Liver diseases alter the gut microbiota, but several lactic acid bacteria can reduce the degree of liver damage. The present study investigated whether Lactobacillus buchneri TCP016 reduces the degree of liver damage by modifying the gut microbiota via its exopolysaccharides (EPSs). First, it was illustrated that the main EPS (EPS016; molecular weight = 8.509 × 104 Da) comprised rhamnose, xylose, glucosamine, glucuronic acid, galactose, galacturonic acid, glucose, and mannose in molar ratios of 9.2:3.9:3.8:2.8:2.1:2.0:1.6:1.0. Our data showed that EPS016 alleviated the increase in plasma and hepatic enzyme and cytokine levels, increased superoxide dismutase and glutathione activity, and alleviated bacterial translocation to the liver and mesenteric lymph nodes in vivo. Furthermore, EPS016 ameliorated intestinal mucosal injury and gut flora dysbiosis, thereby decreasing the enrichment of Helicobacteraceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Enterobacteriaceae and increasing the abundance of Lactobacillus, Rikenellaceae, Bacteroidaceae, Bacteroidales_S24-7_group, and Prevotellaceae. These findings indicated that EPS016 inhibits lipopolysaccharides/d-galactosamine-induced liver injury and improves the modification of the gut microbiota.
Keywords: acute liver injury; exopolysaccharides; gut microbiota; lactic acid bacteria.