곤충 단백질 기반 반려동물 사료와 장내 미생물–면역 축: 분자 기전과 연구 동향(총설)

초록

The gut microbiota of companion animals is recognized as a key factor involved not only in digestion and nutrient metabolism, but also in immune regulation and disease susceptibility. Dietary composition plays a crucial role in regulating this gut microbial environment. Insect protein, recently attracting attention as a sustainable protein source, is being proposed as an alternative feed ingredient that can meet the nutritional needs of companion dogs and cats. Rather than drastically altering the overall diversity of the gut microbiota, insect protein-based diets tend to induce gradual changes in specific microbial communities and microbial-derived metabolites. These changes suggest the possibility of interactions with the host immune response. In particular, gut microbial metabolites are known to influence immune homeostasis through association with TLR, NF-κB, and MAPK signaling pathways. However, studies directly elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which insect protein-based diets affect the gut microbiota-immune axis in companion animal models are limited. In the future, systematic, mechanism-focused research will be needed to clarify whether a diet utilizing insect proteins can contribute to the improvement of immune homeostasis and health in companion animals through regulation of intestinal microflora.

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