Microbial short-chain fatty acids: a bridge between dietary fibers and poultry gut health — A review

Abstract

The maintenance of poultry gut health is complex depending on the intricate balance among diet, the commensal microbiota, and the mucosa, including the gut epithelium and the superimposing mucus layer. Changes in microflora composition and abundance can confer beneficial or detrimental effects on fowl. Antibiotics have devastating impacts on altering the landscape of gut microbiota, which further leads to antibiotic resistance or spread the pathogenic populations. By eliciting the landscape of gut microbiota, strategies should be made to break down the regulatory signals of pathogenic bacteria. The optional strategy of conferring dietary fibers (DFs) can be used to counterbalance the gut microbiota. DFs are the non-starch carbohydrates indigestible by host endogenous enzymes but can be fermented by symbiotic microbiota to produce shortchain fatty acids (SCFAs). This is one of the primary modes through which the gut microbiota interacts and communicate with the host. The majority of SCFAs are produced in the large intestine (particularly in the caecum), where they are taken up by the enterocytes or transported through portal vein circulation into the bloodstream. Recent shreds of evidence have elucidated that SCFAs affect the gut and modulate the tissues and organs either by activating G-protein-coupled receptors or affecting epigenetic modifications in the genome through inducing histone acetylase activities and inhibiting histone deacetylases. Thus, in this way, SCFAs vastly influence poultry health by promoting energy regulation, mucosal integrity, immune homeostasis, and immune maturation. In this review article, we will focus on DFs, which directly interact with gut microbes and lead to the production of SCFAs. Further, we will discuss the current molecular mechanisms of how SCFAs are generated, transported, and modulated the pro-and anti-inflammatory immune responses against pathogens and host physiology and gut health.

Gut bacterial diversity in Vespa velutina and implications for potential adaptation in South Korea

“…This could suggest distinct digestive physiologies among these species. Firmicutes are known for their roles in complex carbohydrate breakdown, dietary fiber fermentation, and short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, all of which can regulate host metabolism and immunity 32,33 . Therefore, the higher Firmicutes abundance in V. velutina and V. mandarinia might imply an enhanced capacity for dietary fiber breakdown and SCFA production, possibly providing them with a competitive advantage through efficient nutrient extraction.…”

Pasture intake protects against commercial diet-induced lipopolysaccharide production facilitated by gut microbiota through activating intestinal alkaline phosphatase enzyme in meat geese

“…Though recent dietary supplementation studies have addressed some impacts of dietary fiber on gut microbiota ( 55 , 56 ). However, despite these captivating findings, the mechanisms underlying these diverse associations and their outcomings have not been fully explored.…”

Supplementing Ryegrass Ameliorates Commercial Diet-Induced Gut Microbial Dysbiosis-Associated Spleen Dysfunctions by Gut–Microbiota–Spleen Axis

“…In addition, a high-fat diet enriches lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-producing bacteria, particularly Proteobacteria and Firmicutes [ 4 ]. Surprisingly, these gut microbial alterations can be restored by high-dietary-fiber-source diets [ 5 ].…”

“…Different possible modifiable factors such as alginate oligosaccharides [ 19 ], fine particulate matter [ 20 ], feed antibiotics [ 5 ], dietary fiber [ 21 , 22 ], immunoglobulin G [ 23 ], berry pomaces and phenolic-enriched extractives [ 24 ], astragalus polysaccharides [ 25 ], oat beta-glucan [ 26 ], and Lactobacillus acidophilus , Lactobacillus reuteri , and Lactobacillus salivarius probiotic strains [ 27 ] have been used in animal models to deal with spleen dysfunctions. In addition, Guelph-resistant (Gu-R) and single-comb (S.C.) strains have been injected in domestic chickens to treat splenomegaly [ 28 ].…”