Integrative analysis of probiotic-mediated remodeling in canine gut microbiota and metabolites using a fermenter for an intestinal microbiota model

In this study, the FIMM system was employed to explore the interactions between intestinal microbiota and probiotics within a simulated gut environment. Two strains of commercial probiotic bacteria, Enterococcus faecium IDCC2102 and Bifidobacterium lactis IDCC4301, along with a newly isolated strain from domestic dogs, Lactobacillus acidophilus SLAM AK001, were introduced into the FIMM system in conjunction with the gut microbiota from a beagle model. Findings underscore the system's capacity to effectively mirror and modulate the gut environment, evidenced by a marked increase in beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus and Faecalibacterium and a decrease in the opportunistic pathogen Clostridium. This study also verified the system's ability to facilitate accurate interactions between probiotics and commensal bacteria, demonstrated by the expected production of short-chain fatty acids and critical bacterial metabolites, including amino acids and GABA precursors. Thus, the results advocate for the application of FIMM as an in vitro cultivation system that authentically simulates the intestinal environment, presenting a viable alternative for examining the dynamics of gut microbiota and metabolites in companion animals