Abstract
To further elaborate interactions between nutrition, gut microbiota and host health, an animal model to simulate changes in microbial composition and activity due to dietary changes similar to those in humans is needed. Therefore, the impact of two different diets on cecal and colonic microbial gene copies and metabolic activity, organ development and biochemical parameters in blood serum was investigated using a pig model. Four pigs were either fed a low-fat/high-fiber (LF), or a high-fat/low-fiber (HF) diet for seven weeks, with both diets being isocaloric. A hypotrophic effect of the HF diet on digestive organs could be observed compared to the LF diet (p < 0.05). Higher gene copy numbers of Bacteroides (p < 0.05) and Enterobacteriaceae (p < 0.001) were present in intestinal contents of HF pigs, bifidobacteria were more abundant in LF pigs (p < 0.05). Concentrations of acetate and butyrate were higher in LF pigs (p < 0.05). Glucose was higher in HF pigs, while glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) showed higher concentrations upon feeding the LF diet (p < 0.001). However, C-reactive protein (CRP) decreased with time in LF pigs (p < 0.05). In part, these findings correspond to those in humans, and are in support of the concept of using the pig as human model.
Highlights
Growing attention has been paid to the role of diet, macronutrients, affecting composition and metabolic activity of the human gut microbiota, thereby possibly affecting health, as recently reviewed, for example, by Conlon and Bird [1]
It has to be mentioned that high protein diets are increasingly recommended as major management strategy for weight control in overweight and obese individuals, if combined with exercise [51,52,53], since they appear to be effective regarding reductions in appetite, body mass, fat mass and retention of lean mass, at least in the short term [54,55]
The use of the pig as human model that can be supplied with dietary ingredients similar to those used in human nutrition appears to be a promising approach
Summary
Growing attention has been paid to the role of diet, macronutrients, affecting composition and metabolic activity of the human gut microbiota, thereby possibly affecting health, as recently reviewed, for example, by Conlon and Bird [1]. Dietary means have proven to be efficient in preserving a healthy gut microbiota population [1], both in terms of short- and long-term effects [3]. Several bacteria such as species of the Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium genera [4], or Faecalibacterium prausnitzii [5] have shown beneficial effects on the health of humans and animals, and are recognized as biomarkers of intestinal health. The Enterobacteriaceae family for example is rather considered to be detrimental for both the human and animal host because of their pathogenic members (e.g., enterotoxic Escherichia coli and Shigella) [6,7].
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