Scientist Science & Technology Ctr, HIll's Pet Nutrition Topeka, Kansas, United States
Abstract: Background- Ketogenic foods contain high fat but limit the amount of digestible carbohydrate and generally have anti-inflammatory effects. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are important biomarkers of biological processes including inflammation.
Hypothesis– Circulating miRNAs in canines fed LoCHO_FAT and LoCHO_PROT diets have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Animals– Healthy canines (n = 10) housed in the Hill’s colony fed two low carbohydrate (LoCHO) foods varying in protein (LoCHO_PROT) and fat (LoCHO_FAT) and compared to a control food (HiCHO).
Methods– Canines randomized to two groups in a crossover design and fed control food high in carbohydrate (HiCHO) followed by LoCHO_PROT then LoCHO_FAT. The other group was fed the same control food followed by LoCHO foods in reverse order (LoCHO_FAT then LoCHO_PROT). Gene expression for miRNAs from blood collected in PAXgene tubes was assessed and analyzed using Qiagen’s miRNA PCR array platform.
Results– When compared to HiCHO there was a significant increase in cfa-miR-106a, cfa-miR-15a, cfa-miR-15b, cfa-miR-16, cfa-miR-20a, cfa-miR-21, cfa-miR-148a, and cfa-miR-195 in LoCHO_FAT (p< 0.05) but not LoCHO_PROT. miR-106a and other miRNAs have been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects by attenuating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines possibly through inhibiting the NFκB and the MAPK pathway. miRNAs upregulated in LoCHO_PROT and LoCHO_FAT include cfa-miR-200c, cfa-let-7a, cfa-let-7c, cfa-let-7f, and cfa-let-7g (all p< 0.05 vs CON). Let-7 miRNAs have anti-inflammatory effects. For instance, let-7f can attenuate inflammation by targeting NLRP3, an inflammasome.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance- LoCHO_PROT and LoCHO_FAT foods might be important as part of immune-modulating therapeutic nutritional strategies to reduce inflammation or inflammatory pathways in canines.
