High-fat diet disrupts the gut microbiome, leading to inflammation, damage to tight junctions, and apoptosis and necrosis in Nyctereutes procyonoides intestines

Given the burgeoning Nyctereutes procyonoides breeding industry and its growing scale, it is imperative to investigate the impact of high-fat diets on the health of these animals. This study involved 30 male Nyctereutes procyonoides of comparable weights (3 kg ±0.5), randomly assigned to either a control group or a high-fat diet group (<i>n</i> = 15 each). The latter group was fed a mixture of lard and basal diet in a 2:5 ratio, establishing a high-fat diet model in Nyctereutes procyonoides. This diet induced diarrhea and histopathological changes in the Nyctereutes procyonoides. Analysis of the small intestine contents using 16S rRNA sequencing revealed a high-fat diet-induced disruption in the gut microbiota. Specifically, <i>Escherichia-Shigella</i> emerged as the biomarker in the high-fat diet group (<i>P</i> = 0.049), while <i>Vagococcus</i> was prevalent in the control group (<i>P</i> = 0.049), indicating a significant increase in harmful bacteria in the high-fat diet group. Furthermore, this disrupted gut flora correlated with inflammation and oxidative stress, as evidenced by marked increases in TNF-α (<i>P</i> < 0.01), IL-1β (<i>P</i> < 0.05), and IL-6 (<i>P</i> < 0.05) levels, measured <i>via</i> q-PCR, Western blot, and oxidative stress assays. In addition, q-PCR analysis revealed significant upregulation of apoptosis and necrosis markers, including Bax, Caspase3, Caspase9, Caspase12, RIPK3, and RIPK1 (<i>P</i> < 0.01 to <i>P</i> < 0.001), and a concurrent downregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 (<i>P</i> < 0.01) in the high-fat diet group, consistent with protein expression trends. These findings suggest that a high-fat diet alters the gut microbiome toward a more harmful bacterial composition, escalating inflammatory responses and intestinal tissue permeability, culminating in intestinal cell apoptosis and necrosis.IMPORTANCEThis study examines the impact of high-fat diets on Nyctereutes procyonoides. Our research established a Nyctereutes procyonoides model on a high-fat diet, revealing significant health impacts, such as diarrhea, histological anomalies, and alterations in the gut microbiota. These findings emphasize the importance of preventing health issues and promoting sustainable industry growth. They highlight the significant impact of diet on gut microbiota and overall animal health.