TEL-induced microbiome alteration for weight regulation by using the approach of fecal microbiota transfer (FMT). C57BL/6N mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). 7 weeks after initiating HFD feeding, these acceptor mice received fecal microbiota for 8 weeks from donor mice by oral gavage, continuing HFD feeding. Stool samples came from donor mice that were treated with TEL for 12 weeks (8 mg/kg), thus remaining lean despite HFD feeding. These acceptor mice are hereafter referred to as BL/6>fecesTEL. Controls received feces samples from HFD-fed mice, that were treated with vehicle instead of TEL (BL/6>fecesVEH). Microbiota was analysed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing in stool samples gained after FMT.