Effect of complementary feed RediPet® on microbial community diversity and metabolites modulation after antibiotic-induced dysbiosis in the SCIME™

Abstract

Intestinal dysbiosis is often associated with the onset of other diseases and is a significant concern among dog owners. In this context, the Simulator of the Canine Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SCIME™) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the complementary feed RediPet® in facilitating microbiota recovery, following the induction of dysbiosis. The results showed a positive impact of RediPet® on the increase of alpha diversity, a marker of intestinal health and well-being, and that it could reverse the reduction of species richness induced by dysbiosis. RediPet® demonstrated positive and progressive action in reversing the decrease in the production of beneficial metabolites (acetate and propionate), following in vitro induced dysbiosis, as well as in increasing them compared to the physiological condition. Moreover, exposure of the co-culture to the M-SCIME™ intestinal lumen treated with RediPet® revealed a notable trend towards reduced S100A8 expression, suggesting a potential anti-inflammatory effect and a gradual restoration of epithelial homeostasis. The previously established dynamic in vitro model simulating canine antibiotic-induced dysbiosis is capable of reproducing the microbial and metabolic changes observed in vivo, and is suitable for testing nutritional interventions that facilitate microbiota recovery.