Dietary Lipids and Enteric Infection in Rodent Models

Abstract Diet can play a role in modulating the delicate balance of inflammatory responses required to clear enteric pathogens whilst avoiding hostdamage in the gut. In particular, dietary lipids made up of various classes of fatty acids, including saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, result in different outcomes during enteric infection. In recent years, research aimed at defining and understanding the mechanisms by which dietary lipids affect inflammation has identified the microbiome to be an important regulator of the immune system. There is compelling evidence that dietary fatty acids can modulate inflammation, the gut microbiome, as well as enteric pathogen virulence in both animal models and humans. This provides researchers and clinicians a unique opportunity to develop strategies aimed at manipulating defined aspects of the lipid-immune-microbe dialogue in order to promote health and prevent enteric disease. Here, we review the effects of dietary lipids on enteric infection in rodent models. We highlight the relationship between dietary lipids, host immunity, and the microbiome, as well as the role of dietary lipids on conferring changes to pathogen virulence. Further exploration will provide insights to this interconnected network, which could lead to novel solutions to attenuate global incidences of enteric diseases.