Abstract:The effects of palm kernel oil-2 monounsaturated fatty acid (OPO) on short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) levels in different segments of mouse intestine and its underlying mechanisms were investigated. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group, low-dose OPO group (LOPO, 2.25%), and high-dose OPO group (HOPO, 9.00%). After 4 weeks of feeding, SCFAs levels in different intestinal segments were measured, and metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of OPO intervention on intestinal metabolic networks and gene expression. The results showed that OPO intervention significantly increased SCFAs content in the jejunum and colon, especially acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which were increased up to 115.59%, 273.71%, and 188.74% respectively under HOPO intervention. However, in the ileum, acetate and butyrate levels in the high-dose OPO group were significantly reduced to 39.26% and 44.79%. Metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses revealed that OPO intervention significantly affected pathways related to lipid metabolism, digestion and absorption, and signal transduction, with the "fat digestion and absorption" pathway being highly enriched. This study demonstrated that OPO intervention optimizes intestinal digestion and absorption processes, dose-dependently increases SCFAs levels in different regions of the mouse intestine (especially in the jejunum and colon), thereby providing a theoretical basis for intervention strategies promoting host metabolic health.
