Effects of fullerene C60 supplementation on gut microbiota and glucose and lipid homeostasis in rats

Abstract

The effects of twelve weeks of supplementation with fullerene C60 olive/coconut oil solution on a broad spectrum of parameters in rats were examined. The tissue bioaccumulation of C60 was shown to be tissue-specific, with the liver, heart, and adrenal glands being the organs of the greatest, and the kidney, brain, and spleen being the organs of the smallest accumulation. C60 did not change aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase serum activities level, nor the damage of liver cells DNA. There were no effects of fullerene on prooxidant-antioxidant balance in the liver, kidney, spleen, heart, and brain, nor any visible harmful effects on the liver, heart, aorta, spleen, kidney, and small intestine histology. Fullerene changed the gut microbiota structure towards the bacteria that ameliorate lipid homeostasis, causing a serum triglycerides concentration decrease. However, C60 significantly increased the insulin resistance, serum ascorbate oxidation, and brain malondialdehyde and advanced oxidation protein products level. The deteriorative effects of C60 on the brain and serum could be attributed to the specific physicochemical composition of these tissues, potentiating the C60 aggregation or biotransformation as the key element of its pro-oxidative action.