Clostridium butyricum WL-53 Ameliorates High-Fat-Diet-Induced Obesity and Inflammatory Response in Mice by Regulating the Intestinal Microbiota and Liver Metabolism

This study induced obesity in mice through a high-fat diet (HFD) to investigate the regulatory effects of Clostridium butyricum WL-53 (C. butyricum WL-53) on lipid metabolism and intestinal inflammation. Thirty 6-week-old male C57 mice were randomly divided into three groups: the normal diet group (ND), the high-fat diet group (HFD), and the HFD supplemented with Clostridium butyricum (CB, C. butyricum) group (HFD-CB). The experiment lasted for five weeks. The results demonstrated that mice in the HFD-CB group exhibited significantly alleviated weight gain, reduced fat mass, and decreased hepatic lipid deposition. C. butyricum WL-53 treatment improved serum and hepatic lipid markers (TC, TG), decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β), and increased those of anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10, IL-4). Gut microbiota analysis indicated that HFD reduced microbial diversity and increased the abundance of Firmicutes. Meanwhile, C. butyricum WL-53 intervention reversed these changes and enriched beneficial genera. Metabolomics analysis revealed that C. butyricum WL-53 regulated glycerophospholipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and cAMP signaling pathways, reversing metabolites to ameliorate lipid deposition and inflammation. In summary, C. butyricum WL-53 alleviates HFD-induced obesity and inflammation via gut microbiota modulation and metabolic reprogramming.