Oils from tenebrio molitor and hermetia illucens prevent binge alcohol-induced gut leakiness and hepatic inflammation

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major chronic liver disease worldwide and it arouses simple steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis and cirrhosis, possibly through leaky gut and systemic endotoxemia. This study investigated whether the insects oils from larvae of mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) or black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) could protect against binge alcohol-induced gut leakiness, endotoxemia, and fatty liver damage. After pretreatment of the insect larvae oils of mealworm or black soldier fly for 14 days, mice were exposed to 3 oral doses of binge alcohol (6 g/kg/dose) or dextrose (as control) at 12 h intervals. Binge alcohol exposure induced leaky gut with significantly elevated plasma endotoxin and inflammatory fatty liver by increasing the levels of ethanol-inducible CYP2E1, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and nitrated proteins in the small intestine and liver. The insect larvae oils of mealworm or black soldier fly significantly reduced the alcohol-induced gut barrier dysfunction, plasma endotoxin and inflammatory liver disease by inhibiting the elevated oxidative and nitrative stress marker proteins. The insect larvae oils of mealworm or black soldier fly significantly restored the levels of intestinal tight junction (TJ) protein (ZO-1) and adherent junction (AJ) protein (β-catenin) markedly diminished after alcohol-exposure. This is the first report that the insect oils from larvae of mealworm or black soldier fly could prevent alcohol-induced gut leakiness and fatty liver damage.