Brief Article
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 14, 2011; 17(26): 3151-3157
Published online Jul 14, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i26.3151
Lactobacillus species shift in distal esophagus of high-fat-diet-fed rats
Xin Zhao, Xiao-Wei Liu, Ning Xie, Xue-Hong Wang, Yi Cui, Jun-Wen Yang, Lin-Lin Chen, Fang-Gen Lu
Xin Zhao, Xiao-Wei Liu, Ning Xie, Xue-Hong Wang, Yi Cui, Jun-Wen Yang, Fang-Gen Lu, Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China
Lin-Lin Chen, Department of Gastroenterology, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
Author contributions: Zhao X, Liu XW and Lu FG designed the research; Zhao X, Wang XH, Xie N and Liu XW performed the research; Chen LL, Zhao X, Yang JW and Cui Y analyzed and interpreted the data; Zhao X, Liu XW and Lu FG wrote the paper; Zhao X and Liu XW contributed equally to this article.
Supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81070295
Correspondence to: Fang-Gen Lu, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China. lufanggenyao@163.com
Telephone: +86-731-85295250 Fax: +86-731-85295149
Received: December 28, 2010
Revised: April 26, 2011
Accepted: May 3, 2011
Published online: July 14, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To analyze the microbiota shift in the distal esophagus of Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-fat diet.

METHODS: Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into high-fat diet and normal control groups of 10 rats each. The composition of microbiota in the mucosa from the distal esophagus was analyzed based on selective culture. A variety of Lactobacillus species were identified by molecular biological techniques. Bacterial DNA from Lactobacillus colonies was extracted, and 16S rDNA was amplified by PCR using bacterial universal primers. The amplified 16S rDNA products were separated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Every single band was purified from the gel and sent to be sequenced.

RESULTS: Based on mucosal bacterial culturing in the distal esophagus, Staphylococcus aureus was absent, and total anaerobes and Lactobacillus species were decreased significantly in the high-fat diet group compared with the normal control group (P < 0.01). Detailed DGGE analysis on the composition of Lactobacillus species in the distal esophagus revealed that Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus gasseri (L. gasseri) and Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) comprised the Lactobacillus species in the high-fat diet group, while the composition of Lactobacillus species in the normal control group consisted of L. gasseri, Lactobacillus jensenii and L. reuteri.

CONCLUSION: High-fat diet led to a mucosal microflora shift in the distal esophagus in rats, especially the composition of Lactobacillus species.

Keywords: Obesity, Lactobacillus, Sprague-Dawley rats, Distal esophagus, Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis