Dose-Dependent Effects of Dietary Xylooligosaccharides Supplementation on Microbiota, Fermentation and Metabolism in Healthy Adult Cats

Abstract

In order to investigate the effect and appropriate dose of prebiotics, this study evaluated the effect of two levels of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) in cats. Twenty-four healthy adult cats were divided into three groups: no-XOS control diet with 1% cellulose; low XOS supplementation (LXOS) with 0.04% XOS and 0.96% cellulose; and high XOS supplementation (HXOS) with 0.40% XOS and 0.60% cellulose. Both XOS groups increased blood 3-hydroxybutyryl carnitine levels and decreased hexadecanedioyl carnitine levels. Both XOS treatments displayed an increased bacterial abundance of <i>Blautia</i>, <i>Clostridium</i> XI, and <i>Collinsella</i> and a decreased abundance of <i>Megasphaera</i> and <i>Bifidobacterium</i>. LXOS groups increased fecal pH and bacterial abundance of <i>Streptococcus</i> and <i>Lactobacillus</i>, decreased blood glutaryl carnitine concentration, and <i>Catenibacterium</i> abundance. HXOS group showed a more distinct microbiome profile and higher species richness, and an increased bacterial abundance of <i>Subdoligranulum</i>, <i>Ruminococcaceae</i> genus (unassigned genus), <i>Erysipelotrichaceae</i> genus, and <i>Lachnospiraceae</i>. Correlations between bacterial abundances and blood and fecal parameters were also observed. In conclusion, XOS could benefit feline gut health by altering microbiota; its effects dependant on the dose. The higher-dose XOS increased bacterial populations that possibly promoted intestinal fermentation, while the lower dose altered populations of carbohydrate-metabolic microbiota and possibly modulated host metabolism. Low-dose prebiotics may become a trend in future studies.