Phascolarctobacterium faecium supresses food intake through a PYY-mediated mechanism contributing to prevent diet-induced obesity in male mice

The human intestinal bacterial strain Phascolarctobacterium faecium DSM 32890 prevents obesity in mice, although whether this effect is attributed to feeding behavior changes remains unknown. We investigated this question in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity. Orally administered, P. faecium reduced food intake from early stages of obesity, an effect that required PYY oversecretion. We also showed that the branched chain amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine, more abundant in cecum after P. faecium-intervention, and the bacterium itself act as PYY secretagogues on neuroendocrine cells culture. A pair-feeding experiment demonstrated that, although the anorexigenic effect of P. faecium contributes to its metabolic benefits, it is not the only pathway involved. Accelerated gut transit and attenuated intestinal lipid absorption induced by the bacterium limited adiposity independently of food intake.