Determination and comparison of SCFAs in serum and colon content samples: Alzheimer's disease rat as a case study (Method validation)

SCFAs are the main microbial fermentation products from dietary fibers in colon and play a key role in keeping healthy in the whole-body. However, differences of SCFAs concentration in the serum and colon samples collected from rats had attracted few attentions. Here, we optimized the extract and analysis methods for quantification of ten SCFAs in both serum and colon content samples. Methanol and acetonitrile were chosen for extraction of SCFAs from serum and colon content samples, respectively. Biological samples collected from Alzheimer's disease rats treated by extract of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill (SC-extract) were taken as research objects. The results showed that, the relative peak intensities of SCFAs in colon content from all groups were quite similar, and the trend was identical in serum samples. Compared with the values in human, the ratio of ten SCFAs in rat's colon was similar, while the percent of acetate in rat's serum was significantly higher. For therapy of AD, SC-extract decreased the concentration of butyrate, 3-Methyvalerate and caproate in serum samples towards the trend of normal rats. The present study may help to understand the transport of SCFAs across colonic epithelium in healthy and diseased organisms.

Method validation is reported in the current study MTBLS2146
SCFA serum and colon content determination is reported in study MTBLS2088