Butyrate is the primary energy source for colonocytes and is essential for mucosal integrity and repair. Butyrate deficiency as a result of colonic dysbiosis is a putative factor in ulcerative colitis (UC). Commensal microbes are butyrogenic, while others have an inhibitory effect, through hydrogenotropic activity.
The aim of this study was to quantify butyrogenic and hydrogenotropic species and determine their relationship with inflammation within the colonic mucus gel layer (MGL).
Mucosal brushings were obtained from 20 patients with active colitis (AC), 20 healthy controls (HC) and 14 with quiescent colitis (QUC). Abundance of each species was determined by RT-PCR. Inflammatory scores were available for each patient. Statistical analyses were performed using Mann-Whitney-U and Kruskall-Wallis tests.
Butyrogenic R. hominis was more abundant in health than UC (p<0.005). Hydrogenotropic B. wadsworthia was reduced in AC compared to HC and QUC (p<0.005). An inverse correlation existed between inflammation and R. hominis (ρ -0.460, p >0.005) and B. wadsworthia (ρ -0.646, p >0.005). Other hydrogenotropic species did not widely colonise the MGL.
These data support a role for butyrogenic and some species of hydrogenotropic bacteria in UC. Butyrate deficiency in UC may be related to reduced microbial production, rather than inhibition by microbial by-products.

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Posted 09 Dec, 2020
On 27 Jan, 2021
Received 20 Jan, 2021
On 27 Dec, 2020
Invitations sent on 21 Dec, 2020
On 07 Dec, 2020
On 07 Dec, 2020
On 07 Dec, 2020
On 24 Nov, 2020
Posted 09 Dec, 2020
On 27 Jan, 2021
Received 20 Jan, 2021
On 27 Dec, 2020
Invitations sent on 21 Dec, 2020
On 07 Dec, 2020
On 07 Dec, 2020
On 07 Dec, 2020
On 24 Nov, 2020
Butyrate is the primary energy source for colonocytes and is essential for mucosal integrity and repair. Butyrate deficiency as a result of colonic dysbiosis is a putative factor in ulcerative colitis (UC). Commensal microbes are butyrogenic, while others have an inhibitory effect, through hydrogenotropic activity.
The aim of this study was to quantify butyrogenic and hydrogenotropic species and determine their relationship with inflammation within the colonic mucus gel layer (MGL).
Mucosal brushings were obtained from 20 patients with active colitis (AC), 20 healthy controls (HC) and 14 with quiescent colitis (QUC). Abundance of each species was determined by RT-PCR. Inflammatory scores were available for each patient. Statistical analyses were performed using Mann-Whitney-U and Kruskall-Wallis tests.
Butyrogenic R. hominis was more abundant in health than UC (p<0.005). Hydrogenotropic B. wadsworthia was reduced in AC compared to HC and QUC (p<0.005). An inverse correlation existed between inflammation and R. hominis (ρ -0.460, p >0.005) and B. wadsworthia (ρ -0.646, p >0.005). Other hydrogenotropic species did not widely colonise the MGL.
These data support a role for butyrogenic and some species of hydrogenotropic bacteria in UC. Butyrate deficiency in UC may be related to reduced microbial production, rather than inhibition by microbial by-products.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4
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