Multidimensional Approach for Investigating the Effects of an Antibiotic-Probiotic Combination on the Equine Hindgut Ecosystem and Microbial Fibrolysis.
Abstract: The equine hindgut ecosystem is specialized in dietary fibers' fermentation to provide horses' energy and contribute to its health. Nevertheless, antibiotics are known to disrupt the hindgut microbiota, affecting the fibrolytic activity of bacteria and the intestinal immune balance, leading to diseases. This study used a general and comprehensive approach for characterizing the hindgut ecosystem of 9 healthy horses over 28 days in response to a 5-day challenge with oral trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (TMS), with a special emphasis on microbial fibrolytic activity and the host immune response. Horses were supplemented with two doses of , (formerly ), and blend or a placebo in a 3 × 3 Latin square design. Changes in fecal microbiota were investigated using 16S rRNA sequencing. was quantified in feces using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Anaerobic microbiological culture was used to enumerate functional bacterial groups (cellulolytic, amylolytic, and lactic acid-utilizing). The environmental dimensions were assessed by measuring the concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and lactic acid using biochemical methods, and changes in pH and dry matter weight. Systemic and local inflammation was evaluated by determination of cytokine and immunoglobulin (Ig)A concentrations in the serum and secretory IgA (SIgA) concentrations in the feces using immuno-enzymatic methods. Oral TMS treatment strongly altered the whole hindgut ecosystem by 2 days after the first administration. Bacterial diversity decreased in proportion to the relative abundance of fibrolytic genera, which coincided with the decrease in the concentration of cellulolytic bacteria. At the same time, the composition of microbiota members was reorganized in terms of relative abundances, probably to support the alteration in fibrolysis. DNA was not found in these horses, but the relative abundances of several potential pathobiont genera increased. 2 days after the first TMS administration, fecal concentrations of VFAs and SIgA increased in parallel with fecal water content, suggesting an alteration of the integrity of the hindgut mucosa. Recovery in bacterial composition, functions, and immune biomarkers took 2-9 days after the end of TMS administration. Supplementation with this bacterial blend did not limit bacterial alteration but might have interesting mucosal immunomodulatory effects.
Copyright © 2021 Collinet, Grimm, Julliand and Julliand.
Publication Date: 2021-03-25 PubMed ID: 33841371PubMed Central: PMC8027512DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.646294Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research aims to investigate how an antibiotic-probiotic combination impacts the gut ecosystem in horses, particularly the microbial activity related to fiber digestion. The study assessed effects on nine healthy horses over 28 days, focusing on implications for the horse’s immune response and fibrolytic action of bacteria in the hindgut.
Research Methodology
- The research utilized a comprehensive approach to understand the horse’s hindgut ecosystem, with a focus on the bacterial activity converting dietary fibers to energy—critical for the horse’s health and well-being.
- The study involved nine horses in good health over a period of 28 days. During this period, the horses received a 5-day dose of an antibiotic called trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (TMS).
- Added to the horse’s diet was a blend of three different types of bacteria, delivered in two different doses or a placebo, under a 3×3 Latin square design to control the variables.
- Key to the study were measurements of microbial changes, evidenced through 16S rRNA sequencing. The changes in environmental conditions such as lactic acid and volatile fatty acids concentration, fecal matter pH, and dryness were assessed.
- Immune response markers and inflammation signals, like cytokines, IgA concentration in serum, and SIgA in feces, were also recorded using immuno-enzymatic methods.
Findings & Conclusion
- The analysis indicated that the TMS antibiotic substantially altered the hindgut ecosystem by the second day after administration. This included a decrease in bacterial diversity and the prevalence of bacteria involved in fiber digestion.
- The composition of microbiota members was reorganized in response to this alteration, possibly in an attempt to support fibrolysis.
- Markers of inflammation also pointed towards alterations in the hindgut’s mucosal integrity. This was inferred from the increased fecal concentrations of volatile fatty acids, secretory IgA, and the content of water in feces.
- Recovery in the bacterial composition, its functions, and immune biomarkers took between 2 to 9 days after the end of the antibiotic administration.
- The supplementation with probiotics did not significantly limit the changes caused by the antibiotics, but it seemed to have positive effects on mucosal immune modulation, which could be a topic for future studies.
Cite This Article
APA
Collinet A, Grimm P, Julliand S, Julliand V.
(2021).
