Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39891232›Full record

ArticleAnimal microbiome2025

Environmental enrichment with nylon gnaw sticks introduces variation in Sprague Dawley rat immune and lower gastrointestinal parameters with differences between sexes.

Mark Wulczynski, Stephen P J Brooks, Judy Green, Fernando Matias, Martin Kalmokoff, Julia M Green-Johnson, Sandra T Clarke

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Animal microbiome, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Mark WulczynskiApplied Bioscience Graduate Program, Faculty of Science, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, ON, Canada.
Stephen P J BrooksBureau of Nutritional Sciences, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Judy GreenBureau of Nutritional Sciences, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Fernando MatiasBureau of Nutritional Sciences, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Martin KalmokoffKentville Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kentville, NS, Canada.
Julia M Green-JohnsonApplied Bioscience Graduate Program, Faculty of Science, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, ON, Canada.
Sandra T ClarkeApplied Bioscience Graduate Program, Faculty of Science, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, ON, Canada. sandra.clarke2@agr.gc.ca.

Funding

A-base funding at Health Canada SPJBNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Grant RGPIN-2017-05237
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEnvironmental enrichment (EE) is commonly included as an important component of animal housing to promote well being of laboratory animals; however, much remains to be learned about the impact of chewable forms of EE on experimental outcomes in the context of nutritional and microbiome-related studies, and whether outcomes differ between sexes. In the present study, nylon chew bones (gnaw sticks, GS) were evaluated for their effects on fermentation profiles, microbial community structure, and cytokine profiles of gastrointestinal and systemic tissues in pair-housed female and male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats.

resultsFood consumption and weight gain were not significantly altered by access to GS. Cecal short-chain fatty acid and branched-chain fatty acid profiles significantly differed between sexes in rats with access to GS, and alpha diversity of the microbiome decreased in females provided GS. Sex-related tissue cytokine profiles also significantly differed between rats with and without access to GS.

conclusionsThese findings indicate that including GS can influence microbiota and immune-related parameters, in a sex dependent manner. This shows that environmental enrichment strategies need to be clearly reported in publications to properly evaluate and compare experimental results, especially with respect to the use of chewable EE in the context of studies examining diet, microbiome and immune parameters.

Indexed as

CytokinesEnvironmental enrichmentGnaw sticksGut microbiomeImmune systemNutritionRatSex-based differencesShort chain fatty acids

Identifiers

PMID39891232
PMCPMC11786542

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.