Intestinal microflora and metabolites affect the progression of acute pancreatitis (AP)

Specific intestinal metabolites are closely associated with the classification, severity, and necrosis of acute pancreatitis (AP) and provide novel insights for in-depth clinical investigations. In this study, the gut microbiota and metabolites of 49 AP patients at different treatment stages and severities were analysed via 16S rDNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomics to investigate the trends in gut microbiota composition and metabolome profiles observed in patients with severe AP. These findings revealed an imbalance in intestinal flora homeostasis among AP patients characterized by a decrease in probiotics and an increase in opportunistic pathogens, which leads to damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier through reduced short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) secretion and disruption of the intestinal epithelium. This dysbiosis influences energy metabolism, anti-inflammatory responses, and immune regulation, and these results highlight significant differences in energy metabolism pathways. These findings suggest that the differential composition of intestinal flora, along with alterations in intestinal metabolites and metabolic pathways, contribute to the compromised integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier and disturbances in energy metabolism in patients with severe AP.