Alcohol induced alterations to the human fecal VOC metabolome.
Studies have shown that excessive alcohol consumption impacts the intestinal microbiota composition, causing disruption of homeostasis (dysbiosis). However, this observed change is not indicative of the dysbiotic intestinal microbiota function that could result in the production of injurious and toxic products. Thus, knowledge of the effects of alcohol on the intestinal microbiota function and their metabolites is warranted, in order to better understand the role of the intestinal microbiota in alcohol associated organ failure. Here, we report the results of a differential metabolomic analysis comparing volatile organic compounds (VOC) detected in the stool of alcoholics and non-alcoholic healthy controls. We performed the analysis with fecal samples collected after passage as well as with samples collected directly from the sigmoid lumen. Regardless of the approach to fecal collection, we found a stool VOC metabolomic signature in alcoholics that is different from healthy controls. The most notable metabolite alterations in the alcoholic samples include: (1) an elevation in the oxidative stress biomarker tetradecane; (2) a decrease in five fatty alcohols with anti-oxidant property; (3) a decrease in the short chain fatty acids propionate and isobutyrate, important in maintaining intestinal epithelial cell health and barrier integrity; (4) a decrease in alcohol consumption natural suppressant caryophyllene; (5) a decrease in natural product and hepatic steatosis attenuator camphene; and (6) decreased dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide, microbial products of decomposition. Our results showed that intestinal microbiota function is altered in alcoholics which might promote alcohol associated pathologies.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America.
Robin D
RD
Couch
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America.
Allyson
A
Dailey
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America.
Fatima
F
Zaidi
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, United States of America.
Karl
K
Navarro
Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America; Department of Biochemistry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
Christopher B
CB
Forsyth
Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
Ece
E
Mutlu
Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
Phillip A
PA
Engen
Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America; Department of Molecular Biophysics and Physiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America; Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Ali
A
Keshavarzian
D000328:Adult; D000473:Alkanes / Q000378:metabolism; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004220:Disulfides / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D005233:Fatty Alcohols / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055442:Metabolome / Q000187:drug effects*; D064307:Microbiota / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D000081223:Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000378:metabolism; D013440:Sulfides / Q000378:metabolism; D013729:Terpenes / Q000378:metabolism; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D000473:Alkanes; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D004220:Disulfides; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D005233:Fatty Alcohols; D000081223:Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D013440:Sulfides; D013729:Terpenes; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; C024713:n-tetradecane; C054170:dimethyl trisulfide; D000431:Ethanol; C021181:dimethyl disulfide; C024714:caryophyllene; C019286:camphene