Butyrate Modulates Intestinal Microbiome and Epithelial Function to Attenuate Irinotecan-Induced GI Toxicity

The gastrointestinal (GI) epithelial barrier serves to establish a physical boundary between luminal contents, intestinal bacteria and the peritoneal cavity. Central to the maintenance of this barrier are a tightly regulated population of bacteria and their respective by-products.The intestinal microbiome produces short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyrate, through fermentation of indigestible dietary fibers that improve chronic gastrointestinal inflammatory conditions by the maintenance of epithelial barrier integrity. In this current study we examined fecal microbiota from irinotecan and butyrate treated mouse fecal samples.