Bioactive Compounds from Lactic Acid Bacterial (LAB) Fermented Products Modulate Metabolic Parameters and mRNA Expression of Adipogenic and Inflammatory Genes in Obese Mice

Obesity, characterized by excessive fat accumulation, is a growing global health concern, often leading to metabolic dysfunctions. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermented foods are known to exhibit potential therapeutic benefits for various metabolic disorders. This study investigates the effects of bioactive compounds derived from LAB-fermented products on metabolic parameters and adipogenic gene expression in obese mice. Fermented products of locally isolated strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus LB-CARS1 and Lactobacillus acidophilus ST-CARS2 were subjected to the identification of chemical compounds by GC-MS analysis. The compounds were docked against several proteins including acetyl CoA carboxylase 1,2 (ACC1,2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ), glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and sterol response element binding proteins (SREBPs). Obesity was developed in mice through a high-fat diet, and the animals were subsequently treated with LAB-fermented products. Key metabolic parameters such as body weight, serum lipids, and hepatic enzyme level were measured alongside mRNA expression of adipogenic and inflammatory genes such as PPAR-γ, IL-6, GLUT-4, and TNF-α. The GC-MS analysis identified a total of 105 compounds in the two types of fermented milk, among which 11 compounds exhibited strong binding affinities to ACC1,2, TNF-α, PPAR-γ, GLUT-4, IL-6, and SREBP, demonstrating favorable binding energies in silico. Moreover, our study revealed a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.05) in body weight, abdominal fat weight, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, as well as AST and ALT levels following administration of the fermented products in obese mice. Additionally, the fermented products significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the mRNA expression of key genes associated with obesity and inflammation, including PPAR-γ, GLUT-4, IL-6, and TNF-α. These findings suggest that bioactive compounds from LAB-fermented products offer a promising strategy to mitigate obesity-related metabolic disturbances by targeting adipogenesis and lipid metabolism.