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Updated: Jul 13, 2025
A Mouse Model of Intestinal Partial Obstruction
Published on: March 5, 2018
Alterations of gut microbiota in a mouse model with partial small intestinal obstruction
Yong Wang1,2,3,4, Minzhong Zhang5, Lu Jiang6
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Introduction:
Changes in the gut microbiota of patients with partial small intestinal obstruction (PSIO) have not been widely clarified. We aimed to explore bacterial diversity in a PSIO mouse model.
Methods:
A PSIO mouse model was established using male C57BL/6 mice, and feces samples from the distal ileum and ileum epithelium tissues were collected. MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was conducted to characterize microbiota diversity and composition. RNA sequencing for differences in transcriptomic programming of the ileum tissue was performed between the PSIO and (Control) Ctrl groups.
Results:
Bacterial diversity in the PSIO group was significantly lower than that in the controls. Pseudomonadota was predominant in the feces of the PSIO group. Unclassified_Muribaculaceae (p = 0.008) and Akkermansia (p = 0.007) were more abundant in the Ctrl group than those in the PSIO group. Furthermore, Escherichia_Shigella (p = 0.008) was more predominant in the feces of the PSIO group. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways related to metabolism were depleted in the PSIO group. Pathways associated with intestinal fibrosis, including extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling pathway and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta signaling pathway, which were enriched in ileum epithelial tissue in the PSIO group.
Conclusion:
PSIO can lead to changes in the predominant intestinal bacterial groups. Depleted functional profiles of the gut microbiota were identified in the PSIO group. Functional pathways associated with intestinal fibrosis were activated by PSIO. The potential regulation by the microbiota needs to be explored in the future.
Insights
Partial small intestinal obstruction (PSIO) significantly alters gut microbiota diversity, increasing Pseudomonadota and Escherichia_Shigella while decreasing beneficial bacteria. PSIO also activates intestinal fibrosis pathways in the ileum.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
- Genomics
Background:
- Partial small intestinal obstruction (PSIO) is a condition with incompletely understood gut microbiota alterations.
- Investigating these changes is crucial for understanding PSIO pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore bacterial diversity and transcriptomic changes in a mouse model of PSIO.
- To identify specific bacterial groups and molecular pathways affected by PSIO.
Main Methods:
- Establishment of a PSIO mouse model.
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing for gut microbiota analysis.
- RNA sequencing for ileum tissue transcriptomics.
Main Results:
- Reduced bacterial diversity in PSIO mice compared to controls.
- Predominance of Pseudomonadota and Escherichia_Shigella in PSIO feces.
- Enrichment of intestinal fibrosis pathways (e.g., TGF-beta signaling) in PSIO ileum tissue.
Conclusions:
- PSIO induces significant shifts in gut bacterial composition and function.
- Activated intestinal fibrosis pathways suggest a link between microbiota changes and PSIO pathology.
- Further research is needed to explore the regulatory role of the microbiota in PSIO.
