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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(23); 3482; doi: 10.3390/ani15233482

The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) in Colic and Anti-Inflammatory Pathways in Horses.

Abstract: Equine colic remains a prevalent and potentially life-threatening condition with multifactorial origins, including dietary imbalances, stress, and microbial dysbiosis. Central to equine gut health is the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), primarily acetate, propionate, and butyrate, generated through microbial fermentation of dietary fibers in the hindgut. These metabolites not only serve as vital energy sources but also play crucial roles in maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, modulating motility, and suppressing inflammation. This review explores the role of SCFAs in equine gastrointestinal health, with particular emphasis on their anti-inflammatory effects and potential to prevent or mitigate colic. We examine how SCFAs interact with immune pathways, via G-protein-coupled receptors and regulatory T-cell promotion, to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6. Evidence suggests that dietary shifts toward high-starch or low-fiber intake can reduce SCFA production, contributing to microbial imbalance, increased gut permeability, and systemic inflammation, all hallmarks of colic pathophysiology. Strategies to enhance SCFA levels, including high-forage diets, targeted prebiotic and probiotic supplementation, and emerging approaches like fecal microbiota transplantation, are discussed. Despite promising findings, significant gaps remain in equine-specific research, highlighting the need for longitudinal and mechanistic studies. Understanding and harnessing the therapeutic potential of SCFAs could pave the way for novel, microbiome-based interventions in colic prevention and treatment.
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Publication Date: 2025-12-03 PubMed ID: 41375540PubMed Central: PMC12691112DOI: 10.3390/ani15233482Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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Overview

  • This research article reviews the role of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in maintaining gut health and their anti-inflammatory effects in horses.
  • It particularly focuses on how SCFAs influence pathways that may prevent or reduce the severity of equine colic, a serious gastrointestinal condition.

Introduction to Equine Colic and Gut Health

  • Equine colic is a common, potentially fatal condition with complex causes, including diet, stress, and microbial imbalance (dysbiosis) in the gut.
  • The hindgut fermentation process in horses produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), mainly acetate, propionate, and butyrate, essential for gut health.
  • SCFAs function as both energy sources for intestinal cells and regulators of gut integrity, motility, and immune responses.

Role of SCFAs in Gut Function and Inflammation

  • SCFAs help maintain the intestinal barrier, preventing harmful substances from entering the bloodstream.
  • They influence gut motility, helping regulate the movement of digesta and preventing blockages or spasms associated with colic.
  • SCFAs modulate the immune system by interacting with G-protein-coupled receptors on immune cells, which triggers anti-inflammatory signaling pathways.
  • They promote the activity and development of regulatory T-cells, which help suppress excessive inflammatory responses.
  • SCFAs reduce production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), both implicated in gut inflammation and colic pathology.

Impact of Diet on SCFA Production and Colic Risk

  • Diets high in starch or low in fiber reduce microbial fermentation efficiency, leading to lower SCFA production.
  • This reduction encourages microbial imbalance (dysbiosis), which can increase gut permeability (leaky gut) and systemic inflammation.
  • Such physiological changes predispose horses to colic or worsen existing conditions.

Therapeutic and Preventative Strategies

  • High-forage diets support appropriate fiber fermentation, enhancing SCFA production and gut health.
  • Prebiotic and probiotic supplements can help restore healthy microbial populations that produce SCFAs.
  • Emerging approaches like fecal microbiota transplantation are explored as ways to rapidly rebalance gut microbiota and promote SCFA generation.

Research Gaps and Future Directions

  • Despite promising data on SCFAs’ protective roles, equine-specific studies are limited.
  • Longitudinal studies are needed to observe how changes in SCFA levels affect colic risk over time.
  • Mechanistic research is required to fully elucidate how SCFAs interact at molecular levels within equine immune and gastrointestinal systems.
  • Understanding these mechanisms could lead to novel microbiome-based therapies that prevent or treat colic more effectively.

Cite This Article

APA
Schank N, Cottone A, Wulf M, Seiter K, Thomas B, Miller LMJ, Anderson SL, Sahyoun A, Abidi AH, Kassan M, Verma A. (2025). The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) in Colic and Anti-Inflammatory Pathways in Horses. Animals (Basel), 15(23), 3482. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15233482

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 23
PII: 3482

Researcher Affiliations

Schank, Nathan
  • Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752, USA.
Cottone, Ashley
  • College of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, LMU Tower, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.
Wulf, Michelle
  • Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752, USA.
Seiter, Keely
  • College of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, LMU Tower, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.
Thomas, Brinley
  • Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752, USA.
Miller, Lynda M J
  • Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752, USA.
Anderson, Stacy L
  • Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752, USA.
Sahyoun, Amal
  • College of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, LMU Tower, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.
Abidi, Ammaar H
  • College of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, LMU Tower, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.
Kassan, Modar
  • College of Dental Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, LMU Tower, 1705 St. Mary Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA.
Verma, Ashutosh
  • Richard A. Gillespie College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

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