Constipation, cause or consequence of dysbiosis?

Constipation affects between 20 and 30% of sows in intensive breeding. It is a risk factor for urinary tract infections, cystitis and pyelonephritis and can also cause dehydration and atrophy of intestinal villi, which in turn may facilitate bacterial, viral and parasitic infections (Ramonet et al., 2017).

The role of the microbiota

Dysbiosis (or imbalance) of the gut microbiota is usually described as a consequence of this pathology. However, an article in Nature calls us for reflection about this causality, which is a very little studied issue. The team of Hailong Cao et al. implanted microbiotas of patients with constipation, in mice. The latter presented several dysfunctions: altered intestinal peristalsis, disruption of the intestinal barrier function and reduction of gastrointestinal motility. Last, the results show upregulation of serotonin transporters (SERTs) in the colon tissue, which reflects a decrease in the intestinal transit. The consequences were the following: degradation of the defecation parameters which goes in parallel with the reduction of Clostridium, Lactobacillus, Desulfovibrio and Methylobacterium, along with a tendency to the increase of Bacteroides and Akkermansia. The latter is a Gram Negative bacterium of the Verrucomicrobia family which acts on the intestinal mucosa and may have a role in chronic constipation. Its mechanism of action represents an important field of investigation.

Manage dysbiosis

These results highlight the role of intestinal dysbiosis and make it a major factor in chronic constipation. The management of dysbiosis therefore seems to be an innovative way to fight against constipation.