The short chain fatty acids, butyrate and propionate, have differential effects on the motility of the guinea pig colon

Abstract

Background Colonic microbiota digest resistant starches producing short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The main SCFAs produced are acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Both excitatory and inhibitory effects of SCFA on motility have been reported. We hypothesized that the effect of SCFAs on colonic motility varies with chain length and aimed to determine the effects of SCFAs on propagating and non-propagating contractions of guinea pig proximal and distal colon. Methods In isolated proximal colonic segments, Krebs solution alone or containing 10–100 mM acetate, propionate, or butyrate was injected into the lumen, motility was videorecorded over 10 min, and spaciotemporal maps created. In distal colon, the lumen was perfused with the same solutions of SCFAs at 0.1 mL min−1, the movement of artificial fecal pellets videorecorded, and velocity of propulsion calculated. Key Results In proximal colon butyrate increased the frequency of full length propagations, decreased short propagations and had a biphasic effect on non-propagating contractions. Propionate blocked full and short propagations and had a biphasic effect on non-propagating contractions. Acetate decreased short and total propagations In distal colon, butyrate increased and propionate decreased velocity of propulsion. Conclusions & Inferences The data suggest that luminal SCFAs have differing effects on proximal and distal colonic motility depending on chain length. Thus the net effect of SCFAs on colonic motility would depend on the balance of SCFAs produced by microbial digestion of resistant starches.

Mutual reinforcement of pathophysiological host‐microbe interactions in intestinal stasis models

“…However, studies show that propionate and acetate also can modulate colonic propulsion (Hurst et al. 2014), and it is possible that decreased propionate and acetate levels promote delayed intestinal transit. Additionally, SCFA levels in GF mice colonized with microbiota from PIC mice showed significant decrease in butyrate levels (56%, n  =   8, * P  <   0.05), and a trend toward decreased acetate and propionate levels.…”

Spatiotemporal Mapping of Motility in <em>Ex Vivo</em> Preparations of the Intestines

“…The construction of STmaps and analysis of changes in motility pattern have been applied to key questions in the gastrointestinal motility of intestine and colon. These include: differentiation of neurogenic and myogenic contractions and defining the role of interstitial cells of Cajal 6,9,11,12,16,24,26,27,[29][30][31]33,[37][38][39][40]42 , understanding the complex interactions between the circular and longitudinal muscle layers 2,7,8,11,12,32,39,40 , examining the effects of intraluminal nutrients 10,18,19 , microbial strains 34 , and viscosities 12,36 on various motility patterns, and understanding the role of various endogenous neurohormonal agents and exogenous pharmacological agents 2,[4][5][6][7]9,10,[13][14][15][16][17]28,35,40 in the generation and modification of motility...…”

“…Video recording and spatiotemporal mapping of intestinal and colonic segments have been applied to a variety of species including zebrafish 26 , mouse 25,[27][28][29][30] , rat 7,9,[30][31][32][33] , guinea pig 5,6,8,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19]24,30,32,34,35 , brushtail possum 12,36 , rabbit 2,30,37,38 , chicken 39 , pig 40,41 and human 42 . The most widely studied species is the guinea pig.…”

“…6. After a 10 min re-equilibration period, repeat this procedure with any of a variety of nutrients, bioactive agents, drugs, or agonists/antagonists in the luminal fluid to modify the propulsive motility of the segment (e.g., short chain fatty acids or decanoic acid) 10,18 . 1.…”

“…While many groups have generated their own software packages or plugins, they all analyze diameters of a tissue segment and convert those various diameters to grayscale representation. A commercially available recording and analysis system called the GastroIntestinal Motility Monitoring system (GIMM) provides a turnkey approach that allows for analysis of both propulsive motility via fecal pellet velocity determination in the guinea pig distal colon 13 as well as analysis of propulsive and mixing motility patterns with a fluid stimulus in intact intestinal segments 4,5,[14][15][16][17][18][19] 4. General Experimental Procedures 1.…”