10.1371/journal.pone.0148118 Fayçal Ounnas Fayçal Ounnas Florence Privé Florence Privé Patricia Salen Patricia Salen Nadia Gaci Nadia Gaci William Tottey William Tottey Luca Calani Luca Calani Letizia Bresciani Letizia Bresciani Noelia López-Gutiérrez Noelia López-Gutiérrez Florence Hazane-Puch Florence Hazane-Puch François Laporte François Laporte Jean-François Brugère Jean-François Brugère Daniele Del Rio Daniele Del Rio Christine Demeilliers Christine Demeilliers Michel de Lorgeril Michel de Lorgeril Whole Rye Consumption Improves Blood and Liver n-3 Fatty Acid Profile and Gut Microbiota Composition in Rats Public Library of Science 2016 epa RR diet scfa fece Gut Microbiota Composition uncultured Clostridiales cluster IA WR diet gut microbiota profile Clostridium cluster IV WR rats.InterpretationThis study gut microbiota composition.MethodsFor 12 weeks WR consumption results WR rats Rats BackgroundWhole rye dha lcfa health effects Whole Rye Consumption 2016-02-10 10:39:11 Dataset https://plos.figshare.com/articles/dataset/_Whole_Rye_Consumption_Improves_Blood_and_Liver_n_3_Fatty_Acid_Profile_and_Gut_Microbiota_Composition_in_Rats_/1643805 <div><p>Background</p><p>Whole rye (WR) consumption seems to be associated with beneficial health effects. Although rye fiber and polyphenols are thought to be bioactive, the mechanisms behind the health effects of WR have yet to be fully identified. This study in rats was designed to investigate whether WR can influence the metabolism of n-3 and n-6 long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) and gut microbiota composition.</p><p>Methods</p><p>For 12 weeks, rats were fed a diet containing either 50% WR or 50% refined rye (RR). The WR diet provided more fiber (+21%) and polyphenols (+29%) than the RR diet. Fat intake was the same in both diets and particularly involved similar amounts of <i>essential</i> (18-carbon) n-3 and n-6 LCFAs.</p><p>Results</p><p>The WR diet significantly increased the 24-hour urinary excretion of polyphenol metabolites–including enterolactone–compared with the RR diet. The WR rats had significantly more n-3 LCFA–in particular, eicosapentanoic (EPA) and docosahexanoic (DHA) acids–in their plasma and liver. Compared with the RR diet, the WR diet brought significant changes in gut microbiota composition, with increased diversity in the feces (Shannon and Simpson indices), decreased <i>Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes</i> ratio and decreased proportions of uncultured Clostridiales cluster IA and <i>Clostridium</i> cluster IV in the feces. In contrast, no difference was found between groups with regards to cecum microbiota. The WR rats had lower concentrations of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in cecum and feces (p<0.05). Finally, acetate was lower (p<0.001) in the cecum of WR rats while butyrate was lower (p<0.05) in the feces of WR rats.</p><p>Interpretation</p><p>This study shows for the first time that WR consumption results in major biological modifications–increased plasma and liver n-3 EPA and DHA levels and improved gut microbiota profile, notably with increased diversity–known to provide health benefits. Unexpectedly, WR decreased SCFA levels in both cecum and feces. More studies are needed to understand the interactions between whole rye (fiber and polyphenols) and gut microbiota and also the mechanisms of action responsible for stimulating n-3 fatty acid metabolism.</p></div>