Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on liver cirrhosis-induced rat models by studying changes in intestinal flora distribution and liver pathology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cirrhosis was induced in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats using carbon tetrachloride; successful establishment of the cirrhosis model was verified using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Rats were divided into normal control, cirrhosis model+normal saline, and cirrhosis model+FMT groups. Fecal intestinal flora was analyzed using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing for each group. Alpha diversity, beta diversity, and functional prediction analyses were performed. Additionally, rat liver tissue was subjected to HE staining to compare the degree of fibrosis and liver damage between the groups. RESULTS: FMT significantly improved the diversity, richness, and uniformity of the intestinal flora in rats with liver cirrhosis. Notably, post-FMT, the abundance of lactobacillaceae, bacilli, and bacteroidia increased, while the abundance of clostridia decreased. Moreover, hepatic fibrosis improved after FMT. CONCLUSION: The dysbiosis of intestinal flora in rats with liver cirrhosis improved after FMT. Thus, FMT can regulate intestinal flora, reduce liver inflammation, and improve hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis.