P315 Short-chain fatty acid profile in inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Abstract Background Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are products of colonic bacterial degradation of dietary fibre. They are important in the colon, affecting the morphology and function of colonocytes. SCFAs consist of a molecule with one to six carbons, of which acetate, propionate and butyrate are the most abundant. In recent decades, it has become apparent that SCFAs can play a key role in the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome, intestinal disorders and certain cancers. Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are characterised by recurrent chronic intestinal inflammation, probably due to an inadequate immune response coupled with intestinal microbiota imbalance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the profile of SCFA in patients with UC and CD, and compared with non-ill individuals. Methods The individuals were divided into three groups: RCU, CD and control, the faeces were donated by them, and the SCFAs were measured by chromatographic analysis using a Thermo Scientific GC-MS coupled to a Thermo ISQ 230ST mass detector. All results are expressed as mean ± SEM. Results It was possible to observe a different SCFAs profile between individuals with CD and UC and control where acetate and propionate levels in patients with UC and CD were higher than in non-sick individuals and butyrate with lower levels in individuals with CD and RCU (Graph 1). SCFAs have anti-inflammatory capabilities and also a preferred energy source for colon epithelial cells, as well as lowering the pH of the colon and inhibiting the growth of pathogenic organisms. Dysbiosis decreases butyrate concentrations, which may result in nutrient deficiency at the epithelial level, altering immune responses, as well as acting directly as an anti-inflammatory agent by disabling the NFκB pathway, with a consequent decrease in inflammatory cytokine synthesis. Conclusion Thus, the reported results have implications for various physiological and pathological conditions in inflammatory bowel diseases, especially with respect to butyrate and the production of inflammatory mediators, and partly explain the beneficial effects attributed to this fatty acid in the treatment of inflammatory and inflammatory diseases support the realisation of new studies aimed at the development of therapeutic alternatives to the use of conventional anti-inflammatory drugs.