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Leduc L, Costa M, Leclère M. The Microbiota and Equine Asthma: An Integrative View of the Gut-Lung Axis. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:253. [PMID: 38254421 PMCID: PMC10812655 DOI: 10.3390/ani14020253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Both microbe-microbe and host-microbe interactions can have effects beyond the local environment and influence immunological responses in remote organs such as the lungs. The crosstalk between the gut and the lungs, which is supported by complex connections and intricate pathways, is defined as the gut-lung axis. This review aimed to report on the potential role of the gut-lung gut-lung axis in the development and persistence of equine asthma. We summarized significant determinants in the development of asthma in horses and humans. The article discusses the gut-lung axis and proposes an integrative view of the relationship between gut microbiota and asthma. It also explores therapies for modulating the gut microbiota in horses with asthma. Improving our understanding of the horse gut-lung axis could lead to the development of techniques such as fecal microbiota transplants, probiotics, or prebiotics to manipulate the gut microbiota specifically for improving the management of asthma in horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Leduc
- Clinical Sciences Department, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada;
| | - Marcio Costa
- Veterinary Department of Biomedical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada;
| | - Mathilde Leclère
- Clinical Sciences Department, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada;
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Thorel M, Obregon D, Mulot B, Maitre A, Mateos-Hernandez L, Moalic PY, Wu-Chuang A, Cabezas-Cruz A, Leclerc A. Conserved core microbiota in managed and free-ranging Loxodonta africana elephants. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1247719. [PMID: 37860133 PMCID: PMC10582353 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1247719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in animal health and homeostasis, particularly in endangered species conservation. This study investigated the fecal microbiota composition of European captive-bred African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana) housed in French zoos, and compared it with wild African savanna elephants. Fecal samples were collected and processed for DNA extraction and amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The analysis of α and β diversity revealed significant effects of factors such as diet, daily activity, and institution on microbiota composition. Specifically, provision of branches as part of the diet positively impacted microbiota diversity. Comparative analyses demonstrated distinct differences between captive and wild elephant microbiomes, characterized by lower bacterial diversity and altered co-occurrence patterns in the captive population. Notably, specific taxa were differentially abundant in captive and wild elephants, suggesting the influence of the environment on microbiota composition. Furthermore, the study identified a core association network shared by both captive and wild elephants, emphasizing the importance of certain taxa in maintaining microbial interactions. These findings underscore the impact of environment and husbandry factors on elephant gut microbiota, highlighting the benefits of dietary enrichment strategies in zoos to promote microbiome diversity and health. The study contributes to the broader understanding of host-microbiota interactions and provides insights applicable to conservation medicine and captive animal management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Thorel
- ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature, Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Dasiel Obregon
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Baptiste Mulot
- ZooParc de Beauval and Beauval Nature, Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Apolline Maitre
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernandez
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Alejandra Wu-Chuang
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, France
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Wen X, Luo S, Lv D, Jia C, Zhou X, Zhai Q, Xi L, Yang C. Variations in the fecal microbiota and their functions of Thoroughbred, Mongolian, and Hybrid horses. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:920080. [PMID: 35968025 PMCID: PMC9366519 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.920080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The horse gut is colonized by a rich and complex microbial community that has important roles in horse physiology, metabolism, nutrition, and immune functions. Fewer across-breed variations in horse gut microbial diversity have been illustrated. In this article, the gut microbiota of Thoroughbred, Mongolian, and Hybrid horses [first filial generation (F1) of Mongolian (maternal) and Thoroughbred (paternal)] were studied by second-generation high-throughput sequencing technology. Differences in gut microbiota composition and function between breeds were determined using diversity and functional prediction analysis. The alpha diversity analysis showed that Thoroughbred horses had a more abundant and diverse gut microbiota, while the diversity of gut microbiota in Hybrid horses was intermediate between Thoroughbred and Mongolian horses. Subsequent cluster analysis showed that Hybrid horses have a microbiota composition more similar to Mongolian horses. LEfSe analysis revealed that the bacterial biomarkers for Thoroughbred horses at the family level were Prevotellaceae, Rikenellaceae, Fibrobacteraceae, p_251_o5, Lactobacillaceae, and uncultured_bacterium_o_WCHB1_41; the bacterial biomarker for Mongolian horses was Planococcaceae; and the bacterial biomarkers for Hybrid horses were Moraxellaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Ruminococcaceae. The functional prediction results indicated that the metabolic pathways differ significantly between the breeds. Regarding metabolism, the Hybrid horses had the lowest proportion of the carbohydrate metabolic pathways, while the energy metabolic pathway had the highest proportion. The abundance ratios of the remaining eight metabolic pathways in Hybrid horses were between Thoroughbred and Mongolian horses. In conclusion, the results of this study showed an association between horse breeds and gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Wen
- Institute of Animal Health, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture of Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shengjun Luo
- Institute of Animal Health, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture of Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dianhong Lv
- Institute of Animal Health, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture of Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunling Jia
- Institute of Animal Health, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture of Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiurong Zhou
- Institute of Animal Health, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture of Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Zhai
- Institute of Animal Health, Scientific Observation and Experiment Station of Veterinary Drugs and Diagnostic Techniques of Guangdong Province, Ministry of Agriculture of Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Prevention of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Xi
