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Environmental Enteric Dysfunction is Associated with Carnitine Deficiency and Altered Fatty Acid Oxidation
Richard D Semba1, Indi Trehan2, Ximin Li3
1Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Ebiomedicine
|January 27, 2017
Summary
Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) in children is linked to gut permeability changes and altered metabolites, including carnitine deficiency and abnormal fatty acid oxidation. Further research is needed to understand its impact on growth.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Gastroenterology
- Metabolomics
Background:
- Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is a prevalent condition in developing countries, causing inflammation and impaired gut permeability in children.
- EED is a significant contributor to childhood growth failure, but its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the metabolic profiles associated with gut permeability in children with EED.
- To identify specific metabolites linked to EED pathophysiology and its impact on child development.
Main Methods:
- Serum metabolites were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in 400 Malawian children (12-59 months).
- Gut permeability was assessed using a dual-sugar absorption test.
Main Results:
- 80.7% of children exhibited EED. Increased gut permeability correlated with elevated levels of acylcarnitines, odd-chain fatty acids, and trimethylamine-N-oxide.
- Conversely, higher gut permeability was associated with lower levels of citrulline, tryptophan metabolites, and polyphenol metabolites.
- Specific metabolic alterations included secondary carnitine deficiency and dysregulation in fatty acid oxidation and amino acid metabolism.
Conclusions:
- EED presents as a syndrome involving secondary carnitine deficiency, altered fatty acid oxidation, and disruptions in amino acid and polyphenol metabolism.
- Metabolic derangements in EED may negatively impact growth and development in young children.
- Further studies are required to confirm carnitine deficiency and elucidate the mechanisms linking metabolic changes to impaired growth in EED.
Keywords:
AcylcarnitinesCarnitineEnvironmental enteric dysfunctionFatty acid oxidationHippuratePolyphenolsTryptophanUrea cycleMore Related Videos
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