Impact of intestinal microbiota on intestinal luminal metabolome

Sci Rep. 2012:2:233. doi: 10.1038/srep00233. Epub 2012 Jan 25.

Abstract

Low-molecular-weight metabolites produced by intestinal microbiota play a direct role in health and disease. In this study, we analyzed the colonic luminal metabolome using capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry with time-of-flight (CE-TOFMS) -a novel technique for analyzing and differentially displaying metabolic profiles- in order to clarify the metabolite profiles in the intestinal lumen. CE-TOFMS identified 179 metabolites from the colonic luminal metabolome and 48 metabolites were present in significantly higher concentrations and/or incidence in the germ-free (GF) mice than in the Ex-GF mice (p < 0.05), 77 metabolites were present in significantly lower concentrations and/or incidence in the GF mice than in the Ex-GF mice (p < 0.05), and 56 metabolites showed no differences in the concentration or incidence between GF and Ex-GF mice. These indicate that intestinal microbiota highly influenced the colonic luminal metabolome and a comprehensive understanding of intestinal luminal metabolome is critical for clarifying host-intestinal bacterial interactions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacteria / classification
  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Bacteria / metabolism
  • Electrophoresis, Capillary / methods
  • Female
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Intestines / microbiology*
  • Male
  • Mass Spectrometry / methods
  • Metabolomics / methods*
  • Metagenome / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms