Intestinal flora imbalance results in altered bacterial translocation and liver function in rats with experimental cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
The intestinal microflora plays a major role in human health. Intestinal flora imbalances are seen in clinical settings, such as cirrhosis, in which bacterial translocation (BT) results in migration of bacteria or bacterial products from the intestinal lumen to extraintestinal sites. In this study, we explored the effect of alterations in gut flora on BT and liver function in cirrhotic rats.


METHODS
In this study, we used a carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhotic rat model to compare the abundance of major aerobic and anaerobic bacterial species in healthy and cirrhotic rats. We used antibiotic (norfloxacin) and different probiotic treatments to change the status of gut flora in the cirrhotic rats and evaluated BT, liver function, and endotoxemia in the different models.


RESULTS
We found higher levels of Enterobacteriaceae in cirrhotic rats when compared with healthy rats. Bifidobacteria treatment resulted in lower levels of Enterobacteriaceae along with increased levels of Lactobacillus when compared with the normal saline group. Both Bifidobacteria and Enterococcus treatments resulted in lower endotoxin levels than in the normal saline group.


CONCLUSIONS
Gut flora imbalances in cirrhotic rats result in significant changes in BT and liver function in cirrhotic rats.
Zhang
Wei
W
Department of Infectious Disease, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
Gu
Yurong
Y
Chen
Youming
Y
Deng
Hong
H
Chen
Lubiao
L
Chen
Sui
S
Zhang
Genglin
G
Gao
Zhiliang
Z
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D018988:Bacterial Translocation / Q000187:drug effects; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000254:growth & development; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000254:growth & development; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000254:growth & development; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000254:growth & development; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D009643:Norfloxacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D019936:Probiotics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D009643:Norfloxacin