Figure 1.

High-fiber diet (HFD) and acetate administration protect against CDI. (A) WT mice were fed a HFD or low-fiber diet (LFD) before and throughout the experiment. Mice were treated with a mix of antibiotics for 4 d and then received a single i.p. dose of clindamycin. 1 d later, mice were infected with 10⁸ CFU of C. difficile (day 0). (B and C) Mice were monitored for clinical score (B) and weight change (C) until day 5 p.i. (D) Serum SCFA concentrations were measured on day 0 before infection (n = 5). (E) Mice received 150 mM acetate in the drinking water from 1 d before antibiotic treatment until the end of the infection. (F and G) Mice were monitored for clinical score (F) and weight change (G; n = 10). (H) Representative histological sections of colons stained with hematoxylin and eosin and blinded histopathological scoring of mice on day 2 and 4 p.i. that were either treated (Ac) or not (Ct) with acetate (n = 4). Scale bars = 200 µm. Results are representative of two independent experiments with four to five mice in each experimental group (A–C and H) or pooled results from two experiments with four to five mice in each experimental group (D–G). Results are presented as mean ± SEM. *, P < 0.05.