Effects of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product-supplemented diet on immune response, oxidative stress markers, and skin and coat health of dogs

Feeding Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) has previously altered fecal microbiota, fecal metabolites, and immune cell function of adult dogs. The objective of this study was to investigate measures of skin and coat health for the first time and further measure circulating immune cell numbers and activity, antioxidant status, and oxidative stress marker concentrations of adult dogs fed a SCFP-supplemented extruded diet. All procedures were approved by the facility’s IACUC prior to experimentation. 16 adult pointer dogs (8 M, 8 F; mean age = 6.7 ± 2.1 y; mean BW = 25.9 ± 4.5 kg) were used in a randomized crossover design study. All dogs were fed a control diet for 4 wk, then randomly assigned to the control or SCFP-supplemented diet and fed to maintain BW for 10 wk. A 6-wk washout preceded the second 10-wk experimental period with dogs receiving opposite treatments. After baseline/washout and treatment phases, skin and coat were scored, and pre-and post-prandial blood samples were collected. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), hydration status, and sebum concentrations were measured (back, inguinal, ear) using external probes. Oxidative stress and immune cell function were measured using commercial ELISA kits, circulating immune cell numbers were analyzed using flow cytometry, and mRNA expression of oxidative stress genes were analyzed using RT-PCR. Change from baseline data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS 9.4, with P<0.05 being significant and P<0.10 being trends. Sebum concentration changes tended to be higher (P<0.10; inguinal, ear) in dogs fed SCFP than control. TEWL change on the back was lower (P<0.05) in controls, but lower (P=0.054) on the ear in dogs fed SCFP. DTH response was not measured at baseline, but was affected by diet and time (i.e., post-inoculation) at week 10. As expected, wheal diameter increased over time for all injections. For phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), diet and time interactions were observed in SCFP-fed dogs (P=0.02). Diet tended (P<0.10) to have an effect on DTH response in SCFP-fed dogs after concanavalin A (ConA) inoculation. Other skin and coat measures and scores were not affected by diet. Changes in unstimulated lymphocytes and stimulated IFN- secreting T cells were lower (P<0.05) in SCFP-fed dogs, while change in stimulated T cells were lower (P<0.05) in control-fed dogs. The stimulated cytotoxic T cells delta trended lower (P<0.10) in SCFP-fed dogs. Change in serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) concentrations were higher (P<0.05) and change in catalase mRNA expression was lower (P<0.05) in SCFP-fed dogs. All other immune cells, oxidative stress markers, and gene expression were unaffected by treatment. In conclusion, our data suggest that SCFP positively impacts indicators of skin and coat health of dogs, modulates immune responses, and enhances some key antioxidant defense mechanisms.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Animal Sciences

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Yotis, Sofia Marie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Swanson, Kelly S
• Fahey, George C
• de Godoy, Maria R. C.

• canine
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product

Statement dc:rights

• © 2022 Sofia M. Yotis

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/115746

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F115746