Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Obesity linked to leptin, serotonin, and gut bacteria in Beagle dogs
By Park, H-J et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2015·College of Veterinary Medicine, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Association of obesity with serum leptin, adiponectin, and serotonin and gut microflora in beagle dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 14 Beagle dogs was studied to understand how obesity affects their health. Seven dogs were allowed to eat as much as they wanted, while the other seven were fed a controlled diet to keep them lean. After six months, the obese dogs had higher levels of leptin (a hormone that regulates appetite) and lower levels of serotonin (which helps control mood and appetite) compared to the lean dogs. The gut bacteria in the obese dogs were also less diverse and showed a different composition, which might contribute to their obesity. This research suggests that managing a dog's diet and gut health could be important in preventing obesity.
People also search for: Beagle dog obesity treatment · how to help my dog lose weight · dog gut health and weight management
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) is involved in hypothalamic regulation of energy consumption. Also, the gut microbiome can influence neuronal signaling to the brain through vagal afferent neurons. Therefore, serotonin concentrations in the central nervous system and the composition of the microbiota can be related to obesity. OBJECTIVE: To examine adipokine, and, serotonin concentrations, and the gut microbiota in lean dogs and dogs with experimentally induced obesity. ANIMALS: Fourteen healthy Beagle dogs were used in this study. METHODS: Seven Beagle dogs in the obese group were fed commercial food ad libitum, over a period of 6 months to increase their weight and seven Beagle dogs in lean group were fed a restricted amount of the same diet to maintain optimal body condition over a period of 6 months. Peripheral leptin, adiponectin, 5HT, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF-5HT) levels were measured by ELISA. Fecal samples were collected in lean and obese groups 6 months after obesity was induced. Targeted pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was performed using a Genome Sequencer FLX plus system. RESULTS: Leptin concentrations were higher in the obese group (1.98 ± 1.00) compared to those of the lean group (1.12 ± 0.07, P = .025). Adiponectin and 5-hydroytryptamine of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF-5HT) concentrations were higher in the lean group (27.1 ± 7.28) than in the obese group (14.4 ± 5.40, P = .018). Analysis of the microbiome revealed that the diversity of the microbial community was lower in the obese group. Microbes from the phylum Firmicutes (85%) were predominant group in the gut microbiota of lean dogs. However, bacteria from the phylum Proteobacteria (76%) were the predominant group in the gut microbiota of dogs in the obese group. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Decreased 5HT levels in obese group might increase the risk of obesity because of increased appetite. Microflora enriched with gram-negative might be related with chronic inflammation status in obese dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25407880/