PMID- 33472728 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20210305 LR - 20210305 IS - 0393-974X (Print) IS - 0393-974X (Linking) VI - 35 IP - 1 DP - 2021 Jan-Feb TI - Effects of probiotics on intestinal flora, inflammation and degree of liver cirrhosis in rats with liver cirrhosis by regulating Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. PG - 25-33 LID - 10.23812/20-242-A [doi] AB - We aimed to explore the effects of probiotics on intestinal flora, inflammation and degree of liver cirrhosis in rats with liver cirrhosis, and to verify the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway that regulates this process. A total of 30 SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely, control group (n=10), model group (n=10) and probiotic group (n=10). Rats in the model group were used to construct liver cirrhosis models using carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) method, and those in the probiotic group were administered with probiotic preparations by gavage for 8 weeks. Then the feces of rats in each group were taken to detect the composition of intestinal flora, and changes in the content of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), in peripheral blood collected were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Next, changes in the degree of liver cirrhosis were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and the expression levels of the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway-related molecules, including beta-catenin, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3beta and Frizzled-2, in liver tissues in each group were detected via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting (WB). Compared with rats in the control group, those in the model group had a disordered structure of hepatic lobule and hyperplasia of a large number of fibrous tissues. In contrast to those in the model group, the liver lobule structure was greatly improved, the edema cells were obviously reduced, and the hyperplasia of collagen fibers was remarkably alleviated in the probiotic group. Moreover, the degree of liver cirrhosis in the probiotic group was significantly reduced compared with that in the model group. Moreover, the rats in the model group exhibited a higher Bifidobacterium level in the intestinal tract, while those in the probiotic group displayed higher levels of microorganisms in the intestinal tract, such as Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Actinbacteria, Slackia and Pasteurellaceae. In comparison with that in the control group, the level of salt-tolerant Lactobacillus in the intestinal tract of rats in the model group was significantly decreased, while that in the probiotic group was partially increased (P=0.023). Meanwhile, some intestinal flora of rats in the control group, model group and probiotic group were closely correlated. Specifically, highly positive correlations were found between Bacteroidetes and Paraeggerthella (r=0.423, P=0.034) and between Firmicutes and Lactobacillus (r=0.318, P=0.027), but strongly negative associations were detected between Firmicutes and Paraeggerthella (r=-0.691, p=0.004) and between Paraeggerthella and Lactobacillus (r=-0.384, P=0.047). In addition, the levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha IL-6, MCP-1 and IFN-gamma in the plasma of rats in the model group were markedly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), whereas such levels in the probiotic group were decreased compared with those in the model group (P<0.05). PCR results revealed that the expression levels of beta-catenin and Frizzled-2 in the model group were higher than those in the control group, whereas they were lower in the probiotic group than those in the model group (P<0.05). Furthermore, the model group had a decreased level of GSK-3beta in comparison with the control group, but the probiotic group had a higher level of GSK-3beta than the model group (P<0.05). WB results were consistent with PCR results. Probiotics can affect intestinal flora, inflammation and degree of liver cirrhosis in rats with liver cirrhosis, and its mechanism may be related to the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. CI - Copyright 2020 Biolife Sas. www.biolifesas.org. FAU - Feng, Y AU - Feng Y AD - Department of Hepatology, Qingdao No.6 People's Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China. FAU - Gao, S J AU - Gao SJ AD - Department of Hepatology, Qingdao No.6 People's Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China. FAU - Wei, R D AU - Wei RD AD - Department of Hepatology, Qingdao No.6 People's Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China. FAU - Liu, T AU - Liu T AD - Department of Hepatology, Qingdao No.6 People's Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China. FAU - Fan, X P AU - Fan XP AD - Department of Hepatology, Qingdao No.6 People's Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China. FAU - Han, Y D AU - Han YD AD - Department of Hepatology, Qingdao No.6 People's Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China. FAU - Zhu, N AU - Zhu N AD - Department of Hepatology, Qingdao No.6 People's Hospital, Qingdao, Shandong, China. LA - eng PT - Journal Article PL - Italy TA - J Biol Regul Homeost Agents JT - Journal of biological regulators and homeostatic agents JID - 8809253 RN - 0 (Ctnnb1 protein, rat) RN - 0 (beta Catenin) RN - EC 2.7.11.1 (Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta) SB - IM MH - Animals MH - *Gastrointestinal Microbiome MH - Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta/genetics MH - Inflammation MH - *Liver Cirrhosis/therapy MH - *Probiotics MH - Rats MH - Rats, Sprague-Dawley MH - Wnt Signaling Pathway MH - beta Catenin OTO - NOTNLM OT - Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway OT - intestinal flora OT - liver cirrhosis OT - probiotics EDAT- 2021/01/22 06:00 MHDA- 2021/03/06 06:00 CRDT- 2021/01/21 05:25 PHST- 2021/01/21 05:25 [entrez] PHST- 2021/01/22 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2021/03/06 06:00 [medline] AID - 1 [pii] AID - 10.23812/20-242-A [doi] PST - ppublish SO - J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2021 Jan-Feb;35(1):25-33. doi: 10.23812/20-242-A.