Open Access

Intestinal flora imbalance promotes alcohol‑induced liver fibrosis by the TGFβ/smad signaling pathway in mice

  • Authors:
    • Dong Zhang
    • Xiuxian Hao
    • Lili Xu
    • Jing Cui
    • Li Xue
    • Zibin Tian
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: August 17, 2017     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2017.6762
  • Pages: 4511-4516
  • Copyright: © Zhang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Intestinal flora performs a crucial role in human health and its imbalance may cause numerous pathological changes. The liver can also affect the intestinal function through bile secretion via the enterohepatic cycle. The pathophysiological association between the gut and the liver is described as the gut‑liver axis. The present study investigated the role of intestinal flora in alcohol‑induced liver fibrosis. A total of 36 C57 mice were randomly and equally divided into 3 different dietary regimes: Group I (alcohol injury; received alcohol); group II (alcohol injury with flora imbalance; received alcohol plus lincomycin hydrochloride) and group III (alcohol injury with corrected flora imbalance; received alcohol, lincomycin hydrochloride and extra probiotics). The present study then investigated several indicators of liver damage. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in mice serum were studied. Masson staining and Annexin V‑fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double staining was also performed, and the expression of mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (smad) 3 and smad4 proteins in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) of the mice was examined using western blot analysis. The levels of serum ALP, AST and ALT were the highest in group II mice, and all 3 levels decreased in group III mice compared with those from group II. The degree of liver fibrosis was aggravated in group II mice compared with group I mice. The apoptosis of HSCs was significantly inhibited in group II mice, but was increased in group III mice. The HSCs in group II mice exhibited higher expression of smad3 and smad4, whilst group III mice (with corrected intestinal flora imbalance) exhibited downregulated expression of smad3 and smad4. The present data indicates that the intestinal flora perform a significant role in maintaining liver homeostasis. Furthermore, an imbalance of intestinal flora can exacerbate alcohol‑induced liver fibrosis in mice through the transforming growth factor β/SMA/MAD homology signaling pathway, which subsequently leads to more serious liver damage.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

October-2017
Volume 14 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Zhang D, Hao X, Xu L, Cui J, Xue L and Tian Z: Intestinal flora imbalance promotes alcohol‑induced liver fibrosis by the TGFβ/smad signaling pathway in mice. Oncol Lett 14: 4511-4516, 2017
APA
Zhang, D., Hao, X., Xu, L., Cui, J., Xue, L., & Tian, Z. (2017). Intestinal flora imbalance promotes alcohol‑induced liver fibrosis by the TGFβ/smad signaling pathway in mice. Oncology Letters, 14, 4511-4516. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2017.6762
MLA
Zhang, D., Hao, X., Xu, L., Cui, J., Xue, L., Tian, Z."Intestinal flora imbalance promotes alcohol‑induced liver fibrosis by the TGFβ/smad signaling pathway in mice". Oncology Letters 14.4 (2017): 4511-4516.
Chicago
Zhang, D., Hao, X., Xu, L., Cui, J., Xue, L., Tian, Z."Intestinal flora imbalance promotes alcohol‑induced liver fibrosis by the TGFβ/smad signaling pathway in mice". Oncology Letters 14, no. 4 (2017): 4511-4516. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2017.6762