- Department of Animal Science, College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
- *Correspondence: Li Xi
| | - Caijuan Yang
- National S&T Innovation Center for Modern Agricultural Industry, Guangzhou, China
- Caijuan Yang
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Lucassen A, Hankel J, Finkler-Schade C, Osbelt L, Strowig T, Visscher C, Schuberth HJ. Feeding a Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation Product (Olimond BB) Does Not Alter the Fecal Microbiota of Thoroughbred Racehorses. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12121496. [PMID: 35739833 PMCID: PMC9219515 DOI: 10.3390/ani12121496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (SCFP) are feed supplements and are widely used in animal nutrition to promote health. The biological effects of SCFP are based on prebiotic mechanisms that directly influence the microbial community of the gut microbiome or postbiotic factors that directly interact with host cells. To show whether the immunomodulatory effects of SCFP feeding are due to an altered composition of gut microbiota, we analyzed the fecal microbiota of racehorses. Horses were fed either the SCFP (Olimond BB) or a placebo product for six weeks, and fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. During this period, SCFP feeding only subtly affected the fecal microbiota in bacterial composition and diversity. SCFP and placebo horses differed significantly in the fecal bacterial diversity directly after intramuscular influenza vaccination. Altogether, the findings argue against a strong prebiotic effect of SCFP in racehorses. In contrast, the modulation of vaccine- and host-induced alterations of the microbiome suggests that the main effects of SCFP are due to contained or induced postbiotic components. Abstract Feed supplements such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (SCFP) alter immune responses in horses. The purpose of this study was to analyze whether a prebiotic activity of the SCFP alters the gut microbiome in horses. Racehorses were fed either SCFP (Olimond BB, OLI, n = 6) or placebo pellets (PLA, n = 5) for 43 days. Fecal microbiota analysis was performed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The numbers and function of circulating immune cell subpopulations were analyzed by flow cytometry. SCFP supplementation resulted in non-consistent differences in fecal microbiota between the PLA and OLI during the feeding period. Rather, the individual animal had the highest impact on fecal microbiota composition. OLI and PLA horses displayed the same changes in numbers of blood leukocyte subpopulations over time. One day after a booster vaccination against equine influenza during the feeding period, the alpha diversity of fecal microbiota of PLA horses was significantly higher compared to OLI horses. This suggests that SCFP feeding altered the vaccination-induced spectrum of released mediators, potentially affecting gut microbiota. The overall non-consistent findings argue against a strong prebiotic effect of Olimond BB on the microbiota in racehorses. Fecal microbiota differences between the groups were also noticed outside the feeding period and, hence, are most likely not caused by the SCFP additive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Lucassen
- Institute of Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Julia Hankel
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary Medicine Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (J.H.); (C.V.)
| | | | - Lisa Osbelt
- Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (L.O.); (T.S.)
- Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Till Strowig
- Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany; (L.O.); (T.S.)
- Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Visscher
- Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary Medicine Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (J.H.); (C.V.)
| | - Hans-Joachim Schuberth
- Institute of Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-953-7921
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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; 12:1013. [PMID: 35454258 PMCID: PMC9030835 DOI: 10.3390/ani12081013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiota after antimicrobial therapy in horses can result in loss of colonization resistance and changes in bacterial metabolic function. It is hypothesized that these changes facilitate gastrointestinal inflammation, pathogen expansion and the development of diarrhea. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of intravenous administration of antimicrobial drugs (ceftiofur, enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline) on equine fecal bacterial communities over time, to investigate whether those changes are detectable after 5 days of treatment and whether they persist over time (30 days). Sixteen horses were randomly assigned into 4 treatment groups: group 1 (enrofloxacin, n = 4); group 2 (ceftiofur sodium, n = 4); group 3 (oxytetracycline, n = 4); group 4 (0.9% saline solution, placebo, n = 4). Antimicrobial therapy was administered for 5 days. Fecal samples were obtained before (day 0) and at 3, 5 and 30 days of the study period. Bacterial DNA was amplified using specific primers to the hypervariable region V1−V3 of the 16S rRNA gene using a 454 FLX-Titanium pyrosequencer. Antimicrobial therapy failed to cause any changes in physical examination parameters, behavior, appetite or fecal output or consistency throughout the study in any horse. There was a significant effect of treatment on alpha diversity indices (richness) over the treatment interval for ceftiofur on days 0 vs. 3 (p < 0.05), but not for other antimicrobials (p > 0.05). Microbial composition was significantly different (p < 0.05) across treatment group and day, but not for interactions between treatment and day, regardless of taxonomic level and beta-diversity distance metric. The most significant antimicrobial effects on relative abundance were noted after intravenous administration of ceftiofur and enrofloxacin. The relative abundance of Fibrobacteres was markedly lower on day 3 compared to other days in the ceftiofur and enrofloxacin treatment groups. There was an increase in Clostridia and Lachnospiraceae from day 0 to days 3 and 5 in ceftiofur and enrofloxacin treated groups. These findings showed the negative effect of antimicrobial drugs on bacterial communities associated with gut health (Fibrobacteres and Lachnospiraceae) and indicate that changes in specific taxa could predispose horses to gastrointestinal inflammation and the development of diarrhea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S. Liepman
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (R.S.L.); (J.M.S.)
| | - Jacob M. Swink
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (R.S.L.); (J.M.S.)
| | - Greg G. Habing
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Prosper N. Boyaka
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | - Benjamin Caddey
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada;
| | - Marcio Costa
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, University of Montreal, Saint Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada;
| | - Diego E. Gomez
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
| | - Ramiro E. Toribio
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (R.S.L.); (J.M.S.)
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