Characteristics of the gut microbiota in Bifidobacterium catenulatum LI10 pretreated rats with lower levels of D-galactosamine-induced liver damage

Abstract

Abstract Aims Liver damage has caused great illness in human beings. Bifidobacterium catenulatum LI10 has been determined with protective effect against D-galactosamine-induced liver damage. However, due to the sample limitation, the individual difference in its protective effect was not determined. The current study was designed to characterize the gut microbiota of LI10-pretreated rats with lower levels of liver damage. Methods and Results A series of experiments and bioinformatic analyses were carried out. Two rat cohorts with different levels of liver damage were determined, that is, Non-Severe and Severe cohorts. Six out of the seven measured liver function variables were lower in the Non-Severe cohort, while four cytokine variables also yielded differences between the two cohorts. The Non-Severe and Severe cohorts were determined with distinct gut microbiota, among which ASV14_Parabacteroides and ASV7_Bacteroides were most associated with Non-Severe and Severe cohorts, respectively. Five phylotypes were determined as structural gatekeepers in the microbiota network of Non-Severe cohort, ASV135_Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136 of which contributed most to the stability of the network. Conclusions The relevant findings suggest that some gut bacteria could benefit the protective effect of LI10 on lowering the severity of rat liver damage. Significance and Impact of the Study The bacteria benefiting the protective effects of potential probiotics could be further investigated for future clinical application.