Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Dairy and Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #398262
Research Project: In vitro Human Gut System: Interactions Between Diet, Food Processing, and Microbiota

Location: Dairy and Functional Foods Research

Title: Enterobacteriaceae growth promotion by intestinal acylcarnitines, a biomarker of dysbiosis in inflammatory bowel disease

Author
item Scarino Lemons, Johanna
item CONRAD, MARIE - The Children'S Hospital Of Philadelphia
item TANES, CEYLAN - The Children'S Hospital Of Philadelphia
item CHEN, JIE - The Children'S Hospital Of Philadelphia
item FRIEDMAN, ELLIOT - University Of Pennsylvania
item ROGGIANA, MANUELA - University Of Pennsylvania
item CURRY, DYLAN - University Of Pennsylvania
item CHAU, LILLIAN - University Of Pennsylvania
item HECHT, AARON - University Of Pennsylvania
item HARLING, LISA - The Children'S Hospital Of Philadelphia
item VALES, JENNIFER - The Children'S Hospital Of Philadelphia
item KACHELRIES, KELLY - The Children'S Hospital Of Philadelphia
item BALDASSANO, ROBERT - The Children'S Hospital Of Philadelphia
item GOULIAN, MARK - University Of Pennsylvania
item BITTINGER, KYLE - The Children'S Hospital Of Philadelphia
item MASTER, STEPHEN - The Children'S Hospital Of Philadelphia
item Liu, Linshu
item WU, GARY - University Of Pennsylvania

Submitted to: Cellular and Molecular Gastoenterology and Hepatology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/12/2023
Publication Date: 9/20/2023
Citation: Scarino Lemons, J.M., Conrad, M., Tanes, C., Chen, J., Friedman, E.S., Roggiana, M., Curry, D., Chau, L., Hecht, A.L., Harling, L., Vales, J., Kachelries, K.E., Baldassano, R.N., Goulian, M., Bittinger, K., Master, S.R., Liu, L.S., Wu, G.D. 2023. Enterobacteriaceae growth promotion by intestinal acylcarnitines, a biomarker of dysbiosis in inflammatory bowel disease. Cellular and Molecular Gastoenterology and Hepatology. 17(1):131-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.09.005.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.09.005

Interpretive Summary: Medical professionals use the levels of various molecules in the body as markers of health or disease. We have recently identified that fecal acylcarnitine levels serve as a marker of dysbiotic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The reason for this rise in acylcarnitines was previously unknown, but our investigations have led us to understand that they come from the host. We have also discovered that the gut microbiota, including potentially pathogenic bacteria, can consume these molecules which may help them thrive in the inflamed gut.

Technical Abstract: Altered plasma acylcarnitine levels are well known biomarkers for a variety of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation disorders. These membrane permeable fatty acid intermediates are excreted into the gut lumen via bile and are increased in the feces of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We have previously shown that a variety if medium to long chain acylcarnitines can be utilized as an alternative energy source for the intestinal epithelium when short chain fatty acids are low. An investigation of data from human subject, animal model, and bacterial culture studies provides evidence that luminal acylcarnitines can be consumed by the gut microbiota and that there is a strong positive correlation between the abundance of Enterobacteriaceae and a wide variety of acylcarnitines. Further investigation into the relationship between elevated luminal acylcarnitines and their effect on the gut microbiota may provide novel insights into IBD progression.