High-Dose Inulin Ameliorates Renal Function and Lipid Disorders but Does Not Optimize Gut Microecology in C57BL/6J Mice with Chronic Kidney Disease
Chunhai Shao, Jinshan Yang, Lingli Hu, Yuhuan Wei, Changfei Shi, Jing Wang, Weibing Wang, Yuan CuiAbstract
Based on our clinical trial benefits of soluble dietary fibre in chronic kidney disease (CKD), we investigated the effects of 20% high-dose inulin (INU) in adenine-induced CKD mice. As expected, INU alleviated renal injury, reduced serum creatinine, and downregulated renal expression of inflammatory, fibrotic and STING-related molecules. It also improved serum lipid profiles, upregulated renal lipid metabolism genes, and remodelled serum lipidomic composition. Notably, inulin failed to elevate the main short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) levels or beneficially reshape gut microbiota, and even enriched potential opportunistic pathogens. Therefore, the renoprotective and lipid-regulating effects of high-dose inulin are not primarily mediated by the gut microbiota-SCFAs axis. High-dose inulin ameliorates renal and lipid damage but shows limitations in optimizing gut microecology, providing experimental evidence for rational prebiotic application in CKD.