Bacterial Translocation to Mesenteric Lymph Nodes Increases in Chronic Portal Hypertensive Rats

Abstract

Purpose: Bacterial translocation is a frequent complication in portal hypertension related to cirrhosis in the human clinical area. The aim of this study was to verify the existence of intestinal bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes in male Wistar rats with triple partial portal vein ligation during short- (48 h) and long-term (1 month) postoperative evolution. Results: At 48 h, ileal total aerobes bacteria (p < 0.001) and Lactobacillus decrease in sham-operated (SO) and portal hypertensive (PH) rats. At 1 month, ileal Enterococci and Streptococcus sp. show a statistically significant decrease in SO- and PH-rats. Lactobacillus decreases in the colon in SO- (p < 0.01) and in PH-rats (p < 0.001). At 1 month, colonic Enterococci decreases compared to control (p < 0.001) and SO-rats (p < 0.01). These intestinal microfloral changes are associated with bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes at 48 h (50%; p = 0.004) and 1 month (100%; p < 0.001) of postoperative evolution in PH-rats. Conclusions: The enlargement of the stenosed portal tract related to triple partial portal vein ligation in the rat, since it increases the resistance to the portal blood flow, may be a key factor involved in one of the pathological consequences of portal hypertension, as is bacterial translocation to mesenteric lymph nodes. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.