Does canine inflammatory bowel disease influence gut microbial profile and host metabolism?
BACKGROUND
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to a diverse group of chronic gastrointestinal diseases, and gut microbial dysbiosis has been proposed as a modulating factor in its pathogenesis. Several studies have investigated the gut microbial ecology of dogs with IBD but it is yet unclear if this microbial profile can alter the nutrient metabolism of the host. The aim of the present study was to characterize the faecal bacterial profile and functionality as well as to determine host metabolic changes in IBD dogs. Twenty-three dogs diagnosed with IBD and ten healthy control dogs were included. Dogs with IBD were given a clinical score using the canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index (CCECAI). Faecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and ammonia concentrations were measured and quantitative PCR was performed. The concentration of plasma amino acids, acylcarnitines, serum folate, cobalamin, and indoxyl sulfate was determined.


RESULTS
No significant differences in the abundance of a selection of bacterial groups and fermentation metabolites were observed between the IBD and control groups. However, significant negative correlations were found between CCECAI and the faecal proportion of Lactobacillus as well as between CCECAI and total SCFA concentration. Serum folate and plasma citrulline were decreased and plasma valine was increased in IBD compared to control dogs. Increased plasma free carnitine and total acylcarnitines were observed in IBD compared with control dogs, whereas short-chain acylcarnitines (butyrylcarnitine + isobutyrylcarnitine and, methylmalonylcarnitine) to free carnitine ratios decreased. Dogs with IBD had a higher 3-hydroxyisovalerylcarnitine + isovalerylcarnitine to leucine ratio compared to control dogs.


CONCLUSIONS
Canine IBD induced a wide range of changes in metabolic profile, especially for the plasma concentrations of short-chain acylcarnitines and amino acids, which could have evolved from tissue damage and alteration in host metabolism. In addition, dogs with more severe IBD were characterised by a decrease in faecal proportion of Lactobacillus.
Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Jia
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8849-2462
J
Xu
Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.|Present Address: Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, N1G 2W1, ON, Canada.
Adronie
A
Verbrugghe
Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Marta
M
Lourenço
Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Geert P J
GP
Janssens
Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Daisy J X
DJ
Liu
Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Tom
T
Van de Wiele
Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Venessa
V
Eeckhaut
Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Filip
F
Van Immerseel
Department of Medicine and Clinical Biology of Small Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Isabel
I
Van de Maele
Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center, Ghent University, Rozier 44, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Yufeng
Y
Niu
Animal Nutrition Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Guido
G
Bosch
Private Small Animal Clinic 'Dierenartsencentrum Hond en Kat', Emiel Clauslaan 134, 9800, Astene, Belgium.
Greet
G
Junius
Laboratory of Metabolic Disorders, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
Brigitte
B
Wuyts
Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium. Myriam.Hesta@UGent.be.
Myriam
M
Hesta
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D007200:Indican / Q000097:blood; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
D000596:Amino Acids; D005492:Folic Acid; D007200:Indican; D014805:Vitamin B 12
Acylcarnitine profile; Butyrate-producing bacteria; Citrulline; Dog; Fermentation; Inflammatory bowel disease; Lactobacillus; Microbiota; Short-chain fatty acid