Hepatectomy is a common clinical procedure for the treatment of many liver diseases, and the successful recovery of a patient's liver metabolism and function after surgery is crucial for a good prognosis. The objective of this study was to elucidate the metabolic response to hepatectomy using high-throughput sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA gene, metabolomics, and proteomics data. Fecal and serum samples from beagle dogs were collected on day 0 (LH0), day 7 (LH7), and day 28 (LH28) after laparoscopic partial hepatectomy. Liver tissue samples were taken on LH0 and LH7. Dysbiosis in the fecal microbiota was explored, and host-microbiome interactions based on global metabolic and protein profiles and inflammatory processes were determined. Results showed that the relative abundance of Allobaculum and Turicibacter was decreased and that of Escherichia-Shigella was increased after hepatectomy (P < 0.05); the phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthetic pathway, along with the phenylalanine and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthetic pathway, was significantly associated with liver injury. The serum metabolites l-phenylalanine and l-arginine were useful as biomarkers, and the fecal metabolite l-threonine was a signature target monitor for liver recovery. The proteomics profile revealed 412 significantly different proteins and further highlighted two key signaling pathways (mitogen-activated protein kinase [MAPK] and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor [PPAR]) involved in the response to liver injury. We systematically explored the metabolic mechanism of liver injury and recovery, providing new insights into effective ways to promote recovery after hepatectomy and improve liver function and long-term survival. These fundamental studies on hepatectomy will provide the basis for future advances in treatment and recovery from common liver diseases. IMPORTANCE As the largest parenchymal organ, the liver is a target for bacterial and viral infections, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cirrhosis, cancer, and many other diseases, constituting a serious worldwide problem. The treatment for many of these diseases involves hepatectomy. Here, we show that aberrant inflammatory processes after hepatectomy of the liver as reflected in the association between liver metabolism and gut microbiota create a grave risk. This study investigated the mechanisms of gut microbiota and host metabolism involved in liver injury and recovery after hepatectomy, using proteomics to reveal the mechanisms of postoperative liver injury and a comprehensive multi-omics approach to identify changes in metabolism after hepatectomy.
Keywords: gut microbiology; hepatectomy; metabolomics; proteomics.