Cell Biotech Publishes Study on Liver Fat Improvement with CBT Probiotics

Cell Biotech has identified the biological mechanisms through which a combination of the patented probiotic strains CBT-BR3 (KCTC 12201BP) and CBT-LP3 (KCTC 10782BP), used in its highly viable probiotic brand DUOLAC, inhibits fat accumulation in the liver and may contribute to the improvement of fatty liver disease.

The study was jointly conducted by Cell Biotech’s R&D Center and the World Institute of Kimchi, a government-funded research institute. The findings were published in the SCI(E)-indexed international journal JMB (Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology).

The significance of this study lies in the expansion of Cell Biotech’s ongoing research into obesity and body fat metabolism, based on CBT-BR3 and CBT-LP3, to the area of hepatic fat accumulation. Cell Biotech had previously confirmed the weight-loss effects of these two CBT probiotic strains in overweight and obese dogs. In the present study, the company analyzed the specific mechanisms of action involved in hepatic fat accumulation and lipogenesis through cell-based and animal experiments.

First, the effects of the CBT probiotics were evaluated using a human liver cell-derived model (HepG2) in which fat accumulation had been induced. Treatment with the combination of CBT-BR3 and CBT-LP3 reduced intracellular fat accumulation. The expression of key proteins involved in lipogenesis was also found to decrease.

Next, mice with diet-induced obesity were orally administered the CBT probiotics for six weeks. The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of ▲body weight and body composition ▲liver, abdominal fat, and subcutaneous fat weights ▲lipid droplets in liver cells ▲blood lipid and liver function-related markers ▲metabolic hormones ▲the expression of genes involved in hepatic lipogenesis.

The results showed that, compared with the control group, the CBT probiotic treatment group experienced reductions of 10.8% in body weight, 16.4% in body fat, and 41.7% in abdominal fat. Liver weight associated with fatty liver also decreased by 41.1%, indicating an overall reduction in body fat and hepatic fat accumulation.

In particular, analysis of lipid droplets accumulated in liver cells following tissue staining revealed an average of 360 droplets in the control group, compared with 132 in the high-dose CBT probiotic group. This represents a 63.3% reduction compared with the control group, suggesting that the CBT probiotics may help inhibit fat accumulation in liver cells under obese conditions.

Molecular-level changes associated with lipogenesis were also observed. In the CBT probiotic treatment group, the expression of genes involved in hepatic lipogenesis (Srebp1c, Pparγ, Cebpα, Acc, and Fas) decreased by an average of 59.7%. In addition, AST and ALT, markers related to liver function, were 39% and 46.1% lower, respectively. Metabolic hormones, including leptin and the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio, also decreased significantly, indicating an overall trend toward improved metabolic conditions.

CBT-LP3, which demonstrated potential for regulating body weight and fat metabolism and improving fatty liver, was isolated from kimchi, while CBT-BR3 was derived from a newborn infant. Both strains hold individual patents related to obesity and metabolism and are listed under the FDA’s safety recognition program, FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe). These strains are incorporated into key DUOLAC products.

A representative of Cell Biotech’s R&D Center said, “Fatty liver disease often presents no clear symptoms in its early stages. However, if left unmanaged, it can lead to deteriorating liver health and may be associated with various metabolic diseases, including obesity and diabetes. Active management is therefore important. Through this study, we confirmed the potential of the combined CBT-LP3 and CBT-BR3 probiotics to inhibit the processes involved in hepatic fat production and accumulation and contribute to improving the metabolic environment.”

The representative added, “Following our previous findings on reductions in body weight and body fat, this study is particularly significant in that it also identified the inhibition of hepatic fat accumulation, regulation of genes associated with lipogenesis, and changes in metabolic hormones. Moving forward, Cell Biotech will continue to scientifically investigate the potential of the microbiome across various metabolic health areas, including obesity and fatty liver disease, based on its proprietary CBT strains, while continuing to develop differentiated probiotic solutions.”