Obesity is a life-threatening metabolic disorder that predisposes individuals to other diseases. In this study, the effect of
nisin, a bacteriocin produced by some bacteria, on an animal model of
obesity based on selected parameters was investigated. Forty Swiss NIH mice were randomly divided into four groups and received either a placebo (saline) or
nisin (25, 50, or 100 μg/kg, ip) daily for 8 weeks. The mice in all groups were fed a high-
sugar diet throughout the experiment. Bodyweight and food intake were measured weekly, and at the end of the experiment, the levels of FBS, serum
triglyceride,
cholesterol,
high-density lipoprotein,
low-density lipoprotein, and hepatic
enzymes were tested, and red and white blood cell counts,
hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were determined. Finally, the expression levels of some
obesity-related genes, including
stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1),
glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4), zinc finger
protein 423 (zfp423), 422 (ap2), and
tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), were assessed using
reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). After the experiment, the
body weights, abdominal fat, and body mass index were significantly lower in the
nisin-treated groups than in the control group. The highest effect was observed with 50 μg/kg
nisin. The expression of SCD-1, GLUT4, 422(ap2), and TNF-α decreased significantly following treatment with
nisin. No significant differences were observed in the other studied parameters, and no toxic effects were observed for
nisin under these experimental conditions. The results suggested that
nisin could have antiobesity effects.