AUTHOR=Huang Xin-yu , Zhang Ying-hui , Yi Shi-yu , Lei Lei , Ma Tao , Huang Rui , Yang Lan , Li Zhen-mao , Zhang Di 

TITLE=Potential contribution of the gut microbiota to the development of portal vein thrombosis in liver cirrhosis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1217338

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1217338

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Background</title><p>Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a serious complication of liver cirrhosis (LC) and is closely related to gut homeostasis. The study aimed to investigate the composition of gut microbiota and its putative role in PVT development in LC.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Methods</title><p>33 patients with LC admitted between January 2022 and December 2022 were enrolled in this study. Based on imaging findings, they were categorized into LC without PVT (<italic>n</italic> = 21) and LC with PVT (<italic>n</italic> = 12) groups. Fecal samples were collected from each participant and underwent 16S rDNA sequencing.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>D-Dimer and platelet elevations were the main clinical features of LC with PVT. The alpha and beta diversity of the gut microbiota in LC with PVT group was found to be significantly higher compared to the control group. The structure of the gut microbiota was significantly different between the two groups. Based on LEfSe data, the genera <italic>Akkermansia</italic>, <italic>Eubacterium hallii group, Fusicatenibacter</italic>, and <italic>Anaerostipes</italic> were enriched in the LC with PVT, while <italic>Enterococcus, Weissella, Bacteroides,</italic> and <italic>Subdoligranulum</italic> were enriched in those of the LC subjects. Changes in microbiota structure result in significant differences in gut microbiota metabolism between the two groups. Altered levels of the microbiota genera were shown to be correlated with coagulation factor parameters. In animal experiments, the addition of <italic>Bacteroides</italic> reversed the CCl<sub>4</sub>-induced PVT.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>Liver cirrhosis with PVT led to a disorder in the gut microbiota, which was characterized by an increase in pathogenic bacteria and a decrease in beneficial bacteria. Furthermore, modulating the gut microbiota, especially <italic>Bacteroides</italic>, may be a promising therapeutic approach to reduce the progression of PVT in LC.</p></sec>