Modulation of Intestinal Microbiota Through Kefir-Based Beverages in a Murine Model of Acute Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) severely disrupts gut microbiota, leading to dysbiosis. This study investigated whether kefir derived from pasteurized whole milk (PMK) or whey (WK) could mitigate AP-induced gut microbiota alterations and promote gut health in a murine model. Male BALB/cJRj mice were assigned to CONTROL, AP-induced (PAN), PMK, WK, PMKPAN, or WKPAN groups. Fecal bacterial DNA was analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing. AP induction caused characteristic dysbiosis, increasing Marinifilaceae, Tannerellaceae, Odoribacter, and Parabacteroides. In AP mice, PMK treatment significantly reduced Tannerellaceae and Parabacteroides, while increasing potentially anti-inflammatory Marinifilaceae and butyrate-producing Odoribacter. In healthy mice, PMK reduced pro inflammatory Desulfovibrionaceae and Bilophila, enriching short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producers like Acetatifactor and Roseburia, with pathway analysis showing increased acetate kinase activity. WK treatment in healthy animals also promoted SCFA-producers (Acetatifactor, Odoribacter) and Muribaculaceae. In the AP model, WK upregulated bacteria involved in fatty acid biosynthesis pathways. Dairy-based kefir, particularly PMK, demonstrates a significant capacity to counteract AP-induced gut microbiota imbalances. These findings highlight kefir's nutritional relevance as a functional food with potential preventive and therapeutic applications for supporting gut health in the context of AP.