Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
J Anim Sci. 2022 Oct 1;100(10). doi: 10.1093/jas/skac265.
Purported benefits of human-grade pet foods include reduced inflammation, enhanced coat quality, and improved gut health, but research is scarce. Therefore, we compared gene expression, skin and coat health measures, and the fecal microbiome of dogs consuming a mildly cooked human-grade or extruded kibble diet. Twenty beagles (BW = 10.25 ± 0.82 kg; age = 3.85 ± 1.84 yr) were used in a completely randomized design. Test diets included: 1) chicken and brown rice recipe [feed-grade; extruded; blue buffalo (BB)]; and 2) chicken and white rice [human-grade; mildly cooked; Just Food for Dogs (JFFD)]. The study consisted of a 4-week baseline when all dogs ate BB, and a 12-week treatment phase when dogs were randomized to either diet (n = 10/group). After the baseline and treatment phases, fresh fecal samples were scored and collected for pH, dry matter (DM), and microbiome analysis; blood samples were collected for gene expression analysis; hair samples were microscopically imaged; and skin was analyzed for delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), sebum concentration, hydration status, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Data were analyzed as a change from baseline (CFB) using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS (version 9.4). At baseline, fecal pH was higher (P < 0.05) and hair surface score, superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression was lower (P < 0.05) in dogs allotted to JFFD. The decrease in CFB fecal pH and DM was greater (P < 0.05) in dogs fed JFFD, but fecal scores were not different. The increase in CFB hair surface score was higher (P < 0.05) in dogs fed JFFD. The decrease in CFB TEWL (back region) was greater (P < 0.05) in dogs fed JFFD, but TEWL (inguinal and ear regions), hydration status, and sebum concentrations in all regions were not different. Hair cortex scores and DTH responses were not affected by diet. The increase in CFB gene expression of SOD, COX-2, and TNF-α was greater (P < 0.05) in dogs fed JFFD. PCoA plots based on Bray-Curtis distances of bacterial genera and species showed small shifts over time in dogs fed BB, but dramatic shifts in those fed JFFD. JFFD increased (adj. P < 0.05) relative abundances of 4 bacterial genera, 11 bacterial species, 68 KEGG pathways, and 167 MetaCyc pathways, and decreased (adj. P < 0.05) 16 genera, 25 species, 98 KEGG pathways, and 87 MetaCyc pathways. In conclusion, the JFFD diet dramatically shifted the fecal microbiome but had minor effects on skin and coat measures and gene expression.
据称，人类级宠物食品的益处包括降低炎症、改善皮毛质量和促进肠道健康，但相关研究很少。因此，我们比较了食用轻度烹饪的人类级或挤压颗粒饮食的狗的基因表达、皮肤和皮毛健康指标以及粪便微生物组。20 只比格犬（BW=10.25±0.82kg；年龄=3.85±1.84 岁）采用完全随机设计。测试饮食包括：1）鸡肉和糙米配方[饲料级；挤压；蓝宝氏（BB）]；2）鸡肉和白米饭[人类级；轻度烹饪；Just Food for Dogs（JFFD）]。研究包括：所有狗都吃 BB 的 4 周基线期和 12 周治疗期，在此期间狗被随机分配到两种饮食（每组 10 只）。在基线期和治疗期结束后，采集新鲜粪便样本进行 pH 值、干物质（DM）和微生物组分析；采集血液样本进行基因表达分析；对毛发样本进行显微镜成像；对皮肤进行迟发型超敏反应（DTH）、皮脂浓度、水合状态和经皮水分损失（TEWL）分析。使用 SAS（版本 9.4）的混合模型程序分析从基线（CFB）的数据。在基线时，JFFD 组的粪便 pH 值较高（P<0.05），毛发表面评分、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）表达和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）表达较低（P<0.05）。JFFD 组粪便 pH 值和 DM 的 CFB 下降更大（P<0.05），但粪便评分没有差异。JFFD 组毛发表面评分的 CFB 升高更高（P<0.05）。JFFD 组背部 TEWL（CFB）的下降更大（P<0.05），但腹股沟和耳部 TEWL、水合状态和所有区域的皮脂浓度没有差异。毛发皮质评分和 DTH 反应不受饮食影响。JFFD 组 SOD、COX-2 和 TNF-α 的 CFB 基因表达增加更大（P<0.05）。基于细菌属和种的 Bray-Curtis 距离的 PCoA 图显示，BB 喂养的狗的时间变化很小，但 JFFD 喂养的狗的变化很大。JFFD 增加（adj.P<0.05）了 4 个细菌属、11 个细菌种、68 个 KEGG 途径和 167 个 MetaCyc 途径的相对丰度，减少（adj.P<0.05）了 16 个细菌属、25 个细菌种、98 个 KEGG 途径和 87 个 MetaCyc 途径。总之，JFFD 饮食显著改变了粪便微生物组，但对皮肤和皮毛指标以及基因表达的影响较小。
