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Scientific reports2019; 9(1); 9620; doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-46118-7

Unraveling the effects of the gut microbiota composition and function on horse endurance physiology.

Abstract: An integrated analysis of gut microbiota, blood biochemical and metabolome in 52 endurance horses was performed. Clustering by gut microbiota revealed the existence of two communities mainly driven by diet as host properties showed little effect. Community 1 presented lower richness and diversity, but higher dominance and rarity of species, including some pathobionts. Moreover, its microbiota composition was tightly linked to host blood metabolites related to lipid metabolism and glycolysis at basal time. Despite the lower fiber intake, community type 1 appeared more specialized to produce acetate as a mean of maintaining the energy supply as glucose concentrations fell during the race. On the other hand, community type 2 showed an enrichment of fibrolytic and cellulolytic bacteria as well as anaerobic fungi, coupled to a higher production of propionate and butyrate. The higher butyrate proportion in community 2 was not associated with protective effects on telomere lengths but could have ameliorated mucosal inflammation and oxidative status. The gut microbiota was neither associated with the blood biochemical markers nor metabolome during the endurance race, and did not provide a biomarker for race ranking or risk of failure to finish the race.
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Publication Date: 2019-07-03 PubMed ID: 31270376PubMed Central: PMC6610142DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46118-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • 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.

The research primarily investigates the impact of gut bacteria composition on the physiology of endurance horses. The researchers found distinct microbial communities, whose properties and effects appear to depend largely on the horses’ diets.

Research Methodology and Findings

  • The study performed a comprehensive analysis of gut microbiota, along with blood biochemistry and metabolomics, in a sample size of 52 endurance horses.
  • The researchers noticed two main different communities of gut microbiota. These differences were primarily influenced by the diet of the horses rather than other physiological features.
  • The first community of gut microbiota displayed less biodiversity but a higher dominance and rarity of species, which included some pathobionts – bacteria that normally live in the body without causing harm but can cause disease under certain circumstances.
  • This first community was closely associated with blood metabolites related to lipid metabolism and glycolysis in the horses. Despite the horses eating less fiber, this community seemed to specialize in producing acetate to maintain energy supply when glucose concentrations dropped during a race.

Distinct characteristics of the second community

  • The second community was enriched with bacteria that break down fibers and cellulose, along with anaerobic fungi. This community was associated with higher production of propionate and butyrate.
  • The increased production of butyrate was not linked with protective effects on telomere lengths – the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that shorten as cells divide and age. However, it might have helped in reducing inflammation in the mucosal layer and oxidative stress conditions.

Effect of Gut Microbiota on Horse Performance

  • The study found no significant association between gut microbiota and the metabolic or biochemical markers in the horses’ blood during the endurance race.
  • Further, the gut microbiota did not appear to provide a biomarker for predicting race performance or the risk of failing to finish the race.

In summary, the research underscores the gut microbiota’s critical role in a horse’s endurance physiology and shows how adapts to changes in diet; key findings which may have substantial implications for diet planning in racehorses.

Cite This Article

APA
Plancade S, Clark A, Philippe C, Helbling JC, Moisan MP, Esquerré D, Le Moyec L, Robert C, Barrey E, Mach N. (2019). Unraveling the effects of the gut microbiota composition and function on horse endurance physiology. Sci Rep, 9(1), 9620. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46118-7

Publication

Scientific reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
NlmUniqueID: 101563288
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Pages: 9620
PII: 9620

Researcher Affiliations

Plancade, Sandra
  • MaIAGE, INRA, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
  • ISBA, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Clark, Allison
  • Gastroenterology Department, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Reserca, Barcelona, Spain.
Philippe, Catherine
  • UMR 1319, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Helbling, Jean-Christophe
  • UMR 1286, INRA, Université Bordeaux, Nutrition et neurobiologie intégrée, Bordeaux, France.
Moisan, Marie-Pierre
  • UMR 1286, INRA, Université Bordeaux, Nutrition et neurobiologie intégrée, Bordeaux, France.
Esquerré, Diane
  • UMR 444, INRA, Plateforme GET, Castanet-Tolosan, France.
Le Moyec, Laurence
  • Unité de Biologie Intégrative et Adaptation à l'Exercice, UBIAE, EA7362, Université d'Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France.
Robert, Céline
  • UMR 1313, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
  • Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Barrey, Eric
  • UMR 1313, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
Mach, Núria
  • UMR 1313, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France. nuria.mach@inra.fr.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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