Profile of Pancreatic and Ileal Microbiota in Experimental Acute Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is accompanied by gut microbiota dysbiosis. However, the composition of the pancreatic and ileal microbiota associated with AP is still unknown. This study aims to examine the alterations in the microbial composition of the pancreas and ileum in the context of experimental acute pancreatitis, as well as explore the potential interplay between these two regions. Methods: Caerulein (CAE), caerulein+lipopolysaccharide (CAE+LPS), and L-arginine (ARG) were used to induce AP in mice. The pancreas and ileum were collected for histological study and bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed microbial structural segregation between the AP and control groups and between ARG and the two CAE groups (CAE, CAE+LPS) in the pancreas and ileum. Taxonomic analysis at the genus level and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) at the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) level illustrated that AP mice exhibited a marked increase in the relative abundance of Muribaculaceae and a decrease in that of Dietzia both in the pancreas and ileum, and a reduction in Bifidobacterium only in the ileum; in addition, Roseburia was enriched in the two CAE groups in the pancreas and/or ileum, while Escherichia–Shigella expanded in the pancreas of the ARG group. Spearman correlation analysis between pancreatic and ileal microbiota revealed that the abundance of Muribaculaceae and Dietzia in the pancreas was related to that in the ileum. These findings demonstrated that caerulein and L-arginine differentially disturbed the pancreatic and ileal microbiota when inducing AP. Furthermore, these findings provide preliminary support for an association between the microbiota of the pancreas and ileum, which could be caused by AP-induced microbial translocation.