Saccharomyces boulardii attenuates obesity-associated inflammation and weight gain through coordinated gut ecosystem remodeling

Abstract

The gut microbiome is a key regulator of metabolic homeostasis and contributes to obesity progression through effects on immune signaling, gut barrier integrity, and systemic inflammation. Microbiome-targeted strategies are therefore being explored as complementary approaches to conventional weight-loss therapies. Here, we investigated the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii in a murine model of diet-induced obesity (DIO) using an integrated multi-omics framework combining metabolic phenotyping, gut microbiome profiling, cecal metabolomics, colonic transcriptomics, and portal cytokine analysis. S. boulardii reduced food intake, attenuated weight gain, and increased energy expenditure without major changes in circulating metabolic hormone levels. Microbial diversity remained largely preserved, but selective enrichment of Bacteroidales lineages, including Muribaculaceae, was observed alongside functional remodeling of microbial pathways. Cecal metabolomics revealed increased B-vitamins, betaine, and GABA, with reduced stress-associated metabolites. Colonic transcriptomics showed attenuation of TNF/NF-{kappa}B signaling and enrichment of interferon and epithelial programs, while portal cytokine profiling indicated reduced inflammatory chemokines with trends toward increased IL-17A and IL-22. Integrated multi-omics analysis identified coordinated host-microbe interactions across metabolic, transcriptional, and immune layers. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that S. boulardii modulates the gut-immune-metabolic axis in obesity, supporting microbiome-based interventions as potential adjunct strategies targeting metabolic inflammation.