Dietary Fermentation Product of Aspergillus Oryzae Prevents Increases in Gastrointestinal Permeability (‘Leaky Gut’) in Horses Undergoing Combined Transport and Exercise.
Abstract: Equine leaky gut syndrome is characterized by gastrointestinal hyperpermeability and may be associated with adverse health effects in horses. The purpose was to evaluate the effects of a prebiotic Aspergillus oryzae product (SUPP) on stress-induced gastrointestinal hyperpermeability. Eight horses received a diet containing SUPP (0.02 g/kg BW) or an unsupplemented diet (CO) (n = 4 per group) for 28 days. On Days 0 and 28, horses were intubated with an indigestible marker of gastrointestinal permeability (iohexol). Half the horses from each feeding group underwent 60 min of transport by trailer immediately followed by a moderate-intensity exercise bout of 30 min (EX), and the remaining horses stayed in stalls as controls (SED). Blood was sampled before iohexol, immediately after trailering, and at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 h post-exercise. At the end of the feeding period, horses were washed out for 28 days before being assigned to the opposite feeding group, and the study was replicated. Blood was analyzed for iohexol (HPLC), lipopolysaccharide (ELISA), and serum amyloid A (latex agglutination assay). Data were analyzed using three-way and two-way ANOVA. On Day 0, the combined challenge of trailer transport and exercise significantly increased plasma iohexol in both feeding groups; this increase was not seen in SED horses. On Day 28, EX increased plasma iohexol only in the CO feeding group; this increase was completely prevented by the provision of SUPP. It is concluded that combined transport and exercise induce gastrointestinal hyperpermeability. Dietary SUPP prevents this and therefore may be a useful prophylactic for pathologies associated with gastrointestinal hyperpermeability in horses.
Publication Date: 2023-03-06 PubMed ID: 36899808PubMed Central: PMC10000214DOI: 10.3390/ani13050951Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research study focused on how the dietary supplement derived from Aspergillus oryzae (SUPP), a type of fungus, can help prevent the increase in gastrointestinal permeability, commonly known as ‘leaky gut’, in horses subjected to both transport and exercise.
Objectives and Methodology
- The main aim was to determine the impact of a prebiotic product (SUPP) on stress-induced gastrointestinal hyperpermeability in horses. To achieve this, they conducted an experiment involving eight horses.
- These horses were divided into two groups: one received a diet containing SUPP at a dose of 0.02 g/kg body weight, the other received an unsupplemented diet as a control group.
- The experiment lasted for 28 days. On Days 0 and 28, the horses’ gastrointestinal permeability was evaluated via an indigestible marker, iohexol.
- Half the horses from each group underwent a combined challenge of transport and exercise and the remaining stayed at the stalls without any physical exertion.
- Plasma iohexol, lipopolysaccharide, and serum amyloid A levels were analyzed from blood sampled at different intervals during the study.
Findings of the study
- On Day 0, the combination of transport and exercise significantly increased plasma iohexol (indicator of leaky gut) levels in both diet groups.
- This increase was absent in horses that were not subjected to transport or exercise.
- On Day 28, only the control group (which did not receive the SUPP supplement) showed a significant increase in plasma iohexol during transport and exercise.
- Horses given the SUPP supplement did not show an increase in plasma iohexol, suggesting that the supplement was able to prevent stress-induced gastrointestinal hyperpermeability.
Conclusion
- The combination of transport and exercise increases gastrointestinal hyperpermeability in horses. However, this can be effectively prevented by introducing SUPP in the horse’s diet.
- This suggests that SUPP could be a potential solution for diseases associated with gastrointestinal hyperpermeability or ‘leaky gut’ in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
McGilloway M, Manley S, Aho A, Heeringa KN, Whitacre L, Lou Y, Squires EJ, Pearson W.
(2023).
Dietary Fermentation Product of Aspergillus Oryzae Prevents Increases in Gastrointestinal Permeability (‘Leaky Gut’) in Horses Undergoing Combined Transport and Exercise.
Animals (Basel), 13(5).
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050951 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
- BioZyme Inc., St. Joseph, MO 64504, USA.
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
Grant Funding
- 054839 / BioZyme (United States)
- UG-T2-2020-100854 / Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Conflict of Interest Statement
This study received funding from Biozyme Inc. L.W. is employed by Biozyme Inc. and had the following involvement in the study and writing—review and editing. All other authors declare no competing interests.
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Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Schank N, Cottone A, Wulf M, Seiter K, Thomas B, Miller LMJ, Anderson SL, Sahyoun A, Abidi AH, Kassan M, Verma A. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) in Colic and Anti-Inflammatory Pathways in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2025 Dec 3;15(23).
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