Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell ameliorates post-stroke enterobacterial translocation through liver-gut...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gastroenterology
• Immunology

Background:

• Enterobacterial translocation is a major cause of fatal infections in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) patients.
• Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy shows promise in improving stroke outcomes.
• The effect of MSCs on post-stroke enterobacterial translocation is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether MSCs can inhibit enterobacterial translocation after stroke.
• To elucidate the mechanisms by which MSCs might exert protective effects on the gut barrier post-stroke.

Main Methods:

• Study included patients with AIS and healthy controls.
• Mice with induced stroke received bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs).
• Evaluated enterobacterial translocation, gut mucus thickness, and hepatic glucocorticoid (GC) metabolism.

Main Results:

• Stroke led to reduced gut mucus and increased enterobacterial translocation, linked to elevated systemic GC.
• BM-MSC treatment restored mucus thickness, preserved gut microbiota, and prevented bacterial invasion.
• MSCs enhanced hepatic GC metabolism by modulating specific enzyme expressions, promoting GC catabolism and restoring mucin production.

Conclusions:

• MSC transfer improves gut barrier integrity post-stroke.
• This is achieved by enhancing hepatic GC metabolism, which inhibits enterobacterial translocation.
• MSC therapy acts as a protective modulator of the liver-gut-brain axis in AIS.