JOURNAL OF PRACTICAL HEPATOLOGY ›› 2017, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (6): 728-731.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-5069.2017.06.022

• Orginal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and TLR4 expression on the surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with liver cirrhosis

Chen Guangyao, Han Ji’ao, Zhou Dongxiao   

  1. Department of Gastroenterology,Digestive Disease Institute,People's Hospital,Affiliated to Xinxiang Medical College,Zhengzhou 450003,China
  • Received:2017-01-05 Online:2017-11-10 Published:2017-12-14

Abstract: Objective To explore the prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth(SIBO) and the changes of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR-4) expression on the surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods SIBO was detected by lactulose hydrogen breath test and TLR-4 expression was assayed by flow cytometry in 40 cirrhotics and 16 healthy persons. Results The prevalence of SIBO in patients with liver cirrhosis was 42.5%,significantly higher than 6.3% in healthy people(P<0.01);the expression of TLR4 on the surface of PBMCs in patients with cirrhosis was(23.4±11.4),significantly higher than [(14.4±5.2),P<0.05] in the control;the expression of TLR4 in 17 cirrhotic patients with SIBO-positive was (30.2±12.3),significantly higher than[(19±8.6),P<0.05] in 23 with SIBO-negative. Conclusions The patients with liver cirrhosis have a high incidence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth,and the expression of TLR4 on PBMCs increases,which might play an important role in the development of cirrhosis.

Key words: Liver cirrhosis, Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth, Endotoxin, Toll-like receptor 4