Gut microbiota-derived metabolites: natural products to promote epithelial barrier maturation at the suckling-to-weaning transition – MetaboWean

The emergence of antimicrobial resistant pathogens requires the development of antibiotic-free strategies to preserve gut health at weaning in farm animals. MetaboWean is founded on preliminary data showing that metabolites produced by the gut microbiota at the onset of solid food ingestion contribute to the maturation of the intestinal epithelial barrier. The objective of MetaboWean is to use gut microbiota-derived metabolites as natural products able to enhance the epithelial barrier function in early life. A combination of in vivo (suckling rabbit model) and in vitro (rabbit intestinal organoids) experiments will be used to: i) identify metabolites produced by the microbiota at the onset of solid food ingestion and that are able to promote epithelial barrier function, ii) decipher their cellular and molecular mode of action and iii) bring the proof of concept that they can be used in vivo to promote epithelial maturation at the suckling-to-weaning transition. The strength of MetaboWean relies on the utilisation of a multi-omic system biology approach at the molecular, cellular and tissue level in order to reveal the potential of bacterial metabolites as new regulators of the intestinal barrier in early life. The results of MetaboWean will pave the way for the development of innovative nutritional products that aim at promoting gut health in young farm animals.