PR002768 (Project)

Description:Background: Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) are a class of dietary lipids with proposed beneficial health effects in animals and humans alike. Their mechanism of action in specific applications, like epilepsy, remains however unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify alterations in the fecal and plasma metabolome and fecal microbiome in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE) following an MCT diet. A double-blinded placebo controlled dietary trial including 32 dogs with drug-resistant IE was established. Dogs were randomly allocated to an MCT (n = 16) or placebo diet (n = 16) for 3 months. Feces and plasma were collected at the start and end of the dietary trial. The metabolome of plasma and feces were analysed using liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry, and the fecal bacterial phylogeny was examined using 16S rRNA sequencing. Fecal metabolome, plasma metabolome and fecal microbiome data were integrated using the DIABLO framework. Results: The MCT diet elicited distinct metabolic adaptations and modulated gut microbial composition, notably characterized by alterations in histidine and energy metabolism, a reduction in Escherichia-Shigella, and an enrichment of genera including Ruminococcus and Faecalitalea. Multiple correlations were observed between significantly altered microbial taxa and fecal metabolites like e.g. 1-methylhistidine and creatine. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that a diet rich in MCT does not only support peripheral energy metabolism, evidenced by stable carnitine metabolites and reduced plasma threonine, but also reshapes microbial composition. Therefore, potential involvement of the microbiota–gut–brain axis in the mechanism of action for MCT in dogs with IE was underscored.