Comparison of the microbiome, metabolome, and lipidome of obese and non-obese horses.
Authors: Coleman Michelle C, Whitfield-Cargile Canaan M, Madrigal Rodolfo G, Cohen Noah D
Journal: PloS one
Summary
Obesity and equine metabolic syndrome represent significant clinical challenges, yet their underlying pathophysiology remains poorly characterised compared to human metabolic disease, where alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiota and metabolic products have proven central to disease development and management. Coleman and colleagues analysed fecal microbiome composition, fecal metabolites, and circulating lipid profiles in twenty obese and twenty non-obese horses matched by farm of origin to identify systemic differences associated with equine obesity. Obese horses demonstrated significant alterations in metabolites involved in the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle and elevated circulating free fatty acids, suggesting profound disruption of both microbial and host metabolic function. These findings point toward metabolic dysfunction extending beyond simple energy imbalance, implicating both the microbiota and host metabolism as key factors in obesity development, with potential implications for identifying diagnostic biomarkers and targeted interventions to prevent laminitis and other EMS-related complications. Further research establishing causality and mechanistic pathways could fundamentally reshape how we approach obesity management and metabolic disease screening in practice.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Metabolic and microbiome dysfunction appears central to equine obesity and EMS—managing these horses requires attention to both diet and the bacterial ecosystem of the hindgut
- •Future diagnostic tests based on circulating lipids or fecal metabolites may allow earlier detection of metabolic dysfunction before clinical signs like laminitis appear
- •Current findings suggest potential therapeutic targets in bacterial metabolism and mitochondrial function; probiotic or dietary interventions targeting these pathways warrant investigation
Key Findings
- •Obese horses showed significant alterations in fecal metabolites of the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle compared to non-obese matched controls
- •Circulating free fatty acid profiles differed significantly between obese and non-obese horses
- •Fecal microbiome, metabolome, and serum lipidome demonstrated distinct patterns associated with equine obesity