Time-restricted feeding induces Lactobacillus- and Akkermansia-specific functional changes in the rat fecal microbiota

Antonio Palomba,Rosangela Sau,Marcello Abbondio,Cristina Fraumene,Ezio Laconi,Sergio Uzzau,Daniela Pagnozzi,Monica Serra,Alessandro Tanca,Fabio Marongiu

doi:10.1038/s41522-021-00256-x

Antonio Palomba, Rosangela Sau + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-021-00256-x

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Abstract

Diet is a key factor influencing gut microbiota (GM) composition and functions, which in turn affect host health. Among dietary regimens, time-restricted (TR) feeding has been associated to numerous health benefits. The impact of TR feeding on the GM composition has been mostly explored by means of metagenomic sequencing. To date, however, little is known about the modulation of GM functions by this dietary regimen. Here, we analyzed the effects of TR feeding on GM functions by evaluating protein expression changes in a rat model through a metaproteomic approach. We observed that TR feeding has a relevant impact on GM functions, specifically leading to an increased abundance of several enzymes involved in carbohydrate and protein metabolism and expressed by Lactobacillus spp. and Akkermansia muciniphila. Taken together, these results contribute to deepening our knowledge about the key relationship between diet, GM, and health.

Highlights

Lifestyle interventions, including changes in diet and increased exercise, result in many health benefits able to prevent various metabolic diseases
We aimed to investigate the effects of genus level), Unipept led to much higher richness levels long-term TR feeding on gut microbiota (GM) protein expression in a rat model, by (e.g., 312 vs. 39 different taxonomic genera detected in the study)
The following protein functions are expressed by Akkermansiaceae/Akkermansia/A. muciniphila were found higher in TR-fed rats: several enzymes, including succinyl-CoA synthetase (TCA cycle), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate deacetylase, and protein deglycase, as well as histone-like

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Lifestyle interventions, including changes in diet and increased exercise, result in many health benefits able to prevent (and enhance treatment of) various metabolic diseases. A basic rationale of this dietary regimen is that the feeding time period should be aligned with internal circadian rhythms, in order to synchronize with the active phase of animal or human metabolism[10,11]. The benefits of this feeding regimen appear to be proportional to fasting duration[6]. GM metabolic processes exert a significant impact on the host physiology, affecting gut mucosa homeostasis and being key to the dynamic reciprocal relationship established between the gut and other host systems In this respect, metaproteomics (unlike metagenomics) can provide reliable information on which biological processes are activated (or repressed) by the GM in response to host or environmental stimuli[25], by measuring.

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