Multidimensional Approach for Investigating the Effects of an Antibiotic-Probiotic Combination on the Equine Hindgut Ecosystem and Microbial Fibrolysis.
Front Microbiol, 12, 646294.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.646294 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Lab To Field, Dijon, France.
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, AgroSup Dijon, PAM UMR A 02.102, Dijon, France.
- Lab To Field, Dijon, France.
- Lab To Field, Dijon, France.
- Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, AgroSup Dijon, PAM UMR A 02.102, Dijon, France.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
References
This article includes 60 references
- Aguilera M, Cerdà-Cuéllar M, Martínez V. Antibiotic-induced dysbiosis alters host-bacterial interactions and leads to colonic sensory and motor changes in mice.. Gut Microbes 2015;6(1):10-23.
- Andrade ME, Araújo RS, de Barros PA, Soares AD, Abrantes FA, Generoso Sde V, Fernandes SO, Cardoso VN. The role of immunomodulators on intestinal barrier homeostasis in experimental models.. Clin Nutr 2015 Dec;34(6):1080-7.
- Arnold CE, Isaiah A, Pilla R, Lidbury J, Coverdale JS, Callaway TR, Lawhon SD, Steiner J, Suchodolski JS. The cecal and fecal microbiomes and metabolomes of horses before and after metronidazole administration.. PLoS One 2020;15(5):e0232905.
- Bandelj P, Logar K, Usenik AM, Vengust M, Ocepek M. An improved qPCR protocol for rapid detection and quantification of Clostridium difficile in cattle feces.. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2013 Apr;341(2):115-21.
- Bedford A, Gong J. Implications of butyrate and its derivatives for gut health and animal production.. Anim Nutr 2018 Jun;4(2):151-159.
- Belkaid Y, Harrison OJ. Homeostatic Immunity and the Microbiota.. Immunity 2017 Apr 18;46(4):562-576.
- Biddle A, Stewart L, Blanchard J, Leschine S. Untangling the genetic basis of fibrolytic specialization by lachnospiraceae and ruminococcaceae in diverse gut communities. Diversity 5 627–640.
- Binder HJ. Role of colonic short-chain fatty acid transport in diarrhea.. Annu Rev Physiol 2010;72:297-313.
- Brüssow H. Problems with the concept of gut microbiota dysbiosis.. Microb Biotechnol 2020 Mar;13(2):423-434.
- Bryant M P, Burkey L A. Cultural methods and some characteristics of some of the more numerous groups of bacteria in the bovine rumen. J. Dairy Sci. 36 205–217.
- Chng KR, Ghosh TS, Tan YH, Nandi T, Lee IR, Ng AHQ, Li C, Ravikrishnan A, Lim KM, Lye D, Barkham T, Raman K, Chen SL, Chai L, Young B, Gan YH, Nagarajan N. Metagenome-wide association analysis identifies microbial determinants of post-antibiotic ecological recovery in the gut.. Nat Ecol Evol 2020 Sep;4(9):1256-1267.
- Costa MC, Stämpfli HR, Arroyo LG, Allen-Vercoe E, Gomes RG, Weese JS. Changes in the equine fecal microbiota associated with the use of systemic antimicrobial drugs.. BMC Vet Res 2015 Feb 3;11:19.
- Diab SS, Songer G, Uzal FA. Clostridium difficile infection in horses: a review.. Vet Microbiol 2013 Nov 29;167(1-2):42-9.
- Francino MP. Antibiotics and the Human Gut Microbiome: Dysbioses and Accumulation of Resistances.. Front Microbiol 2015;6:1543.
- Furusawa Y, Obata Y, Fukuda S, Endo TA, Nakato G, Takahashi D, Nakanishi Y, Uetake C, Kato K, Kato T, Takahashi M, Fukuda NN, Murakami S, Miyauchi E, Hino S, Atarashi K, Onawa S, Fujimura Y, Lockett T, Clarke JM, Topping DL, Tomita M, Hori S, Ohara O, Morita T, Koseki H, Kikuchi J, Honda K, Hase K, Ohno H. Commensal microbe-derived butyrate induces the differentiation of colonic regulatory T cells.. Nature 2013 Dec 19;504(7480):446-50.
- Grazul H, Kanda LL, Gondek D. Impact of probiotic supplements on microbiome diversity following antibiotic treatment of mice.. Gut Microbes 2016;7(2):101-14.
