Short-chain fatty acids influence on iron flux acroos laying hen’s proximal colon

GULTEMIRIAN M. DE L.; HIDALGO V. M.; PEREZ CHAIA A.; APELLA M. C.

San Miguel de Tucumán

Simposio; III Internacional Symposium on Lactic Acid Bacteria and III Argentinean LAB Net Meeting; 2009

CONICET, ANCyT, Ministerio de Salud Pública, SIDETEC-Tucumán

Iron absorption rate from most sources is usually poor and results in a high prevalence of iron deficiency. Bacterial fermentation produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) like acetic, propionic and butyric acids that enhance mineral absorption. Three different acetic, propionic and butyric acid concentrations were evaluated in the present study as iron drivers across the colonic mucosa. SCFA iron transport was analyzed with an Ussing Chamber-like camera. In this camera, a laying hen’s intestinal mucosa was laid separating the two compartments that simulate the mucosal and serosal sides of the intestine. Fe2+ 0,1 mM flux from mucosal to serosal side (without concentration gradient) was studied in presence of acetic, propionic and butyric acids: 190, 42 y 29 µmol g-1 respectively corresponding to intestine basal concentrations; 589, 178 and 162 µmol g-1 (obtained after fermentation in vitro of molasses 1% by cecal microbiota) and double the difference between the two previous concentrations. The Fe2+ amount transported at 30 minutes was determined in an atomic absorption spectrometer and expressed as µmoles of Fe2+ per g of intestinal content. The iron transported was 52, 68 and 54 µmol g-1 for acetic, propionic and butyric acids in basal concentrations respectively and 67, 70 and 75 µmol g-1 after molasses fermentation for the same acids. Finally, in presence of 800, 300 and 285 µmol g-1 of acetic, propionic and butyric acids, the iron amount transported was 73, 112 and 134 µmol g-1 respectively. Summarizing, acetic acid does not influence colonic iron flow, but higher concentrations of propionic and butyric acids produce an increase in transepithelial iron transport. This larger transport across the colon could be beneficial to consumer health because iron would be incorporated in the meat and eggs that are normally consumed in the diet.