Lactobacillus reuteri mitigates hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury by modulating gut microbiota and metabolism through the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling

Biol Direct. 2024 Mar 18;19(1):23. doi: 10.1186/s13062-024-00462-5.

Abstract

Background: This study seeks to investigate the impacts of Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and uncover the mechanisms involved.

Methods: Mice in the I/R groups were orally administered low and high doses of L.reuteri (L.reuteri-low and L. reuteri-hi; 1 × 1010 CFU/d and 1 × 1011 CFU/d), for 4 weeks prior to surgery. Following this, mice in the model group were treated with an Nrf2 inhibitor (ML-385), palmitoylcarnitine, or a combination of both.

Results: After treatment with L. reuteri, mice exhibited reduced levels of serum aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, as well as a lower Suzuki score and apoptosis rate. L. reuteri effectively reversed the I/R-induced decrease in Bcl2 expression, and the significant increases in the levels of Bax, cleaved-Caspase3, p-p65/p65, p-IκB/IκB, p-p38/p38, p-JNK/JNK, and p-ERK/ERK. Furthermore, the administration of L. reuteri markedly reduced the inflammatory response and oxidative stress triggered by I/R. This treatment also facilitated the activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. L. reuteri effectively counteracted the decrease in levels of beneficial gut microbiota species (such as Blautia, Lachnospiraceae NK4A136, and Muribaculum) and metabolites (including palmitoylcarnitine) induced by I/R. Likewise, the introduction of exogenous palmitoylcarnitine demonstrated a beneficial impact in mitigating hepatic injury induced by I/R. However, when ML-385 was administered prior to palmitoylcarnitine treatment, the previously observed effects were reversed.

Conclusion: L. reuteri exerts protective effects against I/R-induced hepatic injury, and its mechanism may be related to the promotion of probiotic enrichment, differential metabolite homeostasis, and the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, laying the foundation for future clinical applications.

Keywords: Lactobacillus reuteri; Gut microbiota; Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury; Metabolism; Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome*
  • Ischemia
  • Limosilactobacillus reuteri*
  • Mice
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / metabolism
  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / therapeutic use
  • Palmitoylcarnitine / therapeutic use
  • Reperfusion Injury* / drug therapy
  • Reperfusion Injury* / prevention & control

Substances

  • NF-E2-Related Factor 2
  • Palmitoylcarnitine