Bifidobacterium adolescentis Supplementation Ameliorates Parenteral Nutrition-Induced Liver Injury in Infant Rabbits

Parenteral nutrition (PN)-induced liver injury is associated with gut atrophy, and probiotics have demonstrated the ability to stabilize the intestinal microecosystem and offer protection against bacterial translocation from the gut to the liver. Therefore, we hypothesized that enteral Bifidobacterium supplements could alleviate PN-associated liver injury. Three-week-old New Zealand rabbits were divided into three groups: control, PN, and PN + Bif group (PN plus enteral feeding 0.5 x 10(8) Bifidobacterium adolescentis per day). After 10 days, serum levels of liver enzyme and endotoxin were measured, and histology of liver and ileum were performed. Blood and homogenized samples of tissue from the mesenteric lymph nodes, lung, and spleen were cultured for detecting bacteria translocation. Intestinal permeability was determined by sugar absorption test. Serum levels of total bilirubin and bile acid were found to be lower in the PN + Bif group, with considerably improved ileum and liver histology (vs. the PN group). The bacterial translocation rate (15.6%), serum endotoxin level (0.11 +/- A 0.03 EU/ml), and lactulose/mannitol ratio (0.02 +/- A 0.004) in the PN + Bif group were obviously lower than those of PN group (77.5%, 0.60 +/- A 0.09 EU/ml, and 0.038 +/- A 0.008, respectively) and similar to those of the control group (2.8%, 0.09 +/- A 0.03 EU/ml, and 0.019 +/- A 0.005, respectively). Enteral probiotic supplementation could reduce gut permeability, bacterial translocation and endotoxemia, and thus attenuate PN-associated gut and liver injuries in infant rabbits.