Abstract
BACKGROUND: In this study, we are committed to exploring the characteristics of the gut microbiome in three different stages of chronic liver disease (CLD): Chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). AIM: To delineate the gut microbiota traits in individuals with chronic liver ailments (chronic hepatitis B, cirrhosis, HCC), scrutinizes microbiome alterations during the progression of these diseases, and assesses microbiome disparities among various Child-Pugh categories in cirrhosis sufferers. METHODS: A cohort of 60 CLD patients from the Third People's Hospital of Yunnan Province were recruited from February to August 2023, together with 37 healthy counterparts. Employing 16SrDNA high-throughput sequencing, we evaluated the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota. RESULTS: Compared to healthy subjects, patients exhibited a reduced presence of Firmicutes and a corresponding decline in butyrate-producing genera. In contrast, an upsurge in Proteobacteria was observed in the diseased cohorts, particularly an increase in Enterobacteriaceae that intensified with the disease's progression. At the genus level, the occurrence of Escherichia_Shigella, Parabacteroides, Streptococcus, Klebsiella, and Enterococcus was higher, with Escherichia_Shigella numbers augmenting as the disease advanced. Furthermore, in cirrhosis patients, an increase in Proteobacteria was noted as liver reserve diminished, alongside a decrease in Ruminococcaceae and Bacteroidaceae. CONCLUSION: The reduced abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria in the intestine, alongside the increased abundance of gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia_Shigella and Parabacteroides, may promote the progression of CLD.