Metabolic Screening of Gut Microbiota by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Spectroscopy
• Metabolomics

Background:

• Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are vital bacterial metabolites influencing host homeostasis and immunity.
• SCFAs are proposed biomarkers for a healthy gut microbiota.
• Current SCFA quantification via GC-MS is complex, costly, and time-consuming, hindering clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy as a rapid screening tool for SCFA analysis in stool samples.
• To assess the feasibility of FT-IR for differentiating healthy from dysbiotic stool microbiota.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory feasibility study using FT-IR spectroscopy on clinical stool samples.
• Analysis of SCFA-associated spectral regions.
• Application of principal component analysis (PCA) for sample discrimination.

Main Results:

• FT-IR spectroscopy demonstrated the ability to discriminate between healthy and dysbiotic stool samples, specifically in cases of *Clostridioides difficile* infection.
• SCFA-related spectral patterns showed distinct differences between healthy and infected individuals.
• The study provides a proof-of-concept for FT-IR's utility in stool sample screening.

Conclusions:

• FT-IR spectroscopy presents a feasible and rapid method for the metabolic screening of stool samples, focusing on SCFAs.
• This technique is not intended to replace GC-MS for precise quantification but serves as a valuable screening tool.
• The widespread availability of FT-IR technology suggests its potential for routine clinical laboratory screening of microbiota-related metabolic profiles.