摘要
The intestinal lumen is a host place for a wide range of microbiota and sets a unique interplay between local immune system, inflammatory cells and intestinal epithelium, forming a physical barrier against microbial invaders and toxins. Bacterial translocation is the migration of viable or nonviable microorganisms or their pathogen-associated molecular patterns, such as lipopolysaccharide, from the gut lumen to the mesenteric lymph nodes, systemic circulation and other normally sterile extraintestinal sites. A series of studies have shown that translocation of bacteria and their products across the intestinal barrier is a commonplace in patients with liver disease. The deterioration of intestinal barrier integrity and the consulting increased intestinal permeability in cirrhotic patients play a pivotal pathophysiological role in the development of severe complications as high rate of infections, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenal syndrome, variceal bleeding, progression of liver injury and hepatocellular carcinoma. Nevertheless, the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms implicated in the phenomenon of microbial translocation in liver cirrhosis have not been fully elucidated yet.
The intestinal lumen is a host place for a wide rangeof microbiota and sets a unique interplay betweenlocal immune system, inflammatory cells and intestinalepithelium, forming a physical barrier against microbialinvaders and toxins. Bacterial translocation is themigration of viable or nonviable microorganisms ortheir pathogen-associated molecular patterns, suchas lipopolysaccharide, from the gut lumen to themesenteric lymph nodes, systemic circulation and othernormally sterile extraintestinal sites. A series of studieshave shown that translocation of bacteria and theirproducts across the intestinal barrier is a commonplacein patients with liver disease. The deterioration ofintestinal barrier integrity and the consulting increasedintestinal permeability in cirrhotic patients play a pivotalpathophysiological role in the development of severecomplications as high rate of infections, spontaneousbacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenalsyndrome, variceal bleeding, progression of liver injuryand hepatocellular carcinoma. Nevertheless, the exactcellular and molecular mechanisms implicated in thephenomenon of microbial translocation in liver cirrhosishave not been fully elucidated yet.
