Microbial metabolite deoxycholic acid shapes microbiota against Campylobacter jejuni chicken colonization

PLoS One. 2019 Jul 5;14(7):e0214705. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214705. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Despite reducing the prevalent foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni in chickens decreases campylobacteriosis, few effective approaches are available. The aim of this study was to use microbial metabolic product bile acids to reduce C. jejuni chicken colonization. Broiler chicks were fed with deoxycholic acid (DCA), lithocholic acid (LCA), or ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). The birds were also transplanted with DCA modulated anaerobes (DCA-Anaero) or aerobes (DCA-Aero). The birds were infected with human clinical isolate C. jejuni 81-176 or chicken isolate C. jejuni AR101. Notably, C. jejuni 81-176 was readily colonized intestinal tract at d16 and reached an almost plateau at d21. Remarkably, DCA excluded C. jejuni cecal colonization below the limit of detection at 16 and 28 days of age. Neither chicken ages of infection nor LCA or UDCA altered C. jejuni AR101 chicken colonization level, while DCA reduced 91% of the bacterium in chickens at d28. Notably, DCA diet reduced phylum Firmicutes but increased Bacteroidetes compared to infected control birds. Importantly, DCA-Anaero attenuated 93% of C. jejuni colonization at d28 compared to control infected birds. In conclusion, DCA shapes microbiota composition against C. jejuni colonization in chickens, suggesting a bidirectional interaction between microbiota and microbial metabolites.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Campylobacter Infections / metabolism
  • Campylobacter Infections / microbiology
  • Campylobacter Infections / prevention & control
  • Campylobacter Infections / veterinary*
  • Campylobacter jejuni / drug effects
  • Campylobacter jejuni / isolation & purification
  • Campylobacter jejuni / physiology*
  • Chickens / metabolism
  • Chickens / microbiology*
  • Deoxycholic Acid / metabolism
  • Deoxycholic Acid / therapeutic use*
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome / drug effects
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Poultry Diseases / metabolism
  • Poultry Diseases / microbiology
  • Poultry Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Protective Agents / metabolism
  • Protective Agents / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Protective Agents
  • Deoxycholic Acid

Grants and funding

This research was supported grants of Arkansas Biosciences Institute, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Hatch project 1012366, USDA NIFA Hatch/Multi State project 1018699, USDA NIFA project 2018-06686 to X. Sun. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.