Alterations of the Bile Microbiome in Recurrent Common Bile Duct Stone

Characteristics of gallbladder microbiome in healthy dogs and cats, dogs with gallbladder mucocele, and cats with suspected cholangitis/cholangiohepatitis

The aim of this study was to investigate and characterize the microbiome in bile samples obtained from dogs with gallbladder mucocele (6), cats with suspected cholangitis/cholangiohepatitis (4), as well as from healthy dogs (6) and cats (4). Our goal was to compare the microbiome patterns with clinical findings and bacterial culture results in diseases of the gallbladder and to identify a potential microbial biomarker of diseased groups. The microbial taxa composition revealed that Proteobacteria were the most dominant phylum in healthy and diseased individuals in all groups. Individuals from six families including Burkholderiaceae, Phyllobacteriaceae, Bradyrhizobiaceae, Sphingomonadaceae, Moraxellaceae, and Caulobacteraceae, constituted the core microbiome in the gallbladder of healthy dogs. A combination of LEfSe analysis and Taxa2ASV decomposer revealed that Pseudomonaceae and Ruminococcaceae exclusively occurred in the mucocele group. In conclusion, this study determined the core microbiome in the gallbladder of healthy dogs and the possible biomarkers (Pseudomonaceae and Ruminococcaceae) of gallbladder mucocele in dogs.

How traditional Chinese medicine can prevent recurrence of common bile duct stones after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography?

Common bile duct stones, as a type of cholelithiasis, are a benign biliary obstruction that easily acute abdominalgia, and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is usually the first choice for clinical treatment. However, the increasing recurrence rate of patients after treatment is troubling clinicians and patients. For the prevention of recurrence after ERCP, there is no guideline to provide a clear drug regimen, traditional Chinese medicine however has achieved some result in the treatment of liver-related diseases based on the "gut-liver-bile acid axis". On the basis of this, this article discusses the possibility of traditional Chinese medicine to prevent common bile duct stones (CBDS) after ERCP, and we expect that this article will provide new ideas for the prevention of recurrence of CBDS and for the treatment of cholelithiasis-related diseases with traditional Chinese medicine in future clinical and scientific research.

Profiles of biliary microbiota in biliary obstruction patients with Clonorchis sinensis infection

Background

Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) is a epidemiologically significant food-borne parasite, causing several hepatobiliary diseases. Biliary microbiota community structure might be influenced by infection with pathogens. However, the biliary microbiome of biliary obstruction patients infected with C. sinensis is still an unexplored aspect.

Methods

A total of 50 biliary obstruction patients were enrolled, including 24 infected with C. sinensis and 26 non-infected subjects. The bile samples were collected by Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancretography. Biliary microbiota alteration was analyzed through high-throughput 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing.

Results

Our findings revealed that there was significant increase in both richness and diversity, as well as changes in the taxonomic composition of the biliary microbiota of C. sinensis infected patients. At the phylum level, C. sinensis infection induced Proteobacteria increased and Firmicutes reduced. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus increased significantly, while Enterococcus decreased prominently in infected groups (P < 0.05). The PICRUSt analysis further showed remarkably different metabolic pathways between the two groups.

Conclusion

C. sinensis infection could modify the biliary microbiota, increasing the abundance and changing the phylogenetic composition of bacterial in biliary obstruction patients. This study may help deepen the understanding of the host-biliary microbiota interplay with C. sinensis infection on the background of biliary obstruction and provide new insights into understanding the pathogenesis of clonorchiasis.

Gastrointestinal microbiome and cholelithiasis: Current status and perspectives

Cholelithiasis is a common digestive disease affecting 10% to 15% of adults. It imposes significant global health and financial burdens. However, the pathogenesis of cholelithiasis involves several factors and is incompletely elucidated. In addition to genetic predisposition and hepatic hypersecretion, the pathogenesis of cholelithiasis might involve the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome, consisting of microorganisms and their metabolites. High-throughput sequencing studies have elucidated the role of bile, gallstones, and the fecal microbiome in cholelithiasis, associating microbiota dysbiosis with gallstone formation. The GI microbiome may drive cholelithogenesis by regulating bile acid metabolism and related signaling pathways. This review examines the literature implicating the GI microbiome in cholelithiasis, specifically gallbladder stones, choledocholithiasis, and asymptomatic gallstones. We also discuss alterations of the GI microbiome and its influence on cholelithogenesis.

Gastrointestinal microbiome and cholelithiasis: Current status and perspectives

Cholelithiasis is a common digestive disease affecting 10% to 15% of adults. It imposes significant global health and financial burdens. However, the pathogenesis of cholelithiasis involves several factors and is incompletely elucidated. In addition to genetic predisposition and hepatic hypersecretion, the pathogenesis of cholelithiasis might involve the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome, consisting of microorganisms and their metabolites. High-throughput sequencing studies have elucidated the role of bile, gallstones, and the fecal microbiome in cholelithiasis, associating microbiota dysbiosis with gallstone formation. The GI microbiome may drive cholelithogenesis by regulating bile acid metabolism and related signaling pathways. This review examines the literature implicating the GI microbiome in cholelithiasis, specifically gallbladder stones, choledocholithiasis, and asymptomatic gallstones. We also discuss alterations of the GI microbiome and its influence on cholelithogenesis.

Roles of ursodeoxycholic acid in the bile biochemistry and metabolomics in patients with choledocholithiasis: a prospective study

INTRODUCTION

Recurrence after the endoscopic treatment of common bile duct stones (CBDS) is related to bile metabolism and bile compositions. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has been proved effective in reducing the recurrence of CBDS. However, the detailed effects of UDCA on bile metabolism are still not extensively explored.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to analyze the role of UDCA in patients with choledocholithiasis (CDC) from the perspective of biochemistry and metabolomics.

METHODS

A total of 89 patients with CDC who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography were prospectively examined and randomly assigned to control and UDCA groups. The biochemical detections (cholesterol, bilirubin, and so on) were performed on the collected bile. Moreover, the metabolomics analysis was conducted based on bile from 20 patients in the UDCA group.

RESULTS

The bile levels of cholesterol and endotoxins significantly decreased after UDCA treatment. Regarding bile metabolomics, the levels of 25 metabolites changed significantly after UDCA treatment. The pathway enrichment analysis showed that the UDCA addition evoked a common response related to phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis; phenylalanine metabolism; arachidonic acid metabolism; and terpenoid backbone biosynthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

UDCA treatment within a short time interval (7 days) did not improve the circulating laboratory values in patients with CDC who had undergone endoscopy surgery. However, relevant decreases in the bile levels of cholesterol and endotoxin were observed. UDCA evoked a common response related to lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism, which probably reduced the bile level of cholesterol, protected hepatocytes, and corrected the abnormality of lipid metabolism caused by CDC.