- Grimm P, Combes S, Pascal G, Cauquil L, Julliand V. Dietary composition and yeast/microalgae combination supplementation modulate the microbial ecosystem in the caecum, colon and faeces of horses.. Br J Nutr 2020 Feb 28;123(4):372-382.
- Grimm P, Philippeau C, Julliand V. Faecal parameters as biomarkers of the equine hindgut microbial ecosystem under dietary change.. Animal 2017 Jul;11(7):1136-1145.
- HALLIWELL G, BRYANT MP. THE CELLULOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF PURE STRAINS OF BACTERIA FROM THE RUMEN OF CATTLE.. J Gen Microbiol 1963 Sep;32:441-8.
- Harlow BE, Lawrence LM, Flythe MD. Diarrhea-associated pathogens, lactobacilli and cellulolytic bacteria in equine feces: responses to antibiotic challenge.. Vet Microbiol 2013 Sep 27;166(1-2):225-32.
- Harris PA, Ellis AD, Fradinho MJ, Jansson A, Julliand V, Luthersson N, Santos AS, Vervuert I. Review: Feeding conserved forage to horses: recent advances and recommendations.. Animal 2017 Jun;11(6):958-967.
- Huang CB, Xiao L, Xing SC, Chen JY, Yang YW, Zhou Y, Chen W, Liang JB, Mi JD, Wang Y, Wu YB, Liao XD. The microbiota structure in the cecum of laying hens contributes to dissimilar H(2)S production.. BMC Genomics 2019 Oct 23;20(1):770.
- Hungate R E, Macy J. The roll-tube method for cultivation of strict anaerobes. Bull. from Ecol. Res. Comm. 17 123–126.
- Jirsova Z, Heczkova M, Dankova H, Malinska H, Videnska P, Vespalcova H, Micenkova L, Bartonova L, Sticova E, Lodererova A, Prefertusová L, Sekerkova A, Hradecky J, Cahova M. The Effect of Butyrate-Supplemented Parenteral Nutrition on Intestinal Defence Mechanisms and the Parenteral Nutrition-Induced Shift in the Gut Microbiota in the Rat Model.. Biomed Res Int 2019;2019:7084734.
- Jouany J P. Volatile fatty acid and alcohol determination in digestive contents, silage juices, bacterial cultures and anaerobic fermentor contents. Sci. Aliments 2 131–144.
- Julliand V, De Fombelle A, Varloud M. Starch digestion in horses: the impact of feed processing. Livest. Sci. 100 44–52.
- Julliand V, Grimm P. HORSE SPECIES SYMPOSIUM: The microbiome of the horse hindgut: History and current knowledge.. J Anim Sci 2016 Jun;94(6):2262-74.
- Julliand V, Grimm P. The impact of diet on the hindgut microbiome. J. Equine Sci. 52 23–28.
- Kawamoto S, Maruya M, Kato LM, Suda W, Atarashi K, Doi Y, Tsutsui Y, Qin H, Honda K, Okada T, Hattori M, Fagarasan S. Foxp3(+) T cells regulate immunoglobulin a selection and facilitate diversification of bacterial species responsible for immune homeostasis.. Immunity 2014 Jul 17;41(1):152-65.
- Lange K, Buerger M, Stallmach A, Bruns T. Effects of Antibiotics on Gut Microbiota.. Dig Dis 2016;34(3):260-8.
- Lankelma JM, Belzer C, Hoogendijk AJ, de Vos AF, de Vos WM, van der Poll T, Wiersinga WJ. Antibiotic-Induced Gut Microbiota Disruption Decreases TNF-α Release by Mononuclear Cells in Healthy Adults.. Clin Transl Gastroenterol 2016 Aug 4;7(8):e186.
- Larsen JM. The immune response to Prevotella bacteria in chronic inflammatory disease.. Immunology 2017 Aug;151(4):363-374.
- Lawley TD, Walker AW. Intestinal colonization resistance.. Immunology 2013 Jan;138(1):1-11.
- Lawson PA, Citron DM, Tyrrell KL, Finegold SM. Reclassification of Clostridium difficile as Clostridioides difficile (Hall and O'Toole 1935) Prévot 1938.. Anaerobe 2016 Aug;40:95-9.
- Levy M, Kolodziejczyk AA, Thaiss CA, Elinav E. Dysbiosis and the immune system.. Nat Rev Immunol 2017 Apr;17(4):219-232.
