Dietary glucoraphenin ameliorates obesity and steatotic liver disease associated with gut dysbiosis induced by a Western diet in mice

Western-style diets promote obesity, gut dysbiosis, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). In this study, glucoraphenin (GRE), the major glucosinolate in radish (Raphanus sativus L.) greens and sprouts, was evaluated for its effects on Western diet (WD)-induced metabolic derangements and gut dysfunction in mice. Intaking of 1 mg/kg body weight of GRE with WD for 8 weeks caused significant reductions in adipogenesis indicators such as body weight gains, adipocyte hypertrophy, and serum leptin level. This result was further proved by significant changes in lipogenesis and lipolysis-related protein expressions in adipocyte. Administration of GRE also suppressed development of MASLD, which was observed through reductions in serum ALT and AST and suppressions the expression of FAS, SREBP1, mTOR, SCD1, ACC, and ChREBP in liver tissues. GRE administration effectively prevented the decrease in the gut microbial richness and diversity caused by WD and recovered serum branched-chain amino acids and microbiota-derived purine metabolites (inosine and hypoxanthine). These findings indicate that GRE mitigates WD-induced obesity and MASLD via coordinated regulation of lipid metabolism and the gut-liver axis.