Gut bacterial translocation may aggravate microinflammation in hemodialysis patients.
OBJECTIVE
Bacterial translocation (BT) promotes microinflammation in predialysis patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, the change in BT has not been reported in ESRD patients undergoing regular hemodialysis treatment. The present study investigated whether hemodialysis promotes gut BT and microinflammation.


METHODS
The blood, gut, and dialysate of hemodialysis patients were analyzed using bacterial 16S rDNA amplification and DNA pyrosequencing to determine the presence of bacteria and alteration in gut microbiomes. High-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and endotoxin were also determined. Plasma D-lactate was tested for gut permeability.


RESULTS
Bacteria were present in the plasma of 12 out of 52 ESRD patients. The majority of the bacteria detected in the blood were also distributed in the gut of ESRD patients on the basis of the phylogenetics of the blood and gut microbial specimens in the patients. In patient, groups treated with and without hemodialysis, the plasma hs-CRP, IL-6, and endotoxin levels differed between the positive and negative plasma bacterial DNA. In patients who were positive in blood bacteria, the bacterial DNA concentration was positively correlated with plasma levels of CRP and IL-6. The ESRD patients who underwent hemodialysis had a different flora and showed slightly higher levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, and plasma endotoxin, compared with those in ESRD patients who did not undergo hemodialysis.


CONCLUSIONS
ESRD, rather than hemodialysis, primarily contributes to BT and microinflammation in ESRD patients. Hemodialysis may exaggerate microinflammation in ESRD patients to some extent.
Dialysis Centre of First Affiliated Hospital of Medicine School, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 277 West Yanta Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, China.
Kehui
K
Shi
Feiqian
F
Wang
Hongli
H
Jiang
Hua
H
Liu
Meng
M
Wei
Zhigang
Z
Wang
Li
L
Xie
D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018988:Bacterial Translocation / Q000276:immunology; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D015314:Dialysis Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D064307:Microbiota / Q000235:genetics; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D015314:Dialysis Solutions; D004731:Endotoxins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D019344:Lactic Acid; D002097:C-Reactive Protein