- Liew WP, Mohd-Redzwan S, Than LTL. Gut Microbiota Profiling of Aflatoxin B1-Induced Rats Treated with Lactobacillus casei Shirota.. Toxins (Basel) 2019 Jan 17;11(1).
- Lindenberg F, Krych L, Fielden J, Kot W, Frøkiær H, van Galen G, Nielsen DS, Hansen AK. Expression of immune regulatory genes correlate with the abundance of specific Clostridiales and Verrucomicrobia species in the equine ileum and cecum.. Sci Rep 2019 Sep 3;9(1):12674.
- McGorum B C, Pirie R S. Antimicrobial associated diarrhoea in the horse. Part 1: overview, pathogenesis and risk factors. Equine Vet. Educ. 21 610–616.
- McGorum B C, Pirie R S. Antimicrobial associated diarrhoea in the horse. Part 2: which antimicrobials are associated with AAD in the horse?. Equine Vet. Educ. 22 43–50.
- Olofsson KM, Hjertner B, Fossum C, Press CM, Lindberg R. Expression of T helper type 17 (Th17)-associated cytokines and toll-like receptor 4 and their correlation with Foxp3 positive cells in rectal biopsies of horses with clinical signs of inflammatory bowel disease.. Vet J 2015 Oct;206(1):97-104.
- Penders J, Vink C, Driessen C, London N, Thijs C, Stobberingh EE. Quantification of Bifidobacterium spp., Escherichia coli and Clostridium difficile in faecal samples of breast-fed and formula-fed infants by real-time PCR.. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2005 Feb 1;243(1):141-7.
- Perea K, Perz K, Olivo SK, Williams A, Lachman M, Ishaq SL, Thomson J, Yeoman CJ. Feed efficiency phenotypes in lambs involve changes in ruminal, colonic, and small-intestine-located microbiota.. J Anim Sci 2017 Jun;95(6):2585-2592.
- Petersen C, Round JL. Defining dysbiosis and its influence on host immunity and disease.. Cell Microbiol 2014 Jul;16(7):1024-33.
- Petruzziello C, Marannino M, Migneco A, Brigida M, Saviano A, Piccioni A, Franceschi F, Ojetti V. The efficacy of a mix of three probiotic strains in reducing abdominal pain and inflammatory biomarkers in acute uncomplicated diverticulitis.. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019 Oct;23(20):9126-9133.
- Pyles M B, Fowler A L, Bill V T, Crum A D, Hayes S H, Flythe M D. Effect of probiotics on antibiotic-induced changes in fecal bacteria of horses. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 52 82–83.
- Quast C, Pruesse E, Yilmaz P, Gerken J, Schweer T, Yarza P, Peplies J, Glöckner FO. The SILVA ribosomal RNA gene database project: improved data processing and web-based tools.. Nucleic Acids Res 2013 Jan;41(Database issue):D590-6.
- Ran Y, Fukui H, Xu X, Wang X, Ebisutani N, Tanaka Y, Maeda A, Makizaki Y, Ohno H, Kondo T, Kono T, Tozawa K, Tomita T, Oshima T, Miwa H. Alteration of Colonic Mucosal Permeability during Antibiotic-Induced Dysbiosis.. Int J Mol Sci 2020 Aug 25;21(17).
- Ransom-Jones E, Jones DL, McCarthy AJ, McDonald JE. The Fibrobacteres: an important phylum of cellulose-degrading bacteria.. Microb Ecol 2012 Feb;63(2):267-81.
- Ren Q, Si H, Yan X, Liu C, Ding L, Long R, Li Z, Qiu Q. Bacterial communities in the solid, liquid, dorsal, and ventral epithelium fractions of yak (Bos grunniens) rumen.. Microbiologyopen 2020 Feb;9(2):e963.
- Rowan F, Docherty NG, Murphy M, Murphy B, Calvin Coffey J, O'Connell PR. Desulfovibrio bacterial species are increased in ulcerative colitis.. Dis Colon Rectum 2010 Nov;53(11):1530-6.
- Sauvant D, Chapoutot P, Archimede H. La digestion des amidons par les ruminants et ses conséquences. INRA Prod. Anim. 7 115–124.
- Segata N, Izard J, Waldron L, Gevers D, Miropolsky L, Garrett WS, Huttenhower C. Metagenomic biomarker discovery and explanation.. Genome Biol 2011 Jun 24;12(6):R60.
- Shirazi-Beechey SP. Molecular insights into dietary induced colic in the horse.. Equine Vet J 2008 Jun;40(4):414-21.
- Thomas LV, Ockhuizen T, Suzuki K. Exploring the influence of the gut microbiota and probiotics on health: a symposium report.. Br J Nutr 2014 Jul;112 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S1-18.
- Wade W G. The genus eubacterium and related genera. Prokaryotes (New York, NY: Springer; ), 823–835.
- Yang F, Wei J D, Lu Y F, Sun Y L, Wang Q, Zhang R L. Galacto-oligosaccharides modulate gut microbiota dysbiosis and intestinal permeability in rats with alcohol withdrawal syndrome. J. Funct. Foods 60:103423.
- Yilmaz P, Parfrey LW, Yarza P, Gerken J, Pruesse E, Quast C, Schweer T, Peplies J, Ludwig W, Glöckner FO. The SILVA and "All-species Living Tree Project (LTP)" taxonomic frameworks.. Nucleic Acids Res 2014 Jan;42(Database issue):D643-8.
- Yoo W, Byndloss MX. How to thrive in the inflamed gut.. Nat Microbiol 2020 Jan;5(1):10-11.
- Yu Z, Morrison M. Improved extraction of PCR-quality community DNA from digesta and fecal samples.. Biotechniques 2004 May;36(5):808-12.
- Zheng J, Wittouck S, Salvetti E, Franz CMAP, Harris HMB, Mattarelli P, O'Toole PW, Pot B, Vandamme P, Walter J, Watanabe K, Wuyts S, Felis GE, Gänzle MG, Lebeer S. A taxonomic note on the genus Lactobacillus: Description of 23 novel genera, emended description of the genus Lactobacillus Beijerinck 1901, and union of Lactobacillaceae and Leuconostocaceae.. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2020 Apr;70(4):2782-2858.
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Lagounova M, MacNicol JL, Weese JS, Pearson W. The Effect of Dietary Synbiotics in Actively Racing Standardbred Horses Receiving Trimethoprim/Sulfadiazine.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jul 18;13(14).
- Theelen MJP, Luiken REC, Wagenaar JA, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Rossen JWA, Schaafstra FJWC, van Doorn DA, Zomer AL. Longitudinal study of the short- and long-term effects of hospitalisation and oral trimethoprim-sulfadiazine administration on the equine faecal microbiome and resistome.. Microbiome 2023 Feb 27;11(1):33.
- MacNicol JL, Renwick S, Ganobis CM, Allen-Vercoe E, Weese JS, Pearson W. The influence of a probiotic/prebiotic supplement on microbial and metabolic parameters of equine cecal fluid or fecal slurry in vitro.. J Anim Sci 2023 Jan 3;101.
- Collinet A, Grimm P, Jacotot E, Julliand V. Biomarkers for monitoring the equine large intestinal inflammatory response to stress-induced dysbiosis and probiotic supplementation.. J Anim Sci 2022 Oct 1;100(10).
- Liepman RS, Swink JM, Habing GG, Boyaka PN, Caddey B, Costa M, Gomez DE, Toribio RE. Effects of Intravenous Antimicrobial Drugs on the Equine Fecal Microbiome.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Apr 13;12(8).
- Di Pietro R, Arroyo LG, Leclere M, Costa MC. Species-Level Gut Microbiota Analysis after Antibiotic-Induced Dysbiosis in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Sep 30;11(10).
- Freccero F, Lanci A, Mariella J, Viciani E, Quercia S, Castagnetti A, Castagnetti C. Changes in the Fecal Microbiota Associated with a Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Administration in Hospitalized Neonatal Foals with Probiotics Supplementation.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Aug 2;11(8).
- Zhu Y, Wang X, Deng L, Chen S, Zhu C, Li J. Effects of Pasture Grass, Silage, and Hay Diet on Equine Fecal Microbiota.. Animals (Basel) 2021 May 7;11(5).
- Collinet A, Grimm P, Julliand S, Julliand V. Sequential Modulation of the Equine Fecal Microbiota and Fibrolytic Capacity Following Two Consecutive Abrupt Dietary Changes and Bacterial Supplementation.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Apr 29;11(5).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists