Effect of intestinal microbiota alteration on hepatic damage in rats with acute rejection after liver transplantation

Microb Ecol. 2014 Nov;68(4):871-80. doi: 10.1007/s00248-014-0452-z. Epub 2014 Jul 9.

Abstract

The previous studies all focus on the effect of probiotics and antibiotics on infection after liver transplantation. Here, we focus on the effect of gut microbiota alteration caused by probiotics and antibiotics on hepatic damage after allograft liver transplantation. Brown-Norway rats received saline, probiotics, or antibiotics via daily gavage for 3 weeks. Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) was carried out after 1 week of gavage. Alteration of the intestinal microbiota, liver function and histopathology, serum and liver cytokines, and T cells in peripheral blood and Peyer's patch were evaluated. Distinct segregation of fecal bacterial diversity was observed in the probiotic group and antibiotic group when compared with the allograft group. As for diversity of intestinal mucosal microbiota and pathology of intestine at 2 weeks after OLT, antibiotics and probiotics had a significant effect on ileum and colon. The population of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the probiotic group was significantly greater than the antibiotic group and the allograft group. The liver injury was significantly reduced in the antibiotic group and the probiotic group compared with the allograft group. The CD4/CD8 and Treg cells in Peyer's patch were decreased in the antibiotic group. The intestinal Treg cell and serum and liver TGF-β were increased markedly while CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly decreased in the probiotic group. It suggested that probiotics mediate their beneficial effects through increase of Treg cells and TGF-β and deduction of CD4/CD8 in rats with acute rejection (AR) after OLT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed / analysis
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
  • Bacteria / drug effects*
  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Bacteria / growth & development
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / metabolism
  • Diet
  • Dietary Supplements / analysis
  • Graft Rejection*
  • Intestines / microbiology*
  • Liver / physiopathology*
  • Liver Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Microbiota / genetics
  • Microbiota / physiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Probiotics / administration & dosage
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S