Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus gasseri ameliorate alcohol-induced liver injury and gut microbiota dysbiosis in rats.

INTRODUCTION/

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate whether Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus gasseri could alleviate alcohol-induced liver damage, behavioral changes, and gut microbiota dysbiosis in rats. And sought to better understand the role of Lactobacillus-mediated microbiota modulation in alcohol-induced liver damage.

METHODS

Male SD rats were first subjected to 1 week of ethanol adaptation, followed by 4 weeks of feeding with a Lindros alcohol liquid diet containing 6.2% ethanol to establish the ALD model. Subsequently, the rats received 2 weeks of either L. rhamnosus or L. gasseri (1 × 109 CFU/rat/day) treatment while continuing to receive the Lindros alcohol liquid diet containing 6.2% ethanol. The control group were treated with PBS. Serum fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were determined, along with hepatic TNF-α expression. Behavioral performance was assessed using the open-field test, and gut microbiota composition was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

RESULTS

Alcohol-fed rats showed significantly increases in serum FGF21, LPS, ALT, AST, and hepatic TNF-α levels, accompanied by reduced locomotor activity and gut microbial diversity. Supplementation with either L. rhamnosus or L. gasseri mitigated these changes. Notably, Lactobacillus gasseri demonstrated a more pronounced protective effect on liver injury markers. Lactobacillus treatment partially restored microbial richness, increased beneficial genera such as Monoglobus, and reduced alcohol-associated taxa including Bacteroides and Alloprevotella. Functional prediction analysis indicated significant alterations in pathways related to sulfur metabolism, purine metabolism, the sulfur cycle, and butanoate metabolism.

DISCUSSION: Both L. rhamnosus and L. gasseri effectively attenuated alcohol-induced liver injury, inflammation, and behavioral impairments in rats. These effects are likely through modulation of gut microbiota composition and function.

CONCLUSION

Our work suggest that probiotic intervention may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for the management of alcohol-induced disorders.