Macronutrients, the microbiome, and illness-induced feeding behavior: Do
macronutrients shape avian immune responses?
Abstract
Macronutrients, such as proteins and fats, play a vital role in host
immunity and can influence host-pathogen dynamics, potentially through
dietary effects on gut microbiota. To increase our understanding of how
feeding behavior and macronutrient selection are influenced by a direct
and perceived immune threat and whether shifts in macronutrient intake
affect the composition of the gut microbiome, we conducted two
experiments. First, we determined if zebra finches (Taeniopygia
guttata) exhibit shifts in physiology and gut microbiota when fed diets
differing in macronutrient ratios. Second, we simulated an infection in
birds using the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and
quantified feeding behavior in immune challenged and control
individuals, as well as birds housed near either a control pair (no
immune threat), or birds housed near a pair given an immune challenge
with LPS (social cue of heightened infection risk). We also examined
whether social cues of infection alter physiological responses relevant
to responding to an immune threat, an effect that could be mediated
through shifts in feeding behavior. In the first experiment, protein
diets decreased the abundance of the bacterial Phylum Campylobacterota.
Further, diet treatment disrupted relationships between gut microbiota
alpha diversity and physiological metrics. In the second experiment, LPS
induced a reduction in caloric intake driven by a decrease in protein,
but not fat consumption. No evidence was found for socially induced
shifts in feeding behavior, physiology, or gut microbiota. However, fat
consumption decreased gut microbial diversity regardless of treatment.
Our findings carry implications for host health, as sickness-induced
anorexia and diet-induced shifts in the microbiome could shape
host-pathogen